China to Strengthen Trade Ties with Central AsiaThe economic and trade cooperation forum between China and five central Asian countries will be held regularly in future, a Chinese trade official said Tuesday in Urumqi.The 2001 economic and trade cooperation forum was held recently at Shihezi in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. Chinese and foreign experts and trade officials discussed trade cooperation between China and the five central Asian countries in energy development, China's drive to speed up the development of western regions and the operation of the second Eurasian Continental Bridge. At present, the economic and trade scale between China and cental Asian countries is limited and incompatible with China's multi-faceted open policy. Barter trade continues to be the main form of trade. Liu Huaqin, an official of the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation (MOFTEC) attributed the limited trade volume to the irrational trade structure between the two sides. She urged Chinese enterprises to build processing lines abroad and export household electric appliances such as motorcycles, TVs and air conditioners to central Asia. China will invite officials of Russia and other countries to the forum starting next year. |
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