Secretary-General Chen Dehai Attended the Launching Ceremony of the China (Sichuan)-ASEAN Free Trade Cooperation Centre

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On 18 October 2018, ASEAN-China Centre (ACC) and Chengdu Shuangliu District Government co-hosted the launching ceremony of the China (Sichuan)-ASEAN Free Trade Cooperation Centre (here in after referred to as the Cooperation Centre) in Chengdu. Mme. Liu Xiaoliu, Vice Mayor of Chengdu, Mr. Han Yi, Party Secretary of Chengdu Shuangliu District and about 200 representatives of ASEAN diplomatic missions in China, relevant government authorities, international organizations, business associations and the media attended the ceremony. Mr. Chen Dehai, Secretary-General of ACC, addressed the ceremony.

In her speech, Vice Mayor Liu Xiaoliu briefed on Chengdu’s opening-up and friendly exchanges and cooperation with ASEAN countries. She said that with special functions and policy advantages of the Chengdu Shuangliu Comprehensive Bonded Zone, the Cooperation Centre will assist a group of export-oriented enterprises with independent brands, high reputation and strong market development capability to develop the ASEAN market. Meanwhile, the Cooperation Centre also aims at building a trade platform with ASEAN resources, global perspective and international standards to provide services and support for ASEAN countries to further expand cooperation in Chengdu.

Secretary-General Chen Dehai pointed out that the Belt and Road Initiative has brought Sichuan closer to the world with ever expanding and deepening friendly exchanges and practical cooperation with ASEAN countries. ASEAN has become the second largest trading partner of Sichuan. The launching of the Cooperation Centre will provide a new and important platform for Chengdu and other cities in Sichuan to broaden mutually beneficial cooperation with ASEAN and speed up the forming of a landscape of all-dimensional opening-up to the West and to the South. ACC will strengthen cooperation with the Chengdu government and co-host more trade and investment promotion activities to make the Cooperation Centre a bigger and more influential platform, so as to further promote the practical cooperation between Chengdu and ASEAN countries.

At the launching ceremony, Secretary-General Chen Dehai and Secretary Han Yi jointly unveiled the Cooperation Centre. Counsellors of commerce from the embassies of Cambodia, Lao PDR, Malaysia and Vietnam in China made respective presentations on trade and investment environments and related policies of their own countries. The guests also witnessed the signing of relevant cooperation agreements.