VLADIVOSTOK, March 19 (Xinhua) -- China is a reliable and stable partner, and the region of Primorsky Krai is willing to deepen cooperation with China in areas such as equipment manufacturing, agricultural product processing and biomedicine, said Oleg Kozhemyako, governor of Russia's Primorsky Krai.
Primorsky Krai borders the Sea of Japan and is close to China, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), Japan and other countries in the Asia-Pacific region. Its capital, Vladivostok, is the political, economic and cultural center of Russia's Far East.
It is a strategic hub in the Russian Far East, with numerous roads, rails and air routes converging here, and it boasts five ice-free ports and advantageous industries such as logistics, shipbuilding and seafood processing, Kozhemyako said in an interview with Xinhua.
The large ice-class liquefied gas carrier "Alexey Kosygin," built by the Zvezda Shipbuilding Complex in Primorsky Krai, has completed its maiden voyage, passing through the Arctic shipping route to Murmansk, he said.
Primorsky Krai, at the forefront of Russia's "pivot to the East," will maximize its potential and further integrate with the economies of neighboring Asia-Pacific countries, he said.
Stressing the importance of cooperation with China, Kozhemyako noted that Primorsky Krai is connected to China via multiple border crossings, with more than 50 flights per week.
Russia is currently upgrading the border crossings to improve their capacity, while China has successfully implemented projects in Primorsky Krai in areas such as agriculture and construction, and the high quality of its work has left a deep impression, he said.
On Jan. 1, Russia officially launched its International Advanced Development Zones (IADs) in the Far East, offering preferential conditions to foreign investors.
Kozhemyako hoped that Chinese investors would take advantage of the IADs to invest in sectors such as shipbuilding and repair, construction materials production, biomedicine and biotechnology.
"We always welcome Chinese investors to bring advanced technologies, establish production and manufacturing bases in Primorsky Krai, and sell their products in Russia and other countries," he said.
Regarding the planned China-Russia Pilot Demonstration Zone for Agricultural Cooperation, Kozhemyako said that the zone, located in the Sukhodol Port in Primorsky Krai, will utilize modern technology to deeply process agricultural raw materials from Primorsky Krai, increasing product added value.
The Primorsky Krai government fully supports the project, he said.
Kozhemyako said the people of Primorsky Krai are warm and friendly and share a natural affinity with China, with many traveling to Beijing and other Chinese cities for weekend leisure and entertainment, adding that Chinese tourists, enjoying Russia's natural scenery, could also explore its rich culture.
He expected that Russia and China would cooperate in developing technologies to allow Chinese tourists to book tickets and seats for Russian theaters, museums, art galleries, and other cultural venues through Chinese online platforms.
China possesses a highly developed domestic production and consumption system, demonstrating a sustainable economic development trend, he said.
China's use of information technology and artificial intelligence to create effective networks and digital platforms not only facilitates communication between people, but also promotes the implementation of national policies, a point that Russia should learn from, he added. ■