1. The fourth forum on economic cooperation between the Republic of Korea and the three northeastern provinces of China took place in Seoul on December 11. The event was co-hosted the ROK Foreign Ministry (Consulate-General in Shenyang) and Jilin, Liaoning and Heilongjiang provinces of China with the support of the ROK’s Gyeonggi-do (province) and Korea International Trade Association (KITA) as well as the economic authorities of China’s three northeastern provinces.

2. The two sides noted with appreciation that the forum on economic cooperation, which marked the fourth of its kind in 2015, is the most exemplary case of the ROK-China cooperation projects. They voiced hope that the bilateral economic cooperation will move further forward on the back of the ROK-China FTA and China’s implementation of the “One Belt, One Road” strategy.

◦ To that end, the two sides signed a joint communiqué for increased cooperation between the ROK’s Consulate-General in Shenyang and the governments of China’s three northeastern provinces. In addition, Gyeonggi-do and the three Chinese northeastern provinces concluded a memorandum of understanding that calls for joint efforts to seek ways for substantive economic exchanges and cooperation.

◦ The side events of the forum included a ceremony marking the publication of “guidelines on investment in China’s three northeastern provinces” and a “map with information on life in Shenyang,” both of which are co-produced by the ROK’s Consulate-General in Shenyang and the authorities of China’s three northeastern provinces; and an exchange program between entrepreneurs from the two sides. These events are seen to have helped lay the groundwork for increased substantive economic cooperation between the two sides.

3. In his congratulatory remarks, Second Vice Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul presented the following as new visions for cooperation between the ROK and China’s three northeastern provinces: enhancing the connectivity between the ROK’s Eurasia Initiative and China’s “One Belt, One Road” initiative; putting the ROK-China FTA to full use; and broadening the scope of bilateral cooperation by seeking new growth engines.

◦ The Vice Minister voiced expectation that given that in terms of geopolitics, China’s three northeastern provinces will likely reap the most benefits from the unification of the Korean Peninsula, if and when meaningful progress is made in the “Trust-Building Process on the Korean Peninsula” and the “Northeast Asia Peace and Cooperation Initiative,” -- the two pillars of the ROK government’s trustpolik -- new growth engines will be created.

◦ The Vice Minister met with Deputy Governor Bing Zhigang of Liaoning province and Deputy Governor Sun Dongsheng of Heilongjiang province to review the progress in and way forward for economic cooperation between the ROK and the three northeastern provinces of China. The Vice Minister also asked for their attention and support for Korean residents and companies in the Chinese region.

4. The forum on economic cooperation between the ROK and the three northeastern provinces of China was first held in Jilin, China, in 2012 as part of commemorative events for the 20th anniversary of the ROK-China diplomatic relations. In accordance with the host-rotating principle, the 2016 round will take place in Heilongjiang.


* unofficial translation