On April 23 and 24, 2021, a delegation headed by Prof. Tao Yitao, Director of the China Center for Special Economic Zone Research (CCSEZR), Shenzhen University (SZU), a key research base for humanities and social sciences under the Ministry of Education, President of the Belt and Road Research Institute (BRRI) of SZU, and Director-General and President of BRRI for International Cooperation and Development, visited Suifenhe, a border town between China and Russia. The delegation members include Meng Lengmei, Deputy Director of the Shenzhen Office of Heilongjiang Province People’s Government, Han Zhongxue, Vice President of BRRI, Zhong Ruoyu, a former member of Shanxi University of Finance and Economics (SXUFE) Party Committee, Vice Principal of SXUFE, and Professor at CCSEZR, Shan Jinghua, Chairman of Yuandesheng Plastic Electronics (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd., Tan Jun, Chairman of Shenzhen Victan Trading Co., Ltd., Hai Ling, President of “Intangible Cultural Heritage Union of the Belt and Road Initiative”, Chairman of Dahaizhihui Culture and Education (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd. and Shenzhen Jiucheng Investment Co., Ltd., Zeng Yongming, Secretary-General of SZU Alumni Association and Chairman of Center of Listing Service for Southern China Enterprises, Hanjun, Assistant to the President of BRRI, and Liu Haolan, Administrative Secretary of CCSEZR.
Municipal Committee and Municipal Government of Mudanjiang and Suifenhe warmly welcomed and highly valued the delegation. , Mr. Yang Yanshuang, Secretary of Mudanjiang Municipal Committee, welcomed the delegation at the airport. Principal officials of Mudanjiang and Suifenhe accompanied the delegation throughout their stay in the city. This visit aims to understand the status quo and future agenda of Suifenhe Free Trade Zone (FTZ), especially its innovation mechanism for import and export with Russia, Japan and Korea, explore the paths and patterns for cooperation between university think tanks and local governments and enterprises. Besides experience sharing, the delegation also wanted to provide local governments with intelligence support and help them build effective talent development mechanisms.
Qi Zhongyan, Deputy Mayor of Mudanjiang (the seventh from the right), Wang Yongping, Mayor of Suifenhe (the fifth from the right), Li Yongliang, Deputy Mayor of Suifenhe (the first from the right)
On the morning of April 24, the delegation headed by President Tao visited Suifenhe CPC History Education Base with the company of Mr. Wang Yongping, Mayor of Suifenhe. By walking the path that revolutionary predecessors have walked and recalling the 100-year history of CPC, the delegation got deep insights into the six marvelous contributions by CPC and the splendid spirit of patriotism and devotion by Heilongjiang people.
On the roadside marking the start of the base, there is a straight line of 19 giant granite rocks where the time and location of each previous National Congress of CPC was engraved, symbolizing that under strong party leadership, the Chinese nation claims victories one after another steadily.
Follow the revolutionary path: visit the giant granite rocks engraved with the time and locations of 19 National Congress of CPC
The delegation listens to the introduction of the 6th National Congress of CPC and the "Red Path" in Suifenhe
Subsequently, the delegation accompanied by Mayor Wang , visited China Forestry Group (CFG) and Donglong Wood Co., Ltd. at the Guolin Wood Industry Park in Suifenhe Border Economic Cooperation Zone, and the Zinnbach Craft Beer Plant in the Integrated Free Trade Zone. CFG is the only state-owned enterprise under the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council (SASAC). It provides tree cultivation, wood products production, seedling supply, forest products processing, forest products trading, and other services. CFG occupies over 12 million mus (a unit of area equaling to 80 hectare) of forest land, and is collaborating with more than 30 ports for wood import. In 2019, Donglong Wood participated in the "integrating trade and industrial development” program initiated by CFG and built an 8,000 sqm workshop. The workshop will use the products of the companies in the industry park as raw materials to produce 2 or 3-layer engineered wood floorings. The workshop is expected to have an annual capacity of 1 million sqm of floors that is worth 150 million RMB. It will contribute over 3 million RMB in tax revenue and provide 400 jobs. The delegation was deeply impressed by the Guolin Wood Industry Park for the high-quality development of the local wood industry as well as the new trends of ecological civilization and sustainable development.
