On June 9, an important event of the first China-CEEC Expo and International Consumer Goods Expo and the 21st China Zhejiang Investment and Trade Fair, “Overseas Economic and Trade Cooperation Zone and Yangtze River Delta Enterprise Matchmaking Meeting” was held in Ningbo. The conference was hosted by the Zhejiang Provincial People’s Government, undertaken by the Department of Commerce of Zhejiang Province, co-organized by the Ningbo Municipal People’s Government, and jointly implemented by the Zhejiang International Investment Promotion Center, the Zhejiang Association of Overseas Investment Enterprises and the Yangtze River Delta Integrated Foreign Investment Cooperation and Development Alliance.
Wang Wenxu, Vice Governor of Zhejiang Province, Liu Minqiang, Deputy Director of the Cooperation Department of the Ministry of Commerce, and relevant leaders of the Ningbo Municipal Government delivered speeches, and Hu Weikang, Deputy Director of the Provincial Department of Commerce, introduced the construction of the Overseas Economic and Trade Cooperation Zone in Zhejiang Province.
Vice Governor Wang Wenxu pointed out that the Yangtze River Delta region is an important intersection of the “Belt and Road”, and is also one of the regions with the most dynamic economy, the highest degree of openness and the strongest innovation ability in China. In recent years, under the leadership of the Belt and Road Initiative, Zhejiang has adhered to the principle of opening up and strengthening the province, continuously expanding the scale of trade, strengthening international investment cooperation, and achieving positive results. In 2018, there were 737 overseas enterprises and institutions in the province, and the amount of overseas direct investment recorded was 183.$800 million, a year-on-year increase of 90%..6%; The actual amount of foreign investment is 85.900 million US dollars, and the turnover of foreign contracted projects was 73.900 million US dollars, ranking among the top in the country. Zhejiang attaches great importance to the construction of overseas economic and trade cooperation zones, and regards it as an important starting point for opening up and strengthening the province, and has become an important carrier for our province to integrate into the construction of the “Belt and Road” and an important platform for opening up. At present, there are 12 national and provincial overseas economic and trade cooperation zones in our province, covering Russia, Serbia, the United States and other countries.
Liu Minqiang, Deputy Director General of the Department of Cooperation of the Ministry of Commerce, fully affirmed the work of Zhejiang Province to build and support overseas economic and trade cooperation zones, and he believed that overseas economic and trade cooperation zones are an important part of foreign investment cooperation and an innovation in the mode of foreign investment. At present, the development of overseas economic and trade cooperation zones presents the following characteristics: First, the pace of development is accelerating. At present, the cooperation zone under construction covers various types such as processing and manufacturing, resource utilization, agricultural industry, trade and logistics, scientific and technological research and development, and industrial integration. Second, the service capacity is increasing day by day. The continuous expansion of the service content and service quality of the cooperation zone have created convenient conditions for enterprises entering the zone in terms of infrastructure, policy support, financing resources, industrial cooperation, security guarantees, etc., and also met the diversified requirements of enterprises in the zone; Third, it has boosted the economic development of the host country. The co-construction of the cooperation zone has led to the implementation of a number of major industrial projects, boosted the in-depth integration of trade, investment, finance and other fields, accelerated the local industrialization process, promoted local employment and tax revenue, and expanded exports. Fourth, we shared development experience and deepened mutual benefit and win-win results. The cooperation zone has opened a window for countries around the world to learn from each other, and Chinese enterprises have brought the construction model and successful experience of industrial parks to foreign countries, and taken root in the local area, delivering advanced ideas, technologies and talents to the local area, and promoting the transformation of developing countries from relying on external investment for “blood transfusion” to self-“hematopoiesis”.
