China-Northeast Asia Expo held in NE China
Chinese Vice Premier Hu Chunhua (2nd R, front) inspects an exhibition area during the 12th China-Northeast Asia Expo held in Changchun, northeast China's Jilin Province, Aug. 23, 2019. (Xinhua/Xu Chang)
The 12th China-Northeast Asia Expo and the 10th High-level Forum on Northeast Asia Cooperation opened Friday in Changchun, capital city of northeast China's Jilin Province.
Vice Premier Hu Chunhua, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, attended the opening ceremony and read the congratulatory letter of Chinese President Xi Jinping.
In the congratulatory letter President Xi said the joint construction of the Belt and Road continued to inject new momentum into expanding and deepening cooperation in the region.
Favorable conditions for strengthening regional cooperation in Northeast Asia have been accumulating, he said.
The expo's theme, enhancing mutual trust and cooperation to create beautiful prospects for Northeast Asia, reflected the common aspiration of the relevant parties to pursue regional prosperity and development, Xi noted.
He expressed the hope that governments, institutions and business representatives can make good use of the expo as a platform to cement consensus, advance collaboration, make further achievements, and join hands to create a brighter future for Northeast Asia.
Hu Chunhua said that the letter highly affirmed the development vitality of Northeast Asia, and pointed out major Belt and Road opportunities for expanding and deepening regional cooperation.
Northeast Asia is one of the most dynamic and potential regions in Asia and even in the world, which brings favorable conditions and rare opportunities for strengthening regional cooperation, Hu said.
China is ready to work with other Northeast Asian countries to further expand trade and investment, deepen industrial chain cooperation, and raise the level of infrastructural connectivity, he said.
"A more open and prosperous China will surely create more business opportunities for enterprises in northeast Asia and the world at large. We expect more cooperation to be achieved at the expo, which is a platform for in-depth communication and exchanges," he said.
The 2019 Northeast Asia Forum on Cooperation between Industries and Business was held during the expo.
With the theme of "the economic and trade cooperation among Northeast Asian countries under Belt and Road framework," the forum attracted more than 200 guests from federations of industry and commerce and investment and trade organizations in China, Japan, Russia and other countries, who exchanged views on promoting the development of regional economic integration and other issues.
A consensus was released at the forum that highlights the Belt and Road Initiative as a platform for inclusive development and providing new opportunities for countries worldwide.
As a major event of the 12th China-Northeast Asia Expo, the forum aims to promote the development of economic cooperation among Northeast Asian countries and strengthen the cooperation of federations of industry and commerce in the participating countries and the rest of the world.
China is willing to work with the Greater Tumen Initiative (GTI) members, including Russia and Mongolia, to further improve regional trade and investment liberalization and facilitation and boost cross-border infrastructure connectivity, said Wang Shouwen, vice minister of the Ministry of Commerce, at the expo.
