Chinese Ambassador hails closer Sino-Polish trade, economic ties

WARSAW — China-Poland relations have improved in all areas, including in trade, investment and financial cooperation, since last June's Poland visit by the Chinese leader, Chinese Ambassador to Poland Xu Jian said in a recent interview with Xinhua.

Poland is one of the largest apple producers in Europe and Polish apples now have been granted access to Chinese market, Xu noted.

"Exports of Polish agricultural products to China are increasing and Poland expects to export more," he said.

Regarding bilateral investment, the Chinese diplomat said an increasing number of Chinese companies have invested in Poland, including through merging and greenfield investments.

Speaking of financial cooperation, Xu noted that the Polish government has issued 3 billion Chinese yuan (about $450 million) worth of "panda bonds" in China last year, the first European country to sell such bonds.

Xu said Poland is an important country in the European Union (EU), as well as the largest, most populous nation and the largest economy in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE).

He noted that Poland is one of the earliest CEE countries to sign cooperation agreement on building the Belt and Road, as well as the only founding member of Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank from CEE.

In addition, seeking synergy between Poland's re-industrialization development strategy and China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative would bring about win-win situation, Xu said.

"Poland, which benefits from this initiative, could play an exemplary role in the CEE in the building of the Belt and Road, and thus more countries in the region will participate in the initiative," the ambassador said.