Ahead of the VII IMBRICS Forum in St. Petersburg, a Working Meeting Was Held with a Delegation from Yulin City (People's Republic of China)

A business meeting took place in St. Petersburg between representatives of state authorities, business, and culture of the Northern Capital and a delegation from the Chinese city of Yulin. The event marked an important step in strengthening Russian-Chinese intermunicipal ties and in preparing for the upcoming VII IMBRICS Forum, which will be held on November 20-21.

The purpose of the Chinese side's visit was to present the investment, technological, and cultural potential of Yulin, as well as to establish direct contacts with entrepreneurs and government structures of the city. The delegation showed particular interest in the significant Chinese diaspora residing in St. Petersburg, which serves as an additional resource for deepening humanitarian and economic interaction.

During the meeting, representatives of the Organizing Committee of the VII IMBRICS Forum presented the upcoming November event. Mikhail Sverdlov acquainted the colleagues from China in detail with the concept and scale of the Forum. The event, which will be held in St. Petersburg for the seventh time, will bring together about 5,000 participants, including representatives of official authorities and heads of major companies, including those from the oil and gas sector. Interest was expressed in the direct participation of Chinese partners to establish close contacts.

"We already have a clear request from business for the creation and launch of new production lines. Chinese partners possess the necessary technologies and competencies that can be effectively integrated into our projects. Such cooperation will accelerate the implementation of plans and create new growth points for the regional economy," noted Mikhail Sverdlov.

During the event, Vladimir Muzharovsky and Mikhail Sverdlov held separate bilateral negotiations with representatives of Yulin City. The parties discussed the prospects of the Chinese delegation's participation in the VII IMBRICS Forum, opportunities for cooperation in the sphere of production, sustainable development, and humanitarian exchange. During the negotiations, a number of preliminary agreements were reached, and contacts were exchanged for further development of joint initiatives.

Yulin City, located in the northern part of Shaanxi Province, is a dynamically developing strategic partner. It is an important nodal city of the "Belt and Road" Initiative and the region with the highest investment potential in China. Yulin possesses rich resources, including coal (1/5 of the country's reserves), oil, natural gas, and is also developing modern productions, such as civilian UAVs for pipeline monitoring. In 2024, the city's regional GDP reached 754.868 billion yuan, demonstrating 6% growth and ranking second in the province for this indicator.

Following the meeting, the parties confirmed mutual interest in continuing the dialogue. Concrete steps for developing trade relations and strengthening investment cooperation were outlined. The meeting not only strengthened bilateral ties between St. Petersburg and Yulin but also became a practical contribution to expanding the international partner network within the framework of the upcoming VII IMBRICS Forum, opening new opportunities for Russian and Chinese regions.