Second Sino-ROK Economic Seminar opens in Seoul

The Second Sino-ROK Economic Seminar co-hosted by the People's Daily and the Chosun Ilbo opened Tuesday morning at the Shilla Hotel, Seoul.

The theme of the seminar is "East Asia Economic Cooperation and the role of China and ROK". More than 200 government and business leaders and scholars attended the seminar to discuss a wide range of topics including "Sino-ROK industrial and technological cooperation"; "China and ROK's policies for attracting foreign investment"; "Sino-ROK cooperation on stabilizing currency exchange rate"; "China, ROK's ideas for constructing FTA mechanism" and "China-ROK cooperation on the IT industry".

Both Chinese Primer Wen Jiabao and ROK Acting President and Prime Minister Goh Kun sent congratulatory letters to the seminar.

People's Daily President addresses the opening ceremony

Respected President Bang Sang Hoon,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Firstly, please allow me, on behalf of all participants from the Chinese side, to extend warm congratulations to the opening of the Second Sino-ROK Economic Seminar, to extend warm welcome to ROK guests and all friends taking part in the seminar as well as to express thanks to the Chosun Ilbo who worked hard for preparing the seminar.

In today's world, seeking for peace and development and promoting cooperation and progress have become an irreversible historical trend. The increasingly closer economic ties in East Asia have attracted wide attention. The economic cooperation between China and ROK is highly complementary and is of high potential and development opportunity.

This year marks the twelfth anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the Republic of Korea. Over the past twelve years the two countries saw rapid development of friendly cooperative relations in various fields, with the economic cooperation being particularly noticeable. In 2003, leaders of the two countries positioned the China-ROK relations as "all-round cooperative partnership", which provided new impetus for all-dimensional friendly cooperation between the two countries in the future.

During the past year, China confronted difficulties bigger than expected and achieved achievements beyond expectations. Now the country is striving for sustained, rapid, coordinated and sound economic development and overall social progress. The Republic of Korea, on a more solid economic foundation, tapped new development points and maintained a good development momentum. In a situation in which economic cooperation in East Asia stepped up, it is of great significance for people from the business circles of China and ROK to exchange views and discuss future cooperation. As important newspapers from the two countries, People's Daily and Chosun Ilbo made their contribution to promoting friendly ties in economic cooperation. The achievements by the First Sino-ROK Economic Seminar two years ago are still praised by business leaders from both sides. For example, it is the first seminar that propelled the cooperation between Beijing Automotive Industry Import & Export Corporation and Hyundai Motor Group, and by now the Beijing Hyundai auto has become a fruit of Sino-ROK economic collaboration. I believe that the second seminar is sure to promote new and bigger progress in friendly economic cooperation between the two sides.

All business figures attending the seminar are leading persons in their fields, who have extraordinary career experiences and profound, unique understanding on the promotion of Sino-ROK economic ties. I hope guests could actively and fully communicate and exchange views with each other. As an old saying goes, "The whole year's work depends on a good start in spring", I am convinced that economic personages attending this seminar co-organized by People's Daily and Chosun Ilbo would sow seeds of mutual understanding and cooperation in this beautiful spring, and harvest rich fruits in the near future.

I sincerely wish success to the seminar.

Thanks!

Backgrounder: the First Sino-ROK Economic Seminar

The theme of the Seminar was "China's Accession into the WTO and Sino-ROK Economic Cooperation". The subjects for discussion cover: experiences and prospects of the Sino-ROK economic cooperation; experiences of ROK in recovering from the financial crisis and resuming stable economic growth; means and ways of settling trade disputes after the entry into the WTO; and developing strategies of its enterprises as well as prospect to establish Sino-ROK-Japan Free Trade Zones.

Participants, which included personages of economic and enterprise circles and research institutions of the two countries, were as follows: Shi Guangsheng, Chinese Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Co-operation, Chen Yuan, president of China Development Bank, Yu Xiaosong, chairman of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT), Xie Qihua, general-manager of Shanghai Baoshan Iron and Steel Group, and Li Zhanshu, Secretary of Municipal Committee of the CPC of Xi'an, will give speeches to the seminar. Speechmakers of the ROK include Son Kil Seung, Chairman of SK Telecom Co., Sang-Boo Yoo, Chairman of the POSCO, Jae-Chul Kim, chairman and CEO of KITA and Young-Soo Kim, chairman of Korea Federation of Small and medium Business. CEO and chief representatives of world famous enterprises such as HYUNDAI Auto, LG, Kookmin Bank, Pyeounghwa ELECTCOM, the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Samsung Group.

Representatives of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, China Institute for International Studies and related domestic enterprises also participated in the meeting. Xi'an Economic and Technological Development Zone acted as the assistant sponsor. Tianjin Economic and Technological Development Zone and Beijing Enterprises Cultural Construction Association were the member units. Embassies of Both Countries in each other acted as assistant units.

By People's Daily Online