On 26 May 2016, the opening ceremony of the 9th Pan-Beibu Gulf Economic Cooperation Forum was held in Nanning, Guangxi Autonomous Region. The Forum was co-hosted by the National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Transport, the Ministry of Commerce of China, the Government of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, the Thai Ministry of Commerce under the theme of “Joining Hands in Pan-Beibu Cooperation and Building the Belt and Road Together”. About 500 participants from the government sectors, international organizations, enterprises, academics and media from China, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand and Viet Nam attended the Forum. Mr. Li Yuan, Director of Trade and Investment Division of ASEAN-China Centre (ACC) attended the Forum on behalf of ACC.
H.E. Mme. Gu Xiulian, Vice Chairwoman of the Standing Committee of the 10th National People’s Congress of China, President of China-ASEAN Association delivered the opening remarks at the ceremony. She said that within the framework of Pan-Beibu cooperation, consensus had been reached, a platform of cooperation had been set up and a roadmap drawn. A series of key projects were taking roots in respective countries, which led the cooperation to the harvest. At present, under the background of “Belt and Road” Intiative, the Pan-Beibu cooperation should play its unique advantages to the full, and make the people in this region enjoy the benefits brought in by the cooperation. She made four suggestions for the cooperation: first, to strengthen the policy matching and build the region of common destiny; second, to deepen the integrated development, enhance capacity cooperation and build a mutual beneficial economic format; third, to promote innovative cooperation and inject new impetus to the cooperation; fourth, to seize the opportunities according to the international and regional development and promote the upgrading of Pan-Beibu cooperation.
Mr. Tong Daochi, Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Commerce, Mr. Peng Qinghua, Secretary of the Standing Committee of Guangxi People’s Congress, Mr. Chen Wu, Governor of Guangxi Autonomous Region, Mr, Chen Xiangqun, Executive Vice Governor of Hunan Province, Mr. He Zhongyou, Vice Governor of Guangdong Province, Ms. He Xiqing, Vice Governor of Hainan Province, Mr. Winichai Chaemchaeng, Vice Minister for Commerce, Ministry of Commerce of Thailand, Mr. Tan Sri Kong Cho Ha, Chairman of Port Klang Authority and Malacca Port Authority, Mr. Nguyen Hong Truong, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Transport of Viet Nam, Mr. Hou Taing Eng, Secretary of State, Minister of Planning of Cambodia, and Mr. Khamphao Ernthavanh, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Lao PDR made speeches at the ceremony. They introduced the advantages of their own country, region or organization, stressed the importance of Pan-Beibu cooperation within the framework of ASEAN-China cooperation, and shared their views on future development of Pan-Beibu cooperation.