The Second 21st Century Maritime Silk Road and Promoting International Production Capacity and Equipment Manufacturing Cooperation Forum Held in Nanning

On 11 September 2016, the Second 21st Century Maritime Silk Road and Promoting International Production Capacity and Equipment Manufacturing Cooperation Forum was held in Nanning during the 13th China-ASEAN Expo. With the theme of “Collectively Envision a New Blueprint of Cooperation, Jointly Build a Community of Common Destiny”, the Forum was co-hosted by China’s National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Commerce and the Government of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. Delegates from the government sectors, international organizations, business circles,media etc, including Mr. Peng Qinghua, Secretary of Guangxi CPC Committee, Mr. Ning Jizhe, Vice Chairman of China’s National Development and Reform Commission, Ms. Gao Yan, Vice Commerce Minister of China, Mr. Liu Zhenmin, Vice Foreign Minister of China, Ms. Yang Xiuping, Secretary-General of ASEAN-China Centre, Mr. Sok Chendasophea, Secretary-General of the Council for the Development of Cambodia, Mr. Ong Ka Chuan, the Second International Trade and Industry Minister of Malaysia attended the Forum. 

Secretary Peng Qinghua said that China-ASEAN production capacity cooperation would be helpful for the matching of China’s advantageous industrial capacity and ASEAN’s demand for urbanization as well as optimizing the allocation of resources and injecting new impetus to the recovery and healthy development of the global economy.  In recent years, Guangxi had been actively participated in international production capacity cooperation, and had achieved remarkable results. Guangxi would continue to enhance the accurate matching with ASEAN countries in cooperation, adopt the innovative way of cooperation and provide comprehensive service facilities so as  to make contribution to China-ASEAN production capacity cooperation.  

Vice Chairman Ning Jizhe said China-ASEAN production capacity cooperation had achieved initial success. Bilateral and multilateral mechanisms had been established, big projects had been implemented, and cooperation among local provinces had been pushed forward. This year marks the 25th anniversary of China-ASEAN dialogue relations. The economic relations have been more cultivating, which provided new opportunities for capacity cooperation. To implement the Joint Statement on ASEAN-China Production Capacity Cooperation, China will continue to uphold the principles of enterprises leading, government assistance, market-oriented, etc, to further deepening the cooperation in production capacity and equipment manufacturing between China and ASEAN. 

Mr. Ning made further suggestions. First, to enhance infrastructure cooperation, laying a solid foundation for capacity cooperation. Second, to focus on industrial manufacturing cooperation, enriching the content of capacity cooperation. Third, to drive the cooperation by innovation, leading the way of capacity cooperation. Fourth, to improve governments’ capacity to serve the enterprises, raising the level of capacity cooperation.  

Vice Minister Gao Yan said that against the current situation of deep adjustment of the division of international industries, to accelerate the pace of China-ASEAN capacity cooperation would be helpful to satisfy the supply and demand of the countries at different developing stages. China and ASEAN should give full participation to their respective advantages, create more market demand and job opportunities, to inject sustainable impetus to the economic development of the two sides. China would like to deepen its capacity cooperation with ASEAN within the framework of co-building the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, to push the common development and long prosperity of this region and bring tangible benefits to the regional people. 

Vice Minister Liu Zhenmin said, ASEAN-China production capacity cooperation complied with the economic transformation and upgrade of the two sides, in line with the development needs and interest appeals of Asian countries, follows the unique and effective Asian way, and had gained the support and positive responses of the ASEAN countries. The two sides should firmly grasp the general direction of the development of bilateral relations and enhance the docking of development strategies and paths. The two sides should strive to build highlight projects and optimize the layout of the industrial chain and should make the most of mechanisms and platforms such as China-ASEAN Expo, to promote regional cooperation. Finally, the both sides should also accelerate the construction of Maritime Silk Road, and aid early harvest results from the “Belt and Road” construction.

Secretary-General Sok Chendasophea said ASEAN were encouraged by China’s Belt and Road Initiative. In the recent 3 years, the initiative had been implemented effectively, which brought about highlights in ASEAN-China cooperation. As the ASEAN Community successfully built, ASEAN-China FTA upgraded, the negotiation of Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) went on gradually, ASEAN-China friendly cooperation was presented with new opportunities. The parties should seize those opportunities, make good use of the beneficial policies, learn from each other and write a new chapter of ASEAN-China production capacity cooperation together. 

Second Minister Ong Ka Chuan noted that at present, the world and regional economy kept on integrating. The transformation of China’s economy and the community building of ASEAN injected strong impetus to the cooperation of the two sides. Malaysia appreciated China’s efforts in promoting the regional connectivity. He hoped ASEAN and China could take production capacity cooperation as an opportunity, to strengthen research cooperation and enter the world market with high-quality and high-tech products. 

Ms. Arlinda, Director General of Indonesia Ministry of Trade, Mr. Zafaruddin Mahmood, Special Envoy of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, Mr. Ayumi Konishi, Director-General of the East Asia Regional Department of Asia Development Bank (ADB), Ms. Amphayvanh Khamsengsivilay, Vice President of the Social Science Institute of Lao PDR, Mr. Huang Liangbo, Vice President of the Export-Import Bank of China and Mr. Tan Xinghui, Vice General Manager of China General Technology Group delivered remarks on the Forum respectively.