Mrs Wu, is China interested in strengthening transport links with Russia?
– Trade between Russia and China exceeded $1.53 billion in 2009. Cargo traffic between our countries depends on the fact how the trade and economic partnership is developed. In China, transport infrastructure provides different options for companies to send their export cargoes. However, traditional trade flows from China to other countries take those routes where there are least administrative barriers to international commerce of all. Therefore, priority is given to handling large storage and distribution centres (hubs). Hong Kong is one of such hubs in Chinese provinces. It is one of the largest ports in the world, the capacity of which is estimated at 456,000 ships a year. In 2009, the port’s container throughput reached 20.9 million TEU (the figure equal to one 20-foot container). However, the Port Authority said that during the crisis it declined by 14.6%, compared with 2008. Nevertheless, starting from the end of 2009, container traffic began to restore. For example, last Decemb
