SME Shanghai Government Dialogue

2023-10-11 | Shanghai

On 11th October 2023, the European Chamber Shanghai Chapter, hosted the small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) Shanghai Government Dialogue, together with the EU SME Centre. Attended by representatives of more than 10 government officials and 20 SMEs, the event provided an opportunity for European SMEs to connect with Chinese local government to deepen engagement, network and exchange experiences with other SMEs operating in China.

Mr Carlo Diego D’Andrea, Vice President, European Chamber, Chairman, Shanghai Chapter, shared his insights as an SME operating in China in his keynote speech as well as the importance of continued government dialogue and transparency in SME-related policies.

Mr Xue Feng, President of the Shanghai Foreign Investment Development Board, recognised SMEs as a crucial pillar for stabilising economic growth and as critical innovation drivers. As such, Shanghai offers services for SMEs such as financial support through especially allocated funds, a one-stop online platform for policy related services and enhanced resources for enterprise development.

Dr Jin Tieying, Professor and Director of the Policy Research Division of China International Cooperation Association of SMEs (CICASME) provided insight into recent revisions in SME related-policies to foster a better business environment for SMEs, emphasising that this remains a top priority for Shanghai going forward.

Mr Xiao Yang, Tax Service Consultant, 12366 Shanghai (international) Taxpayer Service Centre, gave an overview of the recent and upcoming tax developments relevant to SMEs.

The panel discussion continued on this theme, especially focusing on how SMEs can leverage this knowledge for continued sustainable growth and innovation. Moderated by Ester Cañada Amela, Advocacy Manager, the EU SME Centre, European Chamber, the panel included representatives from SMEs to discuss their own experiences including Ms Zipei Xu, National Vice Chair of the Environment Working Group, European Chamber and Marketing and Communication Manager, PowerCell Fuel Cell(Shanghai)Co.,Ltd; Mr Michael Kruppe, CEO and General Manager, Shanghai New International Expo Centre Co., Ltd; and Ms Nathalie Ieong, Expertise/Operations Manager, Terao Asia.