3rd forum held for China-South Asia cooperation
The 3rd China-South Asia Cooperation Forum takes place in Kunming on November 19. Photo/Yunnan Daily
The 3rd China-South Asia Cooperation Forum, with the theme of "mutual assistance for regional shared development", was held in central Yunnan’s Kunming city on November 19, as a sideline of the ongoing sixth China-South Asia Exposition (CSA Expo).
Wang Yubo, governor of Yunnan province, delivered a speech at the forum opening. When welcoming the international guests present, he cited the 20th CPC National Congress report as evidence of the Chinese further openness.
Wang Yubo, governor of Yunnan province, delivered a speech at the forum opening. Photo/Yunnan Daily
Taking advantage of the high-quality cooperations under the Belt and Road initiative, Yunnan has quicken the pace to build itself into the Chinese pivot of opening-up to south and southeast Asia, and has expanded provincial exchanges and cooperation with the South Asian countries.
In the past 10 years, the trade volume between Yunnan and South Asian countries has tripled, with another six pairs of sister cities established in the region, said Wang, adding more than 2,000 South Asian students are studying in the province.
Yunnan has opened air routes to most capital cities and tourist destinations in South Asia, while the Kunming-based China-South Asia Technology Transfer Center has facilitated the implementation of 80 plus international projects.
Chinese assistant foreign minister Wu Jianghao speaks at the forum. Photo/Yunnan Daily
Chinese assistant foreign minister Wu Jianghao said China and South Asian countries are friendly neighbors and development partners with a shared future. In the face of global challenges, China has always been there with South Asian countries, helping each other.
Despite the headwinds induced by the COVID-19 pandemic, China has upgraded its trade relations with South Asian countries, with the trade volume increasing by more than 50 billion dollars in 2021 compared to the pre-pandemic level in 2019, nearly double the level from a decade earlier, said Wu Jianghao.
Bangladeshi foreign minister Abdul Momen speaks at the forum via a video. Photo/Yunnan Daily
Bangladeshi foreign minister Abdul Momen said as the theme country of this year's expo, Bangladesh has been committed to working with other countries including China for common economic prosperity in the the region.
Since the establishment of the strategic partnership between Bangladesh and China in 2016, the exchanges and mutual learning between the two countries in various fields have deepened, added the Bangladeshi official.
As an essential part of the Trans-Asian Railway, the Bangladeshi Padma Bridge has been completed by Bangladesh Railway Bureau and China Railway Group Limited, and it is the latest result of cooperation between the two countries, he said.
Abdul Momen added this year's forum for China-South Asia cooperation will surely bring new opportunities for cooperation between Bangladesh and Yunnan.
Amir Khan Muttaqi speaks at the forum via a video. Photo/Yunnan Daily
Afghanistan's acting foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi said the world order is undergoing rapid changes, and it is necessary for all countries to establish closer relations in politics, economy and security.
Anuradha Yahampath, governor of the eastern province of Sri Lanka, said that China is a great friend of Sri Lanka, and the history of exchanges between the two countries goes back to ancient times.
Anuradha Yahampath speaks at the forum via a video. Photo/Yunnan Daily
As early as the Eastern Jin Dynasty, Anuradha said, Chinese Buddhist monk Faxian arrived in Sri Lanka, sowing seeds for bilateral friendship that has lasted till now.
Rich in natural resources and tourist resources, Sri Lanka cooperates with Yunnan Province in job training and cultural exchanges. "Mutual benefit" has always been a key word in bilateral cooperation.
The 3rd China-South Asia Cooperation Forum takes place in Kunming on November 19. Photo/Yunnan Daily
Officials from Maldives, Pakistan, Union of Comoros, Nepal, Oman, India and others also expressed their expectation for greater development through closer regional cooperation.
This forum is jointly sponsored by the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, and the Yunnan Provincial Government.
Source: Yunnan Daily, Yunnan Foreign Affairs Office and China News Service; Trans-editing by Wang Shixue