The countries in East Asia will strive for closer economic ties through strengthened cooperation in the corporate sector, according to the East Asian Entrepreneurs Taihu Lake Forum held Monday in Suzhou city, Jiangsu province.
The keynote speakers were Lou Qinjian, Secretary of the Jiangsu Provincial Party Committee and Wu Zhenglong, Governor of Jiangsu. Other speakers at the opening ceremony were Zhang Xiangchen, Vice Minister of Commerce, Lu Pengqi, Vice President of China Council for the Promotion of International Trade and Vice President of China Chamber of International Commerce.
Extending his warm welcome to the guests from the East Asian countries, Lou Qinjian said Jiangsu has withstood the test of the COVID-19 fight as is evidenced by the fact that its economic recovery has been accelerated with it economic aggregate totaling 1 trillion yuan last year, up 37% year on year.
The gradual economic pickup is inseparable from the close economic circulation between businesses from China, Japan and the Republic of Korea, Lou said.
While making major contributions, Japanese and South Korean companies have also achieved better development on their terms so that they have expressed their confidence in Jiangsu by launching new investment projects and new production lines, said Lou Qinjian.
The CPC Jiangsu provincial chief said we understand more deeply that mankind is a community with a shared future, adding that only by working together can we cope with crises to seek shared development and prosperity through openness and integration and mutual respect and reciprocal learning in the future.
Noting that the global COVID-19 fight is still continuing, and mankind is still facing many common difficulties and challenges in its progress, Lou Qinjian said General Secretary Xi Jinping made a major strategic plan to build a new development paradigm featuring open circulation at home and abroad rather than a closed and home-only circulation.
Noting that opening up is the only way for development and progress and the key to promoting post-epidemic recovery,Lou Qinjian said efforts must be made to boost openness, integration and win-win to promote friendship, follow economic laws and market rules, promote industrial cooperation, and facilitate trade and investment liberalization so as to smooth the blood and meridians of economic operation, and strive to achieve a higher level of joint development.
The population and economy in East Asia account for one-fifth of the world, making it an important engine for the recovery of the world economy, Lou said, adding that the warm response to and enthusiastic participation in this forum has made us firmly believe that the consensus on the development prospects of East Asia is greater than differences, opportunities greater than challenges, and cooperation greater than competition.
Wu Zhenglong said in his keynote speech that Jiangsu will resolutely implement the guiding principles of the Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics in the New Era and the General Secretary’s important instructions on social and economic development in Jiangsu so as to accurately understand the new development stage, act on the new development philosophy and accelerate the establishment of the new development paradigm.
Efforts will be made to accelerate the construction of an industrial technology innovation center with global influence, an internationally competitive advanced manufacturing base, and a two-way open hub for world cohesion so as to give a strong fuel to high-quality development and strive to write a new chapter in the modernization of Jiangsu, the governor said.
Noting that the world has entered a period of turbulent changes, and uncertainties have risen significantly, the Governor said China, Japan and South Korea are the backbone of the East Asian economy and the primary driving force for regional cooperation, making it important for the three countries to uphold the belief of openness, cooperation, unity and win-win so as to promote opening up in an all-round way.
The Govenror said more efforts are needed to achieve smooth internal and external markets and share factor resources more efficiently, make Jiangsu a shared market for East Asia and for the world, strengthen innovation cooperation, industrial cooperation, trade cooperation, green and low-carbon cooperation with various industrial sectors in Japan and South Korea, promote people-to-people exchange for opening up to the outside world at a higher level and achieving a win-win situation so as to inject strong impetus into the East Asian industrial circulation, promote regional economic development, and make greater contributions to the continued recovery of the global economy.
Zhang Xiangchen pointed out that the strengthening of economic and trade cooperation between China, Japan and South Korea conforms to historical trends, economic laws and respective interests.
He said with the joint efforts of 15 countries including China, Japan and South Korea, the "Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement" was signed last year, marking a new stage of East Asian regional cooperation.
This year marks the 20th anniversary of China's accession to the World Trade Organization and the first year of China's 14th Five-Year Plan, he said, adding that China is willing to leverage complementary advantages with Japan and South Korea to promote cooperation and common development.
The Vice Minister of Commerce said Jiangsu’s unique location, strong industrial foundation, and high level of open development has enabled it to forge closer economic and trade cooperation with Japan and South Korea to shore up its obvious advantages in the East Asian economic circulation.
He said the Ministry of Commerce will, as always, support Jiangsu to deepen regional cooperation with Japan and South Korea, stabilize and unblock the supply chain of the East Asian industrial chain, create a highland for industrial cooperation in East Asia, and promote greater development of regional economic cooperation.
Lu Pengqi said that as an economic powerhouse in China, Jiangsu is geographically close to East Asian countries and has strong economic complementarities.
He hoped that the entrepreneurs of China, Japan and South Korea would seize the historical opportunity, be brave in innovation, forge ahead, and play a greater role in the economic and trade cooperation in East Asia.
Akio Isomata, Consul-General of Japan in Shanghai, and Kim Seung-ho, Consul General of the Republic of Korea in Shanghai, delivered speeches. Chey Tae-won, chairman of South Korean SK Group Chairman, gave a speech through video link.
They hoped that companies from China, Japan and South Korea will play a greater role in helping East Asia become an important engine for global economic growth.
Chinese Ambassador to Japan Kong Xuanyou, Chinese Ambassador to South Korea Xing Haiming and business leaders from Japan and TOK also congratulated the forum via video link.
Han Liming, Member of the Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee and Secretary of the Nanjing Municipal Party Committee, and Li Yaping, Mayor of Suzhou City, delivered speeches concerning the promotion of industrial cooperation demonstration zones between China, Japan and ROK.
Leading entrepreneurs from the three countries exchanged their views on the development of bio-medicine and health industry cooperation, new generation information technology industry cooperation, high-end equipment and new energy industry cooperation.
The Jiangsu Provincial Department of Commerce briefed the participants on the progress of cooperation between Jiangsu and Japan and South Korea since 2020.
55 Japanese- and Korean-funded projects were signed. They will bring Jiangsu a total investment of 7.8 billion U.S. dollars.
Jiangsu, Japan and South Korea Enterprise Talent Service Cooperation Cloud Alliance was launched.
15 business representatives from Jiangsu, Japan and South Korea jointly launched the Taihu Initiative for East Asian Entrepreneurs.
The five sub-forums held Monday morning included the East Asian Industrial Cooperation Roundtable under the RCEP Background and East Asian Talent Cooperation and Innovation Industry, Biomedicine and Health, New Generation Information Technology, and High-end Equipment and New Energy Industry Cooperation and Exchange Meeting.
