(Picture: 2017 Shenzhen International Production Capacity Cooperation Conference)

On the afternoon of May 26th, the 2017 Shenzhen International Production Capacity Cooperation Conference, jointly hosted by the Economic, Trade and Information Commission of Shenzhen Municipality and the Alliance, and organized by the Statistical Society for Foreign Economic Relations and Trade of Shenzhen, was successfully held at Shenzhen Wuzhou Guest House. The conference was themed on creating a collaborative innovation platform, establishing a talent cluster for international production capacity cooperation, and building an international cooperation technology innovation network based on the strengths of the industries in Shenzhen so as to assist companies in “going global” and boost international production capacity cooperation.

(Picture: Mr. Gao Yuyue, the then Deputy Secretary General of Shenzhen Municipal Government, is delivering a speech.)

The conference started with the speech delivered by Gao Yuyue. He reviewed the achievements Shenzhen made in international production capacity cooperation over the years. In the speech, he noted that Shenzhen, as an open, all-inclusive and young city that embraces diversification, should always place the development of talent pool at the top of its agenda against the backdrop of rapid economic growth. In addition, the city should vigorously implement the strategy of soliciting talents, creating an international talent cluster, constantly strengthening the development of international companies, and stepping up efforts to cultivate international talents. By doing so, Shenzhen could keep on breaking new grounds in its endeavor of “going global”. Meanwhile, Gao Yuyue pointed out that Shenzhen has unparalleled strengths and enormous potential in the implementation of the “Belt and Road” and the promotion of international capacity cooperation. Shenzhen will shore up efforts to deliver information, financial, human resources, and risk prevention services to companies that are “going global”. In addition, the city will cultivate international talents that can serve the needs of international capacity cooperation, actively participate in international cultural, academic and talent exchanges, and promote the construction of the “Belt and Road” and international capacity cooperation. By doing so, Shenzhen will transform itself into a bridgehead on the “Maritime Silk Road” and a talent cluster for international production capacity cooperation in accordance with China’s initiatives.

(Picture: Linus Xiao is delivering a speech.)

Linus Xiao said that the construction of the Greater Bay Area has profoundly aided the implementation of “the Belt and Road” and played an important role in promoting international production capacity cooperation. In recent years, the Greater Bay Area construction has scaled numerous new heights, including the establishment of extensive cooperation mechanisms, batch-by-batch implementation of major projects, continuous perfection of supporting systems, and steady improvement of the investment climate.

(Picture: Jonathan Wong, Chief of Science & Innovation, UNESCAP, is delivering a speech.)

Following Linus Xiao’s remarks, Jonathan Wong pointed out that Shenzhen has a well-established service system in terms of “going global”, and has made great contributions to “the Belt and Road” and international capacity cooperation promotion. He hoped that Shenzhen could engage more preemptively in international exchanges and experience sharing.

Gao Lin, Deputy Director of the Economic, Trade and Information Commission of Shenzhen Municipality, reiterated in his keynote speech the significance of promoting international production capacity cooperation and identified Shenzhen’s industrial characteristics and development-related strengths in international production capacity cooperation. He hoped that with Shenzhen’s industrial strengths, all local enterprises could bring international production capacity cooperation to the next level.

(Picture: Sun Tianlu, Vice Chairwoman and Secretary General of the Alliance, is making an annual report.)

