More companies registering with commerce chamber
The Benelux Chamber of Commerce has recently been seeing about 10 medium and small-sized Dutch companies joining as members per month, a senior manager of the chamber told China Daily this week.
General Manager of Benelux Chamber of Commerce in Beijing Helmy Koolen said this was a sign that more medium and small-sized Dutch companies are keen to start business in China.
The chamber has more than 500 corporate and individual members, from the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxemburg. About half of the members are from the Netherlands, including famous companies like Philips, Unilever, DSM and Shell.
"Our main goal is to support Dutch companies in China," said Koolen. The chamber has two offices in China, with the other one based in Shanghai.
"The key purpose of the Benelux Chamber in China is to facilitate networking. We therefore organize a range of events and activities," said Koolen.
She said these included breakfast seminars, keynote addresses and trade delegations. Members have reciprocal rights to attend events organized in either Beijing or Shanghai.
The chamber was a non-profit organization and charged a small fee for membership and attendance at events, she said.
"All our members see the booming economic growth in China," Koolen said, adding that China attracts large investments due to its good infrastructure, telecommunications and competent Chinese employees.
"But the Chinese market is very competitive as well," Koolen said.
She credited Dutch companies' successes in the Chinese market to the Dutch people's language abilities and their openness to other cultures.
"The Dutch businesspeople have good relations with the Chinese authorities at different levels because they can adapt to different surroundings," said Koolen.
Koolen said Dutch companies should "invest" in their Chinese employees by giving them more opportunities. "Many of the Chinese employees can do very well in an international career. They can, in turn, help the companies more," she said. She added that it was very important for the Dutch companies to provide goods and services in China to the same standards as in the Netherlands and other countries.
Besides helping Dutch companies in China, Koolen said the chamber is also capable of helping Chinese companies go to the Netherlands.
"The Netherlands has long trade relations with China and has been China's second trade partner in the European Union since 2003," Koolen said.
"We hope that more and more Chinese companies can start business in the Netherlands, especially in the fields of high technology, consumer goods and logistics. The Netherlands is a great hub to the rest of Europe, with excellent harbors, railway and road infrastructure."
(Shanghai Start 09/28/2007 page1)
