3月4日,2023第二届中泰(长沙)经贸合作论坛开幕式举办。本届论坛设置有主题演讲、实地考察、项目签约、交流互动等环节,泰国前副总理、泰中文化经济协会会长颇钦·蓬拉军,泰国国务院总理秘书长宋迈·英飒阿德,泰国泰中东盟经贸促进会主席萧国刚带队赴长沙参加活动。
中泰互为重要经贸合作伙伴,中国连续多年是泰国最大贸易伙伴、农产品最大出口市场和主要外资来源国。在中泰两国关系良好发展的大背景下,湖南与泰国两地友好往来不断深化、民间交流持续扩大、经贸合作成果丰硕。
在开幕式上,中泰双方进行了现场签约,包括晚安家居集团、湖南梦洁新材料科技有限公司签订入驻泰国泰中东盟产业经贸园;东南亚房地产协会与湖南建博海外供应链管理有限公司签订泰国旅游地产项目长沙咨询中心战略合作项目;湖南海外旅游有限公司与泰国正好旅运集团签订两国游客互送战略合作项目;缅甸锡矿矿场与湖南省中南锑钨工业贸易有限公司签订矿产投资贸易项目;泰尊享进出口有限公司与湖南大诚寰球健康医药科技有限公司签订中泰中药材产业合作项目。
同时也在举行中泰国际旅游合作论坛、中泰矿业投资贸易论坛、中泰中药材产业合作论坛、中泰酒店用品采购对接会等多个分论坛,来自泰国及湖南省的企业代表聚焦行业热点、结合发展趋势发表了精彩的演讲。
泰国前副总理颇钦.蓬拉军现场泰文演讲:
作为知名侨界领袖,澳中企业家俱乐部主席袁祖文太平绅士早在2021年1月13日接受采访澎拜社BLOOMBERG英文专访的时候,就已经谈到这一区域性合作组织的发展机会及对全球贸易的影响。
他对当今国际经济形势和跨国合作有着很深刻的了解,对于这次中泰合作,他也有自己的心得体会。
以下为袁祖文主席的英文演讲全文:
上下拉动翻看这个书签
RCEP Opprotunities and challenges- An Australian Prospective
Dear His Excellency DR.Sommai Eiamsaaro,Secretary to the prime minister,Secretariat of The State Council of Thailand;Mr. Bhokin Bhalakula, former deputy Prime Minister of Thailand; the prominent business delegation from Thailand; Mr. Meng Jianjun, Deputy Head of the Mass Organizations Work Department of Xiangjiang New Area, Hunan Province, Madam. Deng Wei, Chairman of the Overseas Chinese Federation of Xiangjiang New Area, Ladies and Gentlement,
My name is Richard YUAN, chairman of Australia China Enterprenuers Club. I am both very honored to speak at the 2nd China Thailand (Changsha) Economic & Trade Cooperation Forum, where people from RCEP countries can gather together to embrace this significant occasion.
China has been enjoying a close tie and fantastic trading records with the ASEAN countries, where we in Australia, wished to have participated more in trading with both China and the ASEAN countries. The RCEP that was finally formed in later 2020 has remedied and addressed that issue properly.  
The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (shortened as RCEP) is a free trade agreement between 15 Asia-Pacific countries, including ALL ASEAN countries, China, Japan, Korea in Northeast Asia, plus New Zealand and Australia in Oceania. RCEP is expected to bring tremendous opportunities to these countries, and please allow me to elaborate specifically in three of the most related countries today, namely, China, where this conference is now being held; Australia, where I came all the way, and Thailand, where this is most relevant as I know from the VIP guest lists today, so many VIP guests from Thailand have been able to participate today at this conference.
China’s first and 2nd tier cities have always been the first to catch the attention of both traders and investors from around the world. This is particularly true in the instance of China in the past 45 years since China’s opening to the outside world in 1978. Now China’s economic opportunities extend further to more inner cities, where the doors were opened slowly, but surely, as part of China’s growth strategy, from the mega, coastal, super cities to the less privileged inland cities of China.
In 1978, Changsha has a merely Gross Domestic Growth of US$240 million only, compared to US$200 billion dollars (nearly 1000 times more) in 2022; while the whole of Hunan Province had a GDP of US$2.1 billion dollar only in 1978, compared to a US$18 trillion in 2021 (also 1000 times,remember, that is in the Covid19 period)  Changsha, the capital city of Hunan Province, is now a favorite of such unprecedented grown and economic powerhouse of Central China, where its huge economic growth potential has been slowly unleashed…and that’s why it is now a perfect venue for our forum today.
