Shenzhen and Europe move closer thanks to Brussels hub

The Brussels-based international association ChinaEU and the Go Global Service Center from Shenzhen's Nanshan district signed an agreement on Thursday to establish a hub in Brussels, Belgium aimed at strengthening business links between China and Europe.

Nanshan district, which is home to Chinese technology giants including Tencent and DJI, has a high concentration of companies specializing in artificial intelligence, telecommunications, and advanced manufacturing.

ChinaEU is a Brussels-based association promoting cooperation between Europe and China in digital technologies and innovation.

Under the memorandum of understanding they signed, ChinaEU will assist enterprises from Nanshan that are seeking to expand into Europe by providing market access and regulatory guidance, business matchmaking services, and investment promotion support.

The Go Global Service Center will help European companies explore opportunities in Shenzhen, through local partner identification, policy consultation, and integration into local industrial and supply-chain networks.

Luigi Gambardella, president of ChinaEU, said the partnership aims to create connections between Shenzhen and Europe and foster deeper cooperation in emerging technologies.

"For many years, Europe and China have cooperated mainly through trade, investment and technology exchange. That model remains important, but it is no longer enough," said Gambardella.

"In the age of artificial intelligence, robotics, intelligent manufacturing and digital transformation, the greatest opportunities will come from co-creation: European and Chinese companies working together from the beginning to design products, develop technologies, launch pilot projects and build new markets."

"Nanshan is one of the most dynamic innovation districts in China," he added. "With this partnership, we want to build a practical bridge between Shenzhen and Europe – helping companies on both sides move beyond traditional cooperation toward real co-creation in AI, digital technologies, and advanced manufacturing."

The establishment of the hub, which will be called the Global Service Center – EU & Brussels Hub, will be a significant step in strengthening Nanshan's presence in Europe and help facilitate exchanges, innovation, collaboration, and mutually beneficial partnerships, according to Shenzhen Huitong Global International Services Co, the operator of Nanshan's Go Global Service Center.

The partnership will support business delegations, innovation missions, investment promotion events, and business-to-business matchmaking activities in both Europe and Shenzhen.

Selected projects may also be developed under a future ChinaEU-Nanshan Co-Creation Programme, the company added.