NEWS

PHILIPPINE VICE PRESIDENT NOLI DE CASTRO IS GUEST OF HONOR OF

5th CENTRAL CHINA EXPO IN HEFEI CITY, ANHUI PROVINCE

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Chinese Vice Premier Wang Qishan and Vice President Noli De Castro during the Central China Expo

Vice President Noli De Castro with Hubei Vice Governor Tian Chengzhong in the Hubei Province Pavilion at the Central China Expo

Vice President Noli de Castro with Ambassador Sonia Cataumber Brady, Consul General Maria Rowena Mendoza Sanchez,

Dr. Alfonso Uy and other members of the Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc.

Vice President Noli De Castro, together with Philippine Ambassador to China Sonia Cataumber Brady, Philippine Consul General to Shanghai Maria Rowena Mendoza Sanchez, Dr. Alfonso Uy and other members of the Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc. attended the 5^th Central China Expo in Hefei City, Anhui Province.

The 5^th Central China Expo is the largest investment and trade exposition in Central China.  It is focused on the famous brands of Central China and other domestic and foreign companies.  The expo is organized by eight ministries and commissions under the State Council and the provincials governments of Anhui, Hubei, Henan, Hunan, Jiangxi and Shanxi and is aimed at implementing the Central Rise strategy of the Chinese central government.

In 2004, Premier Wen Jiabao introduced the Central Rise strategy to accelerate the rise of Central China and build the region into a new powerhouse for China’s economy.  In just a short span of several years, the region has seen great achievements.

        This strategy comprises the provinces of Anhui, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangxi and Shanxi.  This area comprises a population of over 370 million and over an area of 1,028 million sq. km. 

        The two essential drivers behind the strategy are: economics and opportunity.  First - Economics: Production costs in coastal regions are getting more expensive and competition is getting fiercer.  While in central China, production costs are still much lower than the national average.  Second – Opportunity:  The huge population covered by these provinces creates a whole new opportunity for services and products.  In fact, if it were to be independent, Central China would be the third largest country in the world.

The economies of Central China represent 20% of the national total. It also boasts some of the most connected cities on the mainland due to a well developed rail network. The Wuhan Tianhe International Airport in Hubei Province is the 4^th largest airport in China only after Beijing, Guangdong and Shanghai. The importance of the region as a crossroad for China was made more important early this year when much of the provinces supplying much needed goods and produce were brought to a standstill due to severe winter storms.  END