OREANDA-NEWS. May 12, 2012. Prime Minister Vlad Filat met the leadership of the Chinese company "Malul de Aur" (Golden Bank), which has started a massive import of Moldovan wines, the government's communication and press relations department has said.

Participating in the event was also the head of the "Cricova" wine-making factory, Valentin Bodiul.

The sides broached the boosting of Moldovan wines' import to the Chinese market, as well as the promotion of Moldova's image in China. In the context, Valentin Bodiul briefed the prime minister that the cooperation contract between the "Cricova" winery and Chongqing-based "Malul de Aur" company, signed in March 2012, will start producing results in June 2012.

Valentin Bodiul said that this year, about 1 million bottles of wine are to be shipped to China. He noted that the first 200,000 bottles will reach the country in June 2012. He added that the "Malul de Aur" delegation has came to Moldova to choose the wines meant for export, as well as to familiarize with other business opportunities.

For his part, the head of the "Malul de Aur" company, Gong Yi, thanked the prime minister for the meeting and for the way in which the government backs the development of the Moldovan-Chinese trade relations. He noted that the "Malul de Aur" company was founded in 2000.

"The contract that we have signed with "Cricova" is important not only from a commercial viewpoint. It will also represent a good opportunity to promote of Moldovan wines in China and to familiarize the Chinese people with your traditions and customs," Gong Yi said.

He told Filat that a copy of the Cricova wine cellars would be built on the bank of the Yangtze, in Chongqing province. The above project is assessed at about 100 million US dollars, due to be invested by the "Malul de Aur" company.

Gong Yi also said that his company would also like to launch other businesses in Moldova, including the construction of a leisure centre.

For his part, Prime Minister Vlad Filat praised the interest of the "Malul de Aur" company in the promotion of Moldovan wines and traditions in China.

"I would like to express my satisfaction towards the implementation in practice of the provisions of the contract signed with "Cricova". I believe that the reproduction of the Cricova cellars in China would help promote Moldova's image and would attract Chinese tourists to visit our country," Filat said.

The prime minister encouraged the "Malul de Aur" company to find other investment fields as well, noting that Moldova has many prospects in this respect.