Photo taken on Nov. 28, 2020 shows a model of maglev train displayed during the 17th China-ASEAN Expo at Nanning International Convention and Exhibition Center in Nanning, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. (Xinhua/Lu Boan)
BEIJING, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- The upgraded logistics cooperation between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) will further spur the growth of inter-regional trade and investment against the backdrop of the signing of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), reported Economic Information Daily Wednesday quoting experts.
China and ASEAN are highly complementary and interrelated in logistics, and the cooperative role of China-ASEAN logistics industries and enterprises is highlighted as the ongoing COVID-119 pandemic has blocked the logistics for trade, said Xu Ningning, executive president of the China-ASEAN Business Council, at a video conference on China-ASEAN logistics cooperation held recently in Beijing.
A high-level opening-up in the goods trade among countries in the region will be achieved when the RCEP take effect, which will greatly foster inter-regional trade and investment growth and provide a broad space for China-ASEAN logistics development, he noted.
He suggested that the China-ASEAN Interconnection Cooperation Committee meeting be held as soon as possible to speed up the economic corridor construction and actively build the China-ASEAN Multi-modal Transport Alliance, and that the cooperation consensus reached between China and ASEAN and its member states should be well implemented to support transport connectivity and logistics system construction.
To strengthen cooperation between logistics industries and enterprises of the two sides is a major need for responding to the epidemic and pushing up the economic growth of all countries, said Lv Kejian, former director of the Department of Asian Affairs with the Ministry of Commerce (MOC).
He added that the logistics cooperation between the two sides boasts sound conditions and broad prospects, and with the profound promotion of the joint Belt and Road construction in recent years, the two sides have continuously enhanced the interconnection of infrastructure such as railways, highways, ports and airports, and yielded remarkable results in cooperation.
Zhou Yuhao, chairman of Guangxi Yuchai Logistics Co., Ltd., a logistics company headquartered in Nanning, capital city of south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, said that the company is optimistic that RCEP will bring new opportunities for logistics firms, and looking forward to carrying out all-round cooperation with China-ASEAN counterparts.
Tao Zhongkuang, vice president of the Vietnam Logistics Association, said that the logistics industry of Vietnam is recovering now and the cross-border transport demand between China and Vietnam is increasing, but some problems still need to be solved to better promote the bilateral trade.
(Editedby Gu Shanshan with Xinhua Silk Road, gushanshan.1987@163.com)