ASEAN-China Young Entrepreneurs China Day and One Belt and One Road Intersection (Lianyungang) Economic and Trade Field Trip co-hosted by China Youth Entrepreneurs Association and People’s Government of Lianyungang City was held in Lianyungang on 30 March 2016. Secretary of the Secretariat of Central Committee of China Communist Youth League, President of China Youth Entrepreneurs Association Mme. Wang Hongyan, Secretary of Lianyungang Municipal Committee of CPC Mr. Yang Xingshi, and Mr. Muzamir Mustafa, Leader of the Malaysia Young Entrepreneurs Association attended the opening ceremony and delivered speeches. Director Li Yuan from Trade and Investment Division (TID) of ASEAN-China Centre (ACC) was invited to take part in the activity and give a keynote speech at the conference. Representatives from Young Entrepreneurs Associations of Malaysia, Brunei, Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand, young entrepreneurs from these countries and relevant Chinese provinces and cities, media representatives as well as about 200 delegates attended the event.
Secretary Yang Xingshi said that as early as 2000 years ago, the forming of ancient silk road had already bridged up the communication and exchange between Lianyungang and South East Asian nations. Since China’s reform and opening up, Lianyungang City was designated as the first range of opening up costal cities. Up until now, the number of investment projects from ASEAN countries such as Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, Viet Nam had added up to over 180. Since the Belt and Road Initiative, Lianyungang had made full use of its advantages to participate in the process of the Belt and Road construction, deepened its opening up to and cooperation with the outside world, accelerated construction of international logistic pass and transformed itself into a key intersection point along the Belt and Road. As ASEAN-China Young Entrepreneurs Association China Day was held in Lianyungang this time, it would be a good opportunity for Lianyungang to enhance cooperation with ASEAN countries. The city would seize this opportunity to bring the benefits of its role as continental bridge and sea port into full play. It would provide better, convenient and effective service to facilitate the expansion and development of enterprises along the Belt and Road.
Secretary Wang Hongyan said that China and ASEAN were not only good neighbors linked by land and sea and shared similar culture, furthermore, we were good partners for close collaboration and common development. China and ASEAN were both at the crucial development stage. Both sides had unique resource advantages and industrial structure, and the economy enjoyed great complementarity. China and most of the ASEAN countries were in the process of industrialization and urbanization. Our development needs were quite similar to each other and bilateral cooperation faced unprecedented historical opportunity. She believed that entrepreneurs from the two sides would take the advantage of the robust development of bilateral cooperation to make proactive and concrete contribution to the leap forward development of ASEAN-China pragmatic cooperation.
Director Li Yuan made a keynote speech on ASEAN-China Economic and Trade Relations at the conference. He briefed on the historical evolution of ASEAN and development of ASEAN-China relationship. He made further elaboration on bilateral trade and investment situation. By quoting detailed and concrete figures, he told the audience how increasingly close were the economic ties between ASEAN and China, and what opportunity and challenge ASEAN-China economic and trade cooperation faced. Director Li pointed out that although we were facing many challenges, for instance, China’s economy entered a “new normal” stage, its economic growth was slowing down, still there were many opportunities. For example, China had brought up the Belt and Road initiative and accelerated its “going out” strategy, the upgraded version of China-ASEAN Free Trade Area and the establishment of ASEAN Community were completed. These factors would inject new impetus and create policy support with more favorable environment to the bilateral trade and investment cooperation. Director Li also introduced ACC’s work on promoting ASEAN-China pragmatic cooperation in areas such as trade and investment.
On 31 March, ASEAN-China Entrepreneurs China Day Round Table was held in Lianyungang. Delegates reviewed cooperation achievements since the establishment of ASEAN-China dialogue relationship and the progress of ASEAN-China young entrepreneurs communication and exchange activity. The meeting highly appreciated China-ASEAN Young Entrepreneurs Association and the China-ASEAN Young Entrepreneurs Forum for their efforts in ASEAN-China cooperation. It was considered that under the background of global economic slow down, slower growth of international trade and more bumpy situation at the international financial market, to deepen communication and cooperation between ASEAN and Chinese young entrepreneurs in various areas had great significance. It would facilitate both sides in addressing the challenges and promoting win-win and common development. The meeting also reached the Consensus on ASEAN-China Young Entrepreneur Cooperation, which agreed to build favorable outside environment, expand cooperation areas, innovate cooperating platforms and channels, support young entrepreneurs start ups and strengthen the cooperation mechanism.
During his visit in Lianyungang, Director Li visited Lianyungang Port, Sino-Kazakhstan Logistic Base and Taiwan Glass Group Donghai Glass Co., Ltd. Director Li also exchanged views with ASEAN entrepreneur representatives and officials from Lianyungang local government on enhancing economic and trade cooperation between ASEAN and China.
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