On December 5, 2024, the 2024 Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Forum for Agriculture, Agricultural Materials, Economy and Trade, hosted by the All China Federation of Supply and Marketing Cooperatives (ACFSMC), organized by the China-ASEAN Chamber of Agricultural Commerce (CACAC) and co-organized by the Supply and Marketing Cooperatives of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, brought together over 150 representatives from 11 countries for a panel discussion. Participants also visited the China-ASEAN Information Harbor Co., Ltd. and Guangxi Tianyuan Biochemical Co., Ltd., further strengthening positive interactions among government departments, industry organizations, and enterprises in the Lancang-Mekong region and ASEAN countries and promoting deeper cooperation and exchange in regional agriculture, agricultural materials, economy, and trade. Fan Huiqun, Executive Vice-president and Secretary-General of CACAC, chaired the forum's panel discussion. Attendees included Qin Kun, Deputy Director of the Council of Supply and Marketing Cooperatives of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, and principals from the International Business Division of the International Cooperation Department of ACFSMC.

Representatives from cooperatives in Kazakhstan, Vietnam, Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, and other countries, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries of Cambodia, the Myanmar Trade Promotion Organization, the Lao National Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and the NAFAS Bajakimia Sdn.Bhd of Malaysia and other relevent relevant departments and organizations, along with representatives from various Chinese enterprises such as Guangdong Tianhe Agricultural Means of Production Co., Ltd., Jiangsu Huachang Chemical Co., Ltd., Sichuan Meilifeng Trade Co., Ltd., Shandong Supply and Marketing Agricultural Service Group Co., Ltd., Jiangxi World Agricultural Means of Production Chain Group Co., Ltd., Genliduo Bio-Tech Co., Ltd., Hebei Agricultural Means of Production Group Limited Company, Sino-Agri Tianjin Fertilizer Co., Ltd., and Etherchem International Company Limited, actively participated in the panel discussion. They shared insights into their respective companies and expressed aspirations for future collaboration.

Mr. Kazybek Shaikh, President of the National Association of Cooperatives and Other Forms of Economic Communities of the Republic of Kazakhstan, introduced Kazakhstan and its national cooperative system to the attendees. He mentioned that Kazakhstan has vast arable land suitable for agricultural cooperation and abundant resources such as oil and electricity. The Kazakhstan government has invested approximately $2 billion to support the development of cooperatives. He highlighted the numerous cooperation opportunities between China and ASEAN countries in Central Asia, emphasizing that Central Asian countries are actively welcoming partnerships. He strongly desires to strengthen personnel exchanges, trade development, new market exploration, and product exchanges with cooperatives in China and ASEAN countries and share cooperative management and development experiences. He noted that "2025 has been declared by the United Nations as the Year of Cooperative Development, presenting an excellent opportunity for us to promote the development of cooperatives worldwide." He suggested that the host of the 2025 Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Forum for Agriculture, Agricultural Materials, Economy and Trade invite more Asian and even other countries worldwide to participate in the forum's activities to share the development of cooperatives. He also proposed that all countries compile cooperation lists to better match supply and demand and enhance economic and trade collaboration. Additionally, he hoped that the ACFSMC would establish a training center in Kazakhstan to expand cooperation opportunities between China and Central Asian countries.

Ms. Sheila Marie Satur, Agricultural Cooperative Training and Knowledge Management Officer of the Philippines National Confederation of Cooperatives, provided an overview of the Cooperative. She explained that the Cooperative comprises 1,030 cooperatives from across the Philippines, with agricultural cooperation being a significant component. These cooperatives offer a range of services to their members, including supply of agricultural materials, loans, business expansion support, financial services, and training programs.

Mr. Ilham Nasai, Director of the International Relations Department of the Indonesian Cooperative Council (DEKOPIN), stated that Indonesia, with a population of 280 million, faces challenges in meeting its domestic rice demand through local production. As a result, Indonesia imports approximately 3 million tons of rice annually from Thailand, Vietnam, and Myanmar. Additionally, Indonesia imports around 5 million tons of fertilizers each year from China, Russia, Canada, Egypt, and other countries, with the import value reaching up to $2 billion. The Indonesian government provides annual fertilizer subsidies to farmers. Indonesia's geographical characteristics make cultivation on its islands particularly challenging. Given China's advanced technologies in soil management and fertilizer development, China can potentially assist in enhancing crop yields in Indonesia. It is hoped that China will further strengthen trade and investment cooperation with Indonesia, particularly in agricultural trade and importing agricultural materials.

