'Korea-China Governors Growth Conference' to Be Held in September
Showcasing Achievements as a Korea-China FTA Pilot City
November 'Korea-Japan Governors Conference'...
Discussing Responses to Population Decline and Regional Extinction
Incheon City will participate as a key city in the upcoming '2025 Korea-China Governors Growth Conference' and the '2025 Korea-Japan Governors Conference' in the second half of this year, aiming to strengthen its status as an international city.
According to Incheon City on July 8, the 3rd Korea-China Governors Growth Conference will be held in Seoul from September 8 to 10. This high-level local diplomacy platform brings together the heads of local governments from Korea and China to discuss ways to expand economic, trade, cultural, and human exchanges. Notably, Yoo Jeongbok, the Mayor of Incheon, who also serves as the Chairman of the Governors Association of Korea, will lead the entire conference on behalf of the association.
Incheon City plans to present its achievements as a pilot city for the Korea-China Free Trade Agreement (FTA), focusing on cooperation in the industrial and economic sectors and responses to the climate crisis. The city will also share its carbon-neutral city model to expand practical and sustainable cooperation with Chinese cities.
This year marks the 33rd anniversary of diplomatic relations between Korea and China and the 10th anniversary of the FTA. Incheon City and Weihai City in Shandong Province, China, have been designated as pilot cities for the Korea-China FTA. They have established mutual representative offices, supported business expansion, and discussed cooperative projects through a joint committee held annually.
In addition, Incheon City recently became the first city in Korea to join the Carbon Neutral Cities Alliance (CNCA), an international network of leading carbon-neutral cities. The city has established the '2045 Incheon Carbon Neutral Strategy,' which aims to achieve global targets five years ahead of schedule. Incheon is currently promoting greenhouse gas reduction projects across five sectors: buildings, transportation, waste, agriculture and fisheries, and carbon sinks.
The Korea-Japan Governors Conference, now in its 8th year, is the highest-level local government cooperation meeting between the two countries, attended by the heads of metropolitan governments. This year's conference will be held in Incheon from November 11 to 13.
The conference will feature in-depth discussions on cases of industrial and economic cooperation, as well as strategies for addressing population decline and regional extinction. Incheon City plans to actively promote the city's competitiveness and appeal through city tours, corporate site visits, and cultural performances.
An official from Incheon City stated, "This year is symbolic as it marks the 10th anniversary of the Korea-China FTA and the 60th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations between Korea and Japan. It is meaningful that Incheon will play a pivotal role in both conferences. As local government diplomacy is a form of practical diplomacy that directly affects citizens' lives, we will further solidify Incheon's global status based on mature cooperation and trust."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
