1. On October 25, the Foreign Ministry (Consulate General in Shenyang), together with the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the governments of the three northeast provinces of China, -- Jilin, Liaoning and Heilongjiang -- held the 2nd forum on economic cooperation between the ROK and the three Chinese provinces.

° The Chinese delegation to the forum consisted of some 100 people from the three provinces, including Deputy Governor of Jilin province Wang Huawen, while the ROK delegation included 120 entrepreneurs and regional government officials.

° The three Chinese provinces have been witnessing a rapid growth under various plans of the Chinese government, including the “Revitalize Northeast Area” plan set in 2003. Many Korean companies are expanding their presence in these provinces, especially Liaoning, while investments in the ROK by companies in these Chinese provinces are also on a rise.

2. At the opening ceremony of the forum, the First Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs delivered congratulatory remarks. The event also featured presentations by the two sides on their respective investment environments; the adoption of the forum’s final document by the delegates from the ROK Consulate General in Shenyang and the three Chinese provinces; networking between the entrepreneurs of the two countries; and a luncheon hosted by the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

° The two sides agreed to hold the forum on a regular basis and the next one in Liaoning in 2014. They adopted the forum’s final document between the delegates from the ROK Consulate General in Shenyang and the three Chinese provinces in a bid to upgrade the forum into a more substantial and substantive mechanism.

° Some 220 entrepreneurs from the ROK and the Chinese provinces took part in the business networking to seek opportunities for cooperation. As a side event, an exhibition took place to showcase the exemplary cases of corporate social responsibility (CSR).

3. The forum was first held in Jilin province, China, in 2012 as one of the commemorative events for the 20th anniversary of the ROK-China diplomatic relations. The second of its kind took place in Seoul and the third will take place in Liaoning in 2014 pursuant to the second forum’s final document to host it on a rotational basis. 


                        Spokesperson and Deputy Minister for Public Relations of MOFA

* unofficial translation