Chongqing - The Chongqing Office of the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China (EUCCC) Southwest Chapter organized a seminar on the practical suggestions for SMEs to better engage with the government in the SinoSwiss Technopark on Wednesday.

A dozen senior executives from some local enterprises, such iGuzzini, Tianyue Digital Technology, Saic Fiat Powertrain Hongyan, IKEA, Sunac, and representatives from the China-Italy Chamber of Commerce, attended the event.

The seminar started with a pre-recorded opening speech by Ms. Ester Canada Amela, Advocacy and Working Group Manager of the EUCCC. She shared her extensive knowledge about government affairs, EU-China relations, SME policies, and the chamber's formalities and standards.

Then D'Andrea & Partners Legal Counsel's Senior Partner Mr. Matteo Zhi, who is also the co-founder of DP Group, gave a presentation on the practical suggestions for SMEs to better engage with the local government.

According to Mr. Zhi, before joining the DP Group, he served as a public officer for the Shanghai Municipal Industry and Commerce Administration Bureau. He also recalled his years of experience working in government agencies and dealing with various companies and shared some proper corresponding mechanisms for SMEs to better engage with the government.

Mr. Shane Farrelly, the local chair of the EUCCC Southwest Investment Working Group, was the last speaker to present the seminar. He spoke highly of the potential investment opportunities in China's southwestern region and encouraged SMEs to be better prepared to construct the Chengdu-Chongqing Economic Circle.

Mr. Farrelly also gave out a few copies of DP Group's latest Practical Guide series book, Invest in China: the Southwest, to the participating corporate representatives. The book outlines the specific legal, taxation, labor, and cultural peculiarities of the southwestern region for both existing and potential investors to obtain a broad overview of the challenges and opportunities lying in front of them.

The seminar concluded with a Q&A session and a free networking event. Participants from the enterprises and chambers of commerce sides held in-depth discussions and exchanges with the keynote speakers.