Mr. Khamsen SISAVONG, Vice-president of the Lao National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LNCCI), stated that LNCCI serves as a bridge between the business community and the Lao government. He highlighted two critical responsibilities within its mission: fostering international cooperation and promoting agricultural product processing and agritourism. LNCCI is committed to actively building partnerships with other countries and seeking collaboration with international chambers of commerce and similar organizations to drive the development of Laos' industry and commerce and to encourage investment. He sincerely invited government officials of all countries and international organizations to visit Laos to advance the development of its industry and commerce and explore investment opportunities in agriculture, livestock, agricultural product processing, and tourism.

Ms. Chu Thi Minh Nguyet, Agricultural Cooperative Training and Knowledge Management Officer of the Vietnam Cooperative Alliance stated that Vietnam has over 35,000 agricultural cooperatives capable of large-scale production and resource allocation. However, they face challenges such as over-reliance on weather conditions and increased use of fertilizers and pesticides due to continuous cropping. There is a need to increase the use of environmentally friendly organic and bio-fertilizers. She expressed a desire to promote trade and investment, particularly in the import of agricultural materials, and to provide training. She noted that cooperatives play a crucial role in this area by offering more training to farmers on the importance of crop rotation and the use of organic and bio-fertilizers, thereby promoting agricultural development.

Mr. Mohd Rais Bin Ismail, Manager of the Agriculture and Plantation Section of the Malaysian National Co-operative Movement (ANGKASA), stated that there are more than 12,000 cooperatives in Malaysia, of which the agricultural plantation cooperatives currently have more than 3,300 members responsible for various agricultural and agricultural materials activities. As the world's second-largest palm oil producer, with one million hectares of palm plantations, Malaysia hopes to attract more enterprises to invest in the country. Additionally, he expressed a desire for China to provide more advanced agricultural mechanization technologies to enhance the automation of fertilizer production and application.

Mr. Zalifudin bin Md. Arshad, Chief Executive Officer of NAFAS Bajakimia Sdn. Bhd of Malaysia stated that the company cultivates oil palm on approximately 7 million hectares of farmland, necessitating substantial imports of raw materials such as phosphate rock and ammonium phosphate. He expressed a desire to increase the import of these fertilizers from China and to enhance cooperation with China and ASEAN countries. He is willing to enter into short- and medium-term agreements with various parties to strengthen intergovernmental collaboration, including importing and exporting raw materials and aquatic and fish products. Additionally, he offered to act as an agent for foreign enterprises, facilitating connections with various Malaysian government agencies.

Ms. KAO Sochivi, Deputy Secretary General of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Cambodia, expressed the desire for cooperation on behalf of the Cambodian government. She hopes to enhance understanding and collaboration in soil management and improvement areas. Additionally, she hopes to strengthen cooperation with China in the technology of deep processing of agricultural products to increase the added value of Cambodia's agricultural products and find sales markets.

Ms. Hnin Sandar, Director of Myanmar Trade Promotion Organization (MYANTRADE), Ministry of Commerce, stated that Myanmar's fertilizer import demand for the 2024/2025 fiscal year is approximately 1.6 million tons, primarily urea. Additionally, Myanmar plans to export products such as cotton and peanuts next year and hopes to import agricultural materials like pesticides and seeds. Direct investment is also very welcome, as it could better address the issue of fertilizer shortages and help Myanmar overcome its current challenges.

Liu Gang, President of Shandong Supply and Marketing Agricultural Service Group Co., Ltd., stated that there is significant potential for agricultural cooperation, particularly for agricultural materials cooperation, between China and ASEAN and Central Asian countries. In recent years, the company has been importing potassium fertilizer, grain, and other products from Central Asia through the Belt and Road Initiative and China-Europe freight trains. Leveraging Shandong's proximity to ports, the company has also imported potassium fertilizer from Laos and exported products such as urea and phosphate fertilizers to ASEAN countries. In the future, he hopes that both sides will work together to contribute to agricultural development.

Hu Sheng, President of Jiangxi World Agricultural Means of Production Chain Group Co., Ltd., introduced that the company currently operates three major fertilizer production bases in Jiangxi Province, manufacturing compound fertilizers and organic fertilizers with an annual production capacity of approximately 1.2 million tons. The company has exported fertilizers to Zambia, Africa, in the past two years. Potassium fertilizer from Laos can be directly transported to ports along the Yangtze River via sea freight. The company also plans to construct a self-owned 10,000-ton-grade dock, significantly enhancing transportation convenience. He hoped to strengthen exchanges further and explore cooperation opportunities through the CACAC platform.

