SAARC chamber proposes 9-pt cooperation agenda with China
FE Report | Monday, 28 February 2011
FE Report
The SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SAARC CCI) proposed a nine-point agenda for promotion of economic cooperation between Sichuan province of China and South Asian countries. The President SAARC CCI Mr. Annisul Huq shared a set of proposals during his address at the second Sichuan-South Asia business promotion seminar held in Chengdu, the capital city of Sichuan on February 25, said a press release of the SAARC CCI issued in Dhaka on Sunday. The proposals were appreciated by politico-economic leadership of Sichuan Province, the press release added. Addressing the Conference, the President of the SAARC CCI said that China and South Asia, being the two oldest civilisations and neighbouring regions, had a tremendous potential which needs to be harnessed through meaningful cooperation in areas of mutual interest. He said that China was an economic ocean and South Asia had the potential to become part of the ocean. He admired the economic vision of the leadership of China, stating that China, after opening up its market for foreign direct investment in late '80s, made an exemplary development. "A consistent double digit growth for more than two decades, coupled with reduction in poverty from 40% to just 8.0%, is perhaps one of the wonders of the 21st Century. China now stands as the leading exporting nation surpassing Germany with export volume of more than $1.3 trillion in the year 2010," said Annis. He added that this success story of China is a role model for many countries of the world including South Asian nations. The immediate Past President of SAARC CCI Mr. Tariq Sayeed, while providing historical perspective of China and South Asia's role in the global economy, said from the 15th century to the mid of the eighteen century, the share of these two nations was more than 50%. He expressed the hope that the if the current trend of Chinese and Indian economic growth remained on high trajectory, their share may again exceed to 50% in the global economy by 2025 and Asia can resume the role of global economic leader. Vice President of Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FBCCI), Mr. Mostafa Azad Chowdhury Babu, President of Nepalese Chamber of Commerce (FNCCI) Kush Kumar Joshi, President of Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce & Industry Senator Ghulam Ali and representatives of other chambers from South Asian countries gave presentations on cooperation with China in perspective of their respective countries. The Vice Governor of Sichuan Province, Mr. Zhang Zou-ha, and the Vice President of CCPIT Beijing, Mr. Yu Ping, also addressed the seminar. The nine-point agenda proposed by SAARC CCI included convening of Sichuan- South Asia Business Summit as a regular annual feature, formation of advisory panel constituting representatives of CCPIT Sichuan Sub-council and South Asian Chambers, sharing of information about the potential and mutually benefited areas, undertaking sector-specific studies and pre-feasibility reports on core and potential sector, exchange of fact-finding missions to explore untapped potential in trade and investment, inflow of investment from China to South Asian countries, preferential market access to South Asian nations, removal of non-tariff barriers (NTBs) and para-tariff barriers (PTBs), provision of 500 multiple business for at least one year period to all South Asian nations, relocation of labour-intensive industries from China to South Asia, investment in infrastructure building to improve connectivity and foster economic cooperation, the press release added.
The SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SAARC CCI) proposed a nine-point agenda for promotion of economic cooperation between Sichuan province of China and South Asian countries. The President SAARC CCI Mr. Annisul Huq shared a set of proposals during his address at the second Sichuan-South Asia business promotion seminar held in Chengdu, the capital city of Sichuan on February 25, said a press release of the SAARC CCI issued in Dhaka on Sunday. The proposals were appreciated by politico-economic leadership of Sichuan Province, the press release added. Addressing the Conference, the President of the SAARC CCI said that China and South Asia, being the two oldest civilisations and neighbouring regions, had a tremendous potential which needs to be harnessed through meaningful cooperation in areas of mutual interest. He said that China was an economic ocean and South Asia had the potential to become part of the ocean. He admired the economic vision of the leadership of China, stating that China, after opening up its market for foreign direct investment in late '80s, made an exemplary development. "A consistent double digit growth for more than two decades, coupled with reduction in poverty from 40% to just 8.0%, is perhaps one of the wonders of the 21st Century. China now stands as the leading exporting nation surpassing Germany with export volume of more than $1.3 trillion in the year 2010," said Annis. He added that this success story of China is a role model for many countries of the world including South Asian nations. The immediate Past President of SAARC CCI Mr. Tariq Sayeed, while providing historical perspective of China and South Asia's role in the global economy, said from the 15th century to the mid of the eighteen century, the share of these two nations was more than 50%. He expressed the hope that the if the current trend of Chinese and Indian economic growth remained on high trajectory, their share may again exceed to 50% in the global economy by 2025 and Asia can resume the role of global economic leader. Vice President of Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FBCCI), Mr. Mostafa Azad Chowdhury Babu, President of Nepalese Chamber of Commerce (FNCCI) Kush Kumar Joshi, President of Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce & Industry Senator Ghulam Ali and representatives of other chambers from South Asian countries gave presentations on cooperation with China in perspective of their respective countries. The Vice Governor of Sichuan Province, Mr. Zhang Zou-ha, and the Vice President of CCPIT Beijing, Mr. Yu Ping, also addressed the seminar. The nine-point agenda proposed by SAARC CCI included convening of Sichuan- South Asia Business Summit as a regular annual feature, formation of advisory panel constituting representatives of CCPIT Sichuan Sub-council and South Asian Chambers, sharing of information about the potential and mutually benefited areas, undertaking sector-specific studies and pre-feasibility reports on core and potential sector, exchange of fact-finding missions to explore untapped potential in trade and investment, inflow of investment from China to South Asian countries, preferential market access to South Asian nations, removal of non-tariff barriers (NTBs) and para-tariff barriers (PTBs), provision of 500 multiple business for at least one year period to all South Asian nations, relocation of labour-intensive industries from China to South Asia, investment in infrastructure building to improve connectivity and foster economic cooperation, the press release added.