EU-Sichuan Investment & Cooperation Conference Presents Opportunities to European Businesses Go back »

2008-10-26 | All chapters

Chengdu, 26th October 2008 — The EU-Sichuan Investment & Cooperation Conference co-organised by the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China and the Sichuan Province People's Government takes place in Chengdu today. This conference is the first major investment conference after the earthquake in Sichuan. More than 200 participants including senior officials from the European Commission and Chinese government entities as well as senior business leaders from Europe and Sichuan are attending.

Information on reconstruction loan projects, partnership opportunities in the main cities in Sichuan, case studies of European companies invested in Sichuan and panel discussions led by European and Chinese companies in various industries are the major conference themes. It provides an overall picture of the investment opportunities as well as challenges in Sichuan after the earthquake.

Keynote speakers include H.E. Dr. Danilo Türk, President of the Republic of Slovenia, Mr David O'Sullivan, DG for Trade of the European Commission, Mme. Anne-Marie Idrac, French Minister of State for Foreign Trade, Mr Huang Xiaoxiang, Vice Governor of Sichuan Province People's Government and Mr Li Chengyun, Vice Governor of Sichuan Province People's Government.

H.E. José Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission, provides a strong message about the objectives and vast opportunities created by the conference: "The great Earthquake of May 2008 has shown us that cooperation is not limited to mere business relations. When hardships become friendships, we invest into a common future. And this is what investment is about in the very first place: it fosters new ideas, new conceptions, and new ways of working together. It creates well-being for all of us."

Speaking at the opening of the conference, Joerg Wuttke, President of the European Chamber said, "We hope this conference can show European companies key investment opportunities in Sichuan. It is important that this region is not perceived to be a rural-agricultural provincial backwater. The massive gas reserves, combined with highly cost-competitive skilled human resources, are helping propel Sichuan and Chongqing up the value chain. It signals that our member companies will continue to contribute to the economic development of this promising area." 

欧盟—四川投资合作洽谈会向欧盟企业展现四川商机

成都，2008年10月26日 — 由中国欧盟商会和四川省人民政府共同主办的欧盟—四川投资合作洽谈会于今日在成都举行。本次会议是四川地震后的首个大型投资洽谈会。来自欧盟委员会和中国政府的高层官员、欧盟及四川企业界高层代表，共逾200多人，出席了本次会议。

本次会议以四川重建贷款项目、主要城市的合作伙伴机会、欧盟企业在蜀投资实例分析以及各行业中欧企业专题讨论等方面为主要议题，概述了地震后四川的投资商机及其挑战。

会上的主礼演讲嘉宾包括斯洛文尼亚共和国总统图尔克博士阁下、欧盟委员会贸易总司总司长大卫·奥沙利文先生、法国经济、工业和就业部外贸国务秘书Anne-Marie Idrac夫人、四川省副省长黄小祥先生和副省长李成云先生。

对于本次会议的目的及其所提供的源源商机，欧盟委员会主席若泽·曼努埃尔·巴罗佐阁下表示：“2008年5月的大地震告诉我们合作不只局限在商业关系上。患难之中见真情的时候，我们为共同的未来而付出。而这正是投资的初衷：培养新想法、新观念以及新的合作方式，造福于我们每一个人。”

中国欧盟商会主席伍德克在开幕致辞中说：“我们希望本次会议能够向广大欧盟企业展现四川的主要投资机会。重要的是，这一地区不能被误解为一个偏农的穷乡僻壤。巨大的天然气储备量，加上成本竞争力强且技术卓越的人力资源，这些优势助推四川和重庆在价值链上攀升。迹象表明，欧盟商会的会员企业将在这片希望的土地上，继续为当地的经济发展做出贡献。”

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