Albanian, Chinese businesses eye stronger cooperation

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Business representatives from Albania and China have met to discuss ways of strengthening cooperation.

The meeting in Albania's capital, Tirana, was held in the presence of the country's minister of state for enterprise, Sonila Qato, Chinese ambassador to Tirana Jiang Yu, secretary general of China's Council for Promotion of International Trade Yu Jialong and a significant number of Albanian and Chinese business representatives.

The B2B meeting was held at the same time as the international fair "Klik Ekspo Klik" where Chinese companies have a high presence with around 20 stands.

Business representatives from Albania and China met Friday in Tirana to discuss ways of expanding business cooperation. /VCG Photo

In her opening remarks on Friday afternoon , Qato thanked the Chinese firms for visiting, saying their attendance confirmed a desire to explore Albania and further develop business ties.

She also said their presence at the trade fair would serve as a direct contact point as well as an opportunity to get to know each other.

She called China a story of success from which Albania can learn a lot.

Chinese ambassador Jiang Yu echoed Qato's remarks about the opportunities for businesses of both countries to advance bilateral economic and trade cooperation.

"China is Albania's third largest trade partner, but also its largest trade partner from the non-European Union countries," the ambassador said.

She voiced hope that the Albanian government will take effective steps to provide greater support to foreign investors, including Chinese companies, as well as to establish a fairer, more stabilized, predictable and more transparent business climate.

"China and Albania have signed a memorandum of understanding for the building together of 'One Belt, One Road' as well as many other agreements in bilateral trade, investments, etc," she noted.

Chinese company Huawei in Albania. /CRJ Online Photo

Meanwhile, representatives of Chinese companies attending the fair in Tirana said that they felt good to be in Albania and expressed a wish to pursue cooperation opportunities with local businesses.

"We really hope to cooperate with Albanian companies as we are looking for business partnerships here which would also contribute to the strengthening of trade and economic cooperation between the two countries," Xuan Huashi, Sinotruk's chief representative in Eastern Europe and Turkey, told reporters.

Source(s): Xinhua News Agency