Prime Minister Janez Jansa, who is continuing his official visit to China, addressed a Chinese-Slovenian business conference in Beijing on Friday, inviting Chinese entrepreneurs to invest in Slovenia. "I am sure that Chinese investors will also be among those who find interesting opportunities in the 46 companies in which the state is currently selling its stake," Jansa said.
"The favourable geographical position of our country, a highly qualified labour force, excellent business links to regional markets and a high quality of life attracted more than EUR 6bn in foreign investments by the end of 2006," Jansa told the more than 100 Chinese and 55 Slovenian entrepreneurs participating in the conference.
He highlighted financial and business services, retail, telecommunications, information technology, logistics, the entertainment industry and different production activities as the areas considered the most interesting for foreign investors. According to Jansa, Slovenia also offers great potential to Chinese companies as an entrance point to Eastern European markets. He highlighted in this respect the role of the Luka Koper port, which is connected to the 5th and 10th pan-European transport corridors that meet in Slovenia. Jansa also sees possibilities in cooperation on third markets.
China is Slovenia's main trade partner in Asia. Trade between the two countries increased in 2006 by 28.4% over the year before, however, like the EU, Slovenia recorded a big trade deficit, export to China standing at EUR 79.1m and import at 256.6m.
Jansa stressed that Slovenia, as the next EU presiding country, was aware that ways towards a more balanced trade must be sought, and that he hoped the first step in this direction could be made at the upcoming EU-China summit in Beijing.
Over 25 Slovenian companies are currently active in China, two of them in the form of direct investments, five as joint ventures and 18 as subsidiaries. Most of them are located along the eastern coast and the delta of the Pearl River.
An office of the Slovenian Public Agency for Entrepreneurship and Foreign Investment to be opened in Shanghai on Saturday is meanwhile also expected to contribute to closer economic cooperation.
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