Risteski from China – CEI: Our goal is export of Macedonian products to China and increasing the number of Chinese tourists

This visit is extremely important for companies that exhibit here, but also for all other CEI countries. China is our fourth partner after the exchange of goods and trade and we believe that by exposing these 14 Macedonian companies at this booth will have more interest in exporting Macedonian products and goods to the Chinese market, Deputy Minister of Economy Marjan Risteski told MIA today.

Risteski met with the Deputy Minister of Trade of the PRC in charge of Foreign Trade, Ling Ji (Ling Ji), which focuses on the greater presence of Macedonian products in China, but also to increase the number of Chinese tourists in our country, as well as new potential Chinese investments and new jobs.

– I hope that the big deficit we have with the People’s Republic of China in the future will be in the interest of our companies to export our products. China has the most interest in investing in infrastructure, in the field of energy, green economy and new technologies. Of those investments we have in China, it is the factory in the economic zone in Kicevo, for the construction of the roads Miladinovci- Stip, and currently the construction of the Kicevo-Ohrid road. We have also had investments in the construction of the Kozjak hydroelectric power plant, but we think there will be even greater investments that will follow in the coming period – said Risteski.

The Macedonian booth at the Ningbo Fair features the companies Altera Food, Vitaminka, Vincini, Best Food, Vitalia, Eval, M3Ds Academics, Soko Gorica, Technima, as well as Tikves, Stobi, Imako, Krnevo and Lepovo. Macedonian wines are already present in the Chinese market.

– China is the fourth country in a row that the Republic of Northern Macedonia achieves the largest volume of exchange with the world. According to data from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, in 2024 we exported products totaling only $ 56,740, while imports from China were $ 1,165,780. In 2023, exports were $ 112,339, and in our country products were imported with a total of $ 1,083,920. The intention is to make efforts as possible to export as many Macedonian products to this million market with enormous potential, and thus to reduce the deficit in trade that is huge and increasing year by year – said Risteski.

The fourth China Fair with Central and Eastern European countries was opened by the State Advisor China China Chen Shicin, as well as Slovak Parliament Speaker Richard Bradi, as well as the Vice President of the Slovenian Parliament Meira Hot.

The Chinese state councilor stressed the achievements in the framework of co -operation between China and the CEI countries, as well as its country’s intentions to extend and intensify co -operation, despite global changes, especially in transport, trade, investment, technology, exchange of experiences.

« We encourage businesses on both sides to cooperate, » she said, stressing the potential of China as the second largest market in the world.

The 20,000 -square -foot fair features over 8,000 products from more than 400 exhibitors from 14 CEI countries and nine other European countries, with 15,000 professional participants expected. Also at an exhibition space of 60,000 square meters are presented over a thousand companies with over 3,000 overseas buyers from 72 countries and regions.

The fair features various products ranging from foodstuffs to innovations made with new thechonologies, humanoid robots, skis that can be folded and worn in a soybean cofer, ice cream and more.

China’s cooperation with Central and Eastern European countries dates back to 2012. In addition to Macedonia, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Greece, Hungary, Montenegro, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia and Slovenia are involved in the process. This year as honorary guests at the fair are Slovakia and Slovenia, who had a special presentation of their stands and, as their heads of delegations announced here in Ninbo, also expect intensification of co -operation with China and entry into their products on this million market.

In 2024, the total trade between China and the CEI countries was $ 142.3 billion. In these countries last year China exported products totaling $ 111, $ 1 billion, while imports from these countries exported only $ 31.2 billion.

China’s largest trading partners in 2024 from the CEI countries are Poland, the Czech Republic and Hungary. In 2024, China’s investments in CEI countries were $ 24 billion.

Over the past 13 years, over 50 co -operation platforms with Central and Eastern European countries have been established in more than 20 areas including economics, trade, investment, finance, transport infrastructure, skiing innovation, energy, culture, tourism, education, media, co -operation, inform the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

This collaboration is implemented or more infrastructure projects have been completed, such as Belgrade-Budympest Railway, Piraeus port, Peljesac Bridge in Croatia, Hbis Zelezara in Smederovo in Serbia, the North-South highway in Montenegro and BiH Wind Park. Here is the highway Miladinovci – Stip, and Kicevo – Ohrid is still working.

As part of this co -operation through the investment fund, a special credit line of $ 10 billion was provided for the CEI countries.

China has allowed imports of over 200 categories of food, agricultural products and more from the CEI countries. Over 50 cargo flights a week to CEI countries are enabled, and the number of Chinese tourists visiting these European countries, including ours, is also increasing. China has also begun introducing visa relief.