Lithuania and China strengthen dialogue
Friday, April 14, Vilnius - President Dalia Grybauskaitė met with Chinese Parliament Speaker Zhang Dejiang to discuss bilateral cooperation, EU-China relations and international security.
Special focus was placed on ensuring global security. The nuclear and ballistic missile tests conducted by North Korea as well as repeated chemical attacks in Syria are increasing international tension and pose a serious threat to peace in the world. Lithuania and China support the UN Security Council resolution that strongly condemns North Korea's nuclear test-firing and places sanctions on this country.
Among the other issues on the meeting's agenda was the development of cooperation between the European Union and China. Close dialogue with the world's second largest economy and Europe's second largest trading partner is in the interest of Lithuania. Negotiations on the EU-China investment agreement and prospects for concluding an EU-China free trade agreement were also discussed.
The President pointed out that economic cooperation between Lithuania and China was expanding. Over the past four years, Lithuania's exports to China have increased fourfold.
Lithuanian food producers are entering China's one-billion strong market. Competent Chinese institutions have granted 17 Lithuanian dairies the right to sell their products in China. The first Lithuanian dairy products have already reached China this year. In May, sixteen Lithuanian companies and associations will exhibit their foods at SIAL China 2017 in Shanghai.
Lithuanian laser manufacturers are also exporters to China. Laser and optics companies Šviesos Konversija and Eksma have opened their offices in Shenzhen and Shanghai. The flow of Chinese tourists to Lithuania is increasingly growing. The number of tourist arrivals has doubled in the last three years, reaching 12,000 in 2016. Options are currently discussed for opening a direct flight from Lithuania to China.
Logistics and freight forwarding offer good prospects for future cooperation, too. Lithuania is interested in engaging in China’s One Lane One Way initiative that would connect China with the northern European and Baltic Sea regions.
China is Lithuania’s 18th trading partner by volume. Last year, China’s direct investments in Lithuania amounted to 21 million euros.
Press Service of the President
