On 18 December 2020, at the invitation of the Office of Foreign Affairs Commission of CPC Anhui Provincial Committee, Mr. Guo Chuanwei, Director of Trade and Investment Division of ASEAN-China Centre (ACC), attended and delivered a keynote speech at the Seminar on Cooperation between Anhui Province and Local Governments of RCEP Countries held in Hefei, Anhui Province. Co-organised by theOffice of Foreign Affairs Commission of CPC Anhui Provincial Committee, the Foreign Affairs Office of Anhui Provincial Government, Shanghai Institute of International Studies (SIIS) and Anhui University, the seminar aimed to find out how Anhui can build closer partnership with local governments of RCEP countries under the new domestic and international situation. About 150 representatives from Chinese ministries, foreign affairs offices of Chinese provinces and cities, research institutions as well as representatives of relevant institutions, colleges, enterprises and media in Anhui Province attended the seminar.
 

At the opening ceremony, Mr. Sun Donghai, Deputy Secretary-General of the Anhui Provincial Government, Mr. Chen Dongxiao, President of the Shanghai Institute of International Studies, and Mr. Kuang Li, President of Anhui University delivered speeches. They said that as the COVID-19 pandemic has dealt a heavy blow to the global economy, countries around the world have been making great efforts to tackle the pandemic and restore economies. After eight years of negotiations, 15 Asia-Pacific countries have signed the RCEP agreement, bringing new opportunities for East Asia cooperation. Anhui Province should respond positively by studying and understanding the changes brought by the RCEP to East Asia and the landscape of international cooperation, and knitting closer ties with RECP countries and local governments with more institutional arrangements, more platforms for cooperation and more channels of communication, so as to promote high-level opening-up and cooperation in Anhui Province.

In his keynote speech, Mr. Guan Huabing, Director-General of Asia-Pacific Center and Vice Chairman of SIIS, Former Chinese Ambassador to Lao PDR, suggested that Anhui Province should give full play to its comprehensive advantages to build a new highland for inland development and promote mutually beneficial and win-win cooperation between Anhui and relevant countries by studying RCEP terms and national conditions of RCEP countries, attaching importance to cooperation with ASEAN and seeking breakthrough of cooperation.

Director Guo Chuanwei briefed on the current situation of ASEAN-China economic and trade cooperation, emphasizing that while studying the strategic significance and opportunities of RCEP, Anhui Province should also make full use of the existing ASEAN-China cooperation mechanisms and platforms, and help Chinese enterprises benefit from the preferential policies of China-ASEAN Free Trade Agreement. He pointed out that in 2021, which is designated as the  ASEAN-China Year of Sustainable Development Cooperation, governments and relevant institutions of both sides as well as ACC will hold a series of exchange activities. He looked forward to active participation of government agencies, business associations and enterprises from Anhui Province. Mr. Guo also suggested that Anhui Province, with rich scientific and technological achievements and strong high-tech enterprises, should play an active part in the key areas of ASEAN-China digital economy cooperation, including smart cities,5G, AI, e-commerce, big data, block chain and tele-medicine, so as to create more cooperation highlights and cultivate newdrivers for the economic and social development of both sides.

 

At the seminar, representatives exchanged views on how Anhui could play a bigger role in BRI cooperation, and expand opening-up and cooperation. They touched upon the advantages, vision and priorities of cooperation between Anhui Province and local governments of RCEP countries under the new situation. All guests also witnessed the signing of the cooperation agreement on co-building the National and Regional Research Institute of Anhui University.