I still remember, back in September 2019, Australian exporters were able to come and gather here in Changsha to attend what I called” Australian Week in Hunan” and they were amazed and very keen to look into the opportunity in one of China’s fastest growing area in the middle of China.  However, due to the outbreak of Covid19, this has been put on a “pause” button. But this September, we would be intending to launch a “Hunan Int’l Business Week” around 15-22nd of September, 2023 and some business delegations from Canada, the US, New Zealand and Australia have expressed their intention to participate that week long business gatherings that includes trade shows, international conference and factories and business visits.  I hope to be able to welcome you here.
On another note, China is probably one of the very few cities that regularly release and review its five year plan as part of its growing strategies since its founding. We in Australia do not have that privilege as Australian election cycles in its government simply would not fit in properly and a 5 year plan would be beyond any term of any levels of Australian government. Therefore, China’s unmatched growth in the past 4 decades have been the envy of Australian entrepreuers and business owners.
Opportunities:
Now, I would like to share what I believe to be the current opportunities that we need to embrace:
China:
Although China has many 1 to 1 economic partnership agreement in the past, the RCEP will provide Chinese companies with much greater access to markets in other RCEP countries, in addition to the ASEAN countries where the economic growth has been extremely healthy in the past couple of decades. This is beneficial to China as it can help boost exports and investment. In addition, it will help China to diversify its markets and reduce its over dependence on trade with the United States and Europe. Such efforts are also evident in Africa, where the Bi-Annual China Africa Forum were focused on China’s effort to trade and invest with the 54 countries continent. Changsha is also the lucky city to host such events and it is now a permanent host city for this great event. The agreement will also help reduce trade barriers and promote economic integration in the Asia-Pacific region.
Australia:
China and Australia has signed a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) on November 17, 2014, where I personally have witnessed that important occasion, when China’s President Xi Jinping visited Australia and delivered an important speech in the Parliament House in Canberra. The FTA has benefited many Australian companies, including mine, to export Australian goods and services to China’s mainland. Chinese consumers were able to enjoy super quality level exports like quality wines, milk powders, and even baby infant formula etc since, and China and Australia have enjoyed such a cozy relationship prior and post the signing of the FTA. It was not until August 23, 2018, when Australia banned Huawei, that the relationship deteriorated suddenly and substantially and both trade and investment were hit and people of both countries have suffered phenomenally.   The timely signing of RCEP in 2020, virtually replaced the above FTA and it will now provide Australian businesses with greater access to markets in Asia, particularly Korea, China and Japan. The agreement will also help reduce tariffs on Australian exports, making them more competitive in these markets. Australian firms will also have better access to investment opportunities in other RCEP countries.
Thailand:
As a major exporter in Southeast Asia, Thailand is expected to benefit from increased trade with other RCEP countries, and hopefully more with China, particularly more with my home province. The agreement will help to reduce tariffs on Thai exports, making them more competitive in these markets. It will also provide Thai businesses with greater access to investment opportunities in other RCEP countries.
Challenges
There are, unfortunately breakdowns of communications between China and the West, as whatever the Chinese promote can hardly be heard in the West, while the West, including Australia, where I came from, speaks its own language and form our own narratives. There are definitely no easy remedy for such barriers, but hopefully, with more international forums like this, we can help bridge the difference and break the barrier, by trying to communicate at all levels, from grossroots and top level leadership, I would call on all of you to make the initial move and take the initiative to spread the goodwill message around.
Hunan Provincial Perspective:
Digital economy would be the next power engine of China, and it is also the national strategy of China; Changsha, the capital city of Hunan Province, boosts the super computer calculation centre. Hunan can take advantage of such computer superiority, combined with artificial intelligency, Metaverse, OpenAI and to build a proper trading platform for China, Thailand and Australia, which can greatly help RCEP countries in a new direction.
As a province in China, Hunan stands to benefit from the various opportunities that RCEP offers, such as:
Newly available access to new markets: RCEP creates a massive market of 2.2 billion people, representing almost a third of the world's population. This offers Hunan Province new opportunities to sell its goods and services to a wider range of customers, potentially boosting its economy.
Increased foreign investment: RCEP is expected to increase foreign investment into China, including Hunan Province. As a result, the province could attract more foreign businesses, which could lead to job creation and economic growth.
Lower tariffs: Under RCEP, member countries will reduce or eliminate tariffs on many goods and services. This means that Hunan Province's exports will become much more competitive in RCEP markets, potentially leading to increased sales and profits.
