Benelux Represented at the 2023 Chengdu Global Industrial Investment Conference
On September 20th, the Benelux Chamber of Commerce was invited by the Chengdu Municipal Government to attend the 2023 Chengdu Global Innovation and Entrepreneurship Fair. Under the banner of "Joining hands with Chengdu to Win the Future," the event has emerged as a crucible for stimulating the flow and convergence of innovative resources among nations, cities, and enterprises. Representatives of the Benelux Chamber were invited to introduce its operations and organizational structure, providing a gateway between China and Benelux.
This year's "Global Industry Investment Matchmaking Conference," a flagship event within the broader Chengdu Global Innovation and Entrepreneurship Fair, is laser-focused on key sectors such as new generation information technology, artificial intelligence, digital economy, aerospace, green and low carbon technologies, and new energy. Dignitaries and representatives from twenty countries and regions, including Israel, Kazakhstan, Poland, the United Kingdom, Belgium, Denmark, and the Netherlands, converged in Chengdu to partake in this momentous occasion. Other Chamber associations based in Shanghai, such as the Danish Chamber of Commerce, were also present.
A Global Partnership Plan
The highlight of the conference was the unveiling of the Global Partnership Plan, a visionary initiative designed to deepen collaboration between cities and facilitate the convergence of projects seeking investment and products seeking markets.
Yang Jiande, Vice Chairman of the Chengdu Municipal People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) opened the event with his presence, emphasizing Chengdu's investment-friendly policies and its promising competitive advantages on the global stage. Through insightful discussions with representatives from various countries and key enterprises, Yang Jiande emphasized the critical importance of fusing the digital economy with the real economy, thus serving the developmental needs of the latter while paving the way for a prosperous digital era. The conference achieved unprecedented success by unveiling the collaboration requirements of over 300 companies, effectively unleashing opportunities valued at a staggering one billion yuan.
Often being regarded as the capital of Southwest-China, Chengdu offers unique incentives for foreign invested enterprises to incorporate and invest in Chengdu. This event also promoted cross-border outbound investment to different regions in the world, including the Benelux region. Benelux, offering great port and transportation facilities among others, also has a unique presence in Chengdu: two of our member companies also have operations running in the Qingbaijiang Train Port in Chengdu. Both Intermax Logistics and H.Essers make use of the cargo train “Yu-Xin-Ou”, which is a freight rail route linking Chongqing/Chengdu with Duisburg in Germany and even further connections to the Benelux. This route is often used by Fortune 500 companies, such as Apple, Foxconn, HP, etc. The route takes Chengdu-produced goods to Europe in about 13 days, offered at competitive prices.
The 2023 Chengdu Global Innovation and Entrepreneurship Fair marks a significant milestone in Chengdu's journey toward global recognition as a premier investment and innovation hub. Its resounding success, including the success of the “Yu-xin-ou” freight rail track, stands as a testament to Chengdu's unwavering commitment to fostering international cooperation and attracting top-tier talent and businesses. The Benelux Chamber welcomes this initiative and hopes for more incentives and services supportive of our members.
