context: Along with the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, Yangtze River Delta and Pearl River Delta, Northeast China features heavily in national development strategies. A collection of Belt and Road projects connects Northeast China with Mongolia, Russia, and some European countries, meant to help transform the region's under-performing economy.
Jiang Zengwei 姜增伟 former China Council for the Promotion of International Trade chairman says that Northeast China should take Belt and Road Initiative as an opportunity to
- develop the China-Mongolia-Russia economic corridor
- promote infrastructure investment and connectivity
- construct a Northeast Asia FTZ network
- speed up opening-up
In comparison to coastal regions, Northeast China lags behind. Jiang suggests the region needs
- administrative reform
- increase transparency
- remove market access barriers
- fulfil preferential policies
- improve intellectual property rights protection
- industry structure reform
- increase the proportion of advanced manufacturing and modern services industries
- develop new agricultural technologies
- SOE reform and private business development
- to retain talent
Complementary Northeast Asian economies provide opportunities for revitalisation of Northeast China, says Jiang, noting that an improved China-Japan relationship, enhanced China-Russia economic cooperation, and stabilisation of the Korean Peninsula all create a positive climate for cooperation among Northeast Asian countries.
Jiang also lists current developments in Northeast China
- Heilongjiang province
- built trade ties with almost 60 Belt and Road countries
- developed China-Mongolia-Russia economic corridor
- built 18 Economic and Trade Cooperation zones with Russia
- Jilin province
- developed Tumen River Region trade and economic cooperation
- developed new-energy and smart vehicle manufacturing base
- Liaoning province
- implemented 123 reform pilots
- building Dalian-Manzhouli-Russia-Europe, Manzhouli-Russia-Europe and Dalian-Yingkou-Manzhouli-Russia-Europe tunnels