Shantou Enterprises Strengthen Cooperation With ASEAN To Exploit International Market

Since the establishment of the China ASEAN Free Trade Area on New Year's day this year, many import and export enterprises in Shantou have further strengthened their trade relations with ASEAN, and some enterprises are also interested in "trying water" to enter ASEAN.

Recently, the executive director of the China ASEAN Business Council, Xu Ningning, Executive Secretary General of the Chinese Secretariat, was invited by the chamber of Commerce of the import and Export Chamber of the city to give the more than 200 import and export enterprises of our city the relevant policies and trade opportunities of the FTA.

Shantou and ASEAN are geographically close and interlinked, with a long history of communication, strong economic complementarity and broad prospects for win-win cooperation.

Last year, our city was red after the import and export of ASEAN to China. This year, from 1 to February, our trade with ASEAN continued to improve, exports reached US $79 million 700 thousand, an increase of 45.3%, and the value of imports from ASEAN was US $53 million 850 thousand, an increase of 40.4% over the same period last year.

Toys, textiles and clothing, and other advantageous industries in our city have also been able to play a big role in the ASEAN market.

In recent years, the municipal Party committee and the municipal government have attached great importance to the development of ASEAN emerging markets by Shantou enterprises, and the relevant departments and trade associations have also actively provided services and matchmaking for enterprises to enter ASEAN.

Xu Ningning suggested that Shantou should formulate a plan for coordinating the FTA as soon as possible, and guide enterprises to strengthen cooperation with ASEAN and extensively participate in cooperation in pportation, finance and other fields.

The relevant departments and trade associations should give full play to their roles, effectively link up with relevant chambers of Commerce and enterprises in ASEAN, support SMEs in expanding their trade with ASEAN, and enterprises themselves should also formulate strategies for developing ASEAN market in due course.

Some traditional industries in our city are sophisticated in technology and advanced in equipment, but they are also facing the problem of overcapacity and falling prices. Enterprises are beginning to explore the establishment of industrial parks in the ASEAN region to realize their pformation and upgrading, and further expand the international market.

Xu Ningning fully affirmed this.

He believes that Vietnam, Laos, Kampuchea and other countries in ASEAN have resources such as land and labor force. Shantou enterprises' boldly "going out" will help reduce costs.

Shantou's advantageous industries should conscientiously study and implement the three agreements on trade in goods, services and investment between China and ASEAN. At the same time, we should make full use of the free trade agreements between ASEAN and Japan, India, Australia, New Zealand and other countries.