By Rui Hu, iChongqing News

Chongqing - Paolo Bazzoni, an Italian businessman with an international career. He moved to China in 2007 where he holds top responsibilities in many leading corporations and lives in Chongqing since 2014. He has been the Director of China-Italy Chamber of Commerce (CICC) in Chongqing for 6 years and is also a board member of CICC at the National level. On 23rd April, iChongqing conducted an exclusive interview with Paolo Bazzoni, to explore Chongqing and Italy`s business bond from a business expert`s perspective.

CICC`s role

CICC firstly opened its Chongqing bureau in 2015, right after the consulate general of Italy in Chongqing was established. “In 2017, we started to develop and collaborate with Liangjiang New Area (LNA). On March 28 last year, we signed the agreement with LNA to establish a bilateral center of investment,” Paolo introduced to us, “What does it mean? CICC together with LNA is collaborating to boost and support Italian companies come to Chongqing. For this purpose, we developed and we settled down an office here in Chongqing. This space has 11 desks, available for small and medium enterprises on top of areas and facilities for seminars and networking events. If small and medium enterprises come to Chongqing, we can rent them and service them with very attractive terms, and conditions prices. Our mission is to help them better understand the market”, he added. This is CICC`s service sector, whereas CICC`s mission is to serve and support the companies develop in Chongqing and China. CICC aims to support Italian companies making business with Chinese companies. Therefore, “Italian companies and Chinese partners are our targets”, he said.

Exclusive Interview with Paolo Bazzoni

Goal: 30-member growth in 2019

In 2018, there were 546 members in CICC, representing the Italian business community as public-invested and multinational corporations, small and medium-sized enterprises, both manufacturing and commercial, service companies, etc. At this moment, CICC in Chongqing has 20 members from different business sectors, including the automobile industry, services, law firms, mechanical components, food and beverage.   

“We are targeting to grow at least more than30 companies this year”, Paolo said, “This is not bad because we are talking about 30 companies from Italy and China working, cooperating, making business, creating value in Chongqing” Paolo added.

Additionally, Paolo told us there is an Italian globalized leading company in the automotive components industry that will open a new important investment in June, in Chongqing Liangjiang new area, with CICC support and General Consulate as a sponsor. It will help boost Chongqing`s local economy, employment, and other sectors in a positive way and will help to attract other companies in the supply chain in the future. It will help boost Chongqing`s local economy, employment, and other sectors in a positive way. Though this plan is not disclosed and the company`s name cannot be told at this moment, this will be an exciting example reflecting how the bilateral center supports Italy`s investment in Chongqing.

Paolo Bazzoni（left 1）with his crews (right) and iChongqing`s journalist (left 2)

Make things happen

According to Paolo, Chongqing is an important hub of heavy industry, whereas Italy has leading technology in mechanic and automation as well. There is good business potential for both sides to make exchanges. “So I believe there will be more new companies, Italian companies come to Chongqing to find business opportunities,” he said. Moreover, Chongqing local companies can be partners and friends with CICC as members as well. CICC will help them to find the right Italian partner for business matching. “We already have 9 friends in local Chongqing, they are from the automotive industry, service, and other fields, and we will find Italian business partners for them” Paolo introduced.

As President Xi Jinping has visited Italy  last month, Paolo said “I think it is a very important signal, to make it happen”, Paolo explained, “from this signal to actions, which means Italy and China will put things on the table to concrete projects in order to boost this collaboration.”  

At the end of the interview, when talking about life in Chongqing Paolo suggested that Chongqing is his second hometown, and he would advise his Italian friends and business partners that this city has real energy for life and business.

About CICC   

The China-Italy Chamber of Commerce (CICC) is the only business organization recognised by both the Italian Government (Ministry of Economic Development, MiSE) and People’s Republic of China (Ministry of Civil Affairs, MoCA) that aims to boost the internationalization and localization of Italian business and to promote the “Made in Italy” in the PRC.

CICC has more than 500 members all around China.

Established in 1991, CICC has now offices in Beijing, Chongqing, Guangzhou, Shanghai, and Suzhou.

The CICC’s work is about:   

• deep understanding of the Chinese market, thanks to CICC rooted relationship with the business community and the local institutions;
• open dialogue and interaction with companies, being CICC itself a network of professionals;
• efficacy and efficiency, a must-have for a no-profit organization facing competition in providing qualified and affordable services. 

Friends of CICC

Another milestone for the promotion and connectivity amongst the Sino-Italian business community is the creation of the “Friends of CICC” channel, welcoming Chinese companies to join CICC activities and being part of the CICC network.

EU SME Centre

The CICC is an Implementing Partner of the EU SME Centre. The Centre is a project funded by the European Commission and works to provide assistance and support services to European Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) interested in the Chinese market. Other partners are: China-Britain Business Council, Benelux Chamber of Commerce in China, CCI France Chine, Eurochambres, European Chamber of Commerce in China.

Assocamerestero Network

The CICC is a member of Assocamerestero, the Association of Italian Chambers of Commerce Abroad, a network of 78 Chambers in 54 Countries. An institution recognized as the third institution in charge of promoting Italy abroad, together with the Italian Trade Commission and ENIT.

The official website: https://www.cameraitacina.com/en

CICC in Chongqing   Email: infochongqing@cameraitacina.com

Address:20/F, Chongqing Liangjiang International Cooperation Center No.6 Huangshan Ave, Liangjiang New Area, Chongqing, 401121 P.R.China.

TEL: +86 23 81156589