Polish ambassador to China talks Xi visit

Mr. Mirosław Gajewski, Ambassador of the Republic of Poland to the People's Republic of China, for "China Daily"

1. What pragmatic outcomes do you expect from President Xi's visit? What agreements will be signed during the visit? And what issues will be discussed during the visit?

President Xi's visit to Poland is yet another confirmation of the importance of Polish-Chinese strategic partnership, after the visit Poland's President Andrzej Duda paid to China in November last year. High-level bilateral exchanges constitute a foundation of our cooperation, which is also developing on other levels: as EU-China comprehensive strategic partnership, in the "16+1" format (of which Poland is the by far largest European participant), as well as on regional and local level. President Xi will hold talks with President Duda, and also meet Poland's Prime Minister Beata Szydło and the Speakers of both houses of the Polish Parliament.

We expect discussions on a wide range of issues, focusing on bilateral economic cooperation (trade, investment, finance, transportation, infrastructure), but also touching upon areas such as culture, education, science and technology, tourism, agriculture. Both sides will also exchange views on major regional and international issues. We especially hope to intensify bilateral discussion on the question of security and stability along "One Belt One Road", which are of decisive importance to the success of this initiative.

We expect that the visit will bring tangible results, in particular in some of the most important areas, for example the opening of the Chinese market for Polish food and agricultural products. Poland is one of the largest exporters of such products in the EU. We expect the signing of several important agreements that will facilitate market access for Polish fruits, poultry, meat and enhance cooperation between the veterinary authorities of both countries.

Bearing in mind Poland's huge trade deficit with China, we hope that agreements signed during the visit will contribute to the expansion of Polish exports. We also expect that closer cooperation will be initiated between Polish and Chinese customs authorities.

We expect the signing of an agreement on mutual tax exemptions on services in international transportation. Such a step would contribute to the promotion of our trade and people-to people exchanges.

We will also discuss common initiatives in areas such as infrastructure, logistics and transportation. We are aware of the ambitious "Belt and Road" initiative. That initiative fits the concept of improving connectivity between Europe and Asia. We are considering different projects that would be beneficial to the Polish economy and Polish companies, as well as our trade and investment relations with China, and, on the other hand, could also be beneficial to China in the context of the "Belt and Road" initiative.

Dozens of agreements are expected to be signed during President Xi's visit. These will facilitate and enhance the development of our bilateral cooperation in the fields of market access. investment, logistics, finance, industry, energy and infrastructure, create favorable conditions for an increase in educational and cultural exchanges between our countries. We are working on opening new areas of cooperation, including space technology and explorations, customs, and crime fighting.

2. How do you expect will President Xi's visit help promote China-Polish ties?

We believe that there is immense potential in exchanges between China (the second largest economy in the world and a powerhouse of global growth) and Poland (the largest economy in Central and Eastern Europe, a leader of growth in the European Union). This potential has not been fully tapped into so far, therefore we need to increase efforts on both sides to unlock it.

We expect Chinese business community to realize that Poland offers great opportunities as Europe's sixth largest and fastest growing economy, with a unique geographical position at the very heart of the European continent and a very business-friendly environment. The number and scale of foreign investments in Poland and the intense cooperation of Poland's manufacturing industry with Western European enterprises are the best proofs for the attractiveness of my country for top-notch businesses.

We hope Chinese consumers will become aware of the wide array of outstanding products Poland has to offer – products that are renowned for their quality in European markets. These include Polish food, widely known for its unmatched taste and strict adherence to safety standards, and Polish cosmetics and medicines, manufactured with equal commitment to quality and safety. Poland is also a major exporter of furniture, which combines unique design with attention to detail. The international success of Poland's gaming industry demonstrates how good we are at combining creativity with technology.

Furthermore, we hope that President Xi's visit will bring our Chinese friends' attention to Poland as a tourist destination. Having a rich historical heritage and a diverse culture formed at the crossroads between East and West, North and South, beautiful natural landscapes (including the sea, mountains, lakes, primeval forests, wetlands, and even a desert), Poland is one of the "gems" still waiting to be discovered by Chinese travelling abroad for leisure.

We would also like to showcase educational opportunities Poland has to offer. The numbers of Chinese students at Polish universities are increasing by around 20percent per year, but we see much more potential in this field. Knowing how highly valued education is in China, we believe we can offer great opportunities to young Chinese seeking knowledge abroad, and we can do that at a fraction of the cost of studying in Western Europe.

3. Could you share with us the efforts Poland has made to help develop the Belt and Road Initiative? And what benefits does Poland expect from the initiative?

We welcome with a great interest China's initiative to strengthen economic links between East Asia and Europe, and create new development opportunities for countries along the "New Silk Road". Poland, due to its strategic location and unique advantages, should be viewed in China as an ideal partner for some of the projects under the "Belt and Road" framework.

