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)