The seminar on the Global Economy and Regional Free Trade at the Wuzhou Guesthouse Sunday attracted about 200 high-ranking domestic and foreign officials, CEOs and scholars.

The seminar was one of the series of Super-SUPER roundtable meetings,

Government officials from Fujian, Jilin, Shanxi, Gansu, Ningxia and Xinjiang took the opportunity to introduce the investment environments of their provinces or regions.

From a Canadian perspective, Jim Feir, Canadian Consul General in Guangzhou, addressed the gathering on Canada's innovative partnerships in regional economic cooperation.

Like China, Canada was one of the world's premier trading nations, Feir said.

"The multilateral trading system embodied in the WTO agreements remains the cornerstone of Canada's international trade policy," Feir said.

The WTO is not a club. It is a system of international economic and trade relations that requires its members' commitments that affect the nature of their economies, the structure of their industries, and the functioning of their societies, Feir said.

Canada now enjoys the benefits of the North American Free Trade Agreement, as well as bilateral Free Trade Agreements with Israel, Chile, and Costa Rica.

"As demonstrated from Canada's experience, we believe the recent signing of CEPA with Hong Kong and the on-going China-Asean Free-Trade talks will certainly bring benefits to China and the regional economies involved," Feir said.

Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce's CEO Eden Y. Woon disagrees with the general view that CEPA is a gift from the Central Government to Hong Kong.

"CEPA will play a significant role in the establishment of further regional free trade in the Pearl River Delta and even in Asia," Woon said.

Also, CEPA will bring benefits to the manufacturing industry and tertiary services in Hong Kong and on the Chinese mainland, especially in Shenzhen, in the near future, Woon said.

Successfully introduced at the Fourth China Hi-Tech Fair last year, the Super-SUPER roundtable meetings aim to provide tailored services for senior government officials and entrepreneurs from home and abroad to enhance exchange and cooperation.

SUPER stands for service, unique, president, executive and relationship.

Editor: Catherine