Europe Chongqing Center officially launched

Europe Chongqing Center opens as a new carrier of international cooperation

The Europe Chongqing Center is officially unveiled [Photo by Zheng Deng/ iChongqing]

The Europe Chongqing Center was recently officially launched at a summit meeting held in Chongqing. It is expected that the center will become a new window as Chongqing continues to open up to Europe.

Nicolas Chapuis, ambassador of the Delegation of the European Union to China, Wu Cunrong, executive vice mayor of the Chongqing Municipal People's Government, and leaders of the China Center for Urban Development, the Chongqing Development and Reform Commission, and the Administrative Committee of Liangjiang New Area were all in attendance at the event.

The center has 25 floors with a total construction area of about 16,000 square meters. At present, more than 10 foreign chambers of commerce, including the Italian Chamber of Commerce, foreign-related organizations, and China-foreign joint ventures, have settled in.

The Europe Chongqing center will serve as a link for cooperation in resources, and provide consultation services to European enterprises and institutions seeking to invest in Chongqing through industrial cooperation, chambers of commerce, associations, and enterprise alliances.

It will have the basic functions of business and government services, industrial cooperation, and exhibitions. Exchanges and cooperation will be strengthened in the digital economy, new generation information technology, and smart green industry, so as to make China and the EU joint leaders in scientific research and transformation.

Chongqing and Europe will also hold EU innovation and entrepreneurship forums, economic and trade investment summits, project negotiations, and investment promotions at this institution to further promote multiple and bilateral cooperation on a larger scale and at a deeper level. The activities will serve to boost Chongqing as an open highland and promote cooperation with Europe.

In addition, the summit meeting presented a post-epidemic theme by focusing on new urban governance. Outstanding achievements in the fight against the epidemic in Europe and China were singled out for praise, as multiple speakers told how the corona-virus has united our collective wills like a fortress, and that we stand together through difficult times.

The pandemic has bestowed the Europe Chongqing Center with a historical mission to create a good platform for dialogue and exchange, at a time when Europe is experiencing strong opposition to globalization, World Trade Organization regulation adjustments, and reconstruction in the global industrial supply chain.

The Europe Chongqing center is to become the permanent venue for China-EU green smart city summits. A dedicated exhibition hall will be set up on the 24th floor to focus on milestone achievements made since the first edition of the summit was held, and the institutional plaque is to be displayed on the 25th floor, as the functions continue to be further enriched.

A high profile overseas guest addresses the forum live online. [Photo by Zheng Deng/ iChongqing]

Mannheim (Rhein Neckar) representatives sign agreement in finishing touch

A signing ceremony between Mannheim and the Europe Chongqing Center was held following the initiation ceremony, further enriching the center's functions.

At the signing ceremony, Peter Kurz, the mayor of Mannheim, David Linse, director of the International Affairs Department of the Mannheim Municipal Government, leaders of the EU IUC program and relevant departments in Chongqing witnessed the signing of the contract between Meiwenti, a company from Germany, and Chongqing enterprise Fenxiang.

The two sides will cooperate in international investment promotions, liaison, cooperation and the establishment of international channels to normalize cooperation and meaningful exchange.

The new center in Chongqing will play an important role in regional development and opening up, contributing to the Belt and Road as part of high quality development in the city.

In the future, the Europe Chongqing center will further strengthen cooperation in trade, investment, and technology between Chongqing and European countries and regions, facilitating in-depth cooperation in brand management, market development, technological transactions, and new projects.

German firm Mei Wenti signs an agreement with Fenxiang Zhihe of Chongqing. [Photo by Zheng Deng/ iChongqing]

Chengdu-Chongqing Economic Circle seminar also held during forum

The International Gateway Hub Seminar of the Chengdu-Chongqing Economic Circle and the Euro-China Green and Smart City Forum 2020 were held in the Sino-Swiss Technology Park in Chongqing on Sept 14.

During the conference, held prior to the 2020 Smart China Expo Online, an initiation ceremony officially launched the Europe Chongqing Center, which subsequently took part in a signing ceremony between the center and Rhein Neckar, a German company from the city of Mannheim and a close partner of Chongqing in the International Urban Cooperation (IUC) organization.

Cao Weixing, member of the 12th and 13th Standing Committee of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, stated that planning, construction and governance of international gateway hub cities in Chongqing and Chengdu will become the highlight, focus and breakthrough point in the development of Western China.

The 14th Five-Year Plan period is key to the construction of international gateway hub cities in Chongqing and elsewhere, and poses a great challenge in the field of governance system innovation.

Cao went on to say "We should deeply understand strategic intentions at the state level, and embody the will of the central government through governance systems and structures."

At the seminar, Mao Guanglie pointed out that construction of the Chongqing international gateway hub should highlight the features of cooperation between Chongqing and Europe. For example, exchange and cooperation in the digital economy between those two sides has great potential for expansion, and so deserves special attention.

Xu Lin stated that the Chengdu-Chongqing region is at a critical stage of construction in urban agglomerations and metropolitan areas, and that the promotion of reform to systems and mechanisms and the process of deep urbanization are key to high-quality development in the Chengdu-Chongqing Economic Circle.

High profile government representatives from the EU listen attentively to the proceedings. [Photo by Zheng Deng/ iChongqing]