On June 4th, the opening ceremony for the Seminar on Trade Promotion for RCEP Countries, hosted by Ministry of Commerce and organized by MOFCOM Training Base for International Business Officials (Shanghai), was conducted smoothly. Mr. Chen Wei, Vice Executive Dean of International Education College and Deputy Director of MOFCOM Training Base for International Business Officials (Shanghai), and Mr. Xiao Benhua, Research Fellow at Shanghai Lixin University of Accounting and Finance, attended the ceremony and delivered speeches.
The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) stands as the largest and most important free trade agreement negotiated in the Asia-Pacific region. It represents a milestone achievement in regional economic integration in the Asia-Pacific, serving as a vivid example of shared development opportunities among the countries of the region. As the predominant economy within RCEP, China has both benefited from and contributed significantly to the cooperation facilitated by this agreement. Under the framework of RCEP, China is committed to fully honoring its commitments and obligations to ASEAN member nations, continuously expand foreign trade and bilateral investment, stabilize and strengthen the industrial and supply chains, thereby providing a robust impetus for regional economic integration and collective prosperity of the Asia-pacific.
Mr. Chen Wei stated that trade is an essential bond for cooperation and development among countries. The signing and implementation of the RCEP represents not only a major milestone for the Asia-Pacific region and even the global economy, but also a crucial step towards advancing the regional trade liberalization and economic integration. As an important member of RCEP, China has been actively promoting trade development and cooperation in the region. Amid the growing complexities of the international and regional political and economic landscape, it is only through united action to address external risks and challenges that RCEP member countries can enhance regional stability, effectively develop the potential for regional economic growth, and provide strong support for global economic growth.
Mr. Xiao Benhua said that RCEP is the world’s most populous free trade area with the largest scale of economic and trade and significant development potential. Since its official implementation in 2022, RCEP has greatly promoted trade and investment among its member countries. In this seminar, experts and participants will jointly explore the successful experience of expanding trade and investment among RCEP members and discuss strategies to further increase the scale of trade and investment, aiming to unlock greater trade and investment benefits. It is hoped that participants will engage actively in discussions, and apply the insights gained from the seminar to leverage the RCEP to expand foreign trade and investment in their respective countries.
Mr. Vilakone Luangrath, Director General of the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Laos, speaking on behalf of the fellow participants, said that the China-Laos Railway, invested in and constructed by China, has played an important role in promoting economic and social development, poverty eradication, and trade facilitation in Laos. Since its operation began in 2021, the railway has transformed Laos from a landlocked to a land-connected country, greatly promoting the development of communication and tourism as well as trade and investment between China and Laos. Looking forward, it is believed that the China-Laos Railway will contribute to the connectivity of ASEAN countries and the integration of the Southeast Asian region, bringing substantial benefits to the people there.
The 14-day Seminar on Trade Promotion for RCEP Countries includes 17 participants from 4 countries: Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar and the Philippines. During the seminar, participants will conduct study visits to Nanning and Liuzhou, both cities in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.
Written by: Zhang Xinyue
Photos by: Li Zheng
Reviewed by: Chen Wei
