Global businessmen see opportunities in Northeast Asia opening-up

CHANGCHUN, China, Aug. 28, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- With the theme "Enhancing Mutual Trust and Cooperation to create beautiful prospects for Northeast Asia", the 12th China-Northeast Asia Expo, opened on August 23 in Changchun, capital of northeast China's Jilin Province. It is widely believed that, Northeast Asia, one of the most dynamic regions in the world, has various favorable factors converging in this region. The cooperation and development in Northeast Asia faces new opportunities in interconnectivity of infrastructure, local government cooperation and people-to-people exchanges. All countries in the region need to make active efforts to push for regional prosperity and make unique contributions to shoring up global economy.

The China-Northeast Asia Expo is the only state-level international comprehensive exposition in the region with the joint participation of six countries, namely, China, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Mongolia and Russia. It is also open to the world. It has become an important channel for dialogue and exchange among governments in Northeast Asia, a key platform for regional economic and trade cooperation as well as people-to-people exchanges for Northeast Asian countries, and a significant window for China's northeastern region to deeply integrate itself into the joint construction of the Belt and Road.

Northeast Asia has a total population of nearly 1.7 billion and accounts for about one-fifth of the world's GDP. The economies of the countries in the region are highly complementary and have great potential for cooperation. Statistics show that in 2018, China's trade with the five countries in Northeast Asia totaled 758.57 billion U.S. dollars, accounting for nearly a quarter of China's total foreign trade. China is the biggest trading partner of the five Northeast Asian countries.

Kwon Goo-hoon, chairman of the North Economic Cooperation Commission of the ROK, said the ROK is willing to play a linkage role between the mainland and the sea through cooperation with China, Russia, Mongolia and other countries. Under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative, the ROK is willing to make use of its advanced construction technology and operational capability and combine with the extensive network of Chinese investment to create huge synergic effect.

Leonid Slutsky, chairman of the Russian State Duma's international affairs committee, underlined cooperation and dialogue at the High-level Forum on Northeast Asia Cooperation. He invited participants of the expo from different countries to the exhibition area of Russia at the expo and tap the development opportunities of Russia's Far East.

Wang Shouwen, China's vice minister of commerce, said the Chinese side is willing to work with the member countries of the Greater Tumen Initiative (GTI) to strengthen the dovetailing of development strategies, advance practical cooperation and bring GTI cooperation fruits to people in the region, push the transformation of GTI toward an independent international organization to create a future of greater prosperity for Northeast Asia.

Other regions such as Europe also paid much attention to the expo, which organized the Czech Day event to promote exchange between enterprises in Northeast Asian countries and Europe.

The EU attaches great importance to cooperation with Northeast Asia and there will be a business delegation to China to hold exhibitions and exchanges in Changchun next May, said Walter Doring with the EU economic senate.

Northeast Asia Local Cooperation Roundtable is one of the important activities of the 12th China-Northeast Asia Expo. The Changchun Consensus, as a key outcome of the conference, calls on local governments in Northeast Asia to make efforts to build an efficient regional transportation and logistics network and actively build a sea, land and air corridor in Northeast Asia.

Since its establishment in 2005, the China-Northeast Asia Expo has attracted senior officials from more than 100 countries and regions, and 720,000 businessmen from more than 130 countries and regions. The number of overseas clients has stood at around 10,000 for the event, which has also attracted a great number of world top 500 companies.

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