1st BRI summit on supply chain held in Kunming
The First Supply Chain Summit under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) was held in Kunming, Yunnan province on November 20. As a sideline of the ongoing sixth China-South Asia Exposition, the summit aims to smooth the supply chains and the industrial chains for better inter-connectivity.
The First Supply Chain Summit under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) was held in Kunming, Yunnan province on November 20. Photo/Yunnan Daily
Co-sponsored by China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing, China International Electronic Commerce Center and Yunnan Provincial Department of Commerce, this summit was attended physically by around 400 representatives of international businesses and experts from various industries, as well as virtually by nearly 10,000 personages in relevance.
The attendees of the summit discussed on the topics of international logistics and supply-chain resources sharing under the BRI, digital supply chain and industrial internet, international land-sea channel for south and southeast Asia, and construction of a supply chain system.
Zhang Bin, a second-level inspector of the Circulation Industry Development Department of the Ministry of Commerce, said Yunnan is connected with Southeast Asian countries by mountains and rivers, and thus has a unique advantage in geographical location.
To promote the innovative development of supply chains under the Belt and Road Initiative, the province should strengthen the interconnection of supply chains and industrial chains, prioritizing innovation and green development.
“Yunnan could consider building a general supply-chain system by integrating the flows of logistics, businesses, capital and information, and it could push ahead industrial transformation and upgrades on the basis of such a system,” said Cai Jin, vice president of China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing.
The First Supply Chain Summit under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) was held in Kunming, Yunnan province on November 20. Photo/Yunnan Daily
Zhang Yansheng, chief researcher of China International Economic Exchange Center, believes the RCEP taking effect will bring new opportunities to Yunnan. Grasping the opportunity of new globalization and digital revolution, the province should build up a cooperation platform and cross-border network driven by digital technologies, green growth and scientific innovation.
Yunnan has been active in constructing the Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar Economic Corridor and the international logistics channel for land-sea intermodal transport over the years.
In this regard, Li Yanqiang, chairman of the Guangxi-based Beibu Gulf Port Group, expected to working with Yunnan for the development of multimodal transport, so that the freight services from the group will have more access to Yunnan via the new land-sea channel of west China.
Xie Jinbao, chairman of the Lao Yukun Mining Company, said China-Laos Railway has allowed easier access of Lao mineral products to Yunnan province, with the transport time and cost sharply reduced.
With the progression of the BRI construction, the mining firm will contribute more to the economic cooperation and people-to-people exchanges between Laos and China.
Agreements were collectively signed after discussion among businesses related to the cross-border supply chains, such as those dealing fruits, vegetables, fertilizers, produces and bulk commodities along the Belt and Road.
Reporting by Zhu Hai and Ran Xiulan (Yunnan Daily); Trans-editing by Wang Shixue