Showcase for cooperation

CAEXPO an important platform for promoting China's investment in the members of ASEAN

The annual China-ASEAN Expo, held in Nanning, capital of the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, has become a platform for international industrial capacity cooperation.

Industrial capacity cooperation is a concept proposed by Chinese Premier Li Keqiang in 2014. He said some countries can benefit by bringing in equipment, production lines, advanced technologies and management experiences from other countries, and China could offer help in this regard.

China has signed agreements with 21 countries to launch regular cooperation on industrial capacity, which has become a new trend in China's opening-up strategy.

The 12th China-ASEAN Expo in 2015 laid a solid foundation for such cooperation, the expo's organizers said. They organized several activities related to international industrial capacity projects, and representatives at the expo put forward suggestions relating to such issues as the construction of the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road and promotion of industrial capacity cooperation.

The National Development and Reform Commission also organized bilateral talks with related departments of members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations such as Malaysia, Indonesia and Vietnam at the expo to discuss the practical conditions, key areas and work mechanisms for carrying out industrial capacity cooperation.

At a negotiation event for international industrial capacity and equipment manufacturing projects, executives from more than 60 Chinese companies discussed cooperation possibilities with representatives from industrial parks and investment promotion organizations in ASEAN member countries.

The event's organizers said that 34 agreements on industrial capacity cooperation were signed at the 12th China-ASEAN Expo, and many representatives from ASEAN countries said that they hoped future events would focus more on such cooperation.

The expo's organizers said that collaboration between China and ASEAN has become a model for international industrial capacity cooperation.

The event's organizers said the expo has become an important platform for promoting China's investment in and cooperation with the members of ASEAN since its establishment in 2004.

They said more than 700 Chinese enterprises have expanded into ASEAN markets in the past 12 years via the investment and cooperation platform provided by the expo.

These include more than 40 Chinese State-owned enterprises, such as China Railway Corp and China Communications Construction Co, which have furthered cooperation with ASEAN countries by signing major infrastructure projects.

Statistics from the Chinese customs show China's trade with ASEAN members has increased 18.5 percent a year on average from 1991 to 2015. The volume accounted for 5.9 percent of China's total foreign trade volume in 1991 and 11.9 percent in 2015.

The event's organizers said further cooperation on industrial capacity between China and ASEAN will benefit the development of both. Urbanization and industrialization in ASEAN need improved infrastructure, more capital and more advanced technologies. China boasts many advantageous industries, abundant capital and advanced technologies.

At an organizing committee meeting for the 13th expo, Gao Hucheng, head of the Ministry of Commerce, said that China needs to use the expo to increase access for ASEAN members to industrial capacity and equipment manufacturing to promote a new round of high-level opening-up.

The 13th expo, to be held from Sept 11 to 14, will offer an exhibition area for international industrial capacity cooperation, especially for infrastructure construction in fields such as railways, electric power, nonferrous metallurgy and industrial parks.

The exhibition area also aims to help export China's industrial capacity and promote the country's overseas cooperation.

The second Forum on the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road and the Promotion of International Industrial Capacity and Equipment Manufacturing Cooperation will be held at this year's expo. The forum will showcase the fruits of industrial capacity cooperation between China and ASEAN countries, as well as other countries and regions along the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road.

The forum will also discuss the positive influence that the establishment of the ASEAN Community has had on the China-ASEAN industrial capacity cooperation and equipment manufacturing, the major opportunities that the cooperation has brought to China and ASEAN countries, and effective ways to promote further industrial capacity cooperation between China and ASEAN.

Other activities related to such cooperation at the 13th expo will also include a roundtable conference on investment cooperation, a conference to promote China-ASEAN industrial parks and a forum on China-ASEAN infrastructure cooperation.

songmengxing@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 09/01/2016 page10)