Foreign envoys probe Guangzhou's green development

 Update:2021-08-17    Source: eguangzhou.gov.cn

A delegation of representatives from 24 consulates general of foreign countries in Guangzhou visits Guangzhou Fushan Circular Economic Industrial Park in Huangpu district on Aug 12. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

A delegation of representatives from 24 consulate generals from foreign countries in Guangzhou visited Guangzhou Fushan Circular Economic Industrial Park in Huangpu district on Aug 12 to get a closer look at Guangzhou's achievements in promoting green, low-carbon and circular development.

The event was held by the foreign affairs office of the Guangzhou municipal government, Guangzhou urban management and comprehensive law enforcement bureau and Guangzhou Environmental Protection Investment Group.

The visit was aimed to further increase the foreign envoys' understanding of how Guangzhou's sustainable development has boosted communication and cooperation.

The delegation learned about the development process of urban solid waste treatment technology and the advanced waste incineration power generation process that Guangzhou Environmental Protection Investment Group now uses.

They also visited the sightseeing platform on the south chimney at the height of 92.5 meters to get a panoramic view of the local scenery.

Envoys attending the event all spoke highly of Guangzhou's outcomes in urban environmental governance, noting that the industrial park has implemented integrating waste disposal and environmental protection at a high degree.

Guangzhou has been devoting continuous efforts in pushing forward the green, low-carbon and circular development, and has been taking an active part in international communication and cooperation, paving the way for megacities such as Guangzhou to follow in China.

The city was announced as a Green Technologies winner at the C40 Cities Bloomberg Philanthropies Awards, which was held during the 2019 C40 World Mayors Summit.

Li Shuijiang, the general manager of Guangzhou Environmental Protection Investment Group, said that seven major circular economic industrial parks in Guangzhou are expected to be put into operation by 2022 and the domestic waste disposal capacity of Guangzhou will be number one in China, and capable to meet Guangzhou's development demands until 2035.

RMB 14 billion's worth of cargo: Guangzhou China-Europe Railway Express over 5 years

 Update:2021-08-30    Source: Newsgd.com

August 28 marked five years' operation of China-Europe Railway Express (CR Express) in Guangzhou.During the past five years, 387 freight trains, carrying altogether 35932 TEUs, left Guangzhou Dalang Railway Station for more than 30 cities of over 20 countries including Germany, the UK, Hungary, Ukraine, Russia.

(Photo / Nanfang Daily)

Guangzhou CR Express has thus contributed RMB 14 billion of imports and exports, and has meanwhile provided stable transportation for around 1500 foreign trade companies.

On June 25, a new line, "Guanzhou Dalang - Khorgas - Duisburg" was officially put into operation, after which Guangzhou CR Express ran a total of 8 fixed lines (2 in, 6 out) regularly.

Data shows that Guangzhou CR Express has significantly developed over the five years,from 13 trains in 2016 to 111 trains in 2020. And, so far this year, 85 trains have departed for the west.

For now, Guangzhou CR Express operates 1 or 2 freight trains weekly, and 4 to 5 in the peak season. The overall clearance time has been reduced to less than 48 minutes. Xu Guang'an, deputy director-general of Guangzhou Customs, said that Guangzhou will in the future add more lines to further international trade with Europe.

Also, the trains have been carrying more varieties of "Made in Guangzhou" than ever. According to the authority, over 700 types of commodities have been exported to Europe, including communication devices, household appliances, toys, cars, leather goods, and cosmetics.

Expo gives boost to cultural and tourist industry

 Update:2021-09-14    Source: Newsgd.com

The 2021 China (Guangdong) International Tourism Industry Expo (CITIE), held from September 10 to 12 in Guangzhou, has helped to revitalize the international cultural and tourist industry under the difficult circumstances of COVID-19 pandemic.

(Photo provided to Newsgd.com)

(Photo provided to Newsgd.com)

The three-day expo, with numerous events held for business communications and promotions, attracted exhibitors from more than 30 countries and regions around the world and over 10 domestic provinces to participate in both online and offline formats.

