The China-Asean Port Cooperation & Development Forum, with the purpose of promoting "mutually beneficial cooperation and collaborative development" will be held in the upcoming fourth China-Asean Expo in Nanning city of Guangxi province in China from October 20-23 this year.

This forum, seen as one of the highlights in this edition, will provide business opportunities about the cooperation between China and Asean countries in the fields of harbour construction, pier operation, shipping services, logistics & distribution, harbour informationization and ship building. As one of the host country in the forum, Brunei will take the centrestage and benefit from the regional port cooperation with the upcoming mega project - Pulau Muara Besar - under jurisdiction of Brunei Economic Development Board (BEDB).

Brunei will have the opportunity to promote the port investment projects and attract foreign investment and advanced technology to participate in Pulau Muara Besar project, during which the leaders of port and logistics industries all over the world will gather in this forum.

In addition, Ministers of Transportations of China and the 10 Asean countries, mayors of Cities of Charm, business leaders of harbor sector and world-renowned experts and scholars in logistics will show their presences at the Forum, to share views on future development plans, release updated business information, and jointly create new business opportunities for bilateral cooperation and development.

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao made a proposal of "Actively Explore the Possibility of Developing an Economic Cooperation in Pan-Beibu Gulf" at the China-Asean Business and Investment Summit held at the same period as the 3rd CAEXPO. Premier Wen's proposal was positively affirmed by the leaders of 10 Asean countries.

Consequently, China and Asean members are devoted to establish the cooperation in Pan-Beibu Gulf in 10 fields, including the important transport cooperation and the harbor cooperation which is regarded as the traction machine of regional economic cooperation.

The trade between China and Asean countries has increased rapidly at an average rate of 30% per year since the construction of CAFTA started in 2002, and that 90% of international trade was accomplished through port logistics, which brought great opportunities to China and Asean countries' port development.

According to the data of official statistics, the bilateral trade turnover in 2006 was US$106.8 billions, of which more than 100 billions were accomplished by maritime transportation. Moreover, the bilateral trade turnover is expected to reach US$ 200 billions in 2010, revealing a greater increase potential of maritime transportation. Besides, the ports in the area of Pan-Beibu Gulf are in good conditions and separated from each other in short shipping distances.

Therefore, a series of mutually complementary and beneficial clusters of ports, industries, and cities could be formed through the strengthened cooperation of port logistics, in order to build a coastal economic development model as the most active and potential economic growth pole with optimal efficiency in the region. Undoubtedly, the cooperation of coastal port clusters in Pan-Beibu Gulf is going to experience a brand-new prime time.

Meanwhile, a plan to form a Coordinating Body for the brand marketing of China- Asean Expo, in hope of enhancing the influence of the China-Asean Expo and providing better services to the traveling merchants of Asean countries has been plotted by the Secretariat of China-Asean Expo that the Secretariat, in collaboration with over one hundred media in China and Asean countries, as well as other countries and regions all over the world.

Having been paid general attention by Asean countries, even the whole world, the China-Asean Expo is gradually becoming a hot issue to media institutes.

This coordinating body of brand marketing of China-Asean Expo, established as an interacting mechanism conducted to popularize the international exhibition, is composed of main stream media, websites and publications of industrial association from Asean countries, China, other countries and regions. Borneo Bulletin as the supporting media for the China-Asean Expo are among the 20 main stream newspapers - Nanyang Siang Pau, World News, Bao Thuong Mai, - and 30 famous websites including 'e-huawang.com' from Asean countries, as well as 15 Chinese main stream newspapers-International Business Daily, China Trade News, 21st Century Economics, and 35 publications of industrial associations have enthusiastically participated in reporting the Expo of this year.

Brunei's first and only Chinese informative website 'e-huawang.com', wholly owned by Adison Marketing Services, has been appointed as the official media coordinator for China-Asean Expo recently.