InjectingNewImpetus
Duringthe18thMeetingoftheCouncilofHeadsofMemberStatesoftheSCOfromJune9to10,ChinesePresidentXiJinpingputforwardafive-pointproposalfortheSCO,coveringaspectssuchasunityandmutualtrust,peaceandsecurity,developmentandprosperity,culturalandpeople-to-peopleexchanges,andinternationalcooperation,amongwhich“buildingapowerfulenginetoachievecommondevelopmentandprosperityoftheregion”clearlyindicatedthedirectionoftheSCO’sfuturedevelopment.PresidentXisaid,“Weshouldincreasecomplementarityofourrespectivedevelopmentstrategies,continuetoadvancetheBeltandRoadInitiativeundertheprincipleofachievingsharedgrowththroughextensiveconsultationandcollaboration,accelerateregionaltradefacilitation,andstepuptheimplementationoftheAgreementonInternationalRoadTransportationFacilitationandothercooperationdocuments.”HeannouncedthatChinawouldsetupaRMB30billion(US$4.7billion)equivalentspeciallendingfacilitywithintheframeworkoftheSCOInterbankConsortium.ChineseandforeignreporterstourtheHaierKitchenwareExperienceCenterduringtheSCOQingdaoSummit.ForeignreportersattendingtheSCOQingdaoSummitpraisedtheimportanceofeconomiccooperationinsafeguardingregionalstability,sayingthatitnotonlyboostseconomicgrowthoftheSCOmemberstatesandimprovespeople’slivingstandards,butalsopromotesharmonyamongmembernationsandachievesbalancedregionaldevelopment.
StelmakhNatallia,areporterfromBelarustoldChinaToday,“AsBelarusianPresidentLukashenkosaid,economiccooperationlaidasolidfoundationforSCOmemberstatestoseekcommonground.”
BytheendofMay,35enterpriseshadalreadysetupoperationsintheChina-BelarusindustrialparkGreatStone,whichincludednotonlyChineseandBelarusianenterprises,butalsothosefromIsraelandGermany,aswellasChinese-foreignjointventureenterprises.
AccordingtoBelarusianAmbassadortoChinaKirylRudy,as2018istheChina-BelarusYearofTourism,thetwosidestookactionstopromoteeconomicandtradeties,aswellasculturalandpeopleto-peopleexchanges,whichincludedavisa-freeentrypolicyforordinaryChinesepassportholders,andthedevelopmentofnewflightroutesandtouristitinerar-ies,toattractmoreChinesevisitors.Thispolicywillbenefitbothbusinesstravelersandtourists.
FacilitatingTrade
OnJune10,ChineseStateCouncilorandForeignMinisterWangYisaidtheSCOQingdaoSummithasadoptedmultiplepracticalcooperationdocumentswithgreatsignificanceandwidecoverage,involvingnumerousfieldsincludingtradefacilitation,foodsecurity,andcustomscooperation,whichisconducivetofurtherpromotingindepthandpracticaldevelopmentofcooperationamongvariouscountries.Inparticular,theSummitannouncedajointstatementonpromotingtradefacilitation,whichcallsforthemaintenanceofthemultilateraltradesystemwiththerulesoftheWorldTradeOrganizationasitscoreandthebuildingofanopenworldeconomy,thussendingouttheunanimousvoiceofupholdingmultilateralismandopposingprotectionism.Moreandmorecountrieshaverealizedthatengaginginconstructionbehindcloseddoorswillnotwork,whilecoordinateddevelopmentisageneraltrend.
Overthepast17years,SCOmemberstateshavesuccessivelysignedmanydocuments,suchastheOutlineofMultilateralEconomicandTradeCooperationamongSCOMemberStatesandtheAgreementontheInternationalRoadTransportationFacilitation,makingprogressinpromotingregionaleconomicintegration,facilitatingtradeandinvestment,andboostinginterconnectivity.
In2001,thetradevolumebetweenChinaandothermemberstatesofSCOwasonlyUS$12.1billion.However,from2013to2017,ChinaimportedastaggeringtotalofUS$340billionworthofproductsfromothermemberstates.DirectinvestmentbyChinesecompaniesinthesecountriesreachednearlyUS$15billion.
OnJune15,2017,withtheraisingofthenationalflagsofIndiaandPakistanattheSCOsecretariat,theorganizationcarriedoutfirstexpansionsinceitsestablishment.CurrentlytheSCOmemberstatescoveranareaofmorethan60percentoftheEurasiancontinent,accountingfornearlyhalfoftheworld’spopulation,andover20percentoftheworld’sGDP.TheSCOhasbe-cometheworld’slargestregionalorganizationintermsofgeographiccoverageandpopulation,providingamassivemarketforSCOmemberstates.
