10 cities in Japan, China, S. Korea to join forces over Yellow Sea trade+

KITAKYUSHU, Japan, Nov. 20 Kyodo -
Ten cities in Japan, China and South Korea will sign a memorandum of agreement
later this month aiming to strike an ambitious deal for accelerating full-blown
economic cooperation between the local municipalities with interest in Yellow
Sea trade, local officials said Saturday.
Representatives from the cities will gather in the Chinese city of Qingdao on
Thursday to ink the agreement, which also involves the Japanese cities of
Shimonoseki, Fukuoka and Kitakyushu, China's Dalian, Tianjin, Yantai and Busan,
Incheon and Ulsan in South Korea.
They combined to have a population of 43 million and 53 trillion yen worth of
gross domestic product in 2008, according to the Kitakyushu city, where the
principle liaison office is located for the accord called ''the Pan Yellow Sea
Active Cooperation for Trade, Investment, and Other Needs.''
Kitakyushu Mayor Kenji Kitahashi emphasized the significance of the move toward
expanding business exchanges and enhancing trade and investment activities
under a local-level multilateral economic partnership.
Kitahashi said the merit of such an envisioned deal is that, unlike a free
trade deal between central governments, local municipalities ''can exchange
opinions frankly without worrying much about diplomatic problems and a possible
adverse impact on the entire domestic industry.''
''I know it's difficult for us to change the central government's policies like
those aimed at simplifying customs clearance measures and visa issuance,''
Kitahashi said. ''But it's important to think about what we can do to the other
member cities and strengthen ties. I believe it will help promote business
activities in the Pan-Yellow Sea region.''
The upcoming gathering in Qingdao follows a survey conducted by the commerce
chambers of the cities, which included inquiries to local businesses about
requests toward potential foreign partners in the planned economic partnership
scheme.
Qingdao, among others, requested that the Japanese cities involved tackle
simplifying visa procedures. The Kitakyushu government replied that it will
consider whether the southwestern city can issue documents that help speeding
up the relevant process for foreign businesses and individuals.
Kitahashi said Kitakyushu plans to propose measures to the national government
based on the requests the city receives in connection with the Yellow Sea
partnership.
==Kyodo
2010-11-20 23:49: