"Access to ASEAN"—Promotional Tour of China-ASEAN FTA Policies Held in Yiwu

On the afternoon of 1 November, 2012, " Access to ASEAN"—Promotional Tour of China-ASEAN FTA Policies was held in Yindu Hotel. The meeting was co-hosted by the ASEAN-China Centre (ACC) and the Municipal Government of Yiwu, Zhejiang.

Secretary-General Ma Mingqiang said that the establishment of China-ASEAN FTA has brought tangible benefits to enterprises on both sides. Despite the sluggish world economy, China-ASEAN trade scores progress against all odds. Bilateral trade in 2012 is expected to top US$ 400 billion. However, quite a few enterprises and people have a very limited understanding of various policies concerning the FTA. Less than 20% of those policies have ever been used. The purpose of the promotional tour is to explain policies on China-ASEAN FTA, promote opportunities to make business investment in ASEAN and help more Chinese enterprises to access to ASEAN market.

The meeting gave an interpretation of specific policies concerning the investment environment, opportunities and risks of ASEAN countries, the regulation on origin certificate and other issues. Executive Deputy Director Liu Ping of the Office of Origin Administration of the Department of Duty Collection of the General Administration of Customs of the PRC, Deputy Director Zhang Liping of the Research Institute of Finance of the Development Research Center of the State Council, Commercial Counsellor Pol Nearytann of the Cambodian Embassy in China, Commercial Counsellor Marolop Nainggolan of the Indonesian Embassy in China, Minister Counsellor Silvana Panjaitan of the Lao Embassy in China, Minister Counsellor Ong Chong Yi of the Malaysian Embassy in China, Counsellor Soe Han of the Embassy of the Union of Myanmar in China, Commercial Counsellor Zafrullah Masahud of the Philippine Embassy in China, Commercial Counsellor of the Thai Embassy in China, Minister Counsellor Nguyen Minh Vu of the Vietnamese Embassy in China as well as other commercial officials from ASEAN countries' embassies in China briefed about the investment environment of their own countries and had active interactions with entrepreneurs present at the meeting.

As part of the promotional tour, the ACC also organized ASEAN companies' participation in the 5th China Yiwu International Forest Products Fair to showcase their featured products and attract investment to ASEAN countries.