Kyrgyzstan proposes China to open branch of Alibaba Group on its territory

Bishkek, June 13, 2022. /Kabar/. On the margins of the 12th Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization (WTO) in Geneva, Minister of Economy and Commerce of Kyrgyzstan Daniyar Amangeldiev met with Director-General of the Department of International Trade and Economic Affairs at the Ministry of Commerce of China Yu Benlin. During the meeting, Minister Amangeldiev offered the Chinese side to open a branch or wholesale distribution center of Alibaba Group in the Kyrgyz Republic, which would boost trade throughout Central Asia and the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU). In addition, he informed about the problems of significant differences in the export-import statistics between the two countries. "If in 2017 the difference between the Kyrgyz and Chinese statistics on the value of imports was USD 3 billion 871.4 million, the degree of difference was almost 3.6 times, in 2021 the difference made USD 4 billion 714 million - the degree of difference - 4.1 times," the minister noted, citing the example of statistical discrepancy in recent years. In turn, the Chinese representative said that the country is interested in solving this issue and proposed to organize a series of meetings between Chinese and Kyrgyz technical experts responsible for the compilation of import and export statistical calculations. Amangeldiev voiced the interest of the Kyrgyz side to agree on the conditions of access to the Chinese market for the following products: dried fruits; apples, prunes, grapes, alfalfa, watermelons and canola, as well as expanding the list of products covered by the Protocol on inspection and quarantine requirements for the export of dairy products from Kyrgyzstan to China. The Chinese side also similarly expressed interest in opening its consumer market to quality agricultural products from Kyrgyzstan, which are gaining popularity among Chinese consumers.