区域经济一体化效益

区域经济一体化效益

区域经济一体化效益

学号: 090701314

姓名: 蒋惠芸

班级: 国贸三班

Regional economic integration benefits all

BY Alexander Wan and Jian Er (China Daily) Updated:2005-03-30 11:14

China's rapid economic development is going to deliver real benefits rather than pose threats to its Asian neighbours, including ASEAN countries and Japan.

This point was forcefully made by Long Yongtu, secretary-general of the Boao Forum for Asia, at the ninth China Daily CEO Roundtable themed "China-Asia Business Partnership: Implications for multinationals" held in Beijing yesterday.

At the conference organized by China Daily, Long pointed out that economic integration in Asia is of strategical importance for all countries in the region as well as those companies including multinationals operating in this region.

This point was also echoed by some 30 China-based chief executive officers and senior executives of leading multinationals, domestic companies and international organizations such as BASF, Shell, Pfizer Investment, BMW Group, British Airways, the Walt Disney Company, Eastman Kodak, China Unicom and Clear Media, as well as the Asian Development Bank, who attended the conference yesterday.

Focus on regional co-operation

China has become a very active participant in regional economic co-operation and integration in recent years. The objective of the initiatives is to let other Asian countries share the economic achievements that China has made in the past decades, said Long.

The country has demonstrated its strong willingness and commitment to regional integration such as establishing a free trade area with ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) countries and proposing such an area with Japan and South Korea in recent years.

"The key words during the process are open and responsible," stressed Long.

The former chief negotiator for China's resumption of GATT contracting party status and its accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO), Long said China's WTO membership and its continuing spectacular economic growth had prompted the country to switch from an conservative to an active approach to achieve economic integration in Asia.

"China considered that its active participation in regional integration could be interpreted by the international community that China intends to become open and responsible. That's why China started its long journey of negotiation on the establishment of a free trade area with ASEAN countries," said Long, who is now active in promoting regional economic co-operation.

Meanwhile, China also intended to deliver a strategically important message that it wished to alleviate concerns among its neighbours, including ASEAN countries.

The concerns, resulting from the rapid economic development of China, included issues like China taking away their foreign investment and jobs and the rise of China posing a threat to regional stability.

It was reported that beginning this July, China and the ASEAN countries will implement an agreement on the trade of goods under their FTA pacts.

Tariffs on most goods flowing within the China-ASEAN FTA will be finally cut