context: Following the successful conclusion of RCEP and BRI, China looks to deepen foreign trade and investment. Recent efforts include signing the upgrading protocol of the China-New Zealand FTA.
Seizing the opportunities provided by RCEP and BRI, local governments continue to unblock channels and improve transit transportation cooperation.
Yunnan has
- increased opening up to Laos
- accelerated the layout of industrial parks along the China–Laos railway
- promoted the construction of Zheshang Industrial Park in the Mohan–Boding Economic Cooperation Zone in Laos
- continued participation in the construction of the China–Laos Economic Corridor
Chen Tiejun 陈铁军 Yunnan Academy of Social Sciences researcher notes
- importance of transport infrastructure construction in Yunnan
- should focus on border development for developing port economies
- pace of development affected by attitudes of neighbouring countries
Meanwhile, Shandong has made proposals such as
- building a pilot zone for RCEP economic and trade cooperation
- establishing a small and medium-sized enterprise RCEP cooperation forum
- further advancing action plans for trade cooperation with Japan and South Korea
- jointly creating a ‘golden channel’ for international logistics
- encryption of air and sea flight routes
- normalising vehicle transportation between Weihai and Incheon, South Korea
- jointly creating a ‘golden channel’ for international logistics
Building on RCEP and BRI, Gansu intends to
- continue integrating with BRI
- speeding up construction of large transport channels and hubs
- promoting construction of Lanzhou national logistics hub
- speed up construction of ‘Air Silk Road’
- optimising international logistics distribution
- multimodal train from Lanzhou to Guangxi and on to ASEAN
- deepening foreign exchanges and cooperation
- increase and diversify trade fairs
Hu Chao 胡超 Guangxi University for Nationalities professor urges the transformation of trade channels to industrial trade. Hu suggests
- moving to formalised international trade
- developing border processing trade
- accelerating urbanisation of border areas
- to develop the port economy
- improve conditions for economic development
- utilising advantages of border pilot FTZs (free trade zones)
- Guangxi pilot FTZ in Chongzuo
- promoting reforms to optimise business developments
- Guangxi pilot FTZ in Chongzuo
- to develop the port economy