"This summit yields an exceptional opportunity for all countries to share their insights and good practice. The Economic Forum, which is held at the same time, helps open new markets and establish business contacts, hence encouraging our citizens to cooperate more actively and to invest more favourably", said Prime Minister Butkevičius.
The Head of Government has stressed that Lithuania is open to investment, and it has a growing and reliable market. According to the Prime Minister, statistics shows that in the first half of 2014, Lithuania was the top country in terms of the attraction of foreign investment in the Central and Eastern European Region.
"The number of investment projects per one million of citizens is twice as high, as compared to the average of the Central and Eastern European Region. Given the size of the country, Lithuania is an incontestable leader in the region. This is a country of bright minds and excellent investment climate", emphasized the Prime Minister.
According to the Head of Government, the fields of biotechnologies, information systems, services, and renewables are highly appreciated in the country. "I am confident that this meeting of 17 countries is yet another step towards greater cooperation and higher investment in these fields", said the Prime Minister.
In 2012 China initiated the format of the meeting with the 16 countries of the Central and Eastern European Region (Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, Croatia, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Macedonia, and Serbia), aiming to develop cooperation. China has proposed a programme of 12 measures and a line of credit of 10 billion US dollars. The forum countries may submit applications for projects in the fields of finances, infrastructure and transport, etc. An investment fund of cooperation of 500 million US dollars has also been established.
