Along with our state's course toward European integration, ties with the countries of the Asian continent are deepening, including with the People's Republic of China. This was facilitated by the creation in Ukraine of the "Ukraine–China" society with its central office in Kyiv, as well as regional branches in Zhytomyr and Odesa, and since October 2003 – in Lutsk.
– In the list of 70 countries of the world with which Volyn today maintains cooperative contacts, China occupies a special place,– says Mykola Muzyka, chairman of the board of the Volyn regional branch of the "Ukraine–China" society. – There is a noticeable trend toward increasing export-import operations, the volume of which in 2002 amounted to 2.8 million dollars, and in 2003 exceeded this figure twofold.
In September of last year, a delegation from Volyn took part in the annual Chinese Investment and Trade Forum in the city of Xiamen – a free economic zone on the coast of the Taiwan Strait. The participants of this fair are international investment agencies, governmental and intergovernmental organizations, international economic entities, foreign chambers of commerce and industry, representatives of both large state enterprises and private, small and medium-sized businesses – in total more than 10 thousand representatives from more than a hundred countries and regions.
– Interest in the opportunities of the investment forum in Xiamen was shown by Valeriy Popov, director of the Volyn directorate of JSCB "Aval", Mykola Moholiuk, director of the firm "Hrandahro", Oleksandr Andrianov, director of the firm "Ahropromtorh", and Din Fu Chin, director of the restaurant "Golden Dragon". In addition, we brought with us specific business proposals from LLC "Lutsksavtodot", "Zovnishkomkhlib", "Volynahrobiznes", ATP "KamAZ-Service", and JSC "Volyn Regional Printing House". Our society assisted everyone in organizing mutually beneficial bilateral contacts for investment, the creation of joint ventures, and the sale of Ukrainian goods in China and other countries of the world,– recounted Mykola Muzyka.
And in December, the Volyn regional branch of the "Ukraine–China" society hosted guests from the Celestial Empire – a delegation of entrepreneurs from the city of Daqing (Heilongjiang province). As the head of the delegation, He Yun Feng, said, the Chinese businessmen intend to create in Volyn a joint construction enterprise using the latest materials and technologies, a joint venture for processing wood waste, to build an aquapark in Lutsk, and to establish the supply of soy food products to Ukraine. In turn, the chairman of the regional council, Vasyl Dmytruk, and the Lutsk city mayor, Anton Kryvytskyi, proposed creating in Volyn a joint enterprise for the production of footwear and clothing, for which there are suitable premises, and exporting plant protection products.
The Lutsk city council had its first contacts with China in 2002, when a protocol of intentions was signed, and subsequently in 2003 a partnership agreement was concluded between the cities of Lutsk and Qiantang (PRC). Currently, a delegation of 20 people from the city's creative collectives is preparing for a trip to China. Agreement has also been reached on the training of Chinese students at Lutsk State Technical University.
In Lutsk, the Chinese businessmen visited CJSC "Lutsksavtodot" and visited the Institute of Arts of Lesya Ukrainka Volyn State University. According to the investment intentions, it is planned to create a joint enterprise for the construction of an aquapark worth 5 million dollars (initiator – the firm "VIR"). This is to include a sports and health complex that the Chinese propose to build, with a swimming pool, sauna, gym, oriental therapy room, and a school of oriental martial arts. And Petro Melnychuk, director of LLC "Remtorhpostach", who is a member of the "Ukraine–China" society, was interested in the production of plumbing thermal pipes, samples of which the guests brought with them.
The Chinese delegation devoted a whole day to work in the zone of priority economic development – the city of Novovolynsk and the urban-type settlement of Zhovtneve. They visited the diversified enterprise "Modul", where the director is Viktor Lytvyniuk, a member of the "Ukraine–China" society. The discussion concerned the creation of a joint enterprise for the production of arched ceilings using the latest technologies, consumer goods, and the completion of a packaging materials factory through preferential loans from China.
In the conference hall of the "Ukraine" hotel, the "Ukraine–China" society initiated a meeting of the Chinese delegation with entrepreneurs of Lutsk, who were interested in purchasing plumbing fixtures, consumer goods, and food products in China, and in studying the sales market in Volyn. The visit of the Chinese businessmen's delegation ended with the signing of a protocol of intentions, which, in particular, refers to the creation of a joint Ukrainian-Chinese company "Volynzakhidbudtekhahroservis". It will engage in the production and installation of arched ceilings for industrial, civil, and commercial buildings, the repair and reconstruction of premises, the building materials market, and will provide services for the rental of construction equipment and small-scale mechanization means for processing enterprises. At the end of January – beginning of February, a delegation from China will again come to Volyn to work out plans for further cooperation.
– At the beginning of 2004, our region ranked 12th in Ukraine in terms of attracting foreign investment. Thanks to cooperation with China, there is an opportunity to rise higher,– asserts Mykola Muzyka. – Let me give at least this example. Zhytomyr region has already managed, with the assistance of the "Ukraine–China" society, to attract more investment from the PRC than Volyn received from Germany and Poland combined.
Hennadiy TARASIUK