The Port Development and Cooperation Joint Declaration and the food quality declaration -- the Nanning Joint Statement -- signed by China and ASEAN are undoubtedly one of the most significant achievements of the fourth China-ASEAN Expo, which closed on October 31 in Nanning.

The purpose of the two declarations is almost the same: furthering China-ASEAN bilateral trade in a more efficient and healthy way.

The Port Development and Cooperation Joint Declaration, also named Nanning Consensus, was announced on October 29. Covering seven items, it is the result of the two-day China-ASEAN Development and Cooperation Forum, the first of its kind in the history of China-ASEAN expositions.

Port cooperation

While China-ASEAN bilateral trade keeps rising, one of the biggest concerns of both sides is building highly efficient seaports.

Convenient port infrastructure brings in continuously growing trade, said Ong Keng Yong, ASEAN secretary-general.

Compared with other transportation channels like railways, roads and airports, seaports play a more important role in driving up China-ASEAN trade. In 2006, bilateral trade volume reached $160.8 billion, with an estimated over $100 billion realized through seaports.

However, "there still remains a lot to be done in the port sector, as the current efforts are not enough," pointed out Weng Mengyong, vice minister of communications.

Although many industries have been opened under the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area (FTA) framework, transportation has been identified as one of 10 priority areas.

In 2002, China and ASEAN kicked off the first Transportation Ministerial Meeting, which is held annually, resulting in a series of cooperative actions in the areas of sea, air, road and highway transport.

"Comprehensive and systematic" was how Weng described the port declaration.

Under the declaration, China and ASEAN have jointly drafted a China-ASEAN Shipping Transportation Agreement.

The two sides also agreed to set up a port coordination mechanism, encourage regional port cooperation, and create a more business-friendly environment for port-related investing companies by promulgating preferential policies.

Food safety

The Nanning Joint Statement was launched the same day as the port declaration, and aims to strengthen collaboration in food safety as well as ease friction between China and ASEAN in this regard.

The statement was issued at the end of the two-day China-ASEAN Ministerial Conference on Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine in Nanning.

"Quality is a key factor to ensure healthy and rapid economic development, especially in export-oriented economies," said Li Changjiang, director of China's General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine.

Ministers and representatives from China and the ASEAN countries as well as the ASEAN Secretariat had extensive exchanges on food safety laws and regulations, and administrative systems.

They agreed on eight points of common understanding on strengthening food safety, promoting food trade and protecting consumer rights.

The ministers pledged to encourage active exchange of information about food safety laws, regulations, standards and information, to enhance mutual understanding and trust.

"We agree that notification on any new food safety rules and sanitary measures on food imports should be transmitted promptly," the joint statement declared.

The participants agreed that the responsibility for ensuring food safety should rest with exporting countries, and pledged to verify and clarify food safety reports, food alerts or allegations of unsafe food, in order to ensure consumers' rights and prevent their exposure to risk.

Li said the statement will be further detailed and standardized through subsequent negotiations.

Nicholas T. Dammen, deputy secretary-general of ASEAN, said the association hopes China will send food safety experts to each ASEAN nation to help the latter improve technical capabilities.

During the food quality meeting, Chinese officials specifically met with delegates from the Philippines and Indonesia, explaining the efforts China has been making on food quality supervision.

(China Daily November 3, 2007)