European Chamber South China Chapter Attends 2021 Annual Conference on Multinational Corporation Investment in Guangdong

2021-09-28 | South China

On 28 September, European Chamber Vice Presidents Klaus Zenkel and Guido Giacconi along with representatives from the South China Chapter Board attended the 2021 Annual Conference on Multinational Corporation Investment in Guangdong. Following the Conference opening, Klaus and Guido were seated in the VIP section of the Promotion of Business Opportunities in the Bay Area and Briefing on the Latest Investment Policies of Guangdong Province Subforum.

Klaus Zenkel was the first speaker for this subforum. His presentation focused on opportunities for European investment in the GBA. The first half of his presentation, Klaus shared with the audience hard data collected from the South China BCS questions showing European Chamber members’ commitment to South China and their preference for doing business in Guangdong. He concluded his speech with four key challenges that need to be overcome in the region: talent, logistics, cross-border travel, and power shortages. 

Klaus and Guido both attended a VIP lunch with Guangdong government officials. It was there Klaus gifted a copy of the 2021 BCS and 2021 Position Paper to Guangdong Department of Commerce Deputy Director Chen Yuehua, Guangdong Department of Commerce Inspector at Level 2 Director Li Jing, and Guangdong Board of Investment Promotion Chen Shaotao.

Klaus was later invited to attend a VIP session with Guangdong Governor Ma Xingrui. It was during this session, Klaus had an opportunity to speak to the room and address the governor about the fine business environment Guangdong Province has and the general sentiment shared by European Chamber South China members. The power shortages issue was raised by Klaus to which Governor Ma replied that the root causes of the power shortages are not related to environmental targets but simply because of coal prices and energy systems transitioning

Klaus also raised the issue of the cross-border travel for the expats who are needed in China on a temporary base, to support and train the local teams on projects. Due to the quasi-impossibility to bring them in, the projects are delayed or cancelled, which is hurting European companies and consequently their employees. Following that session, Klaus gifted copies of the 2021 BCS and 2021 Position Paper to Guangdong Deputy Governor Zhang Xin and the Guangdong Administration for Market Regulation Director General Mai Jiaomeng.