In-Person Reunion of High Officials from 11 Countries for CAEXPO

Early summer greenness spreads all over Guangxi. On May 9, the Senior Officials' Meeting (SOM) for the 20th CAEXPO was successfully held in Nanning. The meeting was co-chaired by Yu Xiang, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Asian Affairs of the Ministry of Commerce of China and Lee Yoong Yoong, Director for Community Affairs Directorate, Community and Corporate Affairs Department of ASEAN Secretariat. Senior officials of competent economic and trade departments and investment promotion authorities of China and ASEAN countries as well as the ASEAN Secretariat, diplomats of ASAEN countries in China, and officials of the CAEXPO Secretariat and relevant departments of Guangxi attended this SOM to discuss preparations for the 20th CAEXPO.

Mr. Yu Xiang said in his speech that the CAEXPO had been successfully held for 19 sessions till now. This trade show, committed to propelling development of the China-ASEAN FTA and promoting the two-way business cooperation for more tangible benefits, has become a popular regional public good and platform for international cooperation. China hopes to work with ASEAN to make full use of the CAEXPO platform, strengthen the bilateral trade and investment ties and build a Version 3.0 China-ASEAN FTA in concerted effort, contributing a bigger role in comprehensive economic and trade cooperation in the China-ASEAN region and East Asia. This year marks the 20th anniversary of President Xi's proposal of building an even closer China-ASEAN community with a shared future, the 10th anniversary of the BRI, the

20th anniversaries of the establishment of the China-ASEAN strategic partnership and the CAEXPO. It is hoped that ASEAN colleagues would mobilize their heads of state/government to lead delegations to the 20th CAEXPO, making the 20th CAEXPO a high-profile event politically and diplomatically as always. China proposes that governments of ASEAN countries would continue to list the CAEXPO as a major trade show in their respective country, give better play to its role as a propeller for the bilateral business cooperation. We hope that ASEAN colleagues could continue to encourage business elites, renowned entrepreneurs and quality companies to participate in the 20th CAEXPO and organize more distinctive and new products for their commodity pavilions, helping them tap further into the Chinese market. It is also anticipated that ASEAN colleagues could mobilize their exhibitors and trade visitors to join in exhibitions and economic & trade promotion events at the online CAEXPO, actively invite leading experts and scholars of their countries to attend high-level forums of the 20th CAEXPO to further enhance the role of the Nanning Channel and enable the China-ASEAN comprehensive strategic partnership advance steadily and deliver richer tangible outcomes.

Ms. Yang Zhuo, Director of International Cooperation Department of Investment Promotion Agency of Ministry of Commerce of China, said that Chinese side would organize in ASEAN countries a series of events for the "Year of Investing in China", and wish to work with ASEAN countries to promote high-quality Belt and Road cooperation and implementation of the RCEP agreement, accelerate the construction of regional connectivity projects and deepen cooperation on regional industrial and supply chains. Since its inception 14 years ago, the CAEXPO Roundtable Meeting on Investment Cooperation has become an important high-end exchange platform among ASEAN IPAs, and will continue to make innovations in its investment promotion communication mechanism for producing more practical results. Being successfully held for 11 years, the ASEAN Industrial Parks Promotion Conference has set up a stage for promoting investment projects of all parties. This year, the physical version of the conference will be resumed, which will build a broader service platform for regional economic and trade cooperation by leveraging on ASEAN investment resources.

Dr. Wei Zhaohui, Secretary-General of the CAEXPO Secretariat, expressed that the 20th CAEXPO would follow the "5 Combines" working principles and create more business opportunities through "4 Fully Upgrades". She introduced that the 20th CAEXPO would organize a series of 20th anniversary commemorative events, upgrade its high-level dialogue platform function, optimize exhibition structure and planning, raise economic and trade outcomes, support the recovery of ASEAN exhibition size to the pre-pandemic level, resume Cities of Charm Pavilions of ASEAN countries, set up new dedicated zones for digital technology, listed companies, fashion and lifestyle and industrial design, improve new-energy vehicles zone, organize launches of new products and KOL live-streaming programs, unveil the Digital and Smart Agriculture exhibition area, as 2023 marks the China-ASEAN Year of Agricultural Development and Food Security Cooperation, enrich the Nanning Channel, organize 32 high-level forums (14 one during the fair period and 18 one during non-fair period), among which five ones such as the China-ASEAN Forum on Blue Economy would see their debuts this year, organize the "Year of Investing in China: Guangxi Tour" and the China-ASEAN Buyers' Conference for the first time, upgrade the CAEXPO Business Elites' Rostrum, hold seminars on digital economy and green economy. And to forge integrated industrial chains among RCEP member countries, the 3rd RCEP Economic and Trade Cooperation Business Summit and business tours in Guangxi for Japanese and Korean companies will be held during the fair period. The 20th CAEXPO will also accelerate the construction of the second and third phases of the online CAEXPO platform to hold online exhibitions and open an online window for the commodities of participant countries to explore the Chinese market. The China-ASEAN Business Center will be well operated to make the CAEXPO an ever-holding event. Priorities will be given in trade visitors inviting, exhibition management and on-site services, customs clearance and tax preferences, and temporary direct chartered flights to attract more ASEAN exhibiting companies.

