CAEXPO to boost regional trade cooperation
CAEXPO to boost regional trade cooperation
The 12th China-Asean Expo (CAEXPO) will take place from September 18-21 Nanning, China, according to a statement issued at a press conference in Beijing last month by the Information Office of the State Council of China.
China's Deputy Minister of Commerce Ms Gao Yan, Vice Chairman of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade Mr Yu Ping, and Vice Governor of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Mr Zhang Xiaoqin were present at the press conference.
The 12th China-Asean Expo aims to facilitate Asean and China in building the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road.
According to the press release, China is Asean's largest trading partner while Asean is China's third largest trading partner.
Ms Gao Yan noted that the China-Asean Free Trade Area is accelerating its development.
She said China and the Asean nations have strengthened political mutual trust, moved forward with bilateral trade and deepened economic integration, achieving win-win results and common development.
Reciprocal cooperation between both sides deepens and a number of cooperation projects in the fields of electricity, bridge construction, agriculture and manufacturing have been launched.
At the end of 2014, two-way investment exceeded US$130 billion.
Cooperation between Asean and China is experiencing fast growth and the CAEXPO is playing a more and more important role in this regard.
“CAEXPO, as a platform that serves bilateral cooperation, delivers fruitful outcomes and is becoming a role model for win-win cooperation,”Ms Gao said, adding that the 12th CAEXPO will invest more effort to drive development of the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road.
Meanwhile Mr Zhang Xiaoqin said this year marks a crucial stage for building the Belt and Road as well as the China-Asean Maritime Cooperation Year.
The 12th CAEXPO to be held against such a backdrop will feature new highlights including “building the 21st Maritime Silk Road, Creating a New Blueprint for Maritime Cooperation” as its theme and will arrange a series of high-end activities to promote friendly exchanges and economic and trade cooperation.
It will bring about more business opportunities for China and Asean countries to upgrade the China-Asean Free Trade Area, deepen commodity trade and investment cooperation and expand cooperation in connectivity, international industrial capacity cooperation, cross-border economic cooperation, technological transfer, maritime cooperation and finance.
Remaining Supporting Organisations of the CAEXPO, the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and the International Trade Centre will arrange a Symposium on the Roles of Trade Facilitation on Regional Integration of Asia and Commemoration of the 20th Anniversary of the Establishment of the WTO during the 12th CAEXPO.
Chinese and Asean companies are showing great enthusiasm for the event and the number of booth applications has overtaken the number planned.
Apart from China and the Asean nations, America, Canada, Germany, France, Japan, the Republic of Korea, India, Australia, Hungary, Turkey and countries in South America and the Middle East will participate as trade visitors. The Cities of Charm of China and the 10 Asean countries have been decided.
Thailand, the Country of Honour for the 12th CAEXPO, will hold an inaugural ceremony of its national pavilion, a national promotion conference, and roundtable talks between its visiting leaders and entrepreneurs as well as other activities throughout the fair period.
