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Beijing initiated the establishment of round-table conference mechanism for chairmen of capital chambers of commerce of "16 + 1" China-Central and Eastern European countries

2017-9-22 9:56:18

On September 15 local time, as a supporting activity for the Forum for Mayors of Capitals of “16+1” China-Central and Eastern European Countries, the First Round-table Conference for Chairmen of Capital Chambers of Commerce of "16 + 1", co-hosted by China Council for the Promotion of International Trade Beijing Sub-council (CCPIT Beijing Sub-council)/Beijing Chamber of International Commerce, was held in Podgorica, the capital of Montenegro. In the forum, the establishment of round-table conference mechanism was highly affirmed by Duško Marković, prime minister of the Republic of Montenegro, Slavoljub Stijepović, mayor of Podgorica, Chen Jining, Acting Mayor of Beijing, and Huo Yuzhen, representative of the Foreign Ministry of China for Central and Eastern European affairs. Milutin Simovic, vice prime minister of the Republic of Montenegro, and Cui Zhiwei, Chinese Ambassador to the Republic of Montenegro attended the conference and delivered speeches. At the conference, principals of 12 chambers of commerce from 11 countries, consisting of CCPIT Beijing Sub-council /Beijing Chamber of International Commerce, Albania Tirana Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Bosnia and Herzegovina Sarajevo Chamber of Economy and Commerce, Bulgaria Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Croatia Zagreb Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Hungary Budapest Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Latvia Riga Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Macedonia Chamber of Commerce, Macedonia Chamber of Information and Communication Technology Commerce, Montenegro Chamber of Economy and Commerce, Romania Bucharest Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and Serbia Belgrade Chamber of Commerce and Industry, co-signed “Initiative on the Establishment of Round-table Conference Mechanism for Chairmen of Capital Chambers of Commerce of "16 + 1"  (hereinafter referred to as “the Initiative").

Lin Bin, deputy director of CCPIT Beijing Sub-council and vice-chairman of Beijing Chamber of International Commerce, both of which promoted the mechanism, expounded on the Initiative, indicating that, compared with chambers of commerce of common cities, those of the capitals of “16+1” countries possess high status, abundant resources, strong strength and great influence, all of which are natural advantages and long-term accumulations generated by the positioning of “capitals”, and  enjoy more capacity and advantages in propelling industrial and commercial circles of those countries to get more extensively and profoundly involved in the construction of the “Belt and Road”. Therefore, the establishment of a normalized cooperation mechanism for "16 +1" capital chambers of commerce is a forceful measure to give full play to the advantages of the capitals, and to gather the strengths of the capitals and lead the Central and Eastern European countries to pragmatically join in the construction of the “Belt and Road”. "16 +1" capital chambers of commerce should seize the opportunity to vigorously integrate the "16 +1" mechanism with the “Belt and Road”, to widely unite capital industrial and commercial circles and boost trade and investment ,to jointly implement bilateral policies and measures, undertake specific construction projects, carry out reciprocal economic and trade cooperation, drive industrial and commercial enterprises of the entire China and Central and Eastern European countries to take a more active part in the "16 +1" mechanism and the “Belt and Road” strategy, and boost continuous and rapid development of bilateral trade and investment and bring the  industrial and commercial cooperation between China and Central and Eastern European countries to a new stage.

The general provisions of the Initiative emphasize that the round-table conference mechanism for chairmen of capital chambers of commerce of "16 + 1", a non-profit mechanism, voluntarily joined in by capital chambers of commerce and business associations and trade and investment promotion organizations of "16 + 1" is an indispensable part of the forum for mayors of capitals of "16 + 1" China-Central and Eastern European countries. The basic principle of mechanism construction is wide consultation, joint construction and shared benefits, and the main purpose is to further implement the economic and trade cooperation mechanism which integrates the "16 + 1" with the "Belt and Road" and to accelerate mutually beneficial cooperation between capital industrial and commercial circles of Beijing and the capitals of 16 Central and Eastern European countries. The specific provisions of the Initiative, which stipulate rules for conference preparation, the daily operation mechanism, and obligations of its members, explicitly formulate that both the round-table conference for chairmen of capital chambers of commerce of "16 + 1" China-Central and Eastern European countries and the forum for mayors of capitals of "16 + 1" will be held at the same period and at the same place.

The round-table conference mechanism initiated by Beijing was highly appreciated by the principals of chambers of commerce and business associations who attended the conference, and also expressed their willingness to make full use of the normalized cooperation mechanism, actively fulfill their obligations and exert their efforts to accelerate mutually beneficial cooperation between membership enterprises and Beijing.