With the theme "Enhancing Mutual Trust and Cooperation to create beautiful 
prospects for Northeast Asia", the 12th China-Northeast Asia Expo, opened on 
August 23 in Changchun, capital of northeast China's Jilin Province. It is 
widely believed that, Northeast Asia, one of the most dynamic regions in the 
world, has various favorable factors converging in this region. The cooperation 
and development in Northeast Asia faces new opportunities in interconnectivity 
of infrastructure, local government cooperation and people-to-people exchanges. 
All countries in the region need to make active efforts to push for regional 
prosperity and make unique contributions to shoring up global economy.

The China-Northeast Asia Expo is the only state-level international 
comprehensive exposition in the region with the joint participation of six 
countries, namely, China, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Japan, the 
Republic of Korea, Mongolia and Russia. It is also open to the world. It has 
become an important channel for dialogue and exchange among governments in 
Northeast Asia, a key platform for regional economic and trade cooperation as 
well as people-to-people exchanges for Northeast Asian countries, and a 
significant window for China's northeastern region to deeply integrate itself 
into the joint construction of the Belt and Road. 

Northeast Asia has a total population of nearly 1.7 billion and accounts for 
about one-fifth of the world's GDP. The economies of the countries in the 
region are highly complementary and have great potential for cooperation. 
Statistics show that in 2018, China's trade with the five countries in 
Northeast Asia totaled 758.57 billion U.S. dollars, accounting for nearly a 
quarter of China's total foreign trade. China is the biggest trading partner of 
the five Northeast Asian countries.

Kwon Goo-hoon, chairman of the North Economic Cooperation Commission of the 
ROK, said the ROK is willing to play a linkage role between the mainland and 
the sea through cooperation with China, Russia, Mongolia and other countries. 
Under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative, the ROK is willing to make 
use of its advanced construction technology and operational capability and 
combine with the extensive network of Chinese investment to create huge 
synergic effect.

Leonid Slutsky, chairman of the Russian State Duma's international affairs 
committee, underlined cooperation and dialogue at the High-level Forum on 
Northeast Asia Cooperation. He invited participants of the expo from different 
countries to the exhibition area of Russia at the expo and tap the development 
opportunities of Russia's Far East.

Wang Shouwen, China's vice minister of commerce, said the Chinese side is 
willing to work with the member countries of the Greater Tumen Initiative (GTI) 
to strengthen the dovetailing of development strategies, advance practical 
cooperation and bring GTI cooperation fruits to people in the region, push the 
transformation of GTI toward an independent international organization to 
create a future of greater prosperity for Northeast Asia.

Other regions such as Europe also paid much attention to the expo, which 
organized the Czech Day event to promote exchange between enterprises in 
Northeast Asian countries and Europe.

The EU attaches great importance to cooperation with Northeast Asia and there 
will be a business delegation to China to hold exhibitions and exchanges in 
Changchun next May, said Walter Doring with the EU economic senate.

Northeast Asia Local Cooperation Roundtable is one of the important activities 
of the 12th China-Northeast Asia Expo. The Changchun Consensus, as a key 
outcome of the conference, calls on local governments in Northeast Asia to make 
efforts to build an efficient regional transportation and logistics network and 
actively build a sea, land and air corridor in Northeast Asia. 

Since its establishment in 2005, the China-Northeast Asia Expo has attracted 
senior officials from more than 100 countries and regions, and 720,000 
businessmen from more than 130 countries and regions. The number of overseas 
clients has stood at around 10,000 for the event, which has also attracted a 
great number of world top 500 companies.

Source: The Organizing Committee of the China-Northeast Asia Expo