Statistics shows that the subsidies and coupons provided by the Department of Culture and Tourism of Guangdong Province have boosted tourist spending by about RMB 50 million yuan. Residents were able to enjoy discounts when they bought designated products by online payment or swiping their UnionPay cards on site.

(Photo provided to Newsgd.com)

(Photo provided to Newsgd.com)

"The CITIE is an annual gathering of the cultural and tourism industries. Under the backdrop of COVID-19 pandemic, the Expo is playing a positive role in pushing forward the revitalization of the tourism industry," said a staff member from Zhuhai Tourism Association.

The CITIE provided an industry resource linking platform for the exchange and cooperation between cultural and tourist industry and other industries. It helped the tourist enterprises break through the dilemma under the pandemic.

The integration between cultural and tourism industry as well as other inter-connected industries enabled exhibitors in the fields of animation, research study, countryside tours, sports as well as arts and crafts to share their products and services at the Expo.

(Photo provided to Newsgd.com)

(Photo provided to Newsgd.com)

One of them was the Guangdong Animation & Comic Industry Association. "The visitor volume on the first morning has been more than last year's three-day combined volume. We have negotiated with provincial cultural and tourism departments in detail to reach preliminary cooperation intentions," said Ao Gangmin, the secretary-general of the Association.

The expo also contributed to the digital transformation of cultural and tourist industry. With a series of digital technologies such as naked eye 3D, AR and VR, the Digital Culture and Tourism Area provided visitors with various activities in the fields of cultural exposition, intangible cultural heritage, performance and tourism.

(Photo provided to Newsgd.com)

Furthermore, CITIE has effectively promoted the balance between tourism supply and demand. Twenty industry exchange and promotion activities and four buyer-seller matching sessions were held, attracting professional buyer groups from travel agencies in and outside the province.

Combination of online and offline a new trend for global business in the post-pandemic era: AmCham South China

 Update:2021-10-14    Source: Newsgd.com

When talking about the coming Canton Fair, Dr. Harley Seyedin, President of the American Chamber of Commerce in South China (AmCham South China), can’t help praising the combination of online and offline formats. “I think without one, the other one doesn't work right now. So the combination is the future for global business.”

The 130^thsession of the China Import and Export Fair, also known as the Canton Fair, will kick off tomorrow (Oct 15) in offline and online forms for the first time.

Since first participating in the Canton Fair in 1992, Seyedin expressed his eager expectation for the coming Canton Fair. He said in a recent interview with GDToday that due to the COVID-19, the global economy is still facing uncertainty. Still, most members of his chamber of commerce are optimistic about the growth of the Chinese market and look forward to the coming Canton Fair to continue to build the Sino-US trade bridge.

Change the way how to do business

According to Seyedin, the Canton Fair has always been a place twice a year where people come to see what's going to be available for them to sell next year. However, due to the COVID-19, most international buyers can’t go to Guangzhou. Luckily, most of the shopping has been moved online, so has the Canton Fair. “It has changed the way how to do the business.”

It’s not so easy for international buyers, especially those with massive amounts of orders. Seyedin indicated that western buyers prefer face-to-face trade because they can touch and feel the products by themselves. Online shopping can’t provide this kind of service.

As for international buyers, the integrated online and offline Fair has advantages of traditional face-to-face trade to build trust and reach a deal. In addition, it follows the development trend of the digital economy that helps to satisfy the various needs of enterprises around the world.

"That's why now the government has learned how actually to have a combination of online-offline fairs,” said Seyedin.

This year, AmCham South China has organized an exclusive delegation for the Fair for the first time. (File Photo: Nanfang Daily)

Organize an exclusive delegation for Canton Fair

Having relocated to Guangdong for tens of years, Seyedin has strong feelings about the incredible support that he and his member companies have received from the Chinese government, especially since the outbreak of the COVID-19.

Seyedin insisted that China is the first and the only country that has taken the COVID-19 under control. “The safety of our employees and ourselves is guaranteed here. All of that has to do with the government.”

