Chongqing Federation of Industry and Commerce gives full play to the role of the overseas liaison offices of Chongqing General Chamber of Commerce and other institutions, with a view of helping the private economy maintain foreign exchanges and cooperation, and continuing unblocking channels for the private economy to go out.
Data from Chongqing Federation of Industry and Commerce show that from January to August this year, the import and export of the city's private enterprises grew against the impacts created by COVID-19 epidemic, with a total amount of 140.9 billion yuan (about 21.6 billion U.S. dollars), up 24.9%.
The import and export of the Chongqing's private enterprises grew against the trend, totaling 140.9 billion yuan (about 21.6 billion U.S. dollars), up 24.9%.
It accounted for 35.54% of the city's total foreign trade value during the same period, a rise of 4.1 percentage points. There were 2,693 private enterprises with actual import and export performance, an increase of 151 over the same period.
In recent years, Chongqing Federation of Industry and Commerce has established a regular liaison mechanism with more than 60 business associations in 45 countries in Southeast Asia, Europe, America and Africa, and has signed agreements with 33 of them for sister chambers of commerce.
On this basis, after careful selection and investigation, the city has set up seven overseas liaison offices of Chongqing General Chamber of Commerce in South Africa, Pakistan and the UK relying on overseas Chongqing (Sichuan-Chongqing) Chambers of Commerce.
Chongqing has also established a face-to-face mechanism between the heads of embassies and consulates and private entrepreneurs. It regularly holds symposiums with consulates in the city, so as to provide its private entrepreneurs with opportunities of face-to-face exchanges with heads from consulates general of 11 countries in Chongqing, including the UK, Canada and Japan.
By virtue of exchanges and cooperation, three member companies have reached a consensus on cooperation with overseas business institutions.
In addition, the city has organised more than 10 negotiation activities. Nearly 400 private enterprises have participated in a series of industrial projects such as the China-South Korea ICT Industry Innovation Forum and Online Negotiation Meeting, the Meeting on Joint Development of China-South Korea Coffee and Tea and Pastries Industry, the Thailand Shopping Festival of Thai Rice, and the Uzbekistan Grain and Oil Processing Matching Activity. This results in much cooperation to help private enterprises "go out" and "bring in".
In order to better facilitate economic and trade cooperation and exchanges between Chongqing's private enterprises and Latin American countries, Chongqing Federation of Industry and Commerce joined hands with Sichuan International Studies University and Chongqing International Cultural Exchange Center. Together, they set up a research center for Latin American business environment in September this year.
The cooperation is aiming to provide consulting services in laws, policies, economy and trade of Latin American countries for the private enterprises to go out.