1. Initiation and Objective of China-ASEAN Business and Investment Summit

 

At the 7th China-ASEAN (10+1) Summit on October 8, 2003, Premier Wen Jiabao proposed that the China-ASEAN Business and Investment Summit (CABIS) be held annually from 2004. In a concrete move to promote the construction of China-ASEAN Free Trade Area (CAFTA), his proposal was well received by leaders of ASEAN countries and was included in the press statement by the chairperson of the China-ASEAN Summit.     

 

The goal of the CABIS is to promote all-round economic cooperation between China and the ASEAN countries and accelerate the development of a China-ASEAN Free Trade Area. It aims to offer government officials, entrepreneurs and scholars in China and the ASEAN countries an opportunity to publicize their trading policies, promote projects and exchange views. By conveying ideas from business circles to government leaders, the summit will facilitate new policy formulation, and offer more opportunities for global purchasers, producers and investors to make a fortune, thus giving an impetus to the development of China-ASEAN economic cooperation.     

 

The CABIS was held successfully in the last two years.

 

2. The 3rd China-ASEAN Business and Investment Summit

 

The 3rd CABIS will be held in conjunction with the China-ASEAN Commemorative Summit and the 3rd China-ASEAN Expo, constituting the greatest political and business event for China, ASEAN and Asia as a whole.

 

The 3rd CABIS will be held in the Conference Hall of Guangxi People on October 31, 2006. With the theme of "one need, one future", the 3rd CABIS is composed of four parts including: the opening ceremony, two sessions of state leaders' dialogues and the closing ceremony. Chinese and ASEAN state leaders, senior officials, CEOs and scholars will be invited to the panel in each session for active dialogues and interactions with over 1,000 delegates from the region.