Border trade with Russia gets boost

Heilongjiang Province plans to double its imports and exports with Russia in 2007 from the 2004 level in a bid to boost its trade and economic relations with the country.

In order to achieve this goal, the provincial government is targeting industries including energy, agriculture and technology.

Heilongjiang is expected to set up a long-term co-operation with Russia for the exploration of forest resources in a bid to realize the industrialization of wood, paper and paper pulp processing in China and Russia.

The province has also encouraged its enterprises to further their co-operation with Russia in the exploration of copper, iron, gold, coal, aluminium and rare metals. It hoped to take part in the discovering and utilization of crude oil and natural resources in Russia's Far East regions.

Heilongjiang is poised to accelerate reforms of Russia-oriented export bases as China's central government vows to upgrade old industrial bases in the province.

So far, the 13 cities in Heilongjiang have 96 Russia-oriented export bases. Half of them focus on processing exports toward Russia while the other half mainly export agricultural products.

The province will attach high importance to sectors such as textiles, construction materials, household electrical appliances and the information technology industry.

Agricultural bases involved in the production of corn, vegetables, fruit, meat, eggs and milk are expected to expand the influence of Heilongjiang brands. The government will give them full policy support and guidance.

In order to push science and technology co-operation with Russia, the provincial government will oversee more than 100 projects of this kind and help 10 per cent of them to realize industrialization.

Strengthening co-operation in key and core technologies with Russia, Heilongjiang is expected to import technologies and skills from Russia.