The CIIE logo and mascot Jinbao are showcased at a news conference in Shanghai on July 27, 2018. [Photo by Yang Yang/chinadaily.com.cn]

A webinar promoting the China International Import Expo to Russia was held on April 7, with nearly100 company representatives, government officials and media from both China and Russia in attendance.

Liu Xuesong, deputy director of the Eurasia department of the Ministry of Commerce, said that bilateral trade between the countries from January to February had increased by 8.5 percent yearon-year. He also expects the annual trade volume to a hit new record this year.

Liu noted that 2021 marks the 20th anniversary of the signing of the China-Russia Treaty of Good-neighborliness and Friendly Cooperation, and that the Chinese are willing to work with Russia in areas such as agricultural products and machinery, technological innovation, e-commerce and biomedicine.

He expressed hope that Russian businesspeople will actively participate in the fourth edition of the CIIE, and that more Russian exhibits would be introduced to the China market.

Sun Chenghai, deputy director-general of the CIIE Bureau, said more than 100 Russian companies have participated in the previous expos, and Russian products such as dairy, meat, and ice-cream have been well-received by Chinese consumers.

Alexander Dianov, an official with the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation, said the two countries have withstood the impact of COVID-19 together and are working on a plan to achieve a trade turnover of $200 billion. He said the CIIE will be a good platform for business cooperation between companies from both countries.

Alexey Dakhnovsky, Trade Representative of the Russian Federation in China, said that industry cooperation is important for China-Russia trade, and that the two countries will continue advancing collaboration in the manufacturing of planes, helicopters and automobiles.

Veronika Nikishina, general director of the Russian Export Center, said China is the biggest trade partner of Russia, and the center will help more Russian companies to enter promising Chinese markets such as agriculture, IT and pharmaceuticals, thus expanding Russian exports to China in sectors other than resources and energy.