Foreword

Hongqiao International Economic Forum (hereinafter referred to as the Hongqiao Forum) is an important part of the China International Import Expo (CIIE). On November 5, 2018, the 1st Hongqiao Forum was successfully held. President Xi Jinping attended the opening ceremony and delivered a keynote speech. More than 4,500 guests from all walks of life were present. Since then, President Xi has delivered keynote speeches at the opening ceremonies of all previous Hongqiao Forums. Hongqiao Forum has been established as a high-end dialogue and exchange platform for international political, business and academic communities.

Themed on “Stimulation of Global Opening-up Impetus and Sharing of Cooperation Opportunities”, the 5th Hongqiao Forum will be held in Shanghai, China in November 2022. There will be “the Main Forum (i.e., the opening ceremony of CIIE and Hongqiao Forum) + the High-level Session ‘RCEP Spurs Higher-level Opening Up’ + International Symposium on Release of World Openness Report 2022 + Parallel Sessions”.

High-level Session “RCEP Spurs Higher-level Opening Up”

I. Forum Background

On November 4, 2002, leaders of China and the 10 ASEAN countries jointly signed the Framework Agreement on Comprehensive Economic Co-operation Between the Association of South East Asian Nations and the People’s Republic of China, marking the first step for China to sign a free trade agreement with foreign countries. Over the past 20 years, the construction of free trade zones in the region has made significant progress, and major free trade agreements have come into force or been signed, playing an essential role in the process of regional economic integration. On January 1, 2022, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) went into effect. It marks the official launch of the free trade area with the largest population, the largest economic and trade scale, and the greatest development potential in the world. It is a significant milestone in regional economic integration and the most important achievement of East Asian economic integration in the past 20 years. It greatly boosts confidence in regional cooperation worldwide. Meanwhile, regional trade agreements, such as the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and the Digital Economy Partnership Agreement (DEPA), have taken effect and started membership expansion, further accelerating the process of regional economic integration.

To better grasp the opportunities brought by RCEP and further enhance opening-up, the High-level Session “RCEP Spurs Higher-level Opening Up” will be held during the 5th Hongqiao Forum. It will have in-depth discussions on the impact of RCEP’s implementation on regional and global economic development, as well as its role in strengthening regional and global industrial and supply chain cooperation. It aims to explore effective ways to promote trade and investment cooperation, achieve a higher level of openness, and make economic globalization more open, inclusive, balanced and beneficial for all.

II. Forum Agenda

As a key event of this year’s Hongqiao Forum, the High-level Session “RCEP Spurs Higher-level Opening Up” will invite representatives of Chinese and foreign governments, heads of international organizations, and world-renowned businessmen and academics to discuss issues related to regional economic integration and opening-up at a higher level, and give insights into post-pandemic economic recovery and growth. The session consists of two parts, “keynote speech/presentation” and “interactive discussion”, with a total duration of about three