The delegation looks at creative wooden handicrafts produced by CFG
The delegation looks at the production process of engineered wood floorings in Donglong Wood
Heilongjiang Zinnbach Craft Beer Plant is China's first high-end craft brewery built in an Integrated Free Trade Zone. The plant was formally put into operation in late 2018 and has since run steadily with 1,200 tons of output in 2020. Its ingredient selection, brewing, sterilization and palletizing processes are fully automated, and its production process is leading the world. By looking at the production process and tasting the beer, the delegation has witnessed and felt in person the Chinese manufacturing industry upgrading and strong momentum powered by digital technology.
The delegation visits an automatic workshop of Zinnbach Craft Beer Plant
The delegation tastes different types of beer
On the afternoon of April 24, the delegation on behalf of CCSEZR signed the “Strategic Cooperation Framework Agreement” with Suifenhe Municipal Government. Those who attended the signing ceremony include Wang Yongping, Deputy Secretary of Suifenhe Municipal Committee and Mayor of Suifenhe, Li Yongliang, Deputy Mayor of Suifenhe, Ju Yilai, Director of Mudanjiang Agency for Advancement of Economic Cooperation, Zhou Chunguang, Deputy Director of Mudanjiang Agency for Advancement of Economic Cooperation, Bao Xiaoming, President of Mudanjiang Development Zone Investment Service Co., Ltd. and other officials of Suifenhe government. Deputy Mayor Li Yongliang hosted the ceremony.
In the ceremony, Mayor Wang said, Suifenhe is at a crucial stage towards revitalization, and the academic, talent and think tank resources of SZU and BRRI will usher the city in a new era of resources sharing and win-win. . Both parties will collaborate closely in areas like talent exchange and training, investment attraction, and Pilot Free Trade Zone to explore novel paths for the cooperative innovation and synergy between universities and local governments.
Director Tao said Shenzhen is at the forefront of China’s Reform and Opening-up Initiative while Suifenhe is a state-level Free Trade Zone. , Both cities are growth poles driven by reform and opening-up policies, and also socialist demonstration areas at different levels for advancing reform. The cooperation between CCSEZR, BRRI and Suifenhe will promote cross-region resource sharing and create win-win situations for governments, businesses and universities. The three parties will join hands in projects including China-Russian top talent training, resource sharing between quality enterprises in Shenzhen and Suifenhe, and FTZ development planning consultancy in a bid to drive prosperity of border cities.
Mayor Wang and Prof. Han Zhongxue, Deputy President of BRRI, signed the agreement, in the presence of President Tao, Director Ju Yilai, Director Meng Lengmei, Deputy Mayor Li Yongliang and others.
Mayor Wang and Deputy Dean Han Zhongxue sign the Strategic Cooperation Framework Agreement
President Tao, Director Ju Yilai (Fifth from the right), Director Meng Lengmei (Fourth from the right), Deputy Mayor Li Yongliang (First from the left) and others attend the signing ceremony
After the ceremony, the delegation visited Galia Memorial Hall, where they were touched by the heroic deeds of the “Peace Angel” who has made great contributions to China-Russia friendship. After Japan’s announcement of unconditional surrender, Galia ventured into the enemy's camp on her own to persuade them to give up last-ditch resistance but was cruelly murdered. Galia traded her life for the end of the Second World War. Her bravery story has been always on the lips of Chinese and Russian leaders, as an eternal episode marking the great victory of both countries in the fight against Fascism.
The delegation visits Galia Memorial Hall
President Putin’s response letter to Suifenhe citizens
In this journey to Suifenhe, the delegation visited Suifenhe National Free Trade Zone and signed the Strategic Cooperation Framework Agreement with local government. They also recalled the history of CPC's revolutionary. CCSEZR and BRRI will deepen their beliefs and forge ahead to contribute their wisdom and power to the in-depth reform and the B&R initiative.
