The 2024 RCEP Local Governments and Friendship Cities Cooperation (Huangshan) Forum was recently held in Huangshan City, Anhui Province, gathering experts and enterprises from RCEP member countries. The forum focused on the effects and prospects of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).
Key Highlights
Report Release: The "Report on Development of RCEP's Regional Cooperation 2024" was jointly released by the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation and the China Economic Information Service (CEIS). Yu Zirong, deputy director of the academy, provided insights into the report, which analyzed RCEP's implementation progress and proposed suggestions for high-quality regional cooperation.
Training and Implementation: Shen Xiaokai, deputy director of the Department of International Trade and Economic Affairs of the Ministry of Commerce (MOC), highlighted that the MOC has conducted 18 RCEP thematic training sessions with over 1.3 million participants. These sessions have enhanced enterprises' understanding and utilization of RCEP policies.
Trade Growth: In 2023, China’s import and export volume with other RCEP member countries reached 12.6 trillion yuan, up 5.3% from 2021. As of May 2024, cumulative preferential import value under RCEP totaled 200 billion yuan, with a tax concession of 5.1 billion yuan.
Anhui’s Contribution: Chen Li, chief auditor of Anhui Provincial Tax Service, stated that Anhui Province has significantly expanded its cooperation with RCEP countries. The total output value of RCEP member enterprises in Anhui has approximated 100 billion yuan, and Anhui’s investment in RCEP countries accounts for over 20% of its total outbound investment.
Project Signings
The forum also saw the signing of 10 projects in sectors such as automobiles, education, medicine, and new energy, reflecting the diverse and comprehensive nature of the cooperation fostered by the RCEP framework.