Chinese Delegation Briefed the 10th Ministerial Meeting
of the ASEAN-Mekong Basin Development Cooperation (AMBDC)
on the Latest Development of China's Involvement under the AMBDC Framework
On the 10th Ministerial Meeting of the ASEAN-Mekong Basin Development Cooperation (AMBDC) hold in Singapore on 29th August 2008, Chinese delegation briefed the meeting on the latest development of China's involvement under the AMBDC framework.
First, China has actively promoted construction of the SKRL (Singapore-Kunming Rail Link) project. China has pledged 20 million RMB for the engineering feasibility study of the missing link Bat Deng-Loc Ninh on the eastern route of SKRL. General consensus on implementation has been reached and the project feasibility study will be carried out as scheduled. The eastern and western routes of the SKRL project have been incorporated in China's Mid- and Long-Term Railway Network Plan, among which construction of Yuxi-Mengzi section on the eastern route and Dali-Ruili section on the western route has already under way while the preparation of Kunming-Mohan section on the middle route has been facilitated. China has established domestic SKRL Working Group / Secretariat in 2006, which consists of several ministries and provincial governments. Up to now, two meetings have been convened by the Working Group and the 3rd meeting is going to be held in recent days. China is ready to exchange views on the financing of SKRL and willing to provide technical assistance, management and equipments to ensure early completion of the SKRL Project.
Second, efforts have been made to strengthen energy and power cooperation. China has made significant progress in regional power grid interconnection and power transmission and wholesale. China Southern Power Grid is transmitting electricity to 8 provinces in northern Viet Nam through three 220kv power lines and four 110kv power lines. By the end of May 2008, China had provided 5.463 gigawatt hours of electricity in total, the turnover of which reached 243 million USD. It is estimated that the total power transmission will exceed 3 terawatt hours. China has accomplished the TA projects of power planning for Myanma and Laos. China Southern Power Grid has already submitted report of construction plan to Myanmar and Laos. In addition, the feasibility study of 500kv power line connecting China with Viet Nam is moving forward smoothly. China will continue to take the lead in building the Regional Power information Database, establishing the Electricity cooperation websites and completing the sub-regional power plan.
Third, China has strengthened HRD cooperation. Over the next three years, China will double the number of sponsored training officials from GMS countries to 1000. Further more, this year the Chinese government will offer the government scholarship to additional 200 GMS students so that they can get education from colleges and universities in Yunnan, Guizhou Provinces and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Regions. At the end of July, China-ASEAN Communication Week of Education was held at Guizhou successfully. People from Chinese and ASEAN education circle exchanged views on issues of common interest relating to the human resource development through University Presidents Forum, Round-table Forum and Exhibitions.
Fourth, high attention has been put to health cooperation. Taking the cross-border contagious disease prevention and control as the priority, China will hold the Second GMS Public Health Forum in 2009. China would like to enlarge the scope of cooperation and work together with more ASEAN countries besides Laos, Myanmar and Viet Nam.
Fifth, China has been actively promoting rural development. China plans to undertake the construction of 1500 rural household biogas-generating pits for the ASEAN neighbors. The Chinese government will share the expertise of rural communication with member countries by building the demonstration project, the China-Laos Rural Telecom Network. China would like to work with ASEAN countries to promote rural area development so that the rural residents could enjoy the achievements of sub-regional cooperation and shake off poverty and attain prosperity as soon as possible.
Sixth, Yunnan Province and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region have been directly involved in the AMBDC cooperation. With the support of the central government, Yunnan Province and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region have made positive progress in promoting regional cooperation. For Yunnan province, it has established a number of mechanisms of bilateral cooperation, including Yunnan-Northern Thailand Working Team, the Economic Consultative Conference between the Five Cities of Yunnan Province and Vietnam, Yunnan-Northern Laos Working Team, and Yunnan-Myanmar Cooperation Business Forum. In addition, Yunan has signed agreements with Laos, Myanmar and Cambodia respectively on establishing agricultural technology model parks. For Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, it has established its inter-departmental coordination mechanism for the cooperation and formulated relevant strategic framework and action plan. As for the agriculture sector, it has signed agreement with Quang Ninh Province of Vietnam on Agricultural Technology Demonstration Park. Four strategic projects have been promoted such as tourism, training and cultural protection. And also, Guangxi holds Guangxi-ASEAN High-level Tourism Forum and exhibition every year. The Chinese government promotes development and opening up of Guangxi Beibu Gulf Economic Zone to bring into play its active role in promoting regional cooperation.
(provided by Division of Regional Policies & Regional Cooperation, Department of Regional Economy)