The first conference on implementation of ASEAN Maritime Transport – China Agreement was held from 18 to 20 September 2008, in Beijing, China. The 8 delegations of ASEAN Member Countries, namely Indonesia, Lao PDR., Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippine, Singapore, Thailand, Viet Nam and China were attended this meeting. The representative of ASEAN Secretariat presented. Vietnamese delegation consisted of the representatives from the Ministry of Transport, Vietnam Maritime Administration, and Vietnam Register.
In the conference, the information and matters related to the Agreement approval procedure and the maritime strategy development among the nations in the agreement were discussed. China is carrying out the strategies which aim to strengthen the control of activities of international maritime transport agencies in China and the solutions to persuade Chinese ship-owners to register Chinese flag. ASEAN representative introduced the roadmap to develop a competitive and integrative ASEAN maritime transport industry. The attended delegations agreed on principal for organization of projects for maritime human sources training courses for ASEAN member countries with the assistance from China.
The ASEAN-China Maritime Transport Agreement was signed in 2nd October 2007, in Singapore, by the ministers of Ministry of Transport of Asean members and China, which aims to strengthen and promote the progressive cooperation in maritime passenger and cargo transport between ASEAN member countries' ports and China. This agreement will come in force when the ASEAN member countries and China ratified. At present, only Singapore and China had completed the ratification procedure. It is planned that the second conference will be held in HoChiMinh City – Viet Nam, at the end of 2009.