Bolivian president inaugurates operation of paper plant

Bolivian President Evo Morales Friday attended the inauguration of a state-owned paper factory, the first of its kind in the country which was built by China's Shenzhen Vicstar Machinery Group. The facility, named Papelbol and located in the central city of Villa Tunari, in Tropical Cochabamba, should have been ready two years ago, but "was delayed because of a Brazilian firm," said the president. In October 2012, the Bolivian government awarded the Chinese company with the rights to complete and put into operation Papelbol. The Chinese company delivered the fully-functioning plant in December 2013 and will in the next six months supervise the operations and train Bolivian personnel. The plant will at the initial stage produce 8,400 tons of paper, or 18 percent of the 45,000 tons of the country's needs, and in 2015, its production will be expanded to 15,200 tons of paper as the plant reaches 100 percent of its production capacity.