About 400 delegates from companies and chambers of commerce in
China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)
countries met Monday in Kunming, capital city of southwest China's
Yunnan Province, to discuss economic cooperation and the role
of business in setting up the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area.
The second meeting of the China-ASEAN Business Council and the
China-ASEAN Business Cooperation Forum held here by the China
Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT), Yunnan
Provincial People's Government and the ASEAN Chambers of Commerce
and Industry (CCI), received congratulatory messages from both
Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji and Minister of Foreign Trade and
Economic Cooperation Shi Guangsheng.
Zhu said that with efforts from both sides, the China-ASEAN
relationship had grown rapidly in recent years, as evidenced by
improved mutual political trust, increased economic and trade
exchanges and wider cooperation.
Zhu mentioned the Framework Agreement on ASEAN-China Comprehensive
Economic Cooperation, which he signed with other ASEAN leaders at
the China-ASEAN Summit Meeting last month. "The treaty, setting a
goal to establish the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area by 2010,
highlights the great prospect of our bilateral economic cooperation
and has had far-reaching impact on the world and the region
itself."
Zhu said he was pleased to learn that this year's Business Council
Meeting and Forum, under the theme of "Marching towards the
China-ASEAN Free Trade Area," would strive to facilitate the
discussion of issues related to the promotion of the Free Trade
Area and the deepening of bilateral economic cooperation.
Shi's message said that as a significant mechanism for
non-governmental cooperation and dialogue between China and ASEAN
countries, the China-ASEAN Business Council would actively promote
economic and trade relations between China and ASEAN.
The China-ASEAN Business Council, established in November 2001 in
Indonesia, is composed of the heads of the CCPIT, ASEAN CCI and the
national chambers of commerce in ASEAN countries as well as
well-known entrepreneurs from the region. The business council,
plus high-level talks, a joint cooperative committee, economic and
trade joint committee and science and technology joint committee,
are five major dialogue means for cooperation between China and
ASEAN.
The two-day meeting and forum will highlight acceleration of
China-ASEAN economic integration, steps taken by chambers of
commerce to boost mutual investment, trade and development, and the
role of business communities in building the China-ASEAN Free Trade
Area.
At
the opening ceremony, Governor of Yunnan Province Xu Rongkai said
Yunnan would make full use of its geographic advantages to advance
the free trade area process.
CCPIT president and chairman of China-ASEAN Business Council Yu
Xiaosong said setting up the China-ASEAN free trade area was an
important step by developing countries for furthering regional
economic cooperation. Chambers of commerce in the region needed to
strengthen cooperation during the process.
President of ASEAN CCI and Chairman of the ASEAN-China Business
Council Pyone Maung Maung said with China's entry into the World
Trade Organization and its further opening up, the ASEAN-China Free
Trade Area would certainly create a win-win situation.
Chambers of commerce and businesses played important roles in
regional economic cooperation, and the cooperation and exchanges
among them would give the free trade area a big push forward, he
said.
(People's Daily December 17, 2002)