Vice Minister of Commerce Yu Guangzhou, who accompanied Premier Wen Jiabao to present the 9th China-ASEAN Leaders' Meeting in Kuala Lumpur, signed letters of exchange with Mr. Cham Prasidh, Minister of Commerce of Cambodia, Laos Trade Minister Sulivong Daravong and Deputy Minister for National Planning and Economic Development of Myanmar Brig-Gen Zaw Tun, formally affirmed that China would unilaterally implement zero tariff treatment on 81 commodities from Cambodia, 91 commodities from Laos and 87 commodities from Myanmar exported to China from Jan. 1, 2006. Minister of Foreign Affairs Li Zhaoxing, Minister of Finance Jin Renqing and Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Wu Dawei attended the signing ceremony.

Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar are least developed countries in ASEAN. Since the initial preferential treatment granted by China to part of commodities from the 3 countries on Jan. 1, 2004, 335 commodities of Cambodia, 239 commodities from Laos and 133 commodities from Myanmar enjoyed the preferential treatment. In order to assist further economic development of the 3 countries to realize common prosperity, Premier Wen Jiabao announced to extend special and preferential treatment to the 3 countries during the 2nd Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS) Economic Summit in July 2005.

The special and preferential treatment of China to Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar indicated China’s peaceful policy of friendship and partnership with neighboring countries and the sincere wish to promote regional common development and prosperity. The measure will deepen the friendly relations of cooperation between China and the 3 countries, and further enhance the economic cooperation among China and ASEAN countries to lay a firm foundation for sustainable development of regional economic cooperation in Eastern Asia.

(Source: Network Center of MOFCOM)

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