The Ulyanovsk region served as a forum for demonstration of experience on creation of favorable investment climate

On July 19 in the region the first meeting of Council for Cooperation between the Volga Federal District, the Russian Federation, and the Upper and Middle Reaches of Yangtze River, the People's Republic of China (Volga-Yangtze format), took place under the chairmanship of the Presidential Plenipotentiary Envoy to the Volga Federal District Mikhail Babich and the Member of the State Council of the People's Republic of China Yang Jiechi.

The Ulyanovsk region served as a forum for demonstration of experience on creation of favorable investment climate

On July 19 in the region the first meeting of Council for Cooperation between the Volga Federal District, the Russian Federation, and the Upper and Middle Reaches of Yangtze River, the People's Republic of China (Volga-Yangtze format), took place under the chairmanship of the Presidential Plenipotentiary Envoy to the Volga Federal District Mikhail Babich and the Member of the State Council of the People's Republic of China Yang Jiechi. Guests from the Provinces of Sichuan, Anhui, Hunan, Hubei, Jiangxi and the city of Chongqing came to the region as part of the Chinese delegation. Representatives of regions of the Volga Federal District, including the Governor of the Chuvash Republic Mikhail Ignatyev and the provisional Governor of the Ulyanovsk region Sergey Morozov, took part in the event.

"The Ulyanovsk region is the leader in investment climate and in creating favorable conditions for economy development. In 5-7 years, the governor has created all conditions for attracting investors, as well as organized tens of large investment projects in the field of mechanical engineering, machine-tool building, instrument manufacturing, automotive and aircraft industry. The fact that Sergey Ivanovich and his team managed to do it is the reason why we have invited our Chinese partners.

We show how our arrangements can be put into practice in regions and how a governor can create all conditions for investors. The Special Economic Zone "Zavolzhye" and the special economic zone of an airport type are examples of how it is possible to achieve the best results in investment attraction by sheer energy, desire, political will and the use of the cutting-edge methods. Today the Ulyanovsk region is a real example in this field. This is the region which is successfully and rapidly developing day by day", - noted Mikhail Babich, the Presidential Plenipotentiary Envoy to the Volga Federal District.

"Carrying out such a venue in the Ulyanovsk region is, certainly, an indicator of the great work done by the regional administrations on creation of conditions for development of the region and for lives of the ordinary people. I remember what the Ulyanovsk region was like 12 years ago and see how it has changed today. The Ulyanovsk region has experienced a great shift in its social and economic development, and I hope that we will further promote long-term friendly relations between our regions", - said Mikhail Ignatyev, the Governor of the Chuvash Republic.

Within implementation of the Presidential Order on further strengthening of contacts between Russia and China, since 2013 the Office of the Presidential Plenipotentiary Envoy to the Volga Federal District has been working on development of partnership between the Volga Federal District, the Russian Federation, and the Upper and Middle Reaches of Yangtze River, the People's Republic of China (Volga-Yangtze format). In a short period of time this format has become an efficient mechanism of Russian-Chinese interregional cooperation. Several practical agreements were reached: a contractual base and regulations were created, contacts between regional administrations and representatives of the business community were established, tens of investment projects and venues in the humanitarian sphere were worked out and implemented. Currently there are 69 investment projects under development by both sides, and more than 20 of them are at different stages of implementation.

In the Ulyanovsk region, about 20 joint projects with China have already been realized or are underway with active involvement from the head of the region.

"For the Ulyanovsk region the People's Republic of China is one of the oldest and the most important partners: the third on production turnover and the second on volume of imports. At the same time, for the last 6 years the foreign trade turnover between the Ulyanovsk region and the People's Republic of China has increased nearly sixfold", - said Sergey Morozov.

Among the successfully completed projects are the Russian-Chinese high-technology machine-building enterprise "BAU Motor Corporation" created nine years ago and the joint venture for production of radioisotopes, which was set up under cooperation between the Dimitrovgrad Research Institute of Atomic Reactors and the Nuclear Power Institute of China. A Chinese company "Gold Mountain" became one of the first residents of the Special Economic Zone "Ulyanovsk" with the project on creation of a distribution center for Chinese goods. In total 62.5 million rubles will be invested in this project.

At the moment, several large projects are being carried out in the sphere of agricultural, education and other ones. More and more humanitarian projects are getting started in the region: these include both interuniversity agreements on scientific, educational and cultural cooperation, and joint tourist projects, the largest of which is the grand tour "The Red Route".

Two more agreements with Chinese companies on creation of a large-scale production in the construction field and a flourmill were signed on 22 July.

In general, the Ulyanovsk region is going to have a long-term cooperation with the Chinese Provinces of Shansi (the administrative center of the province is Taiyuan), Hunan, Anhui. On July 19, within the business program Sergey Morozov signed a Protocol of Intent with the Province of Hubei in the field of trade and economic relations.

The head of the Chinese delegation, the Member of the State Council of the People's Republic of China Yang Jiechi expressed gratitude to the provisional Governor Sergey Morozov for the hospitality and commended the organization level of the event.

Source: The Government of Ulyanovs Region