Ms. Wang Weina, Acting Director of the GTI Secretariat, participated in the Lancang-Mekong Sub-Regional Commodity Exposition & the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation and Yunnan Action Forum on 15th November 2016, in Kunming, Yunnan, and delivered a speech on Regional Cooperation in GTR and Regional Industry Transfer and Cooperation.

 As a response to the “Belt and Road Initiative” and economic, social and political need of the sustainability of the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation, Lancang-Mekong Sub-Regional Commodity Exposition and the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation and Yunnan Action Forum were organized as demonstration of cooperation achievements, platform of trade and business facilitation and high-level brain trust of future strategies.

The theme of the Forum is Lancang-Mekong Cooperation and Yunnan’s Action, with three sub-forums focusing on Regional Industry Transfer and Cooperation in Lancang-Mekong Region, Financial Cooperation and Innovation and Maritime Silk Road.

Mr. Gao Shuxun, Member of Leading Party Group of Yunnan Province, Mr. Suthi Makbun, Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Interior, Thailand and Mr. Peng Gang, Deputy Director General of the Department of Asian Affairs, Ministry of Commerce of China delivered opening remarks and warmly welcomed all delegates from Lancang-Mekong Region. Mr. Sha Zukang, Former Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations, Mr. Zhang Zhigang, Former Vice Minister of Commerce of China, Mr. Ge Zhirong, State Counselor, Mr. Yin Zonghua, Vice President of China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, Mr. Hong Qi, Chairman of Minsheng Bank and Mr. Doan Duy Khuong, Executive Vice President of the National Association of Commerce, Vietnam delivered keynote speeches on how Yunnan can further foster regional cooperation in the realms of finance innovation, entrepreneurship support, competitiveness building, vision-making and infrastructure construction.

Over 300 delegates and experts from central and local governments, international organizations, business communities, think tanks, research institutes and other relevant sectors attended the Forum. 

In the Forum, Ms. Wang Weina introduced GTI’s achievements as comparative case study of necessity and possibility of regional and sub-regional cooperation agenda-setting and GTI’s function as platform, coordinator, supporter and advisor for regional industry transfer and cooperation, and shared her insights on how GTI supports and ensures the possibility of industry transfer and cooperation via regional cooperation. Ms. Wang emphasized that mutual interest and mutual benefits, green and long-term development, the market-driven factors and competitiveness of enterprises need to be considered by countries in Lancang-Mekong region for industry transfer and cooperation. She mentioned that market, as the primary indicator of resource allocation, is the key factor of consideration in strategy design and agenda-setting of industry cooperation. Sustainable and long term cooperation could be guaranteed as long as enterprises strengthen corporate social responsibility and improve their competitiveness. In short, mutual interest sustains cooperation and mutual benefits ensure a bright future of regional cooperation.

Ms. Wang Weina also expressed sincere willingness to further emphasize and schedule cooperation with Lancang-Mekong region organizations and institutions. Within the GTI framework, according to Ms. Wang, discussion or study on industry transfer and industry cooperation shall also be on future agenda.