Guangzhou has striven to upgrade its industries, business environment and infrastructure to link its advantages with new opportunities created by the Belt and Road Initiative.
Guangzhou held its seventh overseas promotion for 2017 Fortune Global Forum in Taipei on May 15.
The city will also be the host of the International Association of Ports and Harbors' 31th World Ports Conference in 2019.
NEW INDUSTRIES
The advertising of UC Browser in India.
In recent years, Guangzhou has striven to shift its economic focus to capital- and technology-intensive industries, as enterprises here have sped up the pace to "go global."
For example, UC Mobile Co. Ltd. (UCWeb), which is attached to China's e-commerce giant Alibaba Group, has stood out as a global provider of mobile Internet software technology and services, especially in India, Indonesia and Russia.
"Our operations are deeply localized, which means we have kept an eye on local cultures and customs. We have provided down-to-earth services," said Huang Hao, president of Alibaba's mobile business group.
NEW PLATFORMS
The promotion seminar on 2017 Fortune Global Forum in Tokyo.
The 121st Canton Fair, or China Import-Export Fair, took place from April 16 to May 5 in Guangzhou, attracting 364 companies from countries and regions along the Belt and Road.
The Fortune Global Forum is set to take place in Guangzhou from Dec 6 to 8 later this year, which is an economic event to attract important politicians, economists, and businesspeople from around the world, focusing on major business issues. So far, six promotion events have been held since late January in cities such as Paris, Washington, Hong Kong, New York, Singapore and Tokyo. On May 15, Guangzhou also holds its seventh roadshow in Taipei to invite more enterprises to attend the forum.
In 2015, Nansha District in southeast Guangzhou became one of the pilot free trade zones (FTZs) to promote foreign trade and investment. By 2016, the import and export volume of the Nansha FTZ reached nearly 170 billion yuan (24.66 billion USD), one fifth of the total volume of Guangzhou.
NEW PARTNERS
United States Consulate General in Guangzhou.
"In recent years, with the development of the economy, we have shared our development experience with cities along the Belt and Road," said Chen Jie, director of the Asian, African and Oceanian Affairs Division of Guangzhou Foreign Affairs Office.
"