On November 27, 2025, the tenth Russia-Belarus outbound salon was held at the Shenzhen State-Owned Assets and Enterprises Industrial Innovation Center. The event was hosted by Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Cooperation Zone Development Co., Ltd., organized by the Shenzhen Technology Transfer Promotion Association and supported by Shenzhen Pengxi Education Consulting Co., Ltd.
The salon focused on investment opportunities and compliance challenges in Belarus, Russia and the broader Eurasian market. More than 60 representatives from Shenzhen state-owned enterprises, universities, research institutes, industry associations and companies with outbound plans attended.
Belarus as a Eurasian corridor
Dandan Fei, Executive Secretary-General and Chief Legal Counsel of the association, partner at Guantao Law Firm and former Deputy General Manager of a state-owned cross-border investment platform, introduced the background of the event. Belarus connects the Eurasian Economic Union and the European Union and is part of Belt and Road cooperation. She noted its business environment, industrial policies and China-Belarus cooperation as reasons some Chinese companies are looking at the country as a route into Europe.
The salon was organized around Russia-Belarus market opportunities and China-Belarus cooperation. It gave companies preparing for overseas projects a chance to hear policy interpretation, operating experience and compliance advice.
Market opportunity and compliance risk
Hu Zheng: China-Belarus Industrial Park
Hu Zheng, the first CEO of the China-Belarus Industrial Park and former Vice President of China Merchants Group, introduced the park's development and current operations. He noted that the park is one of China's largest overseas industrial parks by planned area, covering 91.5 square kilometers, and has a relatively complete policy system. It has attracted 159 resident companies across machinery manufacturing, electronic information, biomedicine and other sectors.
He discussed the park's tax preferences, including a ten-year exemption followed by a five-year half-rate period, along with customs facilitation, foreign-exchange flexibility and a planned railway connection. The future railway connection is expected to support direct China-Europe freight train access into the park.
Yu Haichun: compliance as the lifeline of outbound expansion
Yu Haichun, Dean of the Shenzhen Research Institute of the University of International Business and Economics, discussed compliance risks and response strategies for Chinese companies entering Russia. He noted that although the share of local-currency settlement in China-Russia trade has exceeded 90%, companies still face risks from extended European and US sanctions, restrictions in sensitive sectors and intellectual-property protection.
He suggested a three-layer compliance approach: conduct pre-transaction due diligence on whether partners appear on sanctions lists; include sanctions-related exemption clauses in contracts; and prioritize neutral arbitration venues such as Hong Kong or Singapore to manage geopolitical risk.
Jane Li: e-commerce opportunities in Russia
Jane Li, Senior Manager at Ozon Global, presented Russia's fast-growing e-commerce market. She noted that Russia's e-commerce market grew by 36% in 2024 and that Ozon, a leading local platform, has 60.5 million active users across categories including apparel, electronics and home products.
She said Chinese brands can compete in Russia on price-performance and supply-chain speed, and suggested that companies use Ozon's subsidy programs and FBP logistics hosting to enter the market more quickly.
Lu Shunxiang: business delegation to Russia and Belarus
Lu Shunxiang introduced a pilot business delegation to Russia and Belarus scheduled for December 20, 2025, providing participating companies with a more direct route to observe local markets and industrial resources.
Practical exchange
During the open discussion, participants exchanged views on procedures for entering the China-Belarus Industrial Park, Russian data compliance, cross-border payment and settlement, resource matching and operational risk prevention. Representatives from Shenzhen-Hong Kong (Shenzhen) Venture Capital Co., Ltd., Zhejiang University Shenzhen Research Institute, Bicos Group and other institutions shared practical suggestions based on their own operating experience.
A practical route for overseas expansion
The salon was the first Shenzhen state-owned assets technology discussion session focused on Belarus and the Russian-speaking market. It combined policy interpretation, case discussion and resource matching, giving companies a clearer view of how to move from market interest to compliant execution. The Shenzhen State-Owned Assets and Enterprises Industrial Innovation Center plans to keep hosting outbound salons through its "one center, two platforms" model and to support Shenzhen companies entering overseas markets.
Selected participants
Hu Zheng: First Chief Executive Officer of the China-Belarus Great Stone Industrial Park.
Lu Shunxiang: Executive President of Shenzhen Technology Transfer Promotion Association.
Yu Haichun: Dean of the Shenzhen Research Institute of the University of International Business and Economics.
Dandan Fei: Chief Legal Counsel of Shenzhen Technology Transfer Promotion Association.
Mu Weifeng: Vice President of Zhejiang University Shenzhen Research Institute.
Chen Keyong: Chairman of Bicos Group.
Zhang Qilong: General Manager of Shenzhen-Hong Kong (Shenzhen) Venture Capital Co., Ltd.
Liu Dan: General Manager of Shenzhen Donghua Qianxi Culture Development Co., Ltd.
Wu Xiaoxi: Deputy Secretary-General of Shenzhen Electronic Information Industry Federation.
Liu Chunwei: China-Belarus Industrial Park Development Co., Ltd.
Jane Li: Senior Manager at Ozon Global.
Drafted by Shi Yufei (Seven).
Finalized by Qin Yu.