On 23 June 2022, NEAT China Working Group on Deepening APT Third-Party Market Cooperation was successfully held. The meeting was hosted by the Institute of Asian Studies (IAS) of China Foreign Affairs University, NEAT China. About 20 experts and scholars from ten ASEAN countries, China, Japan and South Korea have attended. Deputy Director of IAS, Dr. Cui Haining, delivered the opening speech, while Associate Professor Miao Ji moderated and Associate Professor Li Feng from the School of International Economics delivered a keynote speech.

Source: NEAT China

The participants made excellent speeches and in-depth discussions on the topics of "institutionalization", "marketization" and "multi-objective optimization". According to the participants, the launch of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (RCEP) and the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding on Third Party Market Cooperation between China, Japan, China, South Korea and China-Singapore have laid a good foundation for third party market cooperation in East Asia. At present, cooperation in this area also faces difficulties and challenges at the institutional, financial and business environment levels in member countries. In this regard, participants reached a high level of consensus on the way forward: firstly, to continue to adhere to the principles of ASEAN centrality, open and inclusive cooperation and mutual benefits; secondly, to strengthen institutionalization and flagship projects in the areas of digital economy, infrastructure, energy and food security, green financing and human resource development; thirdly, to gradually establish a multi-faceted and multi-layered three-dimensional cooperation network model to promote the cooperation among government, enterprises and society to achieve a win-win situation.

Based on this meeting, China will draft the report of the Working Group and submit the final draft to the NEAT Annual Meeting and the 10+3 Leaders' Meeting this year on the basis of comments and suggestions from all parties.