On the afternoon of July 3, the Investment Symposium on ‘Spain-Your Partner in Europe, Global Platform for International Business and Investment’, co-hosted by Invest in Spain, Economic and Commercial Office of the Consulate-General of Spain in Guangzhou and Shenzhen Outbound Alliance (SOA), organized by Roadlink GLB, was held in Point-line Space Professional Service Exchange Center. Statistical Society for Foreign Economic Relations and Trade of Shenzhen and Point-line Space Professional Service Exchange Center are the support units of this Symposium.

Carlos Tórtola, Chief Economic and Commercial Counselor, Consulate-General of Spain in Guangzhou

This Symposium was presided over by Carlos Tórtola, Chief Economic and Commercial Counselor, Consulate-General of Spain in Guangzhou. In his speech, he expressed that the main purpose of this Symposium was to promote China (Shenzhen)’s direct investment flows to Spain. The Director of ICEX-Invest In Spain attended the Symposium, focusing on the investment framework and business atmosphere in Spain, and introduced the investment and business opportunities that Spain currently offers to foreign investors in various fields.

Li Danmei, Deputy Director of Economic, Trad and Information Commission of Shenzhen City, and Feng Xiangyang, Director of Shenzhen Futian Enterprise Development Service Center, attended the Symposium. They introduced the important role that Shenzhen plays in the development framework of Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and the Belt and Road Initiative. In this rapid developing city, many roadshow events organized by SOA and held at Point-line Space Professional Service Exchange Center have become an important bridge for enterprises to go out, as well as an important window for this Symposium – Invest In Spain. They all shared the hope that this Symposium turns out a success.

Li Danmei, Deputy Director of Economic, Trad and Information Commission of Shenzhen City is making a speech

Feng Xiangyang, Director of Shenzhen Futian Enterprise Development Service Center, is making a speech

Sun Tianlu, Executive Chairman of SOA is making a speech

Sun Tianlu, Executive Chairman of SOA, introduced the four service platforms of SOA, that is, the information sharing platform, talent service platform, financial service platform and risk preventing platform. These four service platforms have strengthened overseas policy communication and resolved issues such as policy information asymmetry. It is an important guarantee for policy communication enhancement and the development of the ‘Belt and Road’ initiative. Ms. Sun Tianlu said that the role of SOA is to promote business docking, improve smooth flow for overseas trade; strengthen construction of financial services platform, solve fund problems for enterprises in overseas development; provide economic and trade exchanges on domestic and overseas businesses, and promote docking for overseas investment; take multiple measures to develop the ‘Belt and Road’ initiative and steadily promote the strategy of going out; strengthen the construction of financial services system and support the Belt and Road financing, to help the typical ‘Going Global’ enterprises to establish industry standards; promote the construction of overseas brand display centers, continuously and proactively develop new members and provide services for our member enterprises.

Jaime Montalvo Domínguez De La Torre, Director of Invest In Spain is making a speech

Mr. Jaime Montalvo Domínguez De La Torre, Director of Invest In Spain, delivered a speech on the topic of “Spain-Your Partner in Europe-Investment Opportunities” at the Symposium. He explained that ICEX is a functional body of Spain Trade & Investment (Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism), whose chief mandate is playing as a global platform for Spanish international trade and investment, conducting investment promotion activities and conferences, formulating reports based on requirements of enterprises through information consulting, offering support and management assistance for enterprise investment projects and rendering financing docking services, which is an important channel for Spanish trade environment and development. He revealed that 12,500 foreign companies have been set up in Spain, and among the Top 100 Companies in Forbes, 70 companies have production bases or R&D centers in Spain. According to the data of Thomson Reuters, among the World’s Top 100 Innovative Enterprises in Forbes ranking, 90 companies have subsidiaries in Spain. He also mentioned about the reasons for Chinese companies to invest in Spain. It is because Spain would play an important role in the construction of the “Belt and Road” Initiative, to fully link the ‘New Silk Road Corridor’ to countries in Latin America and North Africa.

Qi Lidan, CEO of PUENTE CHINA

Qi Lidan, CEO of PUENTE CHINA, explained the regulatory framework for foreign investment in Spain. PUENTE CHINA was established in 1992. Over the years, with the vision of ‘becoming a bridge connecting China and Spain’, and relying on various advantages such as its professional services, international vision, support from government of China and Spain, corporate resources and deep understanding of the cultures of these two countries, PUENTE CHINA has been committed to international investment projects. Its headquarter is in Barcelona and a branch company is set up in Shenzhen, China. Qi Lidan said that Spain and China established diplomatic relations on March 9, 1973, and both sides maintain good bilateral trade and investment relations. This seminar is to interpreter the Spanish investment immigration law – the New Entrepreneurship Law. The new New Entrepreneurship Law of Spain fully supports investors to buy real estate, start a business or establish an international company in Spain. She explained in detail the investment methods, procedures and formalities for setting up a company in Spain.

Jesus HernandezJesus Hernandez, Director&GM of Gold Millennium Consulting Co., Ltd.

Jesus Hernandez, Director&GM of Gold Millennium Consulting Co., Ltd., discussed about the taxation system for Spanish companies. He firstly talked about the investors’ residence and working visa, and briefly introduced the legal procedures and taxes in Spain. Investors may get a permanent residence permit by investing more than EUR 2 million in Spain’s public debts, or depositing more than EUR 1 million in banks, or investing more than EUR 1 million in Spanish companies, or purchasing real estate for a price in excess of EUR 500,000.

Marcos Salgado Marcos Salgado, Partner Lawyer of NET CRAMAN ABOGADOS ASOCIADOS, S.L.

Marcos Salgado, Partner Lawyer of NET CRAMAN ABOGADOS ASOCIADOS, S.L., delivered a speech on intellectual property issues. NET CRAMAN ABOGADOS ASOCIADOS, S.L. is a multidisciplinary law firm with offices in Barcelona, Madrid, Bogotá, Guangzhou and Hong Kong, and is also the first and only Spanish law firm with license to practice in Hong Kong. The Firm specializes in internationalization of companies, with the business covering intellectual property rights, trademarks, patents, utility model patents, industrial designs, copyrights, etc..

Mr. Detlef Eckert Vice President of Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. Global Government Affairs

Detlef Eckert, Vice President of Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. Global Government Affairs, shared successful stories of Chinese companies investing in Spain. He revealed that Huawei was not as successful as it is now. Only after undergoing a long period of development, especially in overseas investments, e.g. investments in Spain, could Huawei develop so rapidly and so quickly. It quickly registered with major technology patents, such as 5G, IoT, AI, Cloud, etc. In 2017, Huawei broke into the local market in Spain and helped Spain in its digital transformation.

Mr. Jonathan Wang CEO of Santander Bank and Bank of Shanghai

Jonathan Wang, CEO of Santander Bank and Bank of Shanghai, shared a successful example of the cooperation between a Chinese company and a Spanish company. He said that the huge potential between China and Spain with its own challenges to be faced. The two countries share same goals, have access to financial support, similar banking and public infrastructure, clear boundaries with frequent contacts, as well as same development management rules; all these are important elements of cooperation between the two countries.

At the end of the Symposium, there was a Q&A session, where the guests shared the latest Spanish market access information with participating institutions and business representatives, so that Chinese companies can better understand the situation of investing in Spain and the issues that need attention. With friendly business investments of the two countries, China and Spain are getting closer and closer under the framework of the ‘Belt and Road’.