China's top economic planner held a rountable meeting with representatives of U.S. multinational enterprises on promoting the opening-up in the western region on Tuesday.
During the meeting in Chongqing Municipality in southwest China, officials from the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) briefed the representatives on China's macroeconomic situation and policies to expand market access and step up efforts to promote foreign investment.
More than 100 representatives from about 60 Chinese and foreign enterprises and organizations attended the meeting.
"At present, we have lifted the ceiling on the ratio of foreign shareholding in the financial sector, and we will remove the off-limits for foreign investment in the manufacturing sector, and will further expand pilot opening-up in telecommunications, medical care and other sectors. Next, we will strengthen coordination with local governments to accelerate the expansion of opening-up in the western region," said Zheng Bei, deputy head of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC).
"Every year NDRC invites companies and the chamber of commerce to go to a couple different locations. This year they chose Chongqing. It was a good opportunity for us to come here and see what's happened, since many of us haven't visited in a long time. So yesterday we had a number of presentations about what's going on and the same thing this morning in even more detail and just give us a good chance to look at what sort of investment opportunities exist," said Michael Hart, president of the American Chamber of Commerce.
China's NDRC, US multinational enterprises hold roundtable meeting on western region investment
Nicaragua's co-foreign minister Valdrack Jaentschke has warned that militarism must never be allowed to rise again, as Japan's recent moves to lift its arms export ban and revise the pacifist Constitution continue to draw international concern.
This year marks the 80th anniversary of the opening of the Tokyo Trials, where Japan's Class-A war criminals from World War II were brought to justice.
In an interview with China Global Television Network (CGTN), Valdrack Jaentschke voiced his concern that today's world order is being undermined by interventionism and other challenges.
"It is necessary for us to remember that after the end of World War II, countries worked hard to build a new international order based on international law. However, regrettably, more than 80 years later, we are seeing that this once explored and attempted order is being challenged by interventionism, a confrontational mindset, and tendencies like 'might makes right.' These are precisely the conditions that gave rise to fascism and militarism in the past, which ultimately led to the tragedy of World War II," he said.
He said the international community has a responsibility to pursue a new international order -- one fundamentally grounded in peace.
"Looking back at the history more than eight decades ago and comparing it with today's reality, it is our responsibility to recognize that the world should, and must, build a new international order that is more just, fairer, rooted in international law, based on a logic of mutual benefit and shared success, and fundamentally grounded in peace," said the minister.
"Today, as we revisit the Tokyo Trials, it is meant to remind the world that such a tragedy must never be repeated -- and that we must do everything in our power to prevent it from happening again. We must stop that dark world -- born from militarism, interventionism, and fascism -- from ever returning," he said.
Nicaraguan FM warns of militarism revival
