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In the framework of the 5th China Jilin NE Asia Investment and Trade Expo, the High Level Forum on NE Asia Economic and Trade Cooperation, as well as the 5th rtheast Asia Economic Cooperation Forum, were successfully held on September 1st, 2009, in Changchun, China.
Northeast Asian nations are highly complementary in economic development. Strengthening economic and trade cooperation in this region would play a positive role in boosting regional development and the world economy, said Mr. Li Keqiang, the Vice Premier of China, in his speech at the opening ceremony of the High Level Forum.
High Level Forum on NE Asia Economic and Trade Cooperation
The high-level forum was co-sponsored by the Chinese Ministry of Commerce, China National Development and Reform Commission, the Jilin Provincial People's Government, UNCTAD, UNIDO and UNDP, and undertaken by the Northeast Asia Expo Executive Committee, which aimed to build a mutually beneficial trade and economic cooperation framework for Northeast Asia.
The forum is mainly positioned as exchange, cooperation, mutual benefit and development. The participating parties expressed forward-looking visions, set out the economic and trade policies of their own countries, and discussed together on policy measures for pragmatic cooperation and economic revitalization centering around the issues of mutual interest.
Speakers at the Forum included high level offcials from NE Asia countries, such as Mr. Miyeegombo Enkhbold, Deputy Primer of Mongolia and Mr. Noli de Castro, Vice President of Philippines, and representatives from other regions.
The 5th Northeast Asia Economic Cooperation Forum
Aimed at establishing a solid long-term cooperation mechanism for Northeast Asia and strengthening intra-regional economic exchanges, this year’s Forum had three session - namely South-South Cooperation, the Greater Tumen River Regional Development, and the Dialogues among world top 500 Multinationals, co-organized by the Chinese Ministry of Commerce, UNDP,UNIDO, UNWTO and Jilin provincial Government.
Senior UN officials, high level government representatives of Northeast Asian countries, chief executive officers of world top 500 multinationals, as well as high-achieving scholars attended the Forum and the Expo to exchange views on regional cooperation and economic development.
Mr. Zhu Hong, Deputy Director General of Chinese Ministry of Commerce chaired the session of Greater Tumen River Regional Development, during which presentations were made by Mr. Napoleon Navarro, Deputy Country Director, UNDP China, Ms. Nataliya Yacheistova, Director of Tumen Secretariat, Dr. Harsh Varma, Director of Development Assistance Department, UNWTO; as well as the members of the Business Advisory Council of the Greater Tumen Initiative, such as Mr. Philips Stephen, Chief Executive of China-Britain Business Council, Mr. James Zimmerman, Chairman of American Chamber of Commerce in China and Mr.Lee Hae Doo, Secretariat General of the Secretariat of the Association of Northeast Asia Regional Govenments. <Presentations at the session of Greater Tumen River Regional Development>
Ms. Nataliya Yacheistova introduced the remarkable progress of the Greater Tumen Initiative (GTI) and the successful promotion and realization of the GTI projects undertaken by the Tumen Secretariat; for instance, the NE Asia Ferry Route project successfully lunched its regular shipping service since July 28, which is a "successful example of multilateral cooperation in passenger and cargo transportation among the four NE Asia countries".
Technical tour to Changbai Mountain
To promote economic growth, trade and investment, Ms. Yacheistova called for a stronger regional cooperation in NE Asia, which could be "a unique opportunity for NEA countries to improve their business environment and secure sustainable economic development".
The 5th China Jilin Northeast Asia Investment and Trade Expo
The six-day exposition, which started on 1 Sept., focuses on opportunities and challenges in coping with the global financial crisis.
The Jilin Expo is an active action which China’s Government takes to promote the economic and trade cooperation between China and the other Northeast Asian countries, with a view to establishing the long-term platform where China and other Northeast Asian countries enjoy mutual benefits, interchange and communication.
Visitors attend the Expo
More than 50,000 merchants from both China and overseas gathered at the expo. This year there are exhibition halls for the DPRK, Mongolia and Russia for the first time. The expo also provides special outdoor exhibition areas for small and medium-sized firms. It's estimated the expo will see more than two-hundred cooperation deals with a total investment of 120 billion yuan.
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