The ASEAN-China Transport Ministers’ Special Meeting on Connectivity was held on September 2 in Nanning, China, on the sidelines of the 10th China-ASEAN Expo, according to a joint statement.
The ministers conducted in-depth discussions on transport connectivity and had constructive exchanges of views and ideas with representatives from the industry, said statement which was released by the ASEAN Secretariat on September 3.
The statement said the ministers noted that since the official launch of the ASEAN-China Free Trade Area (ACFTA), a large ASEAN–China trade and economic region is taking shape, with a population of more than 1.9 billion, land area of over 14 million square kilometres and a gross value of production of nearly 10 trillion USD. The ACFTA is now becoming the fastest-growing and most promising region in the world.
The ministers considered it opportune to continue to build upon the existing collaborative mechanisms under the annual ASEAN-China Transport Ministers' Meeting (ATM+China) to deepen transport connectivity cooperation as both China and ASEAN countries are working to upgrade the ACFTA and advance negotiations on the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).
On this basis, the ministers reached a consensus on maximising the working mechanism, of which the ATM+China is the highest-level dialogue mechanism between the two sides in the transport sector, playing a vital role in the implementation of transport cooperation initiatives agreed by Chinese and ASEAN Transport Ministers.
The strengthening of connectivity not only provides strong support for ASEAN member states to materialise the ASEAN Economic Community by the end of 2015, but also lays a solid foundation for future economic integration in this area, the ministers affirmed.
They agreed to encourage competent enterprises to directly engage in the investment, construction and operation of projects so as to steadily advance the implementation of major projects.
The ministers agreed to strengthen maritime transport and air connectivity, and maintain a balanced development of ASEAN-China connectivity cooperation and the different stage of infrastructure development in the region.
They said they would further enhance existing transport cooperation and improve connectivity both within ASEAN and between ASEAN and China, for the mutual benefit of ASEAN nations and China, with special emphasis on the least developed member states.
The ministers tasked senior officials to identify the key projects connecting China with ASEAN members or those linking the bloc’s states at an early date.-VNA
The ministers conducted in-depth discussions on transport connectivity and had constructive exchanges of views and ideas with representatives from the industry, said statement which was released by the ASEAN Secretariat on September 3.
The statement said the ministers noted that since the official launch of the ASEAN-China Free Trade Area (ACFTA), a large ASEAN–China trade and economic region is taking shape, with a population of more than 1.9 billion, land area of over 14 million square kilometres and a gross value of production of nearly 10 trillion USD. The ACFTA is now becoming the fastest-growing and most promising region in the world.
The ministers considered it opportune to continue to build upon the existing collaborative mechanisms under the annual ASEAN-China Transport Ministers' Meeting (ATM+China) to deepen transport connectivity cooperation as both China and ASEAN countries are working to upgrade the ACFTA and advance negotiations on the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).
On this basis, the ministers reached a consensus on maximising the working mechanism, of which the ATM+China is the highest-level dialogue mechanism between the two sides in the transport sector, playing a vital role in the implementation of transport cooperation initiatives agreed by Chinese and ASEAN Transport Ministers.
The strengthening of connectivity not only provides strong support for ASEAN member states to materialise the ASEAN Economic Community by the end of 2015, but also lays a solid foundation for future economic integration in this area, the ministers affirmed.
They agreed to encourage competent enterprises to directly engage in the investment, construction and operation of projects so as to steadily advance the implementation of major projects.
The ministers agreed to strengthen maritime transport and air connectivity, and maintain a balanced development of ASEAN-China connectivity cooperation and the different stage of infrastructure development in the region.
They said they would further enhance existing transport cooperation and improve connectivity both within ASEAN and between ASEAN and China, for the mutual benefit of ASEAN nations and China, with special emphasis on the least developed member states.
The ministers tasked senior officials to identify the key projects connecting China with ASEAN members or those linking the bloc’s states at an early date.-VNA
