Chongqing - Between June 29 and July 2, the Chongqing Investment Promotion Delegation made a strategic trip to Italy. The goal was to uncover opportunities for expanded collaboration and to deliberate on industrial growth with local business partners, focusing on the automotive sector.
The delegation visited numerous companies in Milan and Turin, including SWM Motorcycles, Intesa San Paolo, Comau, and the Changan Automobile European Design Center.
The Chongqing Investment Promotion Delegation visited Comau's industrial robot factory. (Photo/Chongqing Investment Promotion Bureau)
Comau established a branch in Chongqing in 2011 and expressed an interest in building a robot manufacturing base there in the future. Comau, a holder of over 100 patents utilized by top automobile manufacturers worldwide, operates 32 centers, 14 manufacturing plants, and five R&D centers globally.
During the visit, Zhao Bing, Deputy Mayor of Yubei District, shared that Chongqing is home to over 300 upstream and downstream enterprises within the robotics industry, including Kawasaki and Fanuc. As of last year, the city's robot production topped 60,000 units, contributing to an industry chain output value exceeding 30 billion yuan (about USD 4.15 billion).
Zhao stressed Chongqing's ambition to establish a leading robot application base and an industrial innovation development demonstration zone. Enhanced communication and cooperation with Comau would greatly aid in achieving this goal.
The SWM representative introduced the company's development to the Chongqing Investment Promotion Delegation. (Photo/Chongqing Investment Promotion Bureau)
The delegation's tour also included visiting SWM Motorcycles, a subsidiary of Chongqing's Oriental XinYuan Group, specializing in automobiles and high-end motorcycles.
While at SWM's headquarters, the delegation viewed the company's production assembly line and inspected high-end off-road motorcycle models RS300, RS500, and SM500. Lu Yisi, the company's general manager, shared that SWM products are sold across Europe, including Germany, Switzerland, Spain, and the UK.
Yang Zixuan, Deputy Director of the Chongqing Investment Promotion Bureau, noted Chongqing's significant consumer market for motorcycles and enormous market potential. The delegation expressed its hope for SWM to extend its European market presence based on its Chongqing headquarters while also introducing SWM's high-end technology and motorcycle models to Chongqing.
The Chongqing Investment Promotion Delegation visited the Changan Automobile European Design Center. Behind the people is the latest model S7 of Changan's wholly-owned EV company. (Photo/Chongqing Investment Promotion Bureau)
"After this trip to Italy, the Chongqing delegation has a deeper understanding of the development positioning of Italian companies and has identified potential areas of convergence for future cooperation," said Yang Zixuan. The delegation plans to continue its journey to Germany to further investment promotion activities.