Chairman Chey Tae-won Visits China Ahead of APEC, Meets with CCPIT and Shanghai Party Secretary

Chey Tae-won Visits China, Meets Vice Premier He Lifeng
Urges Participation in 'CEO Summit'
"Hopes for Stronger Bilateral Business Cooperation"
Diplomatic Efforts for Economic Collaboration

Chey Tae-won, Chairman of SK Group and the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry, visited China ahead of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) CEO Summit, which opens on October 28. His visit was part of diplomatic efforts aimed at ensuring the successful hosting of the event and strengthening economic cooperation between South Korea and China.

On the 10th, Chairman Chey Tae-won (left) met with Ren Hongbin, Chairman of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT), in Beijing to review the current status of economic cooperation between the two countries and exchanged views on ways to expand private-sector cooperation, including increased exchanges between companies. Provided by the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

According to the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Chairman Chey visited both Beijing and Shanghai from October 10 to 12, meeting with Chinese government officials and business leaders to request their cooperation for the event. The purpose of this visit was to secure the attention and support of China, the next chair of APEC, and to further develop economic cooperation between the two countries, taking advantage of the CEO Summit as an opportunity.

On October 10 in Beijing, Chairman Chey met with He Lifeng, Vice Premier of the State Council of China, and Ren Hongbin, Chairman of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT), to review the current status of economic cooperation between the two countries and discuss ways to expand exchanges between private companies. CCPIT plans to lead a large delegation of about 100 business representatives to this year’s APEC CEO Summit and will also serve as the host organization for next year’s event.

Chairman Chey stated, "CCPIT is the most influential trade and investment promotion organization in China and has played a key role in economic cooperation between South Korea and China for many years. As this CEO Summit will address core topics such as artificial intelligence (AI), semiconductors, carbon neutrality, energy transition, and the global supply chain, I hope it will serve as an opportunity for companies from both countries to strengthen practical cooperation."

On October 11 and 12, Chairman Chey traveled to Shanghai, where he met with Chen Jining, the Communist Party Secretary of Shanghai, and attended the 37th International Business Leaders’ Advisory Council for the Mayor of Shanghai (IBLAC). IBLAC is a platform where CEOs of major global companies and the Shanghai city leadership gather to discuss key issues in industries such as finance, manufacturing, and logistics. At this year’s event, Chairman Chey called on business leaders from various countries to show interest in and participate in the APEC CEO Summit in Gyeongju.

Yoon Cheolmin, Head of International Trade at the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry, emphasized, "Cooperation from China, a key partner country, is essential for the successful hosting of the APEC CEO Summit. We expect this visit to serve as a catalyst for expanding the scope of economic cooperation between the two countries."

This year’s APEC Leaders’ Meeting will be held in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, from October 31 to November 1, with the CEO Summit taking place over four days starting on October 28. The theme of this year’s summit is "3B (Beyond, Business, Bridge)," which represents the idea of building new bridges of cooperation through innovative business activities that transcend borders and industries.