Wei added that the preparatory work for the 20th CAEXPO was progressing smoothly. The CAEXPO Secretariat has had its first round of working meetings with ASEAN co-organizers and supporting chambers of commerce, which proved to be very effective and fruitful. Exhibitors and trade visitors' inviting is going smoothly. Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam will resume their use of a whole exhibition hall or a half. Singapore and Thailand have basically confirmed their exhibition size. 5 countries including Brunei Darussalam, Lao PDR, Philippines, Singapore and Vietnam have already confirmed their city of charm or the planning of their national pavilion. Chinese enterprises show high enthusiasm for the 20th CAEXPO with 60% of the booths for the Chinese side being reserved. The booth demands are far more than we can supply. The CAEXPO tour exhibitions and specialized exhibitions have been successfully held. The tour exhibitions concluded in Singapore and Lao PDR in April have been well received and welcomed by the host countries and Chinese companies. And the tour exhibition in Malaysia will be opened in July. 8. CAEXPO specialized exhibitions, including tourism exhibition, cultural exhibition and construction exhibition, will be held this year. We have launched a series of themed promotional activities marking the CAEXPO's 20th anniversary including "20 Years, 20 people" special report, contests of photography and design, compilation of the China-ASEAN Annals, among which, the China-ASEAN Annals for the first time in the form of local Chronicles record the development history, important achievements and valuable experience of the CAEXPO in the past 20 years. The construction of the online CAEXPO platform has been actively pressed ahead and all functions are planned to be fully developed by the end of June. When it comes into operation, there will be activities every month and exhibitions every quarter, and it will continue to enrich value-added services, striving to provide 365 days of uninterrupted professional services for enterprises. The construction of the China-ASEAN Business Center and the China-ASEAN Mercantile Exchange has taken shape. The China-ASEAN Business Center has 42 institutions and enterprises settled in, covering 9  sectors such as trade and investment services, legal affairs, finance and logistics. The China-ASEAN Mercantile Exchange has completed the construction of 17 physical theme pavilions, including 10 ASEAN national pavilions, and more than 200 enterprises and 3,000 kinds of commodities have settled in.

Representatives of ASEAN countries spoke highly of the important status and role of the CAEXPO, and briefed on the preparatory progress on exhibitors and trade visitors' invitation, investment cooperation and on-site management, as well as further work plans in their respective countries.

Hong Mee Jien, the Acting Assistant Director of Trade Division of Ministry of Finance and Economy of Brunei Darussalam, said that the CAEXPO had become an effective platform for ASEAN and Chinese enterprises to strengthen economic and trade cooperation, as well as an important channel for both sides to establish contacts, creating more opportunities for enterprises to showcase and promote their products and services to the international market. The CAEXPO will continue to be a favorable platform for enterprises of China and Brunei to establish a strong business partnership, expand business interaction, enter new markets and open new channels. Brunei will actively organize enterprises to participate in the 20th CAEXPO.

KITH Pheara, Director of Department of Exhibition Affairs of General Directorate of Trade Promotion of Ministry of Commerce of Cambodia expressed that the CAEXPO was an important platform for promoting Cambodian products, services, investment and tourism, providing Cambodian enterprises with the opportunity to exchange views, experience, trade and invest internationally. It is expected that Chinese and ASEAN enterprises will use this platform to re-establish contacts, do business, make investment and resume personnel exchanges from China to ASEAN and from ASEAN to China, as was the case before the COVID-19 pandemic.

Budi Hansyah, Trade Attache of Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in Beijing said that the CAEXPO had developed into an international event with far-reaching impact in East Asia. The year 2023 will mark the 20th anniversary of the CAEXPO which Indonesia will actively support and participate in. It is hoped that the two sides will work together to promote trade, investment, tourism and connectivity, and jointly meet current global challenges.

