Sino-Europe Forum (Guangzhou) on Economic and Trade Cooperation

( October 13,2005)

Sponsor:

Guangzhou Municipal Government

Organizer:

International Small and Medium Enterprises Trade Development Union(ISMEUK)

Undertaker of Financing&Trade Development Forum:

Guangzhou Import Commodities Fair 

Time:

October 13,2005

Venue:

Triumph Palace, Guangzhou Oriental Resort

China-Europe Forum (Guangzhou) on Economic and Trade Cooperation—China-Europe Talk adopted “1&4” structure that is Main Forum,Finance and Insurance Sub-forum, Creative Industry Sub-forum,Trade Development Sub-forum,Medical Industry Sub-forum” .

It attracted leaders of Chinese National Ministries and Commissions, senior officers of European countries, famous entrepreneurs of Europe and China, Experts and scholars, and 100 leaders of big cities of China to participate and have exchanges in the forum. About 300 of government platforms, scholars and presidents of famous enterprises of China and Europe gathered together, discussed the bilateral economic and trade cooperation and the developing strategy. 

The guests of the forum are from over 10 countries including Britain, France, Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg, Italy, Finland and so on. They all have great influences in China, Europe and the global. Mr. Jacques SANTER, former chairman of European Union Committee and former prime minister of Luxembourg is as the head of the European delegation in person. The European delegates included Antoni NEGRE VILLAVECCHIA, former Chairman of European Chamber, Thierry DANA, strategic consultant of French president, Michael Charlton, CEO of Think London and so on. The Chinese delegates include Yao Xinsheng, academician of Chinese Academy of Engineering and a group of famous experts and entrepreneurs.

The distinguished guests:

Mr. Jacques SANTER, Honorary minister of Luxembourg government, former chairman of European Union Committee and former prime minister of Luxembourg 

Mr. Antoni NEGRE VILLAVECCHIA, member of the presidium of European Chamber, Chairman of Global Chamber of Commerce Platform, former Chairman of European Chamber

Mr. Thierry DANA , strategic consultant of French president and secretary-general of French Diplomatic Associaton

Mr. Hugues DONDEAU, mayor of Bussy St-Georges of France

Mr. Yani PICHARD, mayor of Authon-du-Perche of France

Mr. Philippe LAMOTTE, president of GUINOT

Mr. Michael Charlton, CEO of Think London

Mr. Zhang Jinsheng, Secretary-general of  ISMEUK

Mr. Zhang Guangning, mayor of Guangzhou

Mr. Xiao Zhenyu, head of Guangzhou foreign Economic and Trade Bureau   

European Chamber of Commerce are promoting the plan of

“ The gateway of European Union to the Chinese market”

Mr. Antoni NEGRE VILLAVECCHIA, former president of European Chamber of Commerce, spoke frankly in his speech that the huge trade surplus of China to Europe in the present China-Europe trade relations is increasing unceasingly. It reached 78.5 billion Euro Dollars in 2004. “It is the largest trade deficit of European Union in all bilateral trades,” Mr. Antoni said, “I can say honestly that there is a large pressure inside of Europe on breaking this situation so as to protect the European market. “

He also indicated that it would be better to support the export of Europe than to resist the import of China, so as to create a mutual benefit situation for the Chinese and European enterprises. European Chamber of Commerce are planning to have an activity of  “ The gateway of European Union to the Chinese market”. The purpose is to help small and medium enterprises enter into the Chinese market, and reduce the trade deficit.

Mayor Zhang Guangning also indicated that the small and medium enterprises of European Union have a large developing potential. Guangzhou has exchanged the developing experiences with many of them. Both sides should promote the mutual understanding.

“We welcome many more small and medium enterprises come to China and invest in Guangzhou. We also will organize many more small and medium enterprises to develop in European Union.” He indicated, “Guangzhou will try its best to protect the intellectual property rights and the foreign investments, attack the spurious products, create a good investment environment for the small and medium enterprises.”

Mr. Zhang Jinsheng, secretary-general of International Small and Medium Enterprises Trade Development Union indicated that China and Europe need an equal communication and exchange. Only“ mutual benefit” can maintain the friendly bilateral cooperation base of China and Europe. Following the forum, International Small and Medium Enterprises Trade Development Union will create many more communicating platforms for the talk and cooperation between Chinese and European governments and enterprises.  International Small and Medium Enterprises Trade Development Union also introduced in the forum “International Regional Economic Cooperation Body” for strengthening the economic cooperation in the international regions, and “London Commercial City” facing to the Chinese enterprises, which aroused great echoes of participated guests.

In Trade Development Sub-forum, Mr. Michael Charlton, CEO of Think London introduced London AIM market, which is a Shortcut for the Chinese small and medium enterprises to financing and go on stock market. Chinese enterprises had a great interests in it, consulting and asking for the materials to International Small and Medium Enterprises Trade Development Union after the forum. The rostrum was surrounded watertight.

Infinite business opportunities in Guangzhou and huge cooperation potential of both sides

According to the statistics of the customs, the total import and export reached 5.822billion US dollars from January to August of this year, rose 41.75%. The total trade of two sides occupied 17.16% of Guangzhou foreign trade. The exporting products of Guangzhou are mainly in the mechanical and electrical products, audio and video equipments, and their components. The importing products are mainly in the vehicles, aircrafts, ships and transportation facilities.

Xiao Zhenyu, head of Guangzhou Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation Bureau indicated that comparing the economic strengthen and the cooperative potential of Guangzhou and European Union, the present cooperation of two sides in the investment scales, fields, and methods are all never matched each other well. The key problem is that the European Union enterprises have no sufficient understandings to Guangzhou.

He thought that the governments, the facilitating agencies, the chambers of commerce, the profession associations of two sides should strengthen the exchange and visit, facilitate the widely bilateral economic and trade exchange, establish a bridge for the cooperation and communication of enterprises of two sides.

According to the introduction, Guangzhou is in the escalating and transforming period of the industry, need to cooperate with European Union in the pillar industry such as automobiles, medicines, and finance, high-tech and new-tech industry and modern service industry. “Guangzhou should attract the European Union enterpirses positively to participate in the reorganization and the transformation of the state-owned enterprises, promote the cooperation with the small and medium enterprises when promoting the cooperation with the large enterprises.

This forum adopted the structure of one primary forum and 3 sub-forum. The subject of the primary forum was “ China Economic Development and China-Europe Forum on Economic and Trade Cooperation” Mr. Jacques SANTER , former chairman of European Union Committee and former minister of Luxembourg and Mr. Zhang Guangning, mayor of Guangzhou city made a speech respectively on the subject. The subjects of Trade Development Sub-forum, Medicine Sub-forum, Finance and Creation Industry Sub-form were “WTO and China-Europe Trade Development”, “New Medicine Policy of European Union and China-Europe Cooperation on the medicine industry” and “Creation Industry Led the Development of Chinese Cities.