2nd Northeast Asia Cooperation Roundtable held in Changchun Han Jun attends the event and delivers a keynote speech

  

On September 22, the 2nd Northeast Asia Cooperation Roundtable is held in Changchun. Photo/Song Kai

  

Han Jun, deputy secretary of the CPC Jilin Provincial Committee and governor of the province, delivers a keynote speech. Photo/Song Kai

On September 22, the 2nd Northeast Asia Cooperation Roundtable was held in Changchun, fully implementing General Secretary Xi Jinping's important instructions on strengthening regional cooperation in Northeast Asia. With the theme of "Connecting Market Resources and Jointly Building Northeast Asia Marine Economic Cooperation Circle", the meeting conducted in-depth exchanges in the fields of trade and economic investment, connectivity, marine economy, cultural tourism, energy and environmental protection to boost the prosperity and development of Northeast Asia. Han Jun, deputy secretary of the CPC Jilin Provincial Committee and governor of the province, attended the meeting and delivered a keynote speech.

Han Jun pointed out that Northeast Asia is one of the most dynamic, potential and influential regions in the world and an important growth engine of the world economy, and Northeast Asian countries have a long history of exchanges and frequent business cooperation. Two years ago, the 1st Northeast Asia Cooperation Roundtable was successfully held, forming a new cooperation platform and mechanism and making new achievements in regional cooperation. Jilin, located in the hinterland of Northeast Asia, is an important traditional industrial base and commodity grain base, as well as a big province of culture, science and education in China. At present, the province is advancing reform and opening up, speeding up connectivity and platform establishment, vigorously developing an open economy, and making great efforts to build an important window for China's opening-up to the north and a hub for cooperation in Northeast Asia.

Han Jun made five proposals during the meeting. First, enhance mutual trust and exchanges to build a secure and stable Northeast Asia. We need to follow the concept of peaceful development, promote friendship and partnership with neighboring countries, accommodate each other's concerns, conduct regular exchanges and interactions, join forces to tackle the pandemic, and strive to create a harmonious and friendly environment for development. Second, enhance regional cooperation to build a mutually beneficial Northeast Asia. We need to strengthen strategy synergy, actively integrate into the building of the Belt and Road, expand cooperation in such areas as automobile, clean energy, mining, agriculture, medicine, tourism and health care, promote trade and investment facilitation, boost the flow of markets, capital and technologies, keep raising the level and scope of regional cooperation, and work hard to build a Northeast Asian economic circle. Third, develop the marine economy to build an interconnected Northeast Asia. We need to explore new models of regional maritime cooperation, jointly develop the Hunchun Marine Economy Development Demonstration Zone and other cooperation platforms, boost infrastructure connectivity, and promote the expansion capacity of opened routes, the operation of routes under test and the resumption of suspended routes. Fourth, boost interactions and mutual learning to build a culturally integrated Northeast Asia. We need to strengthen cultural exchanges, sports interaction, talent cooperation and youth exchanges, seize the opportunities in the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, cooperate in the development of snow and ice sports, tourism, culture and equipment, and lead the development trend of the white economy. Fifth, improve the long-term mechanism to build a closely cooperative Northeast Asia. We need to perfect our cooperation mechanism, support the normalization, standardization and institutionalization of the Northeast Asia Cooperation Roundtable, promote the establishment of international economic cooperation zones, industrial parks and international cooperation demonstration zones, set up communication mechanisms such as video meetings and phone calls, ensure smooth contacts at all levels and in all fields, and push the early implementation of cooperation projects of all kinds. 

Li Wei, vice governor of Jilin province, presided over the meeting. Lin Yi, vice president of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, Kim Ok-chae, general secretary of the Association of Northeast Asia Regional Governments and Bek Bum-hum, deputy general secretary of the Trilateral Cooperation Secretariat, delivered speeches. Wang Xu, vice mayor of Tianjin, Koo Yeong-hyuk, consul general of the DPRK in Shenyang, Masahiko Sugita, deputy consul general of Japan in Shenyang, Choi Doo-seok, consul general of the ROK in Shenyang, Sue Buda, counselor of the Consulate General of Mongolia in China, and Sergei Chernenko, consul general of the Russian Federation in Shenyang, addressed the meeting. North Hamgyong and Raseon of the DPRK, Tottori, Miyagi, Shimane, Hiroshima, Nagasaki and Akita of Japan, Gangwon-do, Jeollanam-do, Chungcheongnam-do and Gyeongsangbuk-do of the ROK, Tuv province and Darkhan province of Mongolia, as well as Kamchatskaya Krai, Primorsky Krai, Magadanskaya Oblast and Altayskiy Krai of Russia sent representatives to make speeches, exchange views and discuss new paths of practical cooperation at the meeting.