Interview: Russia's Vologda region to further trade, cultural cooperation with China, says acting governor

MOSCOW, Nov. 25 (Xinhua) -- Russia's Vologda region is ready to explore its potential to enhance economic, trade and cultural cooperation with China, acting governor Georgy Filimonov has said.

The Days of the Vologda Region event was held in China last week, aiming to strengthen interregional and business cooperation with China, Filimonov told Xinhua in a recent interview.

The event featured business activities in Beijing and Shanghai, and the Russian delegation visited Xi'an and Suzhou, he added.

Chinese provinces are crucial to the Vologda region's foreign trade, Filimonov said. "China ranks third in (the region's) foreign trade turnover, accounting for 11 percent."

"The vast potential in bilateral trade and economic relations, as well as cultural and people-to-people cooperation, remains significantly underestimated and largely unexplored," Filimonov said.

The acting governor said a cooperation agreement between the Vologda region and China's Jiangsu province was signed earlier this year, and additional plans are underway to enhance bilateral cooperation and exchanges in various areas.

"We are currently working on the creation of a trade representative position in China," he said, stressing that the role would provide the region with opportunities to "further unlock the potential for economic cooperation."

Filimonov also called for joint efforts to strengthen tourism cooperation. "The goal is to showcase the tourism potential of our homeland so that our Chinese partners can explore the region's historical and cultural heritage," he said.