On 15 October 2020, the 11th Pan-Beibu Gulf Economic Cooperation Forum and Beibu Gulf International Gateway Port Cooperation Summit was held in Nanning, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. With the theme of “focusing on international gateway port, building a new land-sea trade corridor: a new era of Pan-Beibu Gulf economic cooperation”, the forum was co-hosted by China National Development and Reform Commission, Ministry of Transport, Ministry of Commerce, People’s Daily, People's Government of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, and Ministry of Commerce of Thailand and Ministry of Trade and Industry of Singapore. Government officials from China and ASEAN Member States, well-known experts and scholars, professionals and media representatives attended the forum either online or offline. Representatives of ASEAN-China Centre (ACC) attended the online forum upon invitation.

 

Mr. Lu Xinshe, Party Secretary and Chairman of the Standing Committee of People’s Congress of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, attended and addressed the forum. Mr. Jurin Laksanawisit, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Commerce of Thailand, Mr. Li Xiaopeng, Minister of Transport of China gave keynote speeches via video. Mr. Tan Kiat How, Minister of State Development and Prime Minister's Office of Singapore, Dato Seri Setia Dr. Awang Haji Mohd Amin Liew bin Abdullah, Minister of the Prime Minister's Office and Second Minister of Finance and Economy of Brunei, Mr. Sun Chanthol, Minister of State and Public Works and Transport of Cambodia, Mr. Datuk Seri Ir. Dr. Wee Ka Siong, Minister of Transport of Malaysia, Mr. Atty. Arthur P. Tugade, Minister of Transport and Communication of the Philippines, Mr. Nguyen Van The, Minister of Transport of Viet Nam,  Mr. U Kyaw Myo, Deputy Minister of Transport and Communication of Myanmar, Mr. Chen Wu, Deputy Party Secretary and Chairman of  Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Mr. Wang Anshun, Vice Minister of Development Research Centre of the State Council of China, Mr. Li Bo, Vice Mayor of Chongqing, Mr. Yang Hongbo, Vice Governor of Sichuan Province, Mr. Qiu Jiang, Vice Governor of Yunnan Province, Mr. Huang Xiaowen, Executive Vice President of China COSCO Shipping Corporation Limited, Mr. Wang Hao, Party Committee Member of China Construction Bank, also gave keynote speeches on-site and via video respectively.

 

Mr. Lu Xinshe pointed out in his remarks that this forum, by delving into how to jointly build the Beibu Gulf International Gateway Port and new land-sea trade corridor, is of great importance to deepening the open cooperation between China and ASEAN and promoting prosperity and development in the Pan-Beibu Gulf region. Guangxi is willing to work together with all  parties concerned to jointly elevate the Pan-Beibu Gulf cooperation to a new height. The principle of joint contribution and shared benefits will be followed in building the Beibu Gulf International Gateway Port, and raise the level of the new land-sea corridor. Concerted efforts will be made to foster new driving forces for regional economic development and enhance strategic synergy and policy interaction to implement the China-ASEAN Strategic Partnership Vision 2030 for boosting regional economic development and building a closer China-ASEAN community with a shared future.

 

Mr. Jurin said that China is the most important trading partner to ASEAN, and the two sides enjoy great cooperation potential and good economic regulation capability. Thailand will continue to deepen cooperation with China and other countries, and roll out strategic support policies to echo China’s Belt and Road Initiative. Meanwhile, Thailand will make full use of its advantages as a member of the Pan-Beibu Gulf region to expand two-way logistics transportation, and allow more Thai products, especially agricultural products to enter Chinese market.

 

 Mr. Li Xiaopeng said that in recent years, China and AMS have made steady progress in infrastructure connectivity and transportation facilitation, which enables the two sides to become each other’s largest trading partner. The Chinese Ministry of Communications and Transport is willing to work with all parties to create a BRI international shipping logistics hub and an international gateway port along the new land-sea trade corridor on the basis of joint contribution and shared benefits. Efforts will be exerted to promote land, sea, air and cyber connectivity for better hardware connection, and software connection will also be improved through promoting connectivity of policies, rules and standards for smooth cross-border logistics and supply chains, which is important to the regional economic circulation. Cooperation should also be strengthened in transportation industry to ensure success in building a China-ASEAN community with a shared future.

 

Participants all agreed that joint building of the new land-sea trade corridor and Beibu Gulf International Gateway Port constitutes an important practice and concrete measure to promote the BRI international cooperation. All parties, guided by the fundamental principle of win-win cooperation, extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits, should seek to explore new paths for land and sea cooperation, and make new progress in promoting BRI international cooperation.

 

 The opening ceremony also witnessed ceremonies marking the unified operation of Qinzhou International Container Terminal, the opening of the fruit express line from ASEAN (Cambodia) to Beibu Gulf Port, the launch of the container multimodal transport logistics base in Qinzhou, the launch of the Beibu Gulf International Gateway Port and Shipping Interconnection Service platform, the launch of Guangxi Water Transport Port Development Fund and the signing of a series of cooperation agreements. In the afternoon, the working meeting of ASEAN-China Port City Cooperation Network and the Pan-Beibu Gulf Think Tank Summit were held, during which the participants held in-depth discussions and extensive exchanges under the meeting theme.