Xaysomphet NORASINGH, Director General of Trade Promotion Department of Ministry of Industry and Commerce of Lao PDR said that this year marks the 20th anniversary of CAEXPO. Laos will showcase its 18 provinces and featured brand products with market potential through the National Pavilion. Laos will actively organize more quality exhibitors and products from industries of agricultural processing, arts and crafts, wood products, food and beverage and consumer goods to participate in the 20th CAEXPO.

Sharimahton Mat Saleh, Deputy CEO of Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE) said that the CAEXPO was an important platform for ASEAN SMEs to exchange ideas. Malaysia has achieved a lot at the 19th CAEXPO. This year, Malaysia will continue to actively promote its enterprises to participate in the 20th CAEXPO and plan to hold a series of activities. This year's CAEXPO is expected to boost economic recovery in trade, investment and tourism between ASEAN countries and China, helped by China's opening of its borders earlier this year.

Thet Lwin Oo, Director of Myanmar Trade Promotion Organization of Ministry of Commerce of Myanmar said that Myanmar would attend the physical trade show as well as the Online CAEXPO this year, carefully select  the City of Charm, try its best to organize exhibitors to actively participate in the exhibition, bring more diversified Myanmar products, and hold national promotion conference as well as economic and trade matching activities during the fair period.

Edward L. Fereira, Executive Director of Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions of Department of Trade and Industry of the Philippines, said that the Philippines had benefited a lot from the CAEXPO, which served as a platform for testing Philippine products before entering the Chinese market, provided opportunities for the Philippines to participate in China's investment promotion activities, and showcased the diverse cultural and local characteristics of the Philippines through the National Pavilion of the CAEXPO. The Philippines will continue to fully support the CAEXPO by actively organizing enterprises to attend, promoting food and non-food products and services, and presenting local cultural performances and craft demonstrations at the National Pavilion. Tuguegarao City has been selected as the City of Charm of this year's CAEXPO.

Wong Jiawei, Senior Director of China & North Asia of Global Division of Singapore Business Federation said that the CAEXPO was an important platform to showcase connectivity between China and ASEAN countries, promote economic integration and economic and trade exchanges, as well as deepen cultural exchanges. Singapore will actively organize enterprises to participate in the 20th CAEXPO, continue to bring excellent Singapore brands and products, and organize business seminars and exchange activities.

Bhornbhat Punngok, Chief of China Division of Department of International Trade Promotion of Ministry of Commerce of Thailand said that the CAEXPO helped Thailand exporters to sell a large number of Thailand products to the Chinese people, and enabled them to know more about the Chinese market and improve their products to satisfy the market demand. Thailand will actively participate in the 20th CAEXPO and use about 80 commodity booths to display Thailand products such as consumer goods and daily necessities. A province rich in food and tourist attractions will be selected as the City of Charm to enable Chinese people to learn more about Thailand.

Le Hoang Tai, Deputy Director General of Vietnam Trade Promotion Agency of Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, said that the physical trade show of this year's CAEXPO would be an important meeting point between ASEAN and Chinese enterprises, as well as other international ones. The exhibition will bring confidence for enterprises to restore and develop trade and investment cooperation with more pragmatic and rich content. Vietnam will actively invite state leaders to attend the CAEXPO and actively organize Vietnamese enterprises to participate. Special attention will be paid to new products with export potential in China, and Tnh Sn La will become the City of Charm.

Lee Yoong Yoong, Director for Community Affairs Directorate, Community and Corporate Affairs Department of ASEAN Secretariat said that cooperation between China and ASEAN countries in trade, investment, tourism, digital and green economy had advanced by leaps and bounds in recent years, and the CAEXPO had played an important role in promoting it. The ASEAN Secretariat will continue to firmly support the CAEXPO and coordinate ASEAN member states to actively participate in it.

Lots drawing for allocation of Cities of Charm pavilions of the 20th CAEXPO and awards ceremony of the 19th CAEXPO were also held during the SOM.

During the past three years of the epidemic, the SOM was held in a combination of online and in-person. This time, it takes place in-person completely, which further strengthens the CAEXPO co-sponsoring mechanism and signifies that the 20th CAEXPO will take on a new look. With this SOM as a new starting point, the 20th CAEXPO preparations will be accelerated and all resources be fully mobilized. It will take a more firm and powerful step towards the golden autumn of this September and make new contributions and new achievements to serving the building of a closer China-ASEAN community with a shared future.

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