The International Forum on Free Trade Zones
Development 2019 was held in Haikou, Hainan Province
on May 21. More than 1,000 representatives from
Chinese government institutions, the world-renowned
free trade zones, international organizations,
diplomatic corps to China, companies at home and
abroad and research institutions were in attendance
Gao Yan, Chairperson of CCPIT, Kevin Michael Rudd,
Former Australian Prime Minister, Tan Kok Wai,
Special Envoy of Malaysia to China, also the
Chairman of Malaysia-China Business Council, Shen
Xiaoming, Governor of Hainan Province delivered
speeches during the opening ceremony. CCPIT Vice
Chairman Zhang Shenfeng hosted the opening ceremony.
Huang Qifan, Permanent Vice Chairman of China Center
for International Economic Exchanges and
Vice-Chairman of the Financial and Economic Affairs
Committee of the 12th National People's Congress,
James Zhan, Director of UNCTAD's Investment and
Enterprise Division, Xu Hongcai, Deputy Director of
Economic Policy Committee of China Association of
Policy Science, Greg Gilligan, Vice President of
America Chamber of Commerce in China, Dr. Mohan
Guruswamy, Chief Knowledge Officer of World Free
Zones Organization attended the forum.
Themed at "Enhance the level of Openness:
Internationalization and Facilitation", they
delivered speeches on the issues like setting up
higher international rules for economic and trade,
expanding market access for foreign investment,
accelerating customs clearance and facilitation
reform, promoting free and convenient flow of funds
and building a multimodal transport system.
Chi Fulin, a member of the 11th and 12th National
Committee of CPPCC, whose is also the President of
China Institute for Reform and Development (CIRD),
Former Vice Chairman of CCPIT Zhang Wei, who is also
the Special Researcher of SEEC Research Institute,
Chen Yanfeng, Deputy-Director of Management
Committee of China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone
and George Lau, Vice President of the European Union
Chamber of Commerce in China were in attendance.
With theme "Better Business Environment: Fairness
and Rule of Law", they discussed the topics
including deepening the reform of "streamline
administration, delegate powers, and improve
regulation and services", strengthening the
protection of intellectual property, safeguarding
fair competition, perfecting the guarantee of
enterprise's rule of law and improving the
predictability of policy.
The participants also discussed the topics including
new opportunities for free trade zones cooperative
and open development, promoting the free trade zones
with financial innovation and differential
development of free trade zones.
On the behalf of industrial and business community
at home and aboard, Yu Jianlong, Secretary-General
of CCOIC issued the
Haikou Initiatives on Boosting Free Trade Zones
Development. The Initiative is conducive to
promoting the development of free trade zones,
supporting trade liberalization and facilitation,
expanding mutual investment, strengthening
industrial cooperation, expanding areas of
cooperation, optimizing business environment, and
strengthening exchanges and mutual learning.
Md.William Wu from
TOKO Technology(Wuxi) Co.,Ltd, as a local
enterprises representative alos participated this
forum, and with other participants together visited
the Free Trade Zone in Haikou after the forum.
The forum was hosted by CCPIT and the People's
Government of Hainan Province. There are Free Trade
Zones Promotion and Enterprise Exchanges Meeting and
business trip on May 22.