Asaf Hajiyev

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2018 Guangdong 21st Century Maritime Silk Road International Expo Theme Forum, Guangzhou, China, 25-26 October 2018

2018 Guangdong 21st Century Maritime Silk Road International Expo Theme Forum “Building a New Platform for Openness and Cooperation, Creating New Drivers of Shared Development” was held in Guangzhou on 25-26 October 2018 upon the initiative of the People’s Government of Guangzhou Municipality and the People’s Government of Guangdong Province.

The PABSEC delegation composed of Mr. Asaf Hajiyev, PABSEC Secretary General, Mr. David Saganelidze, PABSEC Special Representative to the Silk Road Project, Mr. Blagovest Sendov, PABSEC Special Representative in the International Organizations on Science and Education and Mrs. Natia Gaprindashvili, Secretary of PABSEC Legal and Political Affairs Committee participated in this gathering.

The Theme Forum on “Building a New Platform for Openness and Cooperation, Creating New Drivers of Shared Development” gathered the former state leaders and officials at ministerial-level from countries along the Maritime Silk Road Route, leaders from China Council for the Promotion of International Trade and from the People’s Government of Guangdong Province, Guangdong Province city leaders, decision-makers, representatives of business organizations and associations from countries and regions along the Maritime Silk Road Route, experts and scholars, representatives from domestic and foreign enterprises and industry associations, high representatives of international organizations.

The opening speeches by the local politicians stressed that Guangdong province is expected to participate in the Belt and Road Initiative with a more active attitude, and become innovative, widely open and further cooperative. The Forum focused on the ideas to create new patterns and construct new structures for international cooperation by introducing free trade zones, building new platforms for international cooperation, and accelerating the development of new types of business in trade mainly represented by cross-border e-commerce, As well as development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Initiative through more active use of Greater Bay Area opportunities and assistance to local enterprises to go global and to conduct comprehensive cooperation between the Greater Bay Area and the interested countries and regions.

The Forum also consisted of four sub-forums where the participants discussed the topics on the construction of Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, the joint development of Belt and Road industrial parks, the cooperation of green industry as well as culture and finance. The Forum also promoted the establishment of a new international and regional economic cooperation platform featuring openness, innovation, inclusiveness and sustainable development, which is jointly built by Guangdong and countries along the Maritime Silk Road.

In his speech at the plenary session Mr. Saganelidze introduced information about the Parliamentary Assembly of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation, its goals and objectives and underlined the role of the potential role of the PABSEC and each PABSEC member country in the development of the Belt and Road Initiative. He expressed the desire to extend the BSEC cooperation towards the east through more active involvement in global infrastructure projects with the aim to widen socio-economic benefits.

The PABSEC delegation attended the Guangdong 21st Century Maritime Silk Road International Expo (MSREXPO) in the city of Dongguan. This EXPO is a major economic and trade platform in Guangdong to implement the Belt and Road Initiative. 1.732 exhibitors, including 1.221 overseas enterprises and organizations from 57 countries and regions took part in this EXPO.

The PABSEC delegation met with the Guangzhou Municipal Government Officials, representatives of the Guangdong Provincial Government, Secretary General of the Silk Road Chamber of International Commerce. The delegation also visited the office of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) and listened to the presentation of the major investment project initiated by the Guangdong Yinrui Investment Management Group which aims to promote entrance of international SMEs to the China’s market.