The reporter learned from the Eighth Inter-governmental Coordination and Consultation Meeting for the Tumen River Area Development Program (TRADP). organized by United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) that Inner Mongolia is formally included in the greater Tumen River cooperative area.

TRADP is the only regional cooperative development project established underthe leadership of UNDP in the region with China, DPRK, Mongolia, ROK and Russia as members. During the coordination and consultation meeting, the participant members agreed unanimously to prolong the program advisory commission agreement signed in 1995 for 10 years and continue the existing liaison and cooperation within the area. At the same time, in order to boost the sustainable economic development in Northeast Asia, they agreed to include Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning and Inner Mongolia, Rajin-Sonbong Economy and Trade Zone of DPRK, eastern provinces of Mongolia and eastern coastal cities of ROK in the program.

Greater Tumen River Area is an important hinge in connecting the trade and communication with Europe, Northeast Asia and North America and it has significant advantages in transit trade and corporate development.