CAEXPO: A Grand Gathering for the Vision of the Silk Road

The 12th China-ASEAN Expo and China-ASEAN Business and Investment Summit convened in Nanning, Guangxi on Sept 18.

This year marks the year of the China-ASEAN maritime cooperation as well as the first year of the full implementation of "One Belt, One Road" construction. With "Building the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road and Creating a New Blueprint for Maritime Cooperation" as its theme, centering on the key areas along the "Belt and Road", together with the upgrading of China-ASEAN Free Trade Area, this CAEXPO is excavating trade potentials, expanding two-way investment scale and promoting international production capacity, which has attracted wide attention from both inside and outside the region.

H.E. Mr. Zhang Gaoli, Member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Vice Premier of the State Council of China, H.E. General Tanasak Patimapragorn, Deputy Prime Minister of Thailand, the Country of Honor for the 12th CAEXPO, H.E. Mr. Sai Mauk Kham, Vice President of Myanmar, H.E. Mr. Somsava LENGSAVAD, Deputy Prime Minister of Lao PDR, H.E. Mr. Nguyen Xuan Phuc, Executive Deputy Prime Minister of Vietnam, H.E. Mr. Sun Chanthol, Senior Minister and Minister of Commerce of Cambodia, H.E. Pehin Dato Yahya Bakar, Minister of Industry and Primary Resources of Brunei, Rapuung, Indonesian Trade Minister, Ong Ka Chuan, Second Minister for Trade and Industry of Malaysia, Lee Yi Shyan, Senior Minister of Trade and Industry and National Development of Singapore, Manalo, Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry of the Philippines, H.E. Mr. Lim Hong Hin, Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN Secretariat, H.E. Mr. Peng Qinghua, Secretary of CPC Guangxi Committee, H.E. Mr. Zhong Shan, Vice Minister of Commerce, Deputy China International Trade Representative and H.E. Mr. Jiang Zengwei, Chairman of CPPIT unveiled the 12th CAEXPO and CABIS together.

More than one thousand people participated in the opening ceremony, including H.E. Mr. Yi Xiaozhun, Deputy Director-General of the World Trade Organization, H.E. Mr. Woo Taehee, Deputy Minister of Industry Trade Resources of Korea, the Special Guest Country of this CAEXPO, other Chinese and ASEAN heads of state and government, presidents or chairpersons of chambers of commerce and trade associations, renowned entrepreneurs, economists and representatives of all professions from China, ASEAN member states and surrounding countries.

The opening ceremony was co-presided by H.E. Mrs. Apiradi Tantraporn, Minister of Commerce of Thailand, Country of Honor for this CAEXPO and H.E. Chen Wu, Governor of the People's Government of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

Outside the Chinese Hibiscus Hall, red hibiscus and the word "12th" dotted eminently and joyfully in the colorful flags. Inside the hallway is decorated with the golden Thai-style roof to highlight Thailand as the Country of Honor this year. Walking in it gives people the feeling of wandering in the splendid Thai palace. The main platform is set in ocean blue, echoing to the theme of maritime cooperation. People inside feel like roaming in the ocean. Around the hall are 12 big LED screens, integrating with the platform, lighting up the whole site. The flowing lights and shadows bring along very strong visual impact.

This is the first time for the CAEXPO to adopt a greeting ceremony outside. The VIP pass is deliberately designed to include various elements from the host country, the country of honor and the special guest country. On the right wall of the pass, the numbers from 2004 to 2015 appear in turns, symbolizing the 12 years of the China-ASEAN Expo. Upon the arrival of the distinguished guests, representatives from the host country come up to meet the guests and escort them to the main conference room along the VIP pass.

At 9:00 sharp in the morning, the opening ceremony begins.

H.E. Mr. Peng Qinghua, H.E. Mr. Zhong Shan, and H.E. Mr. Jiang Zengwei give speeches on behalf of the host and co-host of CAEXPO and CABIS respectively.

H.E. Mr. Zhang Gaoli gives a keynote speech. H.E. General Tanasak Patimapragorn, H.E. Mr. Sai Mauk Kham, H.E. Mr. Somsava LENGSAVAD, H.E. Mr. Nguyen Xuan Phuc, H.E. Mr. Woo Taehee and H.E. Mr. Yi Xiaozhun all address respectively.

As the light dims, the theme video clip before the ceremony leads the atmosphere to climax. Land of the 12 countries slide by, accompanied by sounds and voices of special features from the 11 countries. In the end, all views and sounds blend into the melody of CAEXPO's theme song, and fuse into a colorful chime stone by a craftsman. In front of the curtain on the stage, 15 sets of unsophisticated but delicate chime stones are placed, waiting for the honorable guests to unveil this grand event.

"I declare the opening of the 12th China-ASEAN Expo, China-ASEAN Business and Investment Summit!" With Zhang Gaoli's declaration of the opening, 15 guests come to the stage to unveil and hit the chime stone with hammer. The sound of the chime echos in the Chinese Hibiscus Hall. The springs of different sizes before the stage ascended into the sky, real sprays and virtual sprays from the spring on the large screen of the main stage rolling together, forming the stirring "sea waves", which indicates the power of collaboration. On the LED screens, steamers, high-speed rail, gold coin and smile which respectively represent unimpeded trade, interconnectivity, monetary circulation and mutual understanding between peoples appear in turns and echo with the scene of 11 guests hitting the chime stone (symbolizing policy coordination), which formed the picture of "Five Communications of the Silk Road". "Eight sounds are played together and ring with the Silk Road", the theme of this opening ceremony symbolizes that China and ASEAN countries will jointly play the strong cooperation sound and write down the wonderful chapters of the Silk Road by means of this maritime important link.

To continue the tradition in previous years and focus on the theme of this CAEXPO, this year's opening ceremony specially arranges the exhibition of two achievements, China-ASEAN Information Port and SME cross-border investment and trade cooperation.

In the warm applause at the scene, the 12th CAEXPO and CABIS open officially.

Over the last 12 years, CAEXPOs have brought together high quality resources of China and ASEAN countries, formed multi-level, wide-ranging and cross-regional exchanges and cooperation mechanisms and provided the most convenient platform for comprehensive cooperation between China and ASEAN, so that the bilateral cooperation has stepped from consensus to practice.

This CAEXPO and CABIS are another session of events for China and ASEAN countries to step into "Diamond Decade" from the "Golden Decade" and jointly build the "21st Century Marine Silk Road". The enterprises in different countries, including well-known companies and repetitive participators have shown great interest and the booths are in short supply, with larger procurement commercial groups than those in previous years.

The new CAEXPO with "Building the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road and Creating a New Blueprint for Maritime Cooperation" as the theme will gather more consensus on the construction of 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, further promote the exchanges and cooperation between China and ASEAN countries and make more contributions to building closer China-ASEAN community of common destiny.