DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE OF
GUANGDONG PROVINCE
On the morning of September 13th, the 2017 China (Guangdong)-Europe Investment and Innovation Cooperation Conference was held in Shunde District, Foshan City. Mr. Ma Xingrui, Governor of Guangdong Province, attended the conference and delivered a keynote speech. Mr. Chen Yunxian, the Member of CPC Leadership Group of People's Government of Guangdong Province, Mr. Hans Dietmar Schweisgut, EU Ambassador to China, and Mr. Mats Harborn, Chairman of the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China participated in the relevant activities.
Authorized by Mr. Hu Chunhua, the Secretary of Guangdong Provincial Committee of CPC, Mr. Ma Xingrui extended congratulations for the opening of 2017 China (Guangdong)-Europe Investment and Innovation Cooperation Conference and expressed warm welcome to all the enterprises and guests on behalf of Guangdong Provincial Committee of CPC and People's Government of Guangdong Province. He pointed out that, as the forerunner of reform and opening up, in recent years, Guangdong Province earnestly implements the consensus reached by high-level leaders of China and Europe and practically promotes mutually beneficial cooperation between Guangdong and Europe in the fields of trade and investment and so on, and thus the economic and trade exchanges between two sides become increasingly close, the two-way investment cooperation is further deepened, the connectivity cooperation is pragmatically advanced, and overall development of cultural, scientific and technological cooperation achieves fruitful results. At present, Guangdong carries out in-depth implementation of the important instructions and spirit of President Xi Jinping, further promotes the supply-side-structural reform, vigorously implements innovation-driven development strategy, accelerates the development of an open economy, these are bound to bring new vast opportunities for the economic and trade investment cooperation between Guangdong and Europe. He hopes that under the framework of China-EU Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, Guangdong continues to strengthen exchanges and cooperation with European countries, further expand trade cooperation, promote the scale and level of two-way investment, deepen scientific and technological innovation cooperation, facilitate the cooperation of the small and medium-sized enterprises, advance education and people-to-people exchanges and cooperation, so as to jointly promote cooperation between Guangdong and Europe to a new level.
Mr. Hans Dietmar Schweisgut indicated that EU and China enjoy a comprehensive and in-depth partnership, and have good cooperation in many fields. Guangdong is an important investment partner to EU, as Guangdong continues to push for a higher level of opening up, undertake in-depth implementation of innovation-driven development, strengthen the protection of intellectual property rights, and create a fairer and more open business environment, the EU and the EU investors will be more confident on the development of China and Guangdong. He hoped that through the exchanges and cooperation on this conference, more European enterprises will participate in process of the transformation and development in Guangdong and share the great opportunities brought by the rapid development of Guangdong.
Mr. Mats Harborn said that the current Guangdong further implements the strategy of innovation-driven development, vigorously encourages people to start their own businesses and to make innovations , accelerates the industrial transformation and upgrading, and strives to achieve “double shift” (transfer of traditional industries and labors), therefore, Guangdong has a broad development prospect and strong appeal to EU investors. The European Union Chamber of Commerce in China is willing to further strengthen cooperation with Guangdong Province, and support Guangdong to introduce more constructive solutions, build the international business environment and promote fair competition, so as to achieve mutual benefits.
This conference is cosponsored by People's government of Guangdong Province and the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China, and organized by Department of Commerce of Guangdong Province and People’s Government of Foshan City. More than 30 seniors from the World Top 500 and leading enterprises in Europe attended the event. And representatives of more than 120 European companies and of over 200 Guangdong enterprises took part in thematic activities and docking communication. Mr. Ma Xingrui, Mr. Chen Yunxian, Mr Hans Dietmar Schweisgut, and Mr. Mats Harborn witnessed the contract-signing ceremonies of 15 projects, such as the energy conservation and environmental protection industry investment alliance of Guangdong province, the "going global" energy infrastructure industry alliance, the green tech town in Foshan City built by ALBA, the investment by Galanz Group, etc.
During the conference, Mr. Ma Xingrui chaired Guangdong Governor & CEOs of Leading European Companies Roundtable and carried out face to face communication with European entrepreneurs. He agreed with and gave response to their suggestions on further optimizing government service and business environment. Mr. Ma said that Guangdong will further implement the decision and deployment made on the third plenary session of the 18th CPC Central Committee, so as to make the market play a decisive role in the allocation of resources and the government better play its role, speed up the establishment of an international and convenient business environment under the rule of law. Meanwhile, Guangdong will vigorously develop such emerging industries as electronic information, intelligent equipment, clean energy, medical treatment and health, etc., it welcomes mass foreign companies to pursue better and faster development in Guangdong.
Before the meeting, Mr. Ma met with the EU delegation to China, the two sides had conversation on the further strengthening of the exchanges and cooperation between Guangdong and the European countries, expanding areas of cooperation, enhancing the level of cooperation and achieving mutual benefit and win-win results.
On the afternoon of September 13th, the conference organized and convened five Symposiums, the participants carried out discussion on the two-way cooperation and development on the topics of intelligent manufacturing, biomedicine, green smart city and urbanization, the investment market in Europe, and so on. On the 14th, some of the guests visited the Guangdong Tanzhou International Convention and Exhibition Center and headquarters of Midea Group to learn about the investment environment in Shunde District, Foshan City.
Mr. Zheng Jianrong, Director-General of Department of Commerce of Guangdong Province attended relevant activities and witnessed contract-signing ceremonies of some projects.
