The ninth Incheon-Weihai Joint Committee on Local Economic Cooperation meets in Weihai, China, on Thursday. [Incheon city government]
The ninth Incheon-Weihai Joint Committee on Local Economic Cooperation meets in Weihai, China, on Thursday. [Incheon city government]

Incheon is moving to deepen economic and cultural exchanges with Weihai, a city in China's Shandong Province designated as a pilot city under the Korea-China free trade agreement, building on 11 years of cooperation between the two cities.

An Incheon city delegation attended the ninth Incheon-Weihai Joint Committee on Local Economic Cooperation in Weihai, China, on Thursday to discuss ways to advance mutual development.

The two cities have held the annual meeting on an alternating basis since being designated FTA pilot cities in July 2015. At this year's session, both sides agreed to activate practical cooperation channels around three core agenda items: collaboration in eco-friendly energy, promotion of e-commerce, and expansion of cultural and tourism exchanges.

On Wednesday, the Incheon delegation called on Weihai Mayor Kong Fanping to reaffirm both cities' commitment to friendly cooperation as FTA pilot cities.

The delegation also attended a ceremony marking the 10th anniversary of the Incheon (IFEZ) Economic and Trade Representative Office in China, held with some 130 local business people and buyers in attendance, and reviewed the progress Incheon's small and medium-sized enterprises have made in entering the local market.

Seo Mi-suk, head of Incheon's international cooperation division, said the local economic cooperation model that Incheon and Weihai have pioneered together stands as a major milestone in exchanges between the two countries. "We will move swiftly on follow-up measures so that the agenda items discussed at this joint committee translate into tangible results for businesses in the region," Seo said.


gilbert@heraldcorp.com