The 4th Pan-Pearl River Delta Regional Cooperation and Development Forum and Economic and Trade Fair

The Fourth Forum on Pan-Pearl River Delta Region Cooperation and Development as well as Trade Negotiations and Trade Talks was successfully held in Shenzhen City in China on 28th March 2018. The forum was aimed at strengthening the economic ties between the Pearl River Delta Region, commonly known as the PRD and stimulating inter-regional dialogue and exchange on matters related to economic development, commerce and investment.

The forum was organised by the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT), the Jiangmen People’s Government and the Shenzhen City Government. The forum was attended by representatives from the Pearl River Delta’s nine provinces and municipalities, including Guangdong, Hainan, Chongqing, Guangxi, Fujian, Jiangxi, Guizhou, Hunan and Yunnan, along with representatives from countries such as Germany and the United Kingdom, who have close trade and investment ties with the PRD.

The two-day event was officially opened by the PRD’s leading officials including the President of China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT), Mr. Han Junzhen, Vice Mayor of Shenzhen, Mr. Zhi Bingquan, Director General of the Investment Promotion Bureau of Jiangmen, Mr. Long Chao and Mr. Zhou Kunxing, representative of the UK Department for International Trade.

During the forum, representatives from the host countries, the nine Pearl River Delta provinces, and countries like Germany and the United Kingdom discussed ways of furthering economic and trade ties among the countries. In addition, the representatives also explored options for setting up a cooperation mechanism amongst the PRD members, involving all economic sectors and enabling exchanges of information and resources.

Delegates at the forum noted that the Forum comes at an opportune moment, with the Belt and Road initiative providing new impetus for economic cooperation among country members of the Pearl River Delta. The delegates discussed various aspects of the PRD’s development and agreed to set up a task force to further the interests of the members at the forum.

The task force will enable PRD members to develop a co-operation framework, discuss reforms to current commercial policies and regulations, as well as promote best practices, greater investment and improved use of resources. It was also proposed that the task force would work towards setting up a platform for easy commercial communication and negotiation among members.

At the closing ceremony, the delegates appreciated the efforts of the organizing team in bringing members together. Appreciations and gratitude were extended to the Jiangmen People’s Government and the Shenzhen City Government for their help and support.

The forum was seen as an important step towards achieving the goal of the PRD region to further strengthen economic ties and cooperation amongst its members. It is hoped that the mutual understanding and cooperation among the members can be extended beyond the forum to bring about even bigger and more positive effects for the development of the PRD region.

The 4th Pan-Pearl Delta Region Cooperation &Development Forum and Trade Fair was held in Guangzhou, China on October 16 2018.This forum is an effort to enhance economic cooperation and promote economic and trade cooperation among the three parties——Hong Kong, Macao and Mainland China.

The Forum provides a platform for the three parties to exchange information and discuss ways to effectively promote further exchanges and cooperation between the three involved regions. It also brings together many senior government and business leaders from the three regions, as well as representatives from a wide range of industries.

During the forum, the three parties established a joint forum skeleton and created four major areas in which to improve economic collaboration: tourism, commerce, technology and investment. Specifically, they agreed to further encourage cross-region powerplant investment and develop tourism products and services; foster cooperation between ports and airports that can facilitate cross-border movement of trade goods; and enhance access to the mainland’s market by utilizing all available resources. Furthermore, the parties committed to promoting cross-border R&D activities, as well as to making cross-boundary investments in areas such as high-end medical technical, biomedicine and finance, among others.

The Forum has built bridges to help streamline communication and collaboration between the three involved regions, while boosting business opportunities and fostering economic development among them. It is hoped that with continued future cooperation, further progress can be made in the areas of business, industry and investment between the various involved regions.