Bank loan to support export to Uzbekistan
( 2001-11-24 00:32 ) (1 )

The Export-Import Bank of China (China Exim Bank) has agreed to provide 100 million yuan (US$12 million) in concessional loans in order for a Uzbekistan company to buy 2,500 tractors from China.

The China Exim Bank signed a loan contract with Uzbekistan's Pakhta Bank in Beijing Friday.

The loan will be used by Tashkent Tractor Factory to buy tractors from Tianjin Machinery Import and Export Group Co, said Kabiljan Toshmatov, chairman of Pakhta Bank.

The accelerated privatization process of Uzbekistan's agriculture sector has created enormous demand for small and medium-sized tractors, Toshmatov said.

China-made tractors have been welcomed by Uzbek farmers, he said.

Yang Zilin, president of China Exim Bank, said his bank will continue to provide loan support for foreign trade and economic co-operation between the two countries.

"The loan support will not only help develop the economy in Uzbekistan, but will also help promote China's export of machinery and equipment,'' he said.

As the country's only export-orientated policy bank, China Exim Bank is now facing enormous opportunities, now that China has entered the World Trade Organization, Yang said.

China Exim Bank will continue to give key support to companies which sell their products abroad.

"The bank will also provide quality and highly efficient financial services for Chinese companies which invest in foreign countries,'' Yang said.

China Exim Bank will expand loan services to companies which engage in processing trade or contract projects in foreign countries, he said.

Meanwhile, it will support Chinese companies to contract projects or engage in resources exploration and manufacturing business, in countries which the Chinese government provides preferential loans, he said.

Since its opening seven years ago, the bank has provided loans totalling 160 billion yuan (US$19.2 billion) and provided an overseas-orientated guarantee of US$2.8 billion.