””””BEIJING, March 12 (Xinhuanet) -- China should encourage local governments
and non-governmental sectors to take an active part in the cooperation between
China and ASEAN, said a member of the 10th CPPCC National Committee here
Tuesday.
””””The Framework Agreement on China-ASEAN Comprehensive Economic Cooperation
signed in November last year promises luring prospectsfor the cooperation
between China and ASEAN countries, said Ang Keng-Lam, chairman of Kerry
Logistics Network Limited, who is attending the first session of the 10th
National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.
"Both sides should adopt positive measures to set the interaction in motion and
create a win-win situation."
””””The Framework Agreement on China-ASEAN Comprehensive Economic Cooperation
was signed on Nov. 4, 2002 by Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji and leaders of the
Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), agreeing to open a free-trade
zone by 2010.
””””Ang Keng-Lam, who is a member of the 10th National Committee of the Chinese
People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), China's top political
advisory body, said the central government should give a free rein to local
governments, allowing them to establish closer economic ties with ASEAN nations
so as to realize sub-regional free trade, such as a free trade zone among
China's Yunnan Province and Thailand, Myanmar and Laos, which may serve as a
model for comprehensive cooperation between China and ASEAN countries".
””””Such cooperation, he noted, can lead to no where without the active
participation of non-governmental sectors, adding that the central government
should attract more Chinese companies with a good credit rating and strong
financial resources into economic and trade cooperation projects with ASEAN by
offering more preferential policies in taxation, project approval, forex
controland entry-exit.
””””Agriculture is one of the areas where points of cooperation canbe easily
identified, Ang Keng-Lam said.
””””In addition, Ang Keng-Lam urged all the Chinese provinces in southwest
China to improve their infrastructure so as to facilitate the fast flow of
personnel, goods and funds in the initial stage of the free trade zone. Enditem
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