European Chamber Urges Guangdong to Open Further to Foreign Investment

European Chamber Urges Guangdong to Open Further to Foreign Investment Go back »

2018-11-07 | South China

Shenzhen, 6^th November 2018 – The European Union Chamber of Commerce in China (European Chamber) today jointly hosted the 2018 China (Guangdong)-Europe Investment Cooperation Conference (CEICC) & German Enterprises Invest in Guangdong Promotion Event in Shenzhen, together with the People’s Government of Guangdong Province and the German Chamber of Commerce in China. The event brought together high-level representatives from Europe and China to discuss potential areas of investment cooperation in Guangdong.

Shenzhen Party Secretary Mr Wang Weizhong, European Chamber Vice-president Massimo Bagnasco and President of Delegation of German Industry and Commerce Eric Schweitzer, delivered the opening remarks. Mr Huang Wu, vice chairman of Guangdong Provincial Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, delivered a keynote speech.

A series of activities were held within the framework of the CEICC, including a government dialogue, matchmaking sessions for European and local companies, and best practice sharing. Topics covered during the event included intelligent manufacturing, biotech and health and environmental technology. There was also a seminar on the role of European businesses in Guangdong’s economy, which included an overview of key messaging from the European Chamber’s Position Paper 2018/2019.

Massimo Bagnasco, vice president of European Union Chamber of Commerce in China, emphasised the importance of GuangdongProvince in China’s overall development, and said that, to attract more foreign investment, it needs to open further then lead the way with economic reforms.

“It is no coincidence that the most open province is the most economically dynamic. As a province at the centre of the country’s economic reform, Guangdong can play a special role to continue to push the boundaries of economic liberalisation and show the rest of China the value of openness,” said the European Chamber vice president. “The footprint of China’s ‘reform deficit’ is perhaps smallest in Guangdong, but it is still here. The province may be more open and fairer than elsewhere in China, but until it simply becomes open and fair it will still have work to do. The European Chamber is in favour of taking a constructive approach, and is ready and willing to jointly work towards this goal.”

About the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China

The European Union Chamber of Commerce in China (European Chamber) was founded in 2000 by 51 member companies that shared a goal of establishing a common voice for the various business sectors of the European Union and European businesses operating in China. It is a members-driven, non-profit, fee-based organisation with a core structure of 31 working groups and fora representing European business in China. The European Chamber is recognised by the European Commission and the Chinese authorities as the official voice of European business in China.

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