Promotion of Hainan and Its Featured Agricultural Products in ASEAN Was Held in Haikou

On 12 December, 2012, Promotion of Hainan and its Featured Agricultural Products in ASEAN jointly hosted by the ASEAN-China Centre (ACC), the Agriculture Department of Hainan Province and the Hainan Sub-council of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) was held in Haikou. Vice Governor of Hainan Province Chen Zhirong, Bruneian Ambassador to China Magdalene Teo, Indonesian Ambassador to China Imron Cotan, Thai Ambassador to China Wiboon Khusakul, officials from other ASEAN member states' embassies in China as well as guests from various circles at home and abroad attended the promotional tour.

Vice Governor Chen Zhirong addressed the opening ceremony and briefed about the economic development of Hainan Province, especially its advantage in the field of agriculture. He hoped to enhance cooperation with all countries including ASEAN. Indonesian Ambassador to China Imron Cotan paid tribute to the ACC for its efforts to promote China-ASEAN practical cooperation, saying that China and Indonesia have long been engaged in agricultural cooperation, with China becoming the second and third largest importer of Indonesia's palm oil and rubber respectively. He hoped that Chinese entrepreneurs would expand the scale and scope of investment in Indonesia, pledging that the Indonesian Embassy would provide full service.

Secretary-General Ma Mingqiang said that based on a solid foundation of development, China-ASEAN relations have fostered fruitful and practical cooperation across the board. The establishment of China-ASEAN Free Trade Area (CAFTA) provides institutional guarantee to bilateral cooperation in investment and trade. Hainan enjoys exceptional location advantage in China-ASEAN cooperation, with many enterprises able to take part in international competition. It should give full play to its location advantage and contacts in Southeast Asia so as to get access to ASEAN and seize the initiative to tap ASEAN market.

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 gave a very informative introduction on China-ASEAN agricultural trade, focusing on the regulation on origin certificate and its application process. Mr. Sompong Nimchuar, Minister Counsellor on Agriculture from the Thai Embassy in China talked about the cooperation between China and the Thailand in agricultural products. After the promotional tour, Chinese and ASEAN enterprises present at the meeting held business talks.