“Every one of our employees has been vaccinated. That's something the government does.” Moreover, if he or his employee needs to do a nucleic acid test, they can make the reservation and test immediately, “and the cost is very low."

While on a large scale, Seyedin indicated that international transportation is widely available, and the country has managed the ports so that there's no backlog in China, helping their international business recovering swiftly. This is one reason why so many member companies in AmCham South China are enthusiastic about coming to Guangzhou for the Canton Fair. This year, AmCham South China has organized an exclusive delegation for the Fair for the first time.

According to a special report released by AmCham South China this year, Guangzhou has been selected as the top preferred reinvestment destination for four consecutive years. Most member companies ascribe their determination to establish a company in Guangzhou to the growth potential of the Guangzhou market, and 90% of them have achieved profitability in Guangzhou.

Stronger policy support vowed for cross-border e-commerce

 Update:2021-10-18    Source: Chinadaily.com.cn

Premier Li Keqiang pledged on Thursday stronger policy support to the growth of cross-border e-commerce, with measures to make the overseas warehouses smarter and more digitalized, as he visited exhibitors at the 130th session of the China Import and Export Fair.

Li inspected domestic and foreign exhibition pavilions at the fair, which opened in Guangzhou, Guangdong province on Thursday, after having delivered a keynote speech and declared the opening of the event.

He spoke with staff from Zongteng Group, an overseas warehousing and logistics provider, and encouraged the company to strive to safeguard the reputation of made-in-China products and win over the trust from global consumers.

He vowed stronger support to startups and innovative business as he talked to workers from EHang Holdings Limited, an autonomous aerial vehicle technology platform company.

Li urged the company to ensure the safety of its products and ensure its competitiveness in the international market.

In a conversation with executives from US-based company Honeywell, the premier expressed appreciation to the company's decision to expand investment in China during the most challenging period of China's fight against COVID-19, saying that the nation welcomed foreign businesses to expand their operations in China.

Executives from Fagor, a consumer appliance company from Spain, told Li that China's vast market and robust consumer demand is highly attractive to Spanish companies.

Li said he hopes the company can produce more products that can cater to the demand of Chinese consumers and EU businesses can further deepen win-win cooperation with their Chinese counterparts.

Top trade events in China 'key' to steady global supply chain

 Events provide platform for companies to make deals amid COVID headwinds

The launches of the 130th session of the China Import and Export Fair and the upcoming fourth China International Import Expo will not only help reinforce the global supply chain, but also create a concrete path to convert exhibits into commercial goods and exhibitors into investors in the country, business leaders said.

With business opportunities soaring despite challenges created by the COVID-19 pandemic, the China Import and Export Fair (Canton Fair), through its online and offline showcases, will provide a much-needed platform for companies to place new orders across global industrial and supply chains, said Woo Tae Hee, vice-chairman of the Seoul-based Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Lu Chunping, sales director of Guangzhou Zhujiang Brewery Co Ltd, a Guangdong province-based brewer and Canton Fair exhibitor, said the fair, which ended on Tuesday, is a key platform for opening-up, boosting global trade activities and promoting China's dual-circulation development paradigm.

Under the dual circulation model, the domestic market is the mainstay while the domestic and foreign markets reinforce each other.

After participating in the Canton Fair for 15 years, Lu said the event has become vital for Pearl River Beer to expand its footprint in the global market. Its export value and profits grew by 23 percent and 20 percent year-on-year, respectively, in 2020.

"The Canton Fair has also helped us gain more direct access to consumer demand around the world," he said. "We have used its platform to conduct market research to better understand flavor preferences of overseas consumers, and implement precise marketing strategies."

For example, consumers in Southeast Asia, Africa and the South Pacific region enjoy beer products with high alcohol content, while buyers in Western Europe prefer beer with a bitter taste, he added.

The Chinese company exports more than 10 varieties of beer, with diversified products to meet the needs of overseas consumers.

