GASME News

The Global Industrial Cooperation Conference 2024 Successfully Held in Hangzhou

On the afternoon of November 19, the Global Industrial Cooperation Conference 2024, themed “Open Cooperation to Link the World”, was successfully convened at InterContinental Hangzhou.

The conference aimed to foster global consensus and enhance international industrial collaboration to build a sustainable global industrial chain. More than 900 attendees from various sectors including executives from Fortune Global 500 companies, executives of leading enterprises, delegates from international organizations and foreign business associations, senior officials from foreign embassies in China as well as Chinese local government officials and Zhejiang merchants attended the conference, including included Wan Gang, Chairman of the China Association for Science and Technology, Christian Wulff, former President of Germany, Honorary Chairman of GASME, and recipient of the 2022 China Government Friendship Award, Yu Jianlong, Vice Chairman of CCPIT and CCOIC, Ye Zhengbo, Vice Chairman of Zhejiang Provincial Committee of the Chinese Peoples Political Consultative Conference, Long Yongtu, Former Vice Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation, Chief Negotiator for China’s accession to the WTO, Zhou Guohui, former Vice Chairman of the Zhejiang Provincial Committe of CPPCC, Jens Eskelund, President of the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China, Chen Jianzhong, Chairman of China CCPIT Zhejiang Provincial Committee and CCOIC Zhejiang Chamber of Commerce, He Weiwen, Expert of the State Council Information Office and Senior Vice Chairman of GASME, Eric Zheng, President of the American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai, Lu Jianqiang, President of China Zheshang Bank Co., Ltd and An Conghui, President of Geely Holdings Group, CEO of Zeekr Intelligent Technology.

Venue

Chairman Wan Gang emphasized in his speech that amid today’s complex global industrial landscape, it is crucial to host the Global Industrial Cooperation Conference 2024 now in Hangzhou. Only fully respecting objective laws governing international specialization while steadfastly promoting trade liberalization and investment facilitation, and tightening cooperative ties to significantly enhance stability within global supply chains is truly in alignment with the common interests across nations.

Address by Wan Gang, Chairman of the China Association for Science and Technology

Chairman Wulff remarked during his speech that Germany and China are pivotal countries representing Europe and Asia respectively—playing a vital role in world economic recovery. Nowadays, nearly ten thousand German companies are active in China, and their business in China continues to grow, allowing many German companies to maintain confidence in the Chinese market. He expressed hope that governments worldwide alongside their businesses would strengthen industrial cooperation to seize opportunities presented by the Fourth Industrial Revolution thereby fostering prosperity globally.

Address by Christian Wulff, Former President of Germany, Honorary Chairman of GASME

Vice President Yu Jianlong stated during his speech that consolidating global supply chain cooperation is essential due to its significance to all parties involved. He announced an upcoming exhibition organized by CCPIT that focuses on enhancing China’s international supply chain, which will comprehensively showcase advanced manufacturing technologies such as smart vehicles, digital technology, health living industries, while establishing a comprehensive platform that integrates production and academia research application aimed at sustainable and inclusive development within global industry cooperation.

Address by Yu Jianlong, Vice Chairman of CCPIT and CCOIC

Vice Chairman Ye Zhengbo highlighted open development as a defining characteristic distinguishing Zhejiang’s economy. In the past 20 years, Zhejiang has deeply integrated into global industrial cooperation, built a modern industrial system with the “415X” advanced manufacturing cluster as the main body, and promoted the transformation of the traditional “block economy” into a modern industrial cluster. More and more multinational companies will choose to carry out industrial cooperation with Zhejiang and thrive in Zhejiang.

Address by Ye Zhengbo, Vice Chairman of Zhejiang Provincial Committee
of the Chinese Peoples Political Consultative Conference

Long Yongtu, Former Vice Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation, Chief Negotiator for Chinas accession to the WTO, Jens Eskelund, President of the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China, Lu Jianqiang, President of China Zheshang Bank Co., Ltd., and An Conghui, President of Geely Holdings Group, CEO of Zeekr Intelligent Technology, delivered keynote speeches respectively. They shared their opinions, suggestions and valuable experience on strengthening cooperation in the global industrial chain and supply chain under the current world situation. The introduction of Goodness-based Finance by Lu Jianqiang, Chairman of Zhejiang Commercial Bank, gained warm response at the conference.

