The opening ceremony of the Euro-China Business Meeting (Heilongjiang 2013), which is a part of the 24th China Harbin International Economic and Trade Fair (HTF), opened at the Harbin International Convention and Exhibition Center on June 18.

Heilongjiang province’s vice-governor, Sun Yao, presided over the event, and Lu Hao, governor of the province, made a keynote speech at the ceremony.

The event invited commercial sections of embassies to China, welcoming countries such as Romania, the Czech Republic and Greece, as well as more than 100 entrepreneurs from 24 European Union countries, to seek business cooperation with local enterprises covering transportation equipment manufacturing, environmental protection and modern services.

Lu said there was still great potential for cooperation between the EU and Heilongjiang. The trade volume between the two regions was 2.2 billion euros ($2.89 billion), but the EU’s total investment in the province was 1.6 billion euros.

Lu called for more efficient approaches to integrate capital, technology, and human resources to reduce the cost of products. The event was a good platform for EU enterprises to know the local market and the Chinese market.

Lu pointed out that Heilongjiang was developing at a high speed. It boasts rich mineral resources, agricultural resources, industrial technical resources and a mature market.

The province will continue to vigorously develop high-quality agriculture, animal husbandry and the food processing industry. It will also seek new partners to explore its potential for industrial development through various cooperation forms and technology upgrades.

The EU has been a leader in many sectors, and it has gained a wealth of experience and practice in the service industry. Both sides should jointly take full advantage of more business opportunities.