On July 23, the 2024 ASEAN-China (Qingdao) Event of Economic and Trade Cooperation and People-to-People Exchanges is held in Qingdao. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

On July 23, the 2024 ASEAN-China (Qingdao) Event of Economic and Trade Cooperation and People-to-People Exchanges was held in Qingdao with the tagline "New Quality, New Journey, Moving Forward Together."

Deng Yunfeng, vice-governor of Shandong province, Shi Zhongjun, secretary-general of the ASEAN-China Centre, Zhao Haozhi, mayor of Qingdao, and Cho Thiri Maung, central executive committee member of the UMFCCI (the Republic of the Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry) attended the opening ceremony and delivered speeches.

The event attracted more than 200 guests from China, ASEAN countries, and relevant international organizations, focusing on three main aspects: promoting economic and trade cooperation, cultural exchange activities, and visits to key projects in Qingdao, facilitating in-depth discussions and exchanges.

"The Southeast Asian countries eagerly anticipate collaboration and exchanges with Qingdao. Through mutual recommendations, we aim to enhance mutual understanding, explore new cooperation opportunities, and strengthen cultural ties," said Shi.

Andrei Angouw, mayor of Manado, a city in Indonesia, stated that he hopes to increase cooperation in trade, tourism, and education between Qingdao and Manado. He also expressed hope that more Qingdao companies will invest in Manado.

"I would like to encourage more investment in the agriculture processing industry. This will help Laos increase exports to Shandong province in the agriculture sector and increase the value of its agricultural products," said Khouanchay Lemsouthi, commercial and economic counsellor of the Embassy of the Lao People's Democratic Republic to China.

In recent years, ASEAN has become Qingdao's largest trading partner and an important destination for foreign investment. In 2023, trade between Qingdao and ASEAN countries reached nearly 170 billion yuan ($23.58 billion), a year-on-year increase of 10.2 percent. There were 1,340 bilateral investment projects with investment exceeding $13.5 billion. Qingdao has also established sister-city relationships with seven ASEAN cities.

During the promotion session for economic and trade cooperation, delegates from countries such as Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, and Thailand conducted special promotions, expressing their desire to deepen exchanges and create a win-win future with China and Shandong.