DEPUTY Minister for Transport and Communications U Aung Kyaw Tun, along with other officials, attended the China-ASEAN Countries Forum on Blue Economy Cooperation and Development (CAFBE-2025) ceremony held on 9 September in Nanning, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, People’s Republic of China.
The forum was attended by the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Natural Resources of the People’s Republic of China, the Chairman of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, the Head of the Guangxi Zhuang Oceanic Administration, relevant officials, and invitees from ASEAN countries.
At the forum, the deputy minister said that Myanmar, located at a pivotal position connecting ASEAN and neighbouring countries to the Indian Ocean and serving as a gateway to the rest of the world, will promote blue economic cooperation with the People’s Republic of China and ASEAN countries to achieve strong and sustainable regional economic development while emphasizing equal prosperity with its neighbours.
He also discussed Myanmar’s national development vision, which aligns with the ASEAN Blue Economy Framework (2023) and actively supports regional and international trade, emphasizing close cooperation with the People’s Republic of China and ASEAN countries on environmental protection and emergency response, and noting that the development of the blue economy is not an impossible goal but a task that each country must prioritize and pursue as a national policy.
The forum is held every two years. The theme of this year’s forum is “Innovation, Green Development and Smart Solutions: Shaping a New Blue Future for China and ASEAN.” It aims to implement the United Nations’ 2030 Sustainable Development Goals and to continuously promote the China-ASEAN Blue Economic Partnership as part of the Belt and Road Initiative proposed by President Xi Jinping.
During the forum, the deputy minister and his team visited Beibu Gulf Port Group Company, the China-ASEAN Artificial Intelligence Computing Centre, the Qinzhou Port Automated Container Terminal, and the China-Malaysia Qinzhou Industrial Park. — MNA/TH
