UPDATE: Russian Export Center wants Alibaba to make Russian goods section

(Adds comments from Alibaba’s founder in last paragraph)

ST. PETERSBURG, Jun 16 (PRIME) -- The Russian Export Center will suggest Jack Ma, founder of China’s biggest Internet company Alibaba, open a section on the trading site to sell Russian goods, Alexei Tyupanov, general director of the center’s unit, export credit agency (EXIAR), said Thursday.

“We, as an export center, closely cooperate with Alibaba. The idea is to open a separate section of Russian goods on Alibaba’s floor. The next stage is to choose high-quality Russian goods to be presented there,” Tyupanov said on the sidelines of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum.

Consumer goods are in question. “In the first place, it’s a channel for small and medium-size businesses,” he said.

Mikhail Mamonov, director of international projects at the center, said the center is meeting with Alibaba’s founder later on Thursday. The center opposed the idea of creating a Russian Alibaba because of high costs.

“There are many electronic venues, like Yandex.Market, Ulmart and others. They are not identified by foreign users,” Mamonov said. The center is ready to assist domestic exporters in placing their goods on the existing floors.

Ma said that Russia could establish a large-scale project similar to Alibaba. The Chinese company cannot do it alone and needs a local partner for support, he said on the sidelines of the forum.

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