We have already gained a lot of experience with the handling of freight from China. Since 2013, two direct rail connections have been operating between Poland and China. One is the Chengdu to Lodz express link, operated by the Polish company Hatrans Logistics. Another one is the Suzhou to Warsaw express link, operated by PKP Cargo Logistics, a subsidiary of the second largest rail shipment company in the European Union. Our geographical location and our leading position in the European logistics market make us a natural partner for such initiatives as the "Belt and Road".

One of our most important goals concerning the "Belt and Road" cooperation is to make sure that it is a "two-way street". This should be our major contribution to this initiative. New transportation links will be viable and sustainable only if goods are shipped both ways. We believe that the development of direct freight connections can contribute to an increase in the volume of trade between Poland and China.

From our perspective, the new communication routes between China and Europe provide a perfect basis for cooperation between Polish and Chinese regions and cities, which is one of the pillars of the strategic partnership between our countries. The "Belt and Road" initiative can become a great contribution to our strategic partnership with China.

Last but not least, Poland's government unveiled a new strategic plan earlier this year – the "Plan for Sustainable Development". One of its crucial components is international economic cooperation. We believe we can create synergies between this Plan and the "Belt and Road".

4. As the largest country of the 16 Central and Eastern European countries, what is Poland's role in strengthening the cooperation between China and the 16 countries?

First of all, Poland's government attaches great importance to the development of regional cooperation in Central and Eastern Europe. We are interested in promoting closer links within our region. The China-Central and Eastern Europe cooperation fits very well with this key feature of our foreign policy.

The "16+1" cooperation format was launched in Warsaw in 2012. Poland remains committed to the multifaceted exchanges and cooperation developed under this mechanism. We are actively participating in the "16+1" contacts, as evidenced by the personal participation of President Andrzej Duda in last year's Suzhou Summit. We are currently hosting the secretariats of two coordination mechanisms within the "16+1" framework: the China-CEEC Business Council and the China-CEEC Investment Promotion Agencies Contact Mechanism. We have offered to host another mechanism, serving the development of China-CEEC cooperation on maritime issues.

We expect tangible results of the "16+1" cooperation in the near future. Our priorities in the "16+1" cooperation include projects related to connectivity: new logistics routes and hubs, development of new and upgrades to existing railways, development of roads and sea connections, cooperation on the development of telecommunication systems or participation of entrepreneurs from CEEC in infrastructure projects in third countries (i.e. implemented within the "Belt and Road" initiative). We also believe that the "16+1" cooperation can boost the growth of our exports to China, which will contribute to the narrowing of our trade deficit.

We are looking forward to more Chinese investments in Poland and other CEE countries. We are especially welcoming Greenfield investment that create new jobs.

We also see the potential of "16+1" in the expansion of people-to-people contacts, in particular in the areas of tourism and education.

5. Why did Poland choose to join the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank? What is this organization's role in strengthening China-Polish relations? How will the AIIB help Poland's development?

Poland decided to join the AIIB (as the only Central and Eastern European country), which we perceive as a new, important financial institution, as its founding member. The reason for this decision was simple, as explained by Poland's President Andrzej Duda during his visit to China last year: if we expect to gain something, we need to be ready to contribute something first. We would like to increase connectivity between East and Central Asia and Europe by expanding the infrastructure linking those regions. Due to the competitive advantages of Polish companies, we believe they can successfully participate in projects financed by the AIIB. Moreover, we see the development of Eurasian connectivity as generally beneficial to Poland, and AIIB can make a significant contribution to this area.

Poland has a strong interest in cooperation with China in financing infrastructure projects (transportation, railways, airports), in the field of rural and urban development, and logistics. In my numerous meetings with AIIB's President Mr. Jin Liqun, I have also stressed that Poland would like to be involved in projects in Central Asia, where Polish and Chinese companies could jointly carry out projects financed by AIIB (especially in the energy sector). Poland has a vast experience and a history of presence in that region, which might create synergy effects, if combined with the advantages of Chinese companies.

6. What are the areas in which Poland wants to strengthen cooperation with China, and why?

As I have mentioned, there is immense potential in Polish-Chinese cooperation in a number of areas. Let me just stress the most important ones. Development of bilateral trade, especially reduction of Poland's huge deficit, is obviously an important goal – we are successfully working on improving access of our products to the Chinese market. Another important area is investment. Given Poland's beneficial investment environment and the potential of Chinese enterprises, the scope and scale of direct foreign investment originating from China in Poland is disappointingly low. We welcome high-quality Chinese investments, which will create jobs, contribute to the development of our industrial base, and transfer advanced technologies – these investments would not only benefit Poland, but also the Chinese investors, giving them significant opportunities to develop their businesses into high-end markets. We are also hoping to boost tourism between China and Poland, as well as educational, academic and scientific exchanges.