Support for Chinese firms and investors in Slovakia was the main issue discussed at the two-day 'Shandong Business Days in Slovakia' trade-investment forum, organised on 2-3 July in Bratislava by the Slovak-Chinese Trade Chamber (SCOK) along with the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT).
The event culminated with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding. “Chinese companies are having trouble breaking into the European market, as the majority of projects are carried out through public procurement processes in which Chinese companies stand only a minimal chance of success. Therefore, they seek partnership firms in Slovakia to co-operate on joint projects,” SCOK chairman Boris Paulen said. “We've defined together mutual areas for long-term co-operation, mainly dealing with support for Chinese firms and investors in Slovakia. Based on this, the Chinese presented [to the Slovak representatives] ten investment opportunities,” he claimed, adding that China represents a trade partner of major significance for Slovakia. “China has the world's largest foreign exchange reserves and gold reserves. It has free capital at its disposal and seeks appropriate investment environments. In this context, it likes Slovakia very much and there are realistic odds of launching some projects - more or less medium-sized projects with investment volume worth dozens of millions of euros,” said Paulen. Despite the paucity of Chinese investments in Slovakia at the moment, China finds Slovakia attractive in terms of its automobile, energy and rubber-making industries as well as electrical engineering, he added. Chinese firms are interested in concluding partnerships with Slovak producers of sewage treatment plants or in the sphere of emissions.
