On the afternoon of June 28th, the 2nd China (Guangdong) - ASEAN Strategic Cooperation Forum was held in the International Conference Hall of North Campus under the theme "Thailand's Business Environment and Guangdong's investment to Thailand".
The participants from Thailand include Tila Kun, Vice Foreign Minister of Thailand, Siliyapan, director of East Asia Department of the Foreign Ministry, Lin Peisen, Thai Consul general in Guangzhou, Aaron Wing, section chief of the 3rd section of East Asia Department of the Foreign Ministry, Somsak, deputy secretary general of Board of Investment, Sunamtha, section chief of Asia-pacific Affairs Office of Trade Negotiation Department of Commerce Department,Gedinan, representative of Chinese General Chamber of Commerce in Thailand, Vaisala Punta, director general of International Cooperation Bureau of the Ministry of Education. The Chinese participants include Fu Lang, director of Foreign Affairs Office of Guangdong Provincial Government, Pan Jianyong, vice minister of the United Front Work and Communication Department of the Committee of Communist Youth League in Guangdong, Liu Liping, chief economic manager of Housing and Urban and Rural Development of Guangdong Province, Su Caifang, deputy director of Foreign Affairs Office of Guangdong Provincial Government, Sui Guangjun, the Party secretary of Guangdong University of Foreign Studies, Fang Fanquan and Gu Yeli, the vice presidents of GDUFS. The forum was hosted by Gu Yeli.
Sui Guangjun extended appreciation to the participants on behalf of Guangdong Research Institute for International Strategies and the effort that officials of Thailand and Foreign Affairs Office of Guangdong Provincial Government made for this forum. He introduced GDUFS as a distinctively international university and the center for cultivating foreign language talents in South China. The Guangdong Research Institute for International Strategies which studies economics is located here. Since the first ASEAN forum held last June, the two sides have been exploring a road to development and promoting friendly relations and cooperation. He believed that the economic momentum of both sides would inevitably promote the win-win cooperation, and make the cooperation step on to a new stage.
Fu Lang addressed that this forum would focus on the discussion of exchanges and cooperation of investment projects for the establishment of a new communication platform and further promotion to the bilateral economic development. He stated the close relation of the two countries and the good foundation for cooperation between Thailand and Guangdong which was a pioneer for reform and opening-up. He said the two sides connected frequently and had a promising future to cooperate.
Tila Kun extended thanks and introduced the business environment of Thailand. He talked about the connection of Thailand and Guangdong in three aspects: 1. Close language and culture. 2. 80% of overseas Chinese in Thailand is from Guangdong. 3. Guangdong has been the gate for Thailand to enter China since ancient time. He said," The environment of Guangdong attracts many foreign investments. We have realized the cooperation potential and thank for the contributions that GDUFS has made to promote bilateral development. GDUFS has sent many young talents studying Thai, who will be responsible for the bilateral trade." He also mentioned three reasons to choose Thailand: 1. Thailand is friendly and makes the partners feel at home. 2. Thailand is equipped with infrastructure and has a large resource of human labor. 3. The living environment is good. He stressed the significance of the cooperation. It is necessary to strengthen the communications between the young people to promote the development.
Sunamtha made a speech titled "the Trade relations and Investment Opportunities of Guangdong and Thailand". She introduced Thailand from the potential of being a ASEAN strategic country, the mechanism of enhancing development and the strategic development of Thailand. She noted the continuous trade growth of China and Thailand, especially in the import and export trade. Recently, Thailand has been in the trade deficit to China, of which the import from Guangdong is in the highest proportion. Besides, the two countries are similar in the economic pattern, such as the economic, environmental and human resource policies of "the 12th Five-Year Plan". China and ASEAN are gradually achieving the goal of free trade and zero of duty for normal goods. The two sides could try to make more cooperation in financial, service and farm processing industries.
Li Tieli, the director of School of International Trade and Economics, made a speech titled "the Features and Trend of Guangdong's Investment Abroad". He said that the multinational companies of the developing countries were growing rapidly, most of which were from China, Brazil and India. The developing countries are relatively poor, but have a already very high degree of industrialization. They are accelerating the speed of investment abroad because of globalization. Compared with the measures of South Korea to reduce production costs, most of the Chinese investments abroad are service industry of market and natural resources. Guangdong's investments abroad and the foreign investments in Guangdong are disproportionate. The investments abroad are dependent to the world while China is the host country. But the export relies on processing industry and the foreign investment enterprises. All these impact on the investment pattern of Guangdong and result in the insufficient ability of Guangdong firms to invest abroad. The "12th Five-Year Plan" of Guangdong indicated the increase of the investments abroad. In the good condition of the global capital market, the investment of Guangdong will be possible to spread to low-cost countries in the future.
Wen Chao, deputy director of Foreign Economic Department of Guangdong Agricultural Reclamation Group, shared the practice and experience of the company in the investment to Thailand. He said the working environment was superior, the legal system and infrastructure were perfect. Thailand supports the Chinese enterprises. The two countries are similar in climate, language and culture. He hoped Guangdong to increase investment to Thailand.
Gu Yeli made the conclusion that the meeting enhanced the understanding of the participants to the investment environment of Thailand. He believed the development would have a promising future. He hoped the two sides would continue to communicate and improve the investment environment for the enterprises to achieve more benefits.
Finally, Fang Fanquan accompanied the Thai guests to visit the campus and the cultural exchange room of China and Thailand of Faculty of Asian Languages and Cultures. They also appreciated the ethnic song and dance show by Thai students of GDUFS.
