The Russian-Chinese Economic Forum Amur Expo has started in Blagoveshchensk - for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic in a full-fledged exhibition format, RIA Novosti correspondent reports.

"This year it was awarded the status of a federal site. Today it is a branch of the Eastern Economic Forum. I thank the Ministry for the Development of the Far East and the Arctic, the Corporation for the Development of the Far East, the Roscongress Foundation, and our Chinese friends for their active participation in this forum," said Vasily Orlov, Governor of the Amur Region, in his welcoming speech.
He noted that it is raining in Blagoveshchensk today, but, "as Chinese colleagues noted, this is for money." The AEF participants were greeted by Wang Yixin, Deputy Chairman of the People's Government of Heilongjiang Province, Oleg Imameev, Mayor of Blagoveshchensk, and Zhao Ronggo, Mayor of Heihe.

Then the delegation went to the exhibition grounds of the forum. In particular, the guests visited the souvenir kiosk "Selfie on the border", where Chinese representatives purchased a T-shirt with the inscription "Closer to the stars here", then the deputy chairman of the government of the Amur region Pavel Puzanov presented the products of the Agrocomplex Group, looked at the pavilions of Zdravoeshka, the Tymlat fish processing plant from Kamchatka, where the guests were presented with sets with "Omega-3", we tried cheeses from the local cheese factory "Anufriev Egoroff Agripina".

Then the delegations demonstrated large equipment, after which they showed Kamaz trucks that will work within the framework of Gazprom Helium Service investment projects in the Amur region. This equipment will transport liquefied natural gas for the boiler houses of the region. Then the Chinese delegation presented the investment potential of the Amur region, naming the key facilities.
The work of discussion platforms and round tables has now begun, the key event of today will be the plenary session "Russian-Chinese economic cooperation at a new stage: a bridge to the future", where the head of the Ministry of Regional Development of the Russian Federation Alexey Chekunkov, Governor of the Amur Region Vasily Orlov, Consul General of the People's Republic of China in Khabarovsk Jiang Xiaoyang, Deputy Chairman of the People's Government of Heilongjiang Province Wang Yixin.