Shanghai- Southwest China’s Chongqing Municipality has attracted 42 Fortune Global 500 and industry-leading multinational companies, foreign institutions, and important business associations to participate in the Chongqing Investment and Trade Cooperation Dialogue held during the 3rd China International Import Expo (CIIE) on Thursday.
Chongqing Investment and Trade Cooperation Dialogue is successfully held on November 5, 2020, during the 3rd China International Import Expo in Shanghai, China.
19 trade and investment cooperation agreements with Chongqing
Companies including Greenland Global Commodity Trading Hub Group, Shanghai Maike, Schneider Electric, Siemens Healthineers, and Itochu of Japan signed 19 trade and investment cooperation agreements with Chongqing on manufacturing, commerce, software, and information technology services, electronic information, intelligent equipment, and other fields. As for five trade categories contracted at the dialogue, international trade countries included Japan, France, Thailand, Germany, the United States.
"The regional gross domestic product of Chongqing increased by 2.6% in the first three quarters this year." Mr. Li Bo, Deputy Mayor of Chongqing Municipal People's Government, added, "It demonstrates a strong implementation potential of the government and a good momentum of Chongqing's development."
The investment promotion host was the Chongqing Municipal People's Government and its organizer, the Chongqing Municipal Commission of Commerce. The dialogue aimed to continue to give full play to the role of the CIIE as a platform for investment promotion and international trade, demonstrate Chongqing’s achievement in reform and opening-up, leverage Chongqing as an international hub, and seek more international market opportunities, investment opportunities, and growth opportunities.
Mr. Song Gang, Deputy Director of the Chongqing Municipal Commission of Commerce, addressed the investment promotion in Chongqing and shared relevant development opportunities. He mentioned that four major advantages of Chongqing's development in location, industry, ecology, and system have attracted more and more international companies to focus on Chongqing and continue to deepen cooperation with the municipality. “As of the end of 2019, Chongqing had been home to 293 Fortune Global 500 companies,” said Song.
What participators said about the trade and investment cooperation dialogue
It’s the third time for Danone, a global food and beverage giant, to participate in the CIIE as a “strong partner” of the expo and the dialogue. “Every time I’m listening to the mayor, the inspiring speech of how Chongqing uniquely combines infrastructure, education, and economy. Chongqing’s economy is really vibrant but also heavily invested in education. ” Bruno Chevot, senior vice president of Greater China & Oceania at Danone Early Life Nutrition, said, “I know we have made the right choice to partner with you all.” Chongqing Yuou Cross-border E-Commerce signed a contract with Danone on an infant food import project with a contract value of USD 300 million.
"In the past, our business has been active in the Yangtze River Delta and the Pearl River Delta. In future development, we plan to shift our strategic focus to Chongqing gradually." At the CIIE, Mr. He Jinbi, Chairman of the Board of Maike Group, noted, "This is an important shift in the company's regional cooperation.” Maike Group is a comprehensive commodity financial service provider integrating commodity trading, supply chain financial services, futures brokerage, trading markets, industrial finance, and modern logistics. The company will take Liangjiang New Area as a starting point to gradually expand its businesses in Chongqing.
Though influenced by the pandemic, China's overall economic growth is praise-worthy,” Martin Zhang, Managing Director at Eurofins said. When it came to Chongqing, Zhang added, "In fact, we have businesses in Chongqing for a long time. There are many semiconductor companies in Chongqing. We hope to have a more systematic investment in Chongqing instead of moving coastal laboratories to Chongqing."
Participating Fortune Global 500 and industry-leading multinational companies, foreign institutions, and important business associations included Trafigura Group, Marubeni, Itochu of Japan, Mitsubishi Electric, Jardine Matheson, Boston Consulting Group, Eurofins, Greenland Global Commodity Trading Hub Group, Morgan Stanley, Signify, Nissei Ice Cream, Sembcorp, ABB, Accenture, Japan External Trade Organization, and Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Driven by multiple opportunities such as the Chengdu-Chongqing Economic Circle and the Western (Chongqing) Science City, many companies are optimistic about Chongqing's development. As the core area of the Western (Chongqing) Science City, Chongqing High-Tech Zone has initially established an industrial system dominated by health, new-generation information technology, advanced manufacturing, and high-tech services.
Chongqing High-Zech Zone reached strategic cooperation with Mitsubishi Electric and Schneider Electric. The two projects of Mitsubishi Electric (Chongqing) intelligent manufacturing innovation center for the consumer industry and Schneider Electric future science innovation center will settle in the Western (Chongqing) Science City.
The Chongqing Municipal Commission of Commerce will deepen pragmatic cooperation with all parties, introduce better investment policies, provide better services, and create a first-class business environment.