Changchun – On 22 August, 2019, the 19th Greater Tumen Initiative (GTI) Consultative Commission (CC) Meeting was successfully held in Changchun, China, with the theme “Connecting Opportunities, Building Open NEA Economy”. The high-level delegates from the GTI Member States (the People’s Republic of China, the Republic of Korea, the Russian Federation, and Mongolia), as well as the representatives from line ministries, the local governments of Northeast Asia (NEA), financial institutions, research institutions, business chambers and international organizations attended the meeting.
The meeting started with welcome speeches delivered by Mr. Wu Jingping (Vice Governor, People’s Government of Jilin Province, China) and CC Chair Mr. Wang Shouwen (Vice Minister and Deputy China International Trade Representative, Ministry of Commerce, People’s Republic of China). Mr. Wu Jingping affirmed the crucial role of GTI on enhancing regional economic, environmental and technological collaboration, and realizing the sustainable development in NEA, and briefed on Jilin Province’s active cooperation with NEA countries in recent years, such as enhancing the infrastructure connectivity of roads, railways, ports, and bridges in bordering areas of neighbour counties, and encouragement of communication and exchange among NEA countries.
In his speech Mr. Wang Shouwen proposed several suggestions on expanding cooperation with the platform of GTI: 1) increasing connectivity of regional cross-border infrastructure and enhancing the liberalization and facilitation of regional trade and investment; 2) further deepening the cooperation in fields of tourism, agriculture and private sector, and encouraging people-to-people exchange; and 3) striving to reach consensus on advancing the progress of GTI legal transition; indicated some positive efforts and achievements made by China on promoting global trade and economy in the past 70 years; and committed to strengthen macroeconomic policy coordination with major economies in the world and to jointly promote open, inclusive, balanced, and win-win development of the world economy.
The GTI Member States reviewed the substantive progresses and outlook in Transport, Trade & Investment, Tourism, Energy, Environment and Agriculture since the 18th CC Meeting, acknowledged the tangible progress and achievements, and endorsed the MoU on Establishment and Operation of Northeast Asia Business Association, GTI’s Knowledge Management Action Plan, project proposals in the field of research and study on regional value chains, logistics, trade and investment cooperation, agricultural cooperation, promoting regional tourism and multi-destination, along with GTI’s budget expenditure and budget proposal and the work plan for the period ahead. The Chinese government annouced their commitment to increase total contributions to GTI Special Account for Project up to 200,000 USD for this year.
Having had presentations on the progress by representatives of GTI Local Cooperation Committee (LCC), NEA EXIM Banks Association (EBA) and GTI Research Institutions Network (RIN), the Consultative Commission provided positive comments and encouraged affliated institutions’ further cooperation in respective fields.
The Signing Ceremony for Memorandum of Understanding on the Establishment and Operation of Northeast Asia Business Association was also arranged. With Mr. Wang Shouwen, Ms. Bulgantuya Khurelbaatar (Deputy Minister of Finance of Mongolia), Mr. Kim Hoejung (Deputy Minister of Economy and Finance of ROK) and Ms. Natalia Stapran (Director General of Ministry of Economic Development of Russia) stood witness, Mr. Chen Zhou (Vice Chairman of China Council for the Promotion of International Trade), Mr. Duuren Tumenjargal (CEO of Mongolian National Chamber of Commerce and Industry), Mr. Kang Homin (Senior Vice President of Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry), and Mr. Sergey Krasilnikov (Vice President of Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs) together signed the MoU. Afterwards, the Inaugural Meeting of North-East Asia Business Association was successfully organized in parallel with the CC Meeting.
At second session themed of “Deepening the Regional Economic Integration in NEA”, the Consultative Commission discussed the current global economic situation, as well as the opportunities and challenges in NEA, welcomed the dialogues and exchanges held on FTAs/RTAs and agricultural cooperation in the region. Particularly, the meeting reviewed the progress on Stock-taking on Roadmap of GTI Trade and Investment Committee in 2017-2020, Mid-term Report on Good Practices of Agricultural Cooperation in Greater Tumen Region, and the preliminary results of research project on “Prospect of Trade & Investment Cooperation in Greater Tumen Region”.
The third session featured the theme of “Promoting the Inclusive Economic Growth in NEA”. Recognizing the realistic demand and significance of inclusive economic growth in NEA, the Member States shared their experiences in promoting inclusive development and discussed the existing impediments and possible solutions. Furthermore, they deliberated on the opportunities for inclusive economic growth in the Digital Age, suggesting members to further collaboration, particularly, in emerging industries such as e-commerce, to promote sustainable and inclusive growth in the region. The representatives reviewed the GTI Multi-Year Capacity Building Framework and Research Report on Promoting International Tourism and Multi-Destination Tourism in Greater Tumen Region.
Before the closing of the morning session, members adopted of Changchun Declaration, and the Government of Republic of Korea took over GTI CC Chairmanship and confirmed that the 20th CC meeting will take place in ROK in 2020.
Three thematic supporting dialogues involving CC members, officials and experts from various GTI partners, private sector, think-tanks, academia, international financial institutions and international organizations as panelists and speakers, were organized in the afternoon covering topics on: Open NEA Trade and Investment, Green, Inclusive and Sustainable Development, and Connected NEA Infrastructure.
