KAZAN, August 18. /TASS/. The Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps (XPCC) of China plans to deepen its partnership with the Republic of Tatarstan in the industrial and trade spheres, develop joint projects in the energy and machinery building area, and expand cultural and scientific exchanges, Deputy Secretary-General of XPCC Lü Huiying said at the 3rd Sprouts Business Forum.

"First, we aim to intensify industrial cooperation. By leveraging our respective industrial advantages, we can develop investment projects in agricultural processing, energy, and machinery," she said.

The second focus will be on new forms of trade, such as cross-border e-commerce. Furthermore, the Chinese side is ready to increase exports of amino acids, tomato paste, PVC and caustic soda, and simultaneously to ramp up imports of rapeseed oil, fish meal and fat, and mineral products from Russia.

The third area covers infrastructural projects, including construction of overseas warehouses and the exchange of agricultural technologies, along with cooperation in the sphere of culture, tourism, education and science.

XPCC, founded in 1954, is a key economic entity in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, the official stressed. The Corps produces 25% of the global tomato paste output and 20% of raw cotton, develops industrial clusters in spheres of new materials, textile and green chemistry. It has at its disposal three free trade zones, 24 development zones, 15 special customs zones and 18 higher educational institutions. In 2024, the XPCC foreign trade volume was over 90 bln yuan ($12.5 bln). 

"Tatarstan, in its turn, is also rich in resources, ranking second in Russia in terms of petroleum reserves and has a sound industrial base in spheres like oil production and refining, mechanical engineering and agriculture," Lü noted. She expressed hope that agreements reached at the Sprouts Forum will pave the way for new prospects for the partnership between XPCC and Tatarstan.

 About forum

The 3rd Sprouts Business Forum dedicated to the mutually beneficial cooperation between Russia and China is being held in Kazan on August 18-19. The business program comprises about 100 activities, including 70 business sessions. The participants will discuss issues of the economy, industry, education, culture, finance, investments, transport corridors, agriculture and tourism. About ten thousand attendees are expected.

TASS is the general information partner of the forum.