Report: China's Participation in Greater Mekong Subregion Cooperation
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Xinhua, December 17, 2011
V. Visions for Next Stage of Chinese Participation in GMS Cooperation
1. Transportation
China will further its cooperation with the other GMS members on road, water transportation, railway, and civil aviation. It will actively promote the construction of transportation passages and the related infrastructure in the GMS. It will speed up the renovation and improvement of the various domestic sections of the north-south passages as well as the related port facilities so as to form a road network covering all GMS countries as soon as possible. China will energetically engage in international shipping cooperation including that on the Lancang-Mekong River. It will promote the comprehensive and effective implementation of the CBTA as well as its annexes and protocols to realize convenient flow of personnel and goods among the six GMS members at an early date and boost the development of people-to-people exchange, trade and tourism in the subregion. It will speed up the construction of the domestic section of the Pan-Asia Railway, and meanwhile, take an active part in the international cooperation concerning this project to make joint efforts with the other GMS members for the project. On the basis of the Framework Agreement on China-ASEAN Aviation Cooperation, China will actively explore a framework for multilateral aviation cooperation. It will also work to strengthen cooperation in human resources development and capability building in the transportation field.
2. Power
In the new stage of dynamic development of power grid connectivity and power trade in the subregion, China will work with the other GMS countries to push forward the development and construction of power projects, to realize connectivity of the Chinese power grid with the power grids of the other GMS countries, and set up a GMS power trade coordination center, so as to further facilitate optimized allocation of GMS energy and resources, improve energy efficiency, and promote more efficient, low carbon, and sustainable use of energy. Such efforts will follow the strategic goals and tasks for energy cooperation defined in the Strategic Framework for the Next Ten Years of the GMS Program (2012-2022), and be based on full attention to ecological balance and environmental sustainability of the mainstream of the Mekong River. China will use its relative strength in power technology, capital and human resources as well as relatively rich experience in power planning, construction, operation and management to provide extensive support and services to the other GMS countries and make contribution to the power and economic development of GMS countries.
3. Information and Communications
China will actively facilitate the ICT development in the GMS, and continue to deepen its cooperation with the other GMS members in accordance with the agreed GMS Strategy for Information and Telecommunication Development. On the basis of the first stage of the GMS IS program, China will work with the other GMS members to carry out extensive cooperation in such fields as network operation and maintenance, pricing of the use of cross-border sections, and ICT application projects, and push forward the development of the GMS IS program. China will also conduct in-depth cooperation with the other GMS countries in such fields as rural communications development, deployment of broadband networks, new ICT cooperation, and ICT human resources development, so as to raise the overall development level of the information and communications sector in GMS countries.
4. Agriculture
China values and stands ready to deepen cooperation with the other GMS countries in such fields as food security, agricultural infrastructure, agricultural investment and trade, agricultural technological innovation, agricultural consultancy services, cross-border monitoring of animal and plant epidemics and diseases, protection of natural resources, and rural sustainable development, so as to promote the overall development of agriculture and the rural economy.
In the coming three years, China will work for the convening of the second GMS Meeting of Agricultural Ministers so that GMS countries can discuss the key areas and projects for future agricultural cooperation, reinforce international and inter-agency policy coordination, speed up the harmonization of inspection and quarantine standards for agricultural products, and further eliminate the barriers to agricultural investment and trade. It will cooperate closely with the other GMS countries to actively explore the development of an agricultural industrial belt with unique features along the economic corridor. China will encourage its major agricultural provinces to conduct agricultural cooperation with the other GMS countries, and bring into play the advantages of small- and medium-sized enterprises so as to expand the scope and lift the level of the cooperation.
Meanwhile, China will cooperate with the other GMS countries to set up cross-border monitoring stations and laboratories for the prevention and control of animal and plant epidemics and diseases, and experimental stations for high-quality crop varieties. It will step up the experiment and demonstration on high-yield crops, and raise the level of food security. It will promote the cooperation on the development and utilization of renewable energy in rural areas, encourage product and technological innovation, and push forward the implementation of a batch of key cooperation projects. China will continue to improve the agricultural information website, and bring into full play its role in facilitating agricultural trade and knowledge sharing.
In the coming three years, China will train another 300 agricultural professionals for the other GMS countries in China, and send 100 agricultural experts and technicians to these countries to provide field guidance.
5. Environment
Enhanced environmental cooperation is an important prerequisite for the protection of the ecological environment and the common development of GMS countries. As an active advocate and mover of GMS environmental cooperation, China will continue to pursue environmental cooperation and advance the protection of the GMS ecological environment. In light of different developmental stages of GMS countries, China will work with the other GMS members under the principle of "working together to protect Mother Earth through mutual help and coordination" to set a shining example of south-south cooperation on the environment and development. China will take an active part in the second stage of the CEP-BCI program, and seek to enrich the GMS framework for environmental cooperation. With the deepening of the GMS cooperation, China will, centering on the CEP-BCI program, carry out cooperation on ecological restoration and poverty relief, the protection of forest ecological system and biodiversity and implementation of international environmental conventions, and advance the organizational development and capability building of environmental administration agencies to promote the sustainable development of the Greater Mekong Subregion.
6. Human Resources Development
In multiple forms, at multiple levels, and through multiple channels, the Chinese government will, as always, use the existing platforms and channels to enhance cooperation and exchanges with the other GMS countries to boost human resources capability building. China will strengthen cooperation with the other GMS countries in the fields of women development and gender equality, and continue to provide training to women organizations and agencies on gender equality, women' s participation in economic and social development, and capability building for women leaders. It will continue to hold training courses at Guangxi International Youth Exchange College in China for young leaders from ASEAN countries, and train about 150 young leaders for the other five GMS countries every year. It will continue to cooperate with Thailand on the "Lancang/Mekong Youth Friendship Exchange" program. The Chinese government will hold high-level seminars to discuss experience and practices of gradually raising the level of social insurance actively and prudently pursuing coordinated urban-rural development and social and economic development, and explore the model of human resources capability building under the new circumstances. China will also further intensify exchanges and cooperation with law enforcement agencies of the other GMS countries at border ports, and improve the competence of the border inspection staff in foreign language proficiency, policy familiarity, law enforcement, and inspection and administration capabilities.
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