Experts at the EEC discussed prospects for cooperation between the Eurasian Economic Union and the People's Republic of China

The initiators of the event were the leading experts and representatives of business circles, of the Member States interested in establishing effective dialogue between the Union and the People's Republic of China (Expert Group). The expert group led by the former Prime Minister of the Kyrgyz Republic Djoomart Otorbaev, presented the joint report "The Eurasian Economic Union and Silk Road Economic belt: Illusions and Reality".
The meeting was also attended by representatives of the authorised authorities of the Member States - the Ministries of Economy, Foreign Affairs, Industry, Transport and the Eurasian Economic Commission.
The round table was moderated by Member of the Board -Minister in charge of Integration and Macroeconomic Policy of the EEC, Tatyana Valovaya. "The Eastern vector of cooperation is one of the priority directions in the development of international relations for all the States of the Union. Over the past decade, China has become a global partner of most countries in the world, effectively competing not only in commodity markets, but also in the markets of technologies, services and capital,” said Tatyana Valovaya.
Building up dialogue with China is proposed by concluding an Agreement on Trade and Economic Cooperation. This will not just shape the qualitative trade infrastructure between the Eurasian Economic Union and its second largest trading partner (after the EU) but will also perfectly suit the development of transport, industrial and investment policies of the States of the Union, as well as allow for discussion of issues related to regulatory policy. The Minister stressed that there is a great deal of work to be done at the preparation stage of the draft agreement and in negotiating positions in the interests of the Member States of the Union which includes revising existing and planned projects and agreements with China, implemented by the Member States on a bilateral and multilateral basis.
The expert group noted the importance of coordinating the work of the representatives of the authorised authorities of the Member States and the expert and business communities in order to discuss the content of the agenda of cooperation between the Member States of the Union and China, and also expressed willingness to provide analytical support to the dialogue between the Union and China.
Press-release at the official Eurasian Economic Commission web-site