On 4 December, the Consulting seminar on Free Trade Zone and the “Belt and Road” (I), which was hosted by Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Modern Service Industry Cooperation Zone of Shenzhen (the Qianhai Authority), organized by Roadlink GLB, and co-supported by Shenzhen Outbound Alliance (SOA) and Statistical Society for Foreign Economic Relations and Trade of Shenzhen, was held at the Qianhai Complex. Mao Yanhua, Economics Professor and PhD Supervisor of Sun Yat-sen University, was invited to interpret the policies, provide related information and carry out professional training for the participants.

Economics Professor Mao Yanhua from Sun Yat-sen University

Since 2013, Chairman Xi Jinping has proposed the ambitious the “Belt and Road” Initiative which is open to countries all round the world. As the basic institutional framework for joint development of the “Belt and Road” has been established in the past five years, the Initiative is becoming the China’s approach to participate in global open cooperation, improve the global economic governance system, promote global common development and prosperity and build a community of human destiny. Professor Mao Yanhua was invited to discuss several topics, including the promotion of the Initiative, the implementation and enhancement of services and safeguard measures for companies’ “Going Out”, and the establishment and improvement of the risk response and assessment mechanism for the “Belt and Road”.

Professor Mao clarified the approaches to promote Guangdong’s participation in high-quality development of the “Belt and Road” from five perspectives, including policy support, infrastructure interconnection, economic and trade investment cooperation, capital finance and people-to-people exchanges and cooperation. He also provided policy suggestions with regard to the alignment of development of the “Belt and Road” and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, the enhancement of services and safeguard support for Guangdong companies’ “Going Out” and the establishment and improvement of the risk response and assessment mechanism for the “Belt and Road”.

During the Q&A session, Professor Mao and participants and the Qianhai Authority discussed about the issues regarding the practical corporate operations and different business tasks.

The training was carried out successfully and the training was well received by all participants. The course covered the opportunities and risks of the development of the “Belt and Road”, which catered for the needs of companies studying the “Going Out” or “Bringing In” Strategy, and provided experience and development ideas for these companies through case study. Participants expected more similar courses to be held in future to provide greater support to corporate development.