B&R Initiative deepens China-Estonia cooperation

The Belt and Road Initiative provides more opportunities for China and Estonia to expand and deepen pragmatic cooperation, and Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli’s recent visit to Estonia is expected to further boost bilateral cooperation and deepen China-Estonia friendship.

Estonia has shown strong interest in taking part in the Belt and Road construction which was proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2013.

Enterprises from the two countries will jointly build a logistics center on the north coast of Estonia, and China will also open its market to dairy products from Estonia to help it deal with overcapacity problem.

SF Express, one of China's largest courier firms, and Estonian state-owned postal company Omniva established a joint venture to deliver packages from China to consumers in Northeastern Europe in a faster manner.

China’s Huawei Group has been working together with Tallinn University of Technology in Estonia to cultivate talents in electronic information technology since last year.

Qu Zhe, Chinese ambassador to Estonia, said, “The cultural exchanges between China and Estonia are warming up in recent years.”

Seven Estonian art organizations went to perform in China last year. Many Chinese students have an interest in learning the Estonian language, as Estonia is a country along the route of the Belt and Road Initiative.

In December 2016, Estonia’s ambassador to China Marten Kokk visited Beijing International Studies University, where Estonian is taught, and presented the university the latest edition of Estonian language textbooks as a gift.