“Withoutdoubt,thedevelopmentoftheSCOwilltoalargeextentdeterminetheoverallsituationinEurasia,”saidSCOSecretary-GeneralRashidAlimov.
AccordingtofiguresfromChinesecustoms,inthefirstfivemonthsof2018,theimportsandexportsbetweenChinaandtheothersevenSCOmemberstates(Russia,India,Pakistan,Kazakhstan,Kyrgyzstan,Uzbekistan,andTajikistan)grewrapidly,withthetotalvolumehittingRMB636.31billion,ayear-on-yearincreaseof10.3percent,1.5percentagepointshigherthanChina’soverallforeigntradegrowth,amongwhichRMB413.09billionwereexports,withanincreaseof6.5percentoverthesameperiodoflastyear,andRMB223.22billionwereimports,representinganincreaseof18.2percent.
ExploringOverseasMarkets
BolotskiiDenisofRussiaToday,aRussianinternationaltelevisionnetwork,wasimpressedaftertouringaroundtheHaierKitchenwareExperienceHallinQingdao.“InRussia,Haier’srefrigeratorsandair-conditionersareverypopular.ThistimeIhadtheopportunitytodiscoveritskitchenappliancessuchasovens.Ibelievetheywillalsogainalargermarketinthefuture.”
Establishedin1984inQingdao,HaierGrouphasgrowntobecomeaworld-renownedbrand,becomingawindowintoChinaforforeignconsumers.
ZhangQingfu,vicepresidentofHaierOverseasElectricalAppliancesIndustryCo.,Ltd.,saidthatRussiaisanimportantcountryinthenorthernlineoftheBeltandRoadandoneofthecountrieswiththelargestmarketandthegreatestpotential.In2008,HaierestablishedtheHaierRussiaRefrigeratorFactory–Haier’sfirstmanufacturingfactoryinRussia.TheoperationoftheRussianfactorynotonlyreducedcostsandproductiontime,butalsofacilitatedtheexplorationofnewmarketsinCentralAsiancountriessuchasKazakhstanandUzbekistan,asthedistancebetweentheproducerandconsumerinthosecountrieshasbeenshortenedandthecompetitivenessofHaier’sproductshasbeenimproved.
CitingUzbekistanasanexample,Zhangsaidinthepast,productsexportedfromQingdaowereusuallytransferredviaRussia,sotransportationalonetookonemonthandthecostwashigh.AfterestablishmentoftheRussiafactory,thetransportationperiodwasshortenedtooneweekwithcostbeingreducedandthecompetitivenessofproductsincreasingby15percent.In2017,HaierbecamethefastestgrowingbrandinRussiaandsecureda48percentshareoftheentireRussianhigh-endmulti-doorrefrigeratormarket.Italsotooka12percentshareofthehouseholdairconditionersmarket,achievingtheNo.1marketoccupancyrate.OnMay28,2018,thefoundingceremonyforHaier’sindustrialparkandwashingmachineproductionbasewasheldinRussia,whichisexpectedtolaunchproductioninJuly2019,withtheirproductstobesoldtoRussian,CentralAsian,andEuropeanmarkets.
KhanAbdulWajid,areporterfromIndependentNewsPakistan,saidthatinhiscountry,Haierisahouseholdname.“NearlyallPakistanifamiliesuseaHaierproduct.ComparedtoEuropeanandAmericanbrands,Haieroffersqualityproductsataffordableprices.AlsoInoticedthatChineseenterprisestakesocialresponsibilitiesinimprovingeducationandreducingpovertyandIwouldliketocoverstoriesinthisregard,”hesaid.
TheGDPofSCOmemberstakesupalmostonequarteroftheworld’stotal,andmemberstatesjointlymakeupthelargestregionalmarketontheEurasiancontinent.In2017,tradebetweenChinaandotherSCOmembercountriesexceededUS$200billion.
Closertiesineconomyandtradeacceleratetheprosperityofallnations’marketsandformsapatternofmutualbenefit.Forexample,naturalgasfromCentralAsiaisusedbyChinesefamilies;RussiantimberismadeintofurnitureinChina;CottonyarnsfromPakistanandUzbekistanarespunandweavedintoclothesforsaleinChina.Mostautomobiles,powerstationgrids,andcellphonesusedinotherSCOmembercountriesaremadeinChina.
“AsChinapromoteseconomiccooperationamongalltheSCOmemberstateswithintheframeworkofBeltandRoadInitiative,theeconomiccooperationwillbeenhancedwithhighlyinterlinkedbenefits,eventuallyformingacommunitywithsharedinterests,”saidChina’sformerambassadortoUzbekistanGaoYusheng.C