Leaders from multinational companies and well-known institutions from over 20 countries and regions gathered at the 2024 Shandong International Trade and Investment Advisors Roundtable in Jinan on Aug 19 to offer suggestions for the province's high-level opening-up and high-quality development.

Lim Gait Tong, president of China-ASEAN Business Association, noted that ASEAN has been Shandong's largest trading partner for five consecutive years. He suggested that Shandong could leverage favorable policies of the Belt and Road Initiative and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) to deepen cooperation with ASEAN in areas such as infrastructure construction, e-commerce, logistics, and artificial intelligence.

"Shandong has a large and dynamic economy, offering numerous opportunities for foreign enterprises seeking win-win cooperation," said Victor Cadena, executive vice-president of the Mexican Chamber of Commerce in China.

He emphasized Shandong's critical role in the economic and social development of China and highlighted the convenience of conducting trade with Shandong. He expressed that the chamber is committed to continuing its cooperation with Shandong, aiming for shared prosperity and expanding its business presence in the province.

In his speech, Zhan Jingtao, vice-president of Siemens China, mentioned that Siemens has already established cooperation with Shandong enterprises in digitalization and decarbonization. For instance, the Siemens Qingdao Innovation Center is collaborating with Qingdao West Coast New Area on building a sci-tech innovation center. Siemens and Shandong enterprises will work together to pioneer low-carbon and high-quality development for the province.

Si Junjie, director of the China region for the Investment Promotion Agency Qatar, observed that more and more Shandong enterprises are "going global" and entering Middle Eastern markets. "As a special guest, I will do my utmost to provide more support and resources for Shandong enterprises in their overseas expansion and foreign investments."