In May 2026, Moldovan Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Mihai Popșoi paid a visit to the People’s Republic of China. Apart from a formal meeting with his counterpart from the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, all of his other meetings were of an economic nature.
An Economic Marathon
Over the course of three days, he held meetings with Deputy Minister of Commerce Lin Ji; with Chen Xiaodong, President of the China International Development and Cooperation Agency (CIDCA), Chen Xiaodong; with Sun Yeli, Minister of Culture and Tourism; Zhang Zhu, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs; and Zhen Hongbin, Chairman of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade.
Afterward, Popșoi met with the staff of Lanci — the exclusive distributor of Moldovan wines throughout China — and spoke at a conference on promoting trade and economic cooperation between the Republic of Moldova and China, which was attended by representatives from as many as 30 Chinese companies.
The embassy got involved
Following this, the Moldovan Embassy in China began actively exploring options to increase exports of Moldovan products. The diplomatic mission aims to facilitate access for Moldovan products to the Chinese market and diversify their range. Ambassador Petru Frunze stated this last week in an interview with MOLDPRES.
He noted that the authorities are making efforts to expand exports, particularly in the agri-food sector. Thus, one of the main areas of focus is obtaining the necessary permits for new product categories.
“Currently, the embassy, in cooperation with the relevant authorities of the Republic of Moldova and China, is working to obtain export permits for honey and sweet cherries,” the ambassador explained.
At the same time, negotiations are underway regarding the export of plums, sunflower oil, and grain products.
Another priority area is expanding exports of Moldovan wines to the Chinese market by supporting local producers.
“Although wine exports to China have declined in recent years, we believe there are real prospects for reviving this sector,” concluded Petru Frunze.
Lanci reported that in 2025, $2.7 million worth of bottled wine was shipped from Moldova to China, which is 33% less than the previous year.
Among the goals promoted by the Moldovan side are – exploring the possibility of eliminating import duties on wine, allowing more agricultural products to be imported into the Chinese market, including the Republic of Moldova on the list of recommended destinations for Chinese tourists, and presenting the investment opportunities offered by our country.
The trade balance is heavily skewed
In 2025, China became the second-largest (after Romania) exporter of goods to Moldova, with its share of total imports rising, according to the National Bank of Moldova, from 11.7% in 2021 to 13.6% in 2025.
According to Boris Foca, president of the Moldova-China Chamber of Commerce and Industry, in 2024 “we exceeded $1.14 billion in total trade volume. At the same time, exports from Moldova amounted to $8.6 million.”
In other words, Moldova’s exports account for less than 1% of its imports. Such is the staggering trade imbalance between our countries.
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