the 19th central asia regional economic cooperation (carec) ministerial videoconference was held on 7 december 2020. the theme of the meeting is "people-centered regional cooperation in the post-epidemic era". the meeting was attended by government officials from the 11 member states of carec.representatives from relevant international organizations and the private sector, including the asian development bank (adb), the asian infrastructure investment bank (aiib), and the central asian institute. president mohammad ashraf ghani of afghanistan, chair of the carec, attended the opening ceremony and delivered a welcome speech. adb president yasushi asakawa made the keynote speech. chinese vice minister of finance zou jiayi led the chinese delegation to attend the meeting and delivered a speech.
zou jiayi affirmed the carec mechanism in promoting members, promote regional economic and social development plays an important role in the overall competitiveness, to promote the future cooperation puts forward three suggestions: one is to enhance the level of market integration, and maintenance of the multilateral trading system, stable industry chain supply chain, at the same time carec should with multilateral initiatives such as "one belt and one road" strategic docking; second, to be results-oriented and promote the in-depth implementation of carec strategies and strengthen cooperation in new areas such as digital economy; third, strengthen partnerships, make better use of the role of international institutions and the private sector, such as the asian development bank, the asian infrastructure investment bank and the central asia institute, and provide more financing and intellectual support for carec cooperation.
zou stressed that china will speed up the construction of a new development pattern featuring the major domestic cycles and the mutual promotion of both domestic and international cycles, adhere to deepening reform and opening up and promote high-quality development. china is ready to continue to strengthen cooperation with carec member states and jointly push for more practical results in regional economic cooperation in central asia.
the meeting briefed on the progress of cooperation in key business areas of the carec and reviewed and adopted the joint ministerial statement, the outcome framework of the carec2030 strategy, the carec tourism strategy 2030 and the carec gender strategy 2030.
source: ministry of finance, prc