China, EU – Baltic States, Good for Business, Investments, Latvia, Transport

Dai Dongchang and Anrijs Matiss. Leipzig, 28.05.2015. Photo: sam.gov.lv

During a meeting with Chinese Transport Ministry representative Dai Dongchang on Wednesday, the minister said that Latvia is ready to be involved in China's ''New Silk Road'' initiative by offering Latvia as its Northern European logistics and distribution center in the Europe-Asia land transportation corridor. At the same time, the minister confirmed that Latvia, together with its Western partners, as well as strategic partners Kazakhstan, is ready to offer integrated solutions in this corridor.

Matiss informed that the Transport Ministry has sent a delegation of Latvian business representatives to China, who are currently visiting various industrial, economic and technological zones and logistics parks in Shanghai and Chengdu provinces.

The Latvian transport minister also emphasized the important cooperation possibilities between Latvia and China in the aviation sector, especially potential cooperation between airBaltic and China's Chengdu Airlines, including work on establishing a direct connection between Riga and Chengdu.

Latvia is especially concentrating cooperation with China's Western and Central provinces, the ministry explains.

Matiss is currently in Germany attending the International Transport Forum in Leipzig, which is seen as the largest gathering of global transport ministers and transportation industry representatives.