The Europe-China Investment Forum was held on 9th November in Brussels. The mission statement of the conference was cooperation of the European regions with the Asian giant. Poland was represented by e.g. chairman of PAIiIZ Sławomir Majman and marshall of Łódź Voivodship Witold Stępień.
Local investments and the network of railway connections between Łódź and Chengdu or Warsaw and Suzhou are crucial elements of the Chinese Silk Road. The future central point of EU cooperation with China will be regions and Poland is going to play a leading role in this process – convinced chairman of PAIiIZ Sławomir Majman during the Forum. The new Silk Road is a crucial integrant of the foreign economic policy of the Asian giant, which is aimed at supporting import of technologies as well as development of commerce and investments. The fulfillment of these goals will be possible thanks to e.g. realization of many international infrastructural projects. According to deputy head of the Silk Road Fund Wang Dan, the Fund is currently interested in financing of an investment related to building of an inland port in Łódź, which will allow to transport goods to the EU countries. China is going to intend 40 billion dollars for this project – comments chairman of PAIiIZ.
Marshall of Łódź Voivodeship suggested that China should establish an organization like the European Committee of the Regions due to increasing importance of relations between China and EU at the regional level. Such an entity could improve cooperation between China and EU as well as between countries of Central and Eastern Europe at the local level. At present, the cooperation of the Asian giant with Central and Eastern Europe is continued by support of the 16 + 1 Secretary with a headquarters in Warsaw.