Hu Weikang, deputy director of the Provincial Department of Commerce, mentioned in his speech that the overseas economic and trade cooperation zone is an important platform to promote trade exchanges and achieve a win-win situation for all parties; It is an important platform for international innovation cooperation and scientific and technological sharing; It is an important platform for cultural collision and sublimation and promotion of people-to-people bonds. He said: Overseas economic and trade cooperation zones have achieved fruitful results in the past 13 years of development. Under the guidance of the “Belt and Road” initiative, we should take advantage of the momentum, uphold the concept of green, clean and sustainable development, and upgrade and build a new batch in accordance with the principle of marketization and gradual implementation, so as to drive Zhejiang small and medium-sized enterprises to carry out international operations, promote local economic and social development, and build overseas economic and trade cooperation zones into a Silk Road pearl for win-win cooperation among all parties. He proposed that the construction of the cooperation zone should pay attention to seven aspects: first, pay attention to win-win cooperation and welcome multiple parties to participate in the construction of the park; The second is to pay attention to scientific and technological innovation and enhance the competitiveness of the industry in the whole area: the third is to pay attention to radiation and promote the beading of key projects into a chain; Fourth, pay attention to policy communication and strengthen the support of the park’s management system; Fifth, pay attention to system planning, optimize regional coordination to form a joint force; Sixth, pay attention to finance.support, absorb high-quality capital to build and share; Seventh, pay attention to service guarantee and provide strong support for the development of enterprises in the zone.
At the meeting, Serbian Ambassador to China Milan Bačević and Director General of the Free Economic Zone Office of the Gwangyang Bay Economic Circle of South Korea Kim Yang-so introduced the country’s investment environment, policy support for the park in Zhejiang Province, and the economic and social benefits of the completion of the park. A total of 8 representatives of overseas economic and trade cooperation zones inside and outside the province promoted their respective parks, investment projects and policies, and representatives of Zhejiang enterprises shared their experience in settling in the parks.
During the meeting, the construction of the Dubai station of the “Belt and Road”, which was included in the important achievements of the “Belt and Road” summit forum, took a solid first step. The main body of the construction of the “Belt and Road” Dubai Station, the Provincial Seaport Group, and six units, including Commodity City, YTO Express, Textile City, Huazhang Science and Technology, and Zhiyu Information, jointly signed a contract to establish a domestic platform company, which is responsible for promoting the construction of the “Belt and Road” Dubai Station in the future. This will also be an important breakthrough for Zhejiang Province in the construction of overseas economic and trade cooperation zones in the Middle East. The construction of the “Belt and Road” Dubai Station is an important measure for Zhejiang Province to participate in the national “Belt and Road” initiative, and it is also an important part of the ten landmark projects of the provincial “Belt and Road”.
At the meeting, the Zhejiang Overseas Economic and Trade Cooperation Zone Development Alliance, jointly initiated by the Thai-Chinese Rayong Industrial Park, the Vietnam Longjiang Industrial Park and the Hangzhou Silicon Valley Collaborative Innovation Center, was officially launched. This is an innovative move by Zhejiang Province in the construction of the cooperation zone. The alliance will help improve the level of park construction, strengthen the service for enterprises to settle in the park, better reflect the demands of the park, and reduce the operational risk of overseas parks. The alliance will become an important public service platform to make up for government public services and promote the standardization and organization of overseas investment.
During the meeting, a total of 18 overseas economic and trade cooperation zones inside and outside the province and the Gwangyang Bay Economic Circle in South Korea carried out project docking with enterprises and business associations in the Yangtze River Delta. Zhejiang International Investment Promotion Center signed a memorandum of cooperation with the Free Economic Zone Administration of the Gwangyang Bay Area of South Korea. The Export-Import Bank of China Zhejiang Branch delivered the “Evaluation Report of Huafushan Industrial Park in North America, Mexico” to Holley Group.
About 300 people attended the meeting, including the Ministry of Commerce, provincial and municipal governments at all levels, relevant provincial departments, commerce authorities in the Yangtze River Delta region, overseas economic and trade cooperation zones established by enterprises inside and outside the province, enterprises in the Yangtze River Delta region, banks and other financial and insurance institutions, law firms, and accounting firms.
(Contributed by the Office of Foreign Investment and Economic Cooperation)