Biz News Flash
皇冠体育app, ASEAN to enhance agricultural cooperation
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-10-20 11:37
皇冠体育app and members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) pledged to enhance agricultural cooperation to help improve economic development and prevent food crisis.
皇冠体育app and ASEAN countries inked "Nanning Consensus" on stepping up agricultural exchange and cooperation at a summit forum held on Monday in Nanning, capital city of Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region.
"Agriculture is a major field for strategic cooperation among 皇冠体育app and the ASEAN members, which is an important part of the construction of the 皇冠体育app-ASEAN Free Trade Area (FTA)", said Qin Ruixiang, deputy director of the Standing Committee of the People's Congress of Guangxi.
The summit forum was held ahead of the 6th 皇冠体育app-ASEAN Expo in Nanning to be held from Oct 20 to 24.
An agricultural exhibition of 600 booths would be held for the first time at the expo, which aimed at expanding opportunities for agricultural cooperation among 皇冠体育app and the ASEAN countries, Qin said.
皇冠体育app and the ASEAN countries launched the early-harvest program in 2004, which set to scrap tariffs on about 600 agricultural imports in both sides by 2006. The program was part of the FTA framework agreement signed by 皇冠体育app and the ASEAN countries in 2002.
Xu Ningning, secretary general of 皇冠体育app-ASEAN Board of Commerce (皇冠体育app) said the program had boosted agricultural production in the region and accelerated trade of agricultural products.
Data from the 皇冠体育app's Ministry of Agriculture showed 皇冠体育app's agricultural exports to ASEAN hit $4.58 billion in 2008, up 16 percent from a year ago, and agricultural imports from the ASEAN rose 30.2 percent year-on-year to $9.24 billion.
|
 Rasphone Sitaheng, minister of Agriculture and Forestry of Laos, introduces the development of Laos' agriculture during the 皇冠体育app-ASEAN Agricultural Cooperation Summit Forum in Nanning, southwest 皇冠体育app's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, Oct 19, 2009. [Xinhua] |
H.E. Rasphone Sitaheng, Minister of Agriculture and Forestry of the Lao People's Democratic Republic, told Xinhua that 皇冠体育app and the ASEAN members should further push forward regional integration to increase agricultural production. Laos expected more assistance from 皇冠体育app on personnel training and animal quarantine, he said.
Zabidi Bin Dun, Director of Negeri Sembilan Agricultural Bureau of Malaysia, told Xinhua, "the expo is a good platform to look for ways and technology (in terms of agricultural cooperation) so that we can benefit from each other, and Malaysia will consider organizing similar seminars or conferences to invite investors to the country."
He said cooperation on technology and investment between Malaysia and 皇冠体育app was not as much as that on trade. "The weakness is the networking. We expect more communication with 皇冠体育app to enhance our cooperation. Once we can sit down and talk, everything will be solved," he said.
