OREANDA-NEWS. The Russian Part of the Russia-China Business Council (RCBC) has held a meeting to hear reports at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Russia.

CCI of Russia Vice-President Georgy Petrov, Chairman of the Russian Part of the Russia-China Business Council, Presidential Ombudsman for Business Rights Boris Titov, Chairman of the Sub-Committee for the Promotion of Entrepreneurship and Business Cooperation of the Russia-China Friendship, Peace and Development Committee, Bank of Russia Deputy Chairman Viktor Melnikov, Minister Counselor for Economic and Commercial Affairs at the Chinese Embassy in Russia Ling Ji and representatives of the administration of Russian enterprises and companies – members of the Russian Part of the RCBC attended the event.

Boris Titov opened and chaired the meeting. He noted in the opening speech that the RCBC Russian Part was holding the 9th meeting. Since the Business Council was established in October 2004, China has advanced towards global leadership in terms of economic potential and formed a market of state-of-the-art technologies. China laid down a foundation for mutually beneficial business cooperation with foreign states. Describing trade and economic relations between Russia and China, Boris Titov said they had reached the historical maximum and reciprocal investments were accelerating. In his opinion, the existent foundation of bilateral cooperation would spur on the development of both economies, and the role of the RCBC would continue to grow.

CCI of Russia Vice-President Georgy Petrov addressed the meeting participants on behalf of the Chamber. He stressed the significance of the Business Council in building up Russia-China trade and economic contacts. RCBC membership grows year on year, alongside an increase in the number of joint economic projects. Agro-industry was declared an absolute priority at the latest expanded meeting of the Russian government, Georgy Petrov reminded the audience.

The goal is to make Russia a leading and biggest manufacturer and exporter of agricultural products in the world. The CCI of Russia Vice-President said he was pleased to say that the RCBC had started a number of Russian-Chinese projects in that area. Besides, the RCBC is actively engaging Russian regions in its activity, which is a token of the success of bilateral cooperation. There are grounds to believe that Russia-China trade can reach USD 100 billion in 2013 and this is not the limit, Georgy Petrov stated. This is a goal of governmental efforts, among them the strengthening of the legal framework, new intergovernmental agreements, broad use of international currencies in foreign trade settlements, investments and so on. The RCBC may contribute to the achievement of the goal jointly with Russian enterprises and their Chinese partners, Georgy Petrov concluded.

Minister Counselor for Economic and Commercial Affairs at the Chinese Embassy in Russia Ling Ji affirmed an 11% increase of mutual trade in 2012. Investments of Chinese companies in the Russian real economic sector doubled. In his opinion, cooperation in this area should become a priority of the bilateral relations.

Chairman of the Sub-Committee for the Promotion of Entrepreneurship and Business Cooperation of the Russia-China Friendship, Peace and Development Committee, Bank of Russia Deputy Chairman Viktor Melnikov developed the subject; he noted that 2012 was a significant year for China and Russia. For example, the number of correspondence accounts between Russian and Chinese banks enlarged by a quarter. The growth emerged in accounts denominated in the Yuan which is already being used in settlements. Trading of the Russia-China Currency Exchange is also on the rise, and the Ruble and the Yuan become serious legal tenders in bilateral trade and in trade with third countries, Viktor Melnikov stated.

Executive Director of the Russian Part of the Russia-China Business Council Alexey Kalashnik informed the meeting participants about main indicators of the performance of the RCBC Russian Part in 2012. Amongst significant events of last year, he singled out a working meeting of RCBC representatives – executives of Russian largest companies, banks and financial organizations – with Chinese State Council Vice-Premier Li Keqiang and Russian First Deputy Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov and the first Russian-Asian conference on timber industry cooperation organized and held jointly with the Russian Union of Timber Producers and Exporters, at which a number of joint agreements were signed. The meeting participants took note of information about the activity of the RCBC Russian Part.

Then the meeting participants listened to a report of the Russia-China Business Council National Part Auditing Commission presented by Sportmaster Group Manager Sergey Agibalov. Synergy Moscow University for Industry and Finance First Pro-Rector Vladimir Lednev informed the audience about work of the Scientific-Expert Committee of the RCBC Russian Part in 2012

Members of the Supervisory Council of the Russia-China Business Council National Part were elected at the end of the meeting. The meeting participants took note of information about interaction with partner organizations and approved a work plan of the RCBC Russian Part in 2013 with due account of the proposals of Council members.