To celebrate the first anniversary of the establishment of the Alliance, Sun Tianlu presented its achievements made in the past year. In the past year, under the guidance of the Economic, Trade and Information Commission of Shenzhen Municipality, and with the support of the Civil Administration Department and the joint efforts of government departments at all levels and vice presidents, directors, and members present, the Alliance upheld the principle of “Connecting the World, Focusing on Quality Improvement” and centered its efforts on building bridges between Shenzhen-based enterprises and foreign countries. While having forged an innovative cooperation platform for information communication, resource sharing, advantage complementation, and mutual development, the Alliance made significant progress in all aspects of its work. In response to the proposition of the central government, the Alliance has carried out a series of policy symposiums, overseas business visits, overseas meetings, overseas investment consultations, overseas roadshows and talent trainings against the backdrop of President Xi Jinping’s call for policy, infrastructure, trade, financial and people-to-people connectivity. The Alliance has established long-term sound relationships with business offices of countries and regions like Germany, Canada, the United States, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Thailand and Hong Kong as well as overseas institutions of more than 100 countries and regions, including embassies and consulates stationed in China and Guangdong Province, leading Shenzhen-based science and technology enterprises to go global and achieve overseas resources networking. With the facilitation of the Alliance, Shenzhen Polytechnic had an in-deep dicussion with representatives of Bavaria, Germany. Both sides have reached a consensus on the cooperation in talent training, hoping to build a “Sino-German Smart Manufacturing College”, introduce Germany’s vocational education and teaching standards and integrate them into the discipline development of Shenzhen Polytechnic. In doing so, both sides hope to conduct extensive and in-depth exchanges and cooperation in the fields of school running, teacher-student exchanges, school-enterprise cooperation, training bases, etc., so as to build a bridge for international talents training between Shenzhen and Germany. The Alliance, by paving the way for Shenzhen enterprises to “go global” and actively cooperating with Shenzhen enterprises in the training of international talents, blazed new trails of scientific and technological innovation for the implementation of “the Belt and Road”. In the future, the Alliance will step up efforts to build the “going global” service system, actively recruit new members and provide all-round services for its members. It will strive to establish overseas economic and trade centers, further promote international high-end networking,  expand exchanges and cooperation between Shenzhen and other countries, so as to clear the barricades on the “last 100 meters” for companies “going global”.

(Picture: Mr. Hong Cao, Vice President of Shenzhen Energy, was delivering a keynote speech.)

At the end of keynote speeches, Shenzhen Energy, on behalf of all Shenzhen-based enterprises going global, shed light on the opportunities and challenges in going global and international production capacity cooperation.

The first panel discussion was centered on building a talent cluster for international production capacity cooperation. Moderated by Ms. Helen Su, a partner of Alston & Bird LLP, the panel discussion shed new light upon issues like Shenzhen’s requirements and cultivation of international talents under “the Belt and Road” initiative and how Shenzhen should provide support and guidance for talents in international production capacity cooperation. Among the attendees were Mr. Linus Xiao, Executive Vice President of APECF, Mr. Jia Xingdong, President of Shenzhen Polytechnic, Ms. Huang Ming, Representative of State of Bavaria-China Office, Mr. Liu Dexun, Chairman of ShenZhen Holpe Commercial Chain Stock Co., Ltd. and Ms. Sun Tianlu, Vice Chairwoman and Secretary General of Shenzhen Outbound Alliance.

(Picture: panel discussion)

Moderated by Ms. Susan Xu, General Counsel of BGI Genomics Co., Ltd, the second panel discussion shed new light upon issues like the policy support for technological innovation provided by the government, the opportunities in the technological innovation market and how to use technological innovation to enter into emerging markets. Among the attendees were Mr. Jonathan Wong, Chief of Technology & Innovation, UNESCAP, Ms. He Zhimei, Section Chief of the Economic, Trade and Information Commission of Shenzhen Municipality, Mr. Ye Weiqiang, Vice President of Shenzhen Transsion Holdings Limited, Mr. Zhang Ju, Vice President of Hytera and Mr. Clement Yuen, Partner, China Tax and Business Advisory, Ernst & Young.

(Picture: signing ceremony)

In the panel discussion, Shenzhen Outbound Alliance and Shenzhen Transsion Holdings Limited also announced joint efforts on the establishment of “Africa Branch of Shenzhen Outbound Alliance”. Besides, they reached a strategic cooperation agreement with Shenzhen Polytechnic, State of Bavaria-China Office and other institutions. To help enterprises “go global” to carry out international investment cooperation and explore overseas markets, the Alliance has actively pushed forward the relevant work together with representative enterprises such as BYD, Hytera, Shenzhen Energy and BGI, domestic and foreign professional institutions such as Deloitte, KPMG, Ernst & Young, Yingke Law Firm and Dentons and social organizations such as Statistical Society for Foreign Economic Relations and Trade of Shenzhen, Shenzhen Electronics Industries Association, Shenzhen Garment Industries Association and Shenzhen Watch & Clock Association. The Alliance aimed to build an innovative cooperation platform for information communication, resource sharing, advantage complementation and common development, providing all-round support and guarantee for enterprises to carry out transnational operation.

About 400 people from related government sectors, foreign institutions in China, professional institutes and domestic and foreign enterprises attended the conference. The success of this conference has provided substantial support for enterprises to explore the international market and was of great significance for Shenzhen to participate in “the Belt and Road” and promote international production capacity cooperation.

(Picture: group photograph)