Major fair to cement, expand EU-China cooperation in new economy

The annual European Union-China Business and Technology Cooperation Fair, which is attracting high-profile business insiders and experts from European countries and regions, kicked off in Chengdu Hi-Tech Industrial Development Zone on Wednesday and will run until next Monday.

At the 13th staging of the event in China, delegates are sharing their latest experiences and expertise in the new economy, with the aim of linking China's and Europe's resources in innovative technology and promoting cooperation in the new economy field.

During the event, there will also be some supplementary activities including a China-EU new economy summit as well as a series of China-EU project matching fairs.

The fair will feature a Europe Day for Investment: Invest in Poland, as well as a Europe Day for Tourism and Culture: Visit Europe.

Organized by the China Chamber of International Commerce and Chengdu city Government, the event is regarded as one of the largest platforms to enhance China-EU investment, trade and technological cooperation.

Delegates include government officials, agencies and business representatives from 17 EU member states, as well as representatives from some other countries such as Switzerland, Norway, Serbia, Russia and New Zealand.

Some of them are veterans engaged in the environmental protection industry, as well as other sectors such as new materials, information and communications technology, intelligent manufacturing, modern agriculture, as well as commerce, investment and tourism.

The delegates will also have talks on the establishment of innovation-driven cities, ecological clusters, attracting technical and creative professionals and pioneer enterprises, sharing the results of research into new economic development and exploring new paths for economic growth.

A delegation of 10 people from Italy, a group of 12 people from France and a delegation group from Poland will attend the fair, as global friendship cities and regions with Chengdu.

Poland, a frequent visitor to the fair in the past sessions, is expected this year to join in on talks about the Chengdu-Europe high-speed railway project.

According to organizers, new friends from Denmark, Germany and Russia will discuss their new projects and bring their professional technical teams.

After attending the fair last year, its officials said Denmark achieved a basic understanding about agriculture and animal husbandry in Chengdu and the western regions of China.

A spokesman said that this year, the country will continue to participate in multilateral discussions and will bring experts from Danish companies and institutions engaged in large-scale green livestock management and poultry breeding, as well as in the bioenergy recycling industry.

Germany, which is participating in the fair for the third year, will this time seek cooperation with Chinese companies in such areas as green industrial clusters and intelligent manufacturing.

The country is also expected to bring its advanced insights and expertise in the healthcare industry, the recycling economy, sewage treatment, construction engineering and wine production.

Organizers said that 2018 represents the 40th anniversary of the launch of China's reform and opening-up policy and the fifth year after the proposal of the Belt and Road Initiative.

As a key hub city involved in the B&R, Chengdu is attaching increasing importance to innovation and its role in international exchanges to boost its economic growth.

Big events and activities, which steer the flow of people, funds, information and other resources, are regarded as key platforms to attract economic driving forces to the city.

Leveraging its global flight routes departing from Chengdu Tianfu International Airport and Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport - and railway routes from Chengdu international railway ports - the city is continuing to successfully attract international companies to locate operations there, along with high-level international events and conventions.

Since its debut, the EU-China Business and Technology Cooperation Fair has attracted the participation of more than 3,570 companies from European countries and regions, as well as 6,520 groups from within China.

It has arranged more than 26,200 business matchmaking pairings and seen the signing of 2,527 business deals.

The Chengdu Hi-Tech Industrial Development Zone, which is the permanent venue for the Business and Information Center for China-Europe Cooperation, will continue to expand the opening-up, giving a substantial boost to the communications and cooperation between European countries and regions with Chengdu, according to a zone official.

In 2017, the output value of the new economy made by the enterprises in the zone was calculated at 330 billion yuan ($548.16 billion), benefiting from pioneering policies to boost the new economy and a major investment fund supporting the development of unicorns - startup companies with a valuation of over $1 billion.

"Focusing on artificial intelligence, 5G communications and the digital economy, the Chengdu Hi-tech Industrial Development Zone will build itself to become a new cradle for Chinese unicorn companies and release vitality into the new economic development," the official said.

liyou@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 09/20/2018 page10)