Zhenghe Undertakes | "2021 China (Jinan) International Business Association Industry Dialogue with ASEAN" event held in Jinan, ushering in new opportunities for Jinan-ASEAN economic and trade cooperation

“Holding this international business association dialogue event at this important juncture is indeed thoughtful and far-reaching. It will play an important role in promoting cultural exchanges and economic and trade cooperation between Jinan and ASEAN!” On October 28, the "2021 China (Jinan) International Business Association Industry Dialogue ASEAN" event, jointly hosted by Jinan Municipal CCPIT, Jinan Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism, and the China-ASEAN Business Council Jinan Liaison Office, was successfully held in Jinan. Yang Donglun, Vice Chairman of the China-Laos (China, Laos) Business Cooperation Committee, sincerely exclaimed in an interview.

This event themed "Smoothing Regional Economic and Trade Channels and Promoting Multi-industry Chain Cooperation," is strategically planned around the transformation of old and new kinetic energy. It leverages the advantages of the municipal CCPIT's cooperation with trade promotion organizations and business associations from various countries and regions around the world, as well as the functions of the China-ASEAN Business Council Jinan Liaison Office, to promote the construction of economic and trade channels, explore new opportunities for industrial exchange and cooperation, and stabilize regional industrial chains and supply chains affected by the epidemic. More than 60 representatives from national and industry-level business associations and enterprises from seven ASEAN countries, including Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines, Singapore, Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia, and China gathered in Jinan to discuss plans for industrial cooperation and development.

Currently, Jinan is seizing opportunities, making progress, deeply implementing the major national strategy of ecological protection and high-quality development of the Yellow River Basin, accelerating the construction of the starting area for the transformation of old and new kinetic energy, and showing a good momentum in economic and social development. The exchanges and interactions between Jinan and ASEAN countries have a long history, and economic and trade exchanges are becoming increasingly close, with huge potential for deeper cooperation. Since 2019, ASEAN has become Jinan's largest trading partner. According to customs statistics, in the first three quarters of this year, Jinan's import and export trade with ASEAN countries reached 24.77 billion yuan, an increase of 14.2%, maintaining a growth rate of over 10% for several consecutive months. This event focuses on ASEAN business associations and enterprises with a long history and practical advantages of cooperation with Jinan. Through a series of activities such as industry dialogues, it further connects and introduces domestic and international advantageous resources, allowing the world to understand Jinan and Jinan to go global.

At the event, the Thai Agricultural Association signed online and offline agreements with Jinyu Holdings Group, Shandong Expressway Minsheng Group, and Shandong Land Rural Revitalization Group, etc., for Shandong-ASEAN agricultural product import and export cooperation. The event also organized multiple project promotions, with participating ASEAN countries promoting the potential for cooperation in industries such as ASEAN agriculture, machinery, and culture; and the Chinese side introduced the planning of Jinan's transformation of old and new kinetic energy starting area, Shandong's granary and orchard international cooperation, and the construction of the East Asian cultural capital, etc. At the same time, the organizers also held an international business association and CEO industry symposium and a logistics bonded project inspection.

This year marks the 30th anniversary of the establishment of a dialogue relationship between China and ASEAN, and the China-ASEAN International Pan-Asian Railway Cooperation Project is progressing smoothly, with the China-Laos Railway opening entering the countdown. The convening of this event is indeed timely. Regarding the future cooperation blueprint between Jinan and ASEAN, representatives of ASEAN business associations attending the event all stated: "Shandong has a strong and complete industrial chain mechanism. The cooperation between the two sides is not limited to the products themselves, but can also extend to engineering machinery, agricultural machinery, and service trade, providing more job opportunities for ASEAN countries. This is also the most real and profound meaning of China's Belt and Road Initiative."

“This event is very timely. The establishment of the China-ASEAN Business Council Jinan Liaison Office has not only further strengthened the exchanges between Jinan and ASEAN in terms of mutual civilization building and trade cooperation, further enhancing Jinan's leading position and reputation, but will also play an important role in Jinan's national central city construction. The Jinan-Vientiane international freight train will be launched at the end of the year. At that time, the freight logistics from Jinan to Vientiane, Laos will be shortened from 20 days to 7 days. This will not only make trade activities such as agricultural product transportation more convenient, but will also bring greater benefits to the people of Jinan. May all parties work together to build this golden channel.” Ma Jianxun, chairman of the board of directors of Jinyu Enterprise Co., Ltd., gave high praise to this event.

“In the first round of talks, a Malaysian company showed great interest in us, and they said they came specifically for our company.” At the international business association and CEO industry symposium on the afternoon of the 28th, Ms. Cao, business manager of Shandong Jingxin Laser Equipment Co., Ltd., said. As an important part of the entire event, this industry symposium is another measure by the municipal CCPIT to fully leverage its functional advantages to actively build a cloud negotiation platform for enterprises, helping enterprises find orders online and stabilize foreign trade.

On the afternoon of the same day, the municipal CCPIT also organized participants to inspect the Jinan Comprehensive Bonded Zone. Everyone had in-depth exchanges on seizing the opportunity of the China-Laos Railway's opening, building the Jinan -Vientiane joint transportation channel, and expanding logistics and settlement business for bulk cargo trade with ASEAN. They also conducted pragmatic docking on the interpretation of customs policies and the import demand of local downstream enterprises for rice, sugar, and other materials. Relevant persons in charge of the Comprehensive Bonded Zone stated that they would organize key research on this project and specifically discuss cooperation details.

“This ASEAN industry dialogue event is the third China (Jinan) International Business Association Industry Dialogue event, and it is also the first high-level business association dialogue, exchange, and cooperation between Jinan and ASEAN.” Zhang Zhe, secretary of the Party group and president of the municipal CCPIT, said that the municipal CCPIT will take this event as an opportunity to fully leverage the unique international liaison resource advantages of the CCPIT, bravely take on responsibilities, take the initiative, take multiple measures, integrate resources from international business people, find the optimal cooperation model, seize the opportunity of the upcoming opening of the China-ASEAN Pan-Asian railway, establish a high-level consultation mechanism with ASEAN business associations, and build the China (Jinan) International Business Association Industry Dialogue ASEAN event into a high-quality platform for Jinan-ASEAN cooperation and exchange, promoting trade, investment, and cultural tourism cooperation between our city and ASEAN, and contributing CCPIT strength to building a new highland of opening up and promoting high-quality development in Jinan.