Zhai Wugong, General Manager of Jiangsu Huachang Chemical Import and Export Company, stated that the company currently has permanent staff stationed in ASEAN countries such as Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Vietnam. They collaborate with local enterprises or agrochemical teams, primarily focusing on agrochemical technical services and brand promotion. He expressed hope to leverage the platform of CACAC to deepen agrochemical service cooperation with cooperatives and enterprises from ASEAN countries and enhance efforts to promote downstream collaboration.

Du Chao, General Manager of Hebei Agricultural Means of Production Group Limited Company, expressed his hope to strengthen in-depth cooperation and exchanges with ASEAN countries, expand trade relations, and jointly promote regional agricultural development.

Wang Qun, General Manager of Sino-Agri Tianjin Fertilizer Co., Ltd., stated that in recent years, the company's export business has covered countries such as India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Myanmar, the Philippines, Thailand, and Indonesia. During the forum, the company also showcased its products and looks forward to receiving more guidance and opportunities for demand matching.

Li Jing, Deputy General Manager of Etherchem International Company Limited, stated that the company primarily focuses on import and export trade. It mainly exported nitrogen fertilizers and imported potassium fertilizers, compound fertilizers, and sulfur. She hoped to meet more friends through the forum, paving new paths for the company's development.

Xu Mingfeng, Division Chief of the International Business Division of the International Cooperation Department of ACFSMC, stated that ACFSMC is very willing to promote cooperation among cooperatives in various countries. It can be achieved by signing strategic memorandums and adopting the "Cooperative+" model. Additionally, ACFSMC is willing to provide free training to cooperatives from different countries, hoping to foster mutual learning and exchanges among all parties.

Qin Kun, Deputy Director of the Council of Supply and Marketing Cooperatives of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, introduced the current situation of the Supply and Marketing Cooperatives and proposed three suggestions for enhancing cooperation between China and ASEAN countries. First, strengthen collaboration in the production, processing, and sales of agricultural materials such as fertilizers and pesticides. Second, deepen agricultural cooperation, encouraging Chinese enterprises to engage in farming in ASEAN countries and introducing ASEAN agricultural products like durian and mangosteen to the Chinese market. Third, enhance cooperation in agricultural machinery. He emphasized that by fully leveraging Guangxi's geographical advantages and the opportunity of the China-ASEAN Expo being permanently held in Nanning and with the support of the ACFSMC and CACAC, the Supply and Marketing Cooperatives of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region will actively develop partnerships with ASEAN countries to further expand and strengthen China's supply and marketing cooperative endeavors.

In her concluding remarks at the panel discussion, Fan Huiqun stated that CACAC, as an international organization serving agriculture, agricultural materials, economic and trade, cooperation, and exchanges between China and ASEAN as well as other countries, is also a critical window and channel for ACFSMC' international exchanges. CACAC will promote multi-level interaction and exchanges among government departments, industry organizations, and enterprises in the Lancang-Mekong region and neighboring countries through various means, including active cooperation among cooperatives, the online channel of the Lancang-Mekong Comprehensive Information Platform for Agriculture, Economy and Trade, Technology, and offline activities such as the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Forum for Agriculture, Agricultural Materials, Economy and Trade. In the future, CACAC will continue to uphold its service-oriented mission, actively play its role as a bridge and link, and better serve government departments, industries, and enterprises of various countries in their development and exchanges. It will also strengthen ties with relevant departments in multiple countries to jointly enhance the international platform of the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Forum for Agriculture, Agricultural Materials, Economy, and Trade, creating greater advantages of mutual assistance and complementary and promoting deeper-level exchanges and interactions in regional agriculture, agricultural materials, economic and trade cooperation.

The panel discussion was conducted in a lively atmosphere, with representatives actively participating in the discussions. It deepened mutual understanding and laid a solid foundation for future cooperation and collaboration.

The participants visited the China-ASEAN Information Harbor Co., Ltd. 

 The participants visited the Guangxi Tianyuan Biochemistry Co., Ltd.

On the afternoon of December 5, the attending representatives also visited China-ASEAN Information Harbor Co., Ltd. and Guangxi Tianyuan Biochemical Co., Ltd. for on-site inspections. They gained insights into the development of informatization, digital intelligence, and green agricultural innovation practices, leaving a profound impression.

The two-day 2024 Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Forum for Agriculture, Agricultural Materials, Economy and Trade concluded successfully. Representatives from various countries engaged in pleasant exchanges and active interactions, achieving fruitful results. The forum brought new energy and explored new directions for promoting mutual understanding among countries, industries, and enterprises in the Lancang-Mekong region and ASEAN, as well as deepening cooperation and exchanges in agriculture, agricultural materials, economy and trade.