News

'Hong Kong Week' to woo island's investors

By Zhao Shijun (China Daily)
Updated: 2011-06-01 10:56

A big petrochemical project is under construction in Daqing to process oil locally produced and imported from Russia. Fu Di / for China Daily

Agriculture is showing new investment potential, with the local government promoting 'green' growth in organic and pollution-free products. Liu Daxin / for China Daily

Heilongjiang will hold an investment promotion event in Hong Kong to attract businesses in the special administrative region to join its new industrial development program, said the province's governor Wang Xiankui.

Wang will head a delegation of local business leaders and government officials at "Heilongjiang Week" in Hong Kong from June 7 to 11.

The event is sponsored by the Heilongjiang provincial government, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council and Hong Kong-Heilongjiang Council for the Promotion of Economic Cooperation.

The event will promote both traditional and emerging industries including energy, petrochemicals, equipment manufacturing, mining, biotechnology, agriculture and food, forestry, new materials, services, tourism, border trade and finance.

Wang said the provincial government hopes businesses in Hong Kong will invest in the "strategic sectors".

Heilongjiang has the nation's largest oil field in Daqing and now is the first station on the new Russia-China oil pipeline network.

The province will implement a number of petrochemical projects to process locally produced and imported oil.

Wang said another highlight is agriculture.

Boasting fertile and unpolluted farmlands, the province is already the nation's largest producer of organic and pollution-free farm produce.

The governor noted that the potential for a "green agriculture" has not been fully explored, adding that businesses in Hong Kong are welcome to participate in developing an extended industrial chain for the sector - from production and processing to trade.

Wang also suggested that Hong Kong investors pay attention to the booming cross-border trade and tourism between Heilongjiang and Russia.

At present, a bonded area is under construction in the border city of Suifenhe, where Hong Kong businesses are encouraged to invest in every field - from infrastructure and manufacturing to trading and financial operations.

The governor said a brand-new tourism project - the development of the Heixiazi Island - is also awaiting Hong Kong investors.

The island on the Heilong River was for a long time disputed territory between China and Russia.

But an agreement between the two countries in 2005 settled the dispute, with half of the land belonging to China and another half to Russia.

At present, the Heilongjiang government is planning to make the Chinese part of the island a tourism resort, which Wang said can attract travelers because of its controversial history and proximity to an exotic land.

(China Daily 06/01/2011 page30)