Long Yongtu, Former Vice Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation,
Chief Negotiator for Chinas accession to the WTO

Jens Eskelund, President of the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China

Lu Jianqiang, President of China Zheshang Bank Co., Ltd.

An Conghui, President of Geely Holdings Group, CEO of Zeekr Intelligent Technology

During the panel discussion featuring top executives of Fortune 500 companies such as Lu Yuebing, Chairman of the Board of Air Liquide China, Huang Xiaojun, General representative of Veolia Group in China, Hu Jianjun, Vice President of Siemens China Maria Xia, Vice GM of Celanese China and Jiang Rizhong, Senior Director of CIEC Group, they introduced the global layout of their companies and discussed their globalization development strategies.

Panel Discussion between Senior Executives of Fortune 500 Companies

During the Panel Discussion between Senior Officials of International Organizations, Chambers of Commerce and Business Associations, Chairman Chen Jianzhong served as the moderator and conducted dialog with Carlo D’Andrea, Vice President of the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China, Eric Zheng, President of the American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai, He Weiwen, Senior Vice Chairman of Global Alliance of SMES, Kiran Patel, Senior Director of China-Britain Business Council and Wang Qing, Chairman of China-Japan Industrial Investment Promotion Association. He pointed out that in the first half of this year, the “Zhejiang Foreign Business Environment Evaluation Report (2023)” issued by CCPIT Zhejiang Provincial Committee showed that the foreign business environment in Zhejiang has been significantly improved, and the investment income of foreign enterprises in Zhejiang is still expected to grow.

The panelists each shared the development situation and prospects of their member companies in China, as well as the obstacles faced by enterprises in global trade and investment, offered solutions and put forward key suggestions and directions for improvement on China’s investment environment.

Chairman Chen Jianzhong as the Moderator

Panel Discussion between Senior Officials of International Organizations,
Chambers of Commerce and Business Associations

The signing ceremony of cooperation projects was also held at the conference. SCHMUHL (Germany), PPC Milestones (Austria), PT Prince Fayze Allashimi (Indonesia), IDS (Australia), Kuramoto (Japan), SAFEWELL GROUP HOLDINGS LTD (Hong Kong), Japan's Hongonse Co., Ltd., and Taiwan Haomeng Automotive Materials Co., Ltd. respectively signed cooperation projects and intentions with relevant industrial parks and enterprises in Zhejiang.

Signing Ceremony

The world economy is at the beginning of the fourth industrial revolution, marked by cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence, big data, quantum communication, new energy, bioengineering, and medical technology, and the need for global cooperation in research and development, production, investment, trade and services has never been greater. To this end, GASME Senior Vice Chairman He Weiwen released the Hangzhou Initiative on Safeguarding and Promoting Re-globalization representing GASME, hoping governments, international organizations, business associations, chambers of commerce and enterprises can transcend differences, seek cooperation, support and promote re-globalization. The Launching Ceremony of the Preparatory Work for Global Industrial Chain Cooperation Alliance was also held during dinner banquet.

Launch of Hangzhou Initiative on Safeguarding and Promoting Re-globalization
by He Weiwen, GASME Senior Vice Chairman

Launching Ceremony of the Preparatory Work for Global Industrial Chain Cooperation Alliance

After the forum session, a matchmaking activity for international cooperation of enterprises was held. On the morning of November 20, Chairman Wulff led nearly 50 executives of international organizations, domestic and foreign business associations and Chinese and foreign entrepreneurs and visited Hangzhou Qiantang New District.

The Global Industrial Cooperation Conference 2024 was supported by China Chamber of International Commerce (CCOIC), hosted by the Global Alliance of SMEs (GASME) and organized by CCOIC Zhejiang Chamber of Commerce and GASME. Special Partners include European Union Chamber of Commerce in China, American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai, German Federal Federation of SMEs (BVMW), British Chamber of Commerce in China and China-Japan Industrial Investment Promotion Association. China Zheshang Bank is the Chief Strategic Partner of the conference and CIEC, LoongAir, HIC, Zeekr, Kuaijishan, Stage Group, Beingmate, China Telecom Zhejiang Branch, Gujing Distillery and Keemun of World Tea are Strategic Partners of the conference.

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