Berisha Promotes Albania, Attracts Chinese Business Attention

TIRANA, April 21 – In his second visit to China in less than a year, Prime Minister Sali Berisha tried to promote his country as a low-tax state in an effort to absorb more Chinese funding to the tiny Balkan country, once two very close allies during the former communist regimes.
Berisha paid an official visit to China on April 17-21 at the invitation of Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, and also attended the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference 2009.
In China Berisha met with all top local officials and took trips to the Chinese Wall, Shenzhen city, and other places.
Chinese President Hu Jintao met with Albanian Prime Minister Sali Berisha in Beijing on Monday.
Hu said this year marks the 60th anniversary of Sino-Albanian ties, and the bilateral friendship has remained unchanged over the past six decades despite changes in the domestic and international situation.
“Sino-Albanian relations are now at a new starting point, with a new opportunity for further development,” Hu said.
The premier acquainted the Chinese president with his assessments of Boao Forum for Asia, one of the major international economic forums. The premier said he heard with satisfaction the action plan of the Chinese government as voiced by Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao in his keynote speech, “Strengthen confidence and deepen cooperation for win-win progress”.
Berisha said that the Albania government considers the friendship with the Chinese people like a valuable treasure. China has provided the Albanian people great help to overcome very difficult moments in its history and the Albanians are grateful for this. But, emphasized the premier, precisely at the time when China under Deng Xiaoping doctrine began to build Shenzhen, -the first city in China to enjoy the Open Door Market Economy Reform- the Albanian dictator was building thousands of bunkers and plunging his people into extreme poverty. The premier said that the Democratic Party of Albania and the Communist Party of China have led changes to the respective countries while Chinese help for Albania’s change has been rather worthy.
Speaking about investments in Albania, the premier said that our country is small, but it offers great potential to Chinese business. The government of Albania (GoA), said Premier Berisha, is willing to offer Chinese businesses a free economic zone so that they can invest in Albania taking also into account its key geographic position in the Balkans and Europe.
Premier Berisha acquainted the Chinese president with reforms the government of Albania has implemented for the country’s development and highlighted the major progress in the economic field where just during December 2008-January 2009, 3.5 billion USD contracts were signed.
Speaking about his visit to south China’s boomtown Shenzhen, an industrial zone housing high-tech companies and two leading communications companies, the premier expressed his satisfaction that two of the park’s major companies, Huawey and ZTE, have chosen Albania as their implementation site for investments in the region. GoA will offer support and facilities to every Chinese company that wants to invest in Albania, emphasized Premier Berisha. And he pointed to the government’s Euro One initiative to all Chinese businesses that target to develop their economic activity in a country where they will enjoy other facilities besides success stories with their Albania investments.
The premier said that Albania considers China a factor of peace and stability in the region and the world. Being a friend of China, emphasized the premier, “I highly evaluate Chinese development achievements during the last thirty years. No one else has been more successful in alleviating the poverty of hundreds of millions of people like the Chinese government over these three decades”, said Premier Berisha.
China pledged to exploit the opportunity of the 60th anniversary to deepen friendship and cooperation with Albania and improve the relationship in the 21st century.
Hu stressed the importance of trade cooperation and said he hoped the two countries would strengthen coordination to explore new ways of cooperating.
China encourages its enterprises to invest in Albania, and also welcomes Albanian entrepreneurs to do business in China, Hu said.
Berisha said Albania valued its relationship with China and was thankful for its assistance.
He said Albania would offer more help for Chinese enterprises in Albania and raise bilateral relations to a new stage.
He reaffirmed adherence to the one-China policy.
Berisha vowed to seek stronger economic and trade cooperation with south China’s boomtown Shenzhen. In a meeting with Mayor Xu Zongheng, Berisha said this was his first visit to the economic powerhouse in south China’s Guangdong Province despite his several visits to China.
Berisha said he expected to learn from the success story of Shenzhen, a pilot city of China’s three-decade reform-and-opening-up drive, and expand the trade between the city and his country.
He thanked China for offering generous assistance to his country over the past years and hailed the increased bilateral trade last year against the backdrop of the global financial crisis.
Berisha arrived in Shenzhen on Saturday night after attending the 2009 meeting of the Boao Forum for Asia in south China’s Hainan Province.
During his stay in Shenzhen, Berisha made a tour to an industrial zone housing high-tech companies and two leading communications companies.
In Beijing on Monday, Chinese Vice Premier Hui Liangyu said China was ready to push development forward for its relations with Albania. Hui made the remark when meeting with visiting Albanian Prime Minister Sali Berisha in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.
Hui said China and Albania enjoy a deep traditional friendship. Since the two countries established diplomatic links 60 years ago, bilateral relations have withstood various tests.
Berisha said Albania cherishes its friendship with the Chinese people and the Chinese government. He appreciates the selfless assistance that China has provided for Albania over the years.
Berisha said China has achieved astonishing development and impressed the world with its measures to address the international financial crisis.
Wen put forth a four-point proposal to further cooperation with Albania. It urged both countries to increase exchanges at all levels, to cement political relations by using the opportunity of the 60th anniversary of Sino-Albanian ties; promote substantial cooperation based on equality and reciprocity and put more emphasis on information technology, energy, infrastructure, and mining exploration; expand cooperation in the areas of culture, public health, agriculture and tourism to enrich bilateral ties; strengthen coordination in the United Nations and other international organizations to safeguard the interests of developing nations and unity of the United Nations.
Wen said Albania was China’s traditional partner in southeast Europe, and inheriting and developing the Sino-Albanian relationship was a common aspiration of both peoples.
Berisha agreed with Wen’s proposal on developing Albania-China ties, vowing to use the 60th anniversary to expand cooperation in the economy, energy, and culture sectors and promote coordination with international organizations. The two countries issued a joint statement concerning traditional friendship and also signed documents about cultural and public health cooperation.