Russian timber resources "hands in hand" China's old industrial base

On the evening of the 15th, the "2018 China Harbin Furniture Industry Development Summit Forum" was opened in Harbin. During the period, the Russian Ministry of Economic Affairs, the Harbin Furniture Association, and the Shenyang Furniture Association signed a strategic cooperation agreement. Russia's rich timber resources "in hand" China's old industrial base has provided a new trade route for the construction of the “Belt and Road” in the Far East region.

Russia is rich in forest resources and is one of the world's largest timber exporters. As the world's largest timber consumer, China has the world's largest wood consumer market. Since the official launch of the “Belt and Road” initiative, China’s northeastern region, especially Heilongjiang, has become the main channel for Russia’s export of timber to China, thanks to its geographical advantage adjacent to Russia.

According to the data previously disclosed, the quantity of Russian timber imported into China's Heihe River, Suifenhe River, and other ports surged. Only at the Heihe Port, the number of imported plates in the first eight months of 2017 increased by 183.23% year-on-year. Since 2018, Russian timber imports at major ports in northern China have continued to rise.

At the forum, Berezkov Sergey Pavlovich, Chief Executive of Russia’s Azovsk District, stated that Russia’s resources and the Chinese market will inevitably bring new business opportunities for the economic and trade development of the two countries. "I hope that China's home furnishing companies can have more trade and economic exchanges with Russia," Pavlovic said.

Under the background of a surge in the volume of imported Russian wood, the Northeast region, which is the “old industrial base of China,” will usher in a new opportunity. Zhang Bingbing, vice chairman and secretary-general of the China Furniture Association, said at the forum that although there is still a certain gap in the processing capacity of wood in the Northeast compared to the developed provinces, with the advancement of the “Belt and Road” initiative, the northeast region is highly likely. It has become an emerging Chinese wood processing base.