Improved trade relations: By strengthening economic ties between RCEP members, the agreement could help improve trade relations to link Hunan Province directly with other member countries. This could lead to increased cooperation and mutually beneficial partnerships.
Improved supply chain efficiency: RCEP could help improve supply chain efficiency for Hunan Province's businesses by reducing barriers to trade and harmonizing regulations. This could lead to cost savings and increased competitiveness for businesses operating in the province.
Overall, RCEP has the potential to bring significant benefits to Hunan Province by creating new opportunities for trade, investment, and economic growth.
论坛当晚,在澳中企业家俱乐部和中泰(长沙)经贸合作论坛组委会的精心组织下,湖南省政协海外顾问袁祖文,以及泰、澳各界国际友人来到了长沙地标建筑-具有浓厚湖湘文化的长沙天心阁成功举办了一场“中泰澳RCEP湘江论坛”
此次活动主办方盛情邀请了泰国国务院总理秘书长颂迈·英飒阿德先生及参加经贸论坛的泰国、澳洲不同领域,不同行业的朋友以及中国其他领导和朋友近50位国际友人参加。
澳中企业家俱乐部主席袁祖文太平绅士亲自策划,匡顺民副主席,湖南澳洲企业家欧阳兆林参与,此次活动还特别邀请了国家一级指挥家刘毓麟老师以及代表省级民族音乐文化的一群艺术家现场演奏助兴,音乐无国界,国乐是讲好中国故事的重要媒介,活动在一曲《状元媒》的京剧声中拉开了帷幕,一下子把现场朋友们的思绪拉进了浓郁的京腔京韵的舞台氛围中,在这春色春兮景媚妍的春夜里,袁祖文主席首先致欢迎词:湖南热忱欢迎泰国国务院总理秘书长颂迈·英飒阿德先生及参加今晚活动的泰国和中方特邀嘉宾朋友们,今晚我们组织一场“中泰澳RCEP湘江论坛”雅集活动,在具有浓郁湖湘文化的长沙天心阁欢迎远道而来的朋友们,让我们一起把盏品茗、互鉴交流、感受古城长沙的浓郁人文魅力!
以音传情,美美与共,和和共生。在这样一个具有传承性,包容性,亲切共融的活动空间里,袁祖文主席特别邀请秘书长颂迈·英飒阿德先生走上舞台,针对这次经贸论坛活动的具体内容,现场热情的解答朋友们的提问:请问秘书长先生:针对中国民营中小企业,在泰国有哪些推荐的商机!尊敬的秘书长:“中泰两国国情相似,民情相通,泰国已经成为了湖南人旅游的主要目的地,特别是下午的泰国旅游警察局长顾问安巴帕·詹塔叻萨卡大美女的热情演讲,让更多的人对泰国心生向往,更想早点踏上这片美丽的国度。”问题五花八门,包罗万象!秘书长先生都一一做出了详细而又圆满的解答。
泰国总理秘书长颂迈·英飒阿德先生与澳中企业家俱乐部袁祖文主席热情解答现场朋友的提问:
论坛现场热烈:
主宾双方还特意准备了互赠礼品环节:泰国朋友赠送了精美的茶器,主办方也回赠了代表湖南特色的湘绣摆件。
泰国总理秘书长颂迈·英飒阿德先生赠送澳中企业家俱乐部袁祖文主席礼物。
美女主持人雅真提议:今晚大家齐聚一堂,欢声笑语,我们每人都非常高兴!也己经了解到泰国朋友圈里个个才华横溢,藏龙卧虎,现在请泰国朋友现场表演一个节目好不好!行!我来给大家演唱一首《上海滩》在朋友们的热烈掌声中,一位泰国帅哥朋友勇敢地走上了舞台!歌曲演唱得美妙动听,让人意尤未尽!我给大家再来一首《月亮代表我的心》!掌声更加热烈!台下的观众已经按捺不住自己的激情,纷纷走上台前一起合唱“你问我爱你有多深,月亮代表我的心!”此时每个人手里挥动鲜花与热情鼓掌更是将活动推向了高潮!
泰国友人与中方朋友现场一起合唱“月亮代表我的心”
“淡中有味茶偏好,清茗一杯情更真。”嘉宾朋友们在主持人雅真的指引下还一同走上天心阁参观合影,观看茶艺师茶艺表演,品茗香茶,悠扬古乐,氤氲茶香,其乐融融。
美好的时光总是显得那么的短暂,Good night friends!全体嘉宾朋友们一起合影留念,至此中泰澳RCEP湘江论坛完美收官!衷心祝福中泰友谊万古长青,真诚地把最美的微笑,留给彼此,温暖大家!
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