On the afternoon of September 12, the opening ceremony of the the Seminar on Upgraded Green Trade Under China-ASEAN FTA, sponsored by the Ministry of Commerce and organized by our university's MOFCOM Training Base for International Business Officials (Shanghai), was successfully convened. Chen Wei, Secretary of the Directly-affiliated Party Branch of the College of International Education, Shanghai Business School, and Professor Sun Bo from Shanghai University of Electric Power attended and addressed the ceremony.
Against the backdrop of profound global changes and a sluggish economic recovery, China and ASEAN have set a strong example for regional cooperation through the upgrade of their free trade area. Since the China-ASEAN Free Trade Agreement was signed in 2002, the two sides have worked to make it fit for the times and future needs while strengthening its ability to respond to global challenges. In October 2024, the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area Version 3.0 negotiations were substantially concluded, adding nine new areas including the digital economy, green economy, and supply chain connectivity. Breakthroughs were also achieved in institutional openness, such as mutual recognition of standards and technical regulations and inclusive mechanisms for micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises, injecting new momentum into regional economic integration.
Chen Wei stated that against the increasingly severe backdrop of global climate change and environmental issues, green trade has emerged as a new trend and a key component in the field of international trade. In the realm of the green economy, Version 3.0 incorporates the “Global Development Initiative” into its cooperation framework. Addressing issues present in Version 2.0, it establishes eight priority cooperation directions, including green trade, investment, and standards, promoting deepened policy coordination and industrial alignment between the two sides in areas such as sustainable energy, new energy vehicle power batteries, and carbon markets. The convening of this seminar not only signifies an important deepening of bilateral economic and trade cooperation but also represents a proactive response to the global concept of green and sustainable development.
Sun Bo expressed that the world is undergoing a critical transformation towards green transition currently, and green trade has become an essential pathway for sustainable development. This is particularly true for the resource-rich and economically dynamic ASEAN region, where it serves as a crucial strategic choice for promoting industrial upgrading and cultivating new growth points. New energy, as a core area of green trade, holds immense development potential. This seminar will focus on cutting-edge technologies, market opportunities, and China’s practices, committed to providing knowledge empowerment, promoting regional connections, and fostering practical co-creation. He looked forward to contributing wisdom and strength through collective learning and exchange towards building a more resilient and prosperous regional green future.
The trainee representative Mr. SOPHEAK CHHIM, Deputy Director of the Private Sector Development Department at the Ministry of Commerce of Cambodia, stated that this seminar focusing on the green trade upgrade under the China-ASEAN FTA is both timely and profoundly significant. Promoting green trade and sustainable development is not only about current economic cooperation but also a shared responsibility of all countries towards the future. He looked forward to gaining a deeper understanding of the new FTA rules, learning about green innovation solutions, and fully exchanging experiences and building consensus with counterparts from various countries, thereby contributing to the construction of a more inclusive and sustainable China-ASEAN economic and trade future.
The seminar lasts for 14 days, with 35 participants from five countries: Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, and Thailand. The seminar arranges a study tour to Xiamen City, Fujian Province for the participants.
Written by: Zhang Xinyue
Photographed by: Yang Yuqi
Reviewed by: Chen Wei
