Providing Cooperation Platform, Promoting Hi-Tech Development

(LITEXPO, June 28, 2016)

Hon. Ms. Rasa Noreikienė, Vice Minister of Economy,

Hon. Mr. Chen Biao, Vice Mayor of the City of Shenzhen,

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Good morning! It is a great pleasure and privilege for me to be invited to attend China Hi-Tech Fair 2016 Lithuania Sub-Fair. I wish to avail myself of this opportunity to extend warm welcome and express appreciation to each and every one of you present today here in LitExpo.

China Hi-Tech Fair is currently the largest and the most influential scientific and technological fair in China, and is renowned as "No. 1 Technology Show in China". CHTF has become an important window for the opening to the outside world in China's high-tech sector and has been playing a more and more important role in commercialization, industrialization and internationalization of high-tech achievements as well as promotion of economic and technological exchanges and cooperation between different countries and regions.

The organizing committee of CHTF and the Ministry of Economy of Lithuania jointly hold this Sub-Fair at the time when we celebrate the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the diplomatic relations between China and Lithuania. It is believed that this Sub-Fair will provide a platform for practical cooperation in various fields between the two countries, particularly in hi-tech sector, and will give an impetus to the further development of our bilateral relations.

Lithuania is a member of EU and Eurozone, and it is an important country in Baltic region and Europe. Lithuania has maintained China's largest trading partner in Baltic region for years, and China is the largest trading partner of Lithuania in Asia. The total volume of trade between the two countries last year was about $1.35 billion. Lithuania enjoys geographical advantages with good transport infrastructure and logistics. Lithuania also enjoys some advantages in hi-tech sector, such as laser, bio-tech, ICT, nanometer-tech, etc. I hope that the relevant enterprises of the two countries will make full use of the platform provided by CHTF to conduct face-to-face and in-depth exchanges, consolidate complementary advantages and expand trade and economic cooperation.

Early this month, at the invitation of the Lithuanian Government, State Councilor of the Chinese Government Mr. Yang Jing paid an official visit to Lithuania, during which, he held bilateral talks with Prime Minister Algirdas Butkevicius. The two leaders reached broad consensus in promoting China's "Belt and Road" initiative to match Lithuania's strategy of development, further expanding ties in the fields of trade, transportation and logistics, among others, and pushing forward the continuous rapid development of bilateral relations and the "16+1" cooperation. It is my belief that, at the good atmosphere of friendly cooperation and at the background of the vigorous development of the "16+1" cooperation and the "Belt and Road" initiative, the consensus between the leaders of our two countries will be transformed into actions, which will be turned into fruitful results, thus lifting our friendly and cooperative relations to a new high and bringing tangible benefits to our two peoples.

In conclusion, I sincerely wish CHTF Lithuania Sub-Fair a complete success. Thank you!