On 17 March 2023, the 2023 Chengdu - RCEP Regional Industrial Cooperation Conference, hosted by the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) and the Chengdu Municipal Government with support from the ASEAN-China Centre (ACC), was successfully held in Chengdu, Sichuan Province. H.E. Secretary General Shi Zhongjun of the ACC, Mr. Yu Jianlong, Vice Chairman of CCPIT, Ms. Lin Nan, Vice Mayor of Chengdu Municipal Government, and H.E. Mr. U Tin Maung Swe, Ambassador of Myanmar to China, attended the conference and delivered speeches.

Secretary General Shi Zhongjun stated that in recent years, ASEAN and China have continuously deepened economic and trade cooperation, achieving high-level mutual benefits and win-win results. With the RCEP set to take full effect among all member states in the near future, it will further accelerate the integration of regional industrial and supply chains, providing impetus to further deepen economic and trade relations between ASEAN and China. To better utilize the benefits of the RCEP, both ASEAN and China should make good use of the preferential policies provided by relevant FTA and the RCEP to become more international and competent.

With the theme of “Deepening Regional Cooperation, Strengthening Industrial Chains”, the conference was attended by approximately 150 people. Diplomatic envoys, and representatives of business associations and enterprises from RCEP member states, including Cambodia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, and Viet Nam, as well as representatives from relevant Chinese government departments, business associations and enterprises held discussions and exchanges on topics including “RCEP Empowers Regional Manufacturing to Upgrade and Reinforce Industry Chains” and “Service Innovation Boosts High-quality Regional Agricultural Cooperation”.