Baltic States – CIS, China, EU – Baltic States, Good for Business, Latvia, Port, Transport

BC's photo.

On Thursday, the Chinese delegation is scheduled to meet with Transport Minister Uldis Augulis (Greens/Farmers).

This is the second visit of a Chinese delegation to Riga port in February.

Considering the delegation's interest in investment and cooperation opportunities, the port's administration had arranged a tour of the port, allowing the Chinese representatives to learn about the port's cargo handling capacities and possibilities to invest in Riga port.

The port's spokeswoman Anita Leiskalne said that a high-level delegation from China will stay in Latvia until February 20. The delegation is headed by China's National Development and Reform Committee vice-chairman Ning Jizhe and has arrived to discuss possible cooperation in transport and investment opportunities in Latvia's transport infrastructure projects. Considering the delegation's interest in investment and cooperation opportunities at the Riga port, the port's administration organized a tour in the port.

"The Riga Freeport is one of the most appropriate locations for organization of transit and logistics between the EU, CIS and Asian markets. However, investors' choice is not based just on geographic location and tariffs, but also on competitiveness of Latvia's transit corridor. Therefore, the government has to take organizational, legal and financial measures to promote transit through Latvian in general," said the port's deputy administrator Edgars Suna.

China's delegation includes high officials from the National Development and Reform Committee, the Transport Ministry, China's Development Bank, China's railway and shipping organizations and the Chinese embassy.

Riga is the largest Latvian port by both cargo turnover and the number of passengers.