The event also benefits international businesses. Nick Koay, chairman for the Greater Bay Area of the Malaysian Chamber of Commerce and Industry in China, said he has participated in the Canton Fair for 15 years. The products of his factory in Zhuhai today are sold to about 30 countries and regions, and 95 percent of his regular clients are from the fair.

Backed by its complete supply and industry chains, China has been able to guarantee production amid the pandemic, which many other economies haven't been able to do, said Wang Jian, a professor who specializes in international trade at Beijing-based University of International Business and Economics.

Wang said the upcoming fourth China International Import Expo, which is to be held in Shanghai from Nov 5 to Nov 10, will advance the common growth of industry, supply and innovation chains. It will also attract more advanced technologies and foreign direct investment into China.

"For the fourth consecutive year, we will display our latest sustainable and innovative solutions at the CIIE," said Yoichi Miyazaki, chairman and CEO of Toshiba (China) Co Ltd.

"As we head toward the 50th anniversary of Toshiba's business in China next year, our participation at the CIIE once again confirms our confidence in the Chinese market."

Steven Lien, president of Honeywell China, said its CIIE booth area this year will be more than double the size of last year's setup. Lien said the expanded booth size will fully demonstrate the US conglomerate's commitment to the expo as Honeywell participates in the event for the fourth consecutive year. The company will continue to increase its investment in both innovation and manufacturing areas in China in the coming years.

Apart from the six-day annual exhibition, foreign companies can also enjoy extended services of the CIIE, such as yearlong trade platforms. Shanghai has built a total of 56 CIIE "6 + 365" trading service platforms since the first exhibition, according to information released by the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Commerce.

Nearly 180,000 types of exhibits had been introduced by the end of July this year, involving 1,390 exhibitors. A total of 146.47 billion yuan ($22.66 billion) worth of goods have been imported, according to government statistics.

Guangzhou district showcases new import promotion zone at CIIE

 Update:2021-11-09    Source: Chinadaily.com.cn

An employee of Guangzhou's Nansha district introduces the district's achievements to a visitor during the fourth CIIE in Shanghai. [Photo by Feng Yongbin/China Daily]

Guangzhou's Nansha district is showcasing its new import trade promotion and innovation demonstration zone at the ongoing China International Import Expo with the aim of attracting more investors and companies from different industries.

Located along the Pearl River, Nansha district was last year named a demonstration zone for import businesses.

At this year's CIIE, which wraps up on Wednesday, Nansha has introduced new plans to accelerate the development of its imports, especially in terms of foodstuffs, pharmaceuticals and artwork. New policies will also be launched to optimize the business environment and improve the efficiency and accessibility of public services.

"We have adopted innovative measures to speed up registration, Customs clearance and other administrative processes," Dong Ke, district government head, said during the CIIE on Friday.

Dong said companies have been encouraged to make declarations in advance so that they can receive export tax reimbursements within three working days.

In 2020, Nansha Port handled more than 17 million standard containers and added 131 new international shipping routes, Dong added. Today, Nansha Port is connected to more than 200 ports around the world.

Nansha has also announced that six new platforms have been officially launched at the import demonstration zone. These platforms include a comprehensive center for automobile trading and four distribution centers for cold chain logistics, global merchandising, foods and beverages, as well as food supplies specially marketed to the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

"Problems and difficulties are unavoidable when a foreign brand enters the Chinese market for the first time," said Li Hui, vice-director of Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao International Supply Chains Co Ltd, at the launch of the platforms during the CIIE on Friday.

"The new platform for global merchandising distribution will provide digital services and bring together outstanding providers and resources," Li said.

He added that the new platform will eventually integrate trade services and resources such as logistics, distribution and Customs clearance and provide digital solutions and administrative services for global corporations.

A new bonded warehouse for artwork was also highlighted at Nansha's CIIE showroom.

Yang Mei, president of the Greater Bay Area International Bonded Art Service Center, said the objective of the warehouse is to create a safe, advanced and professional service chain for trading in art.

"We hope to become a cultural industry leader that connects with Hong Kong and Macao, and achieve an annual import and export volume of 300 million yuan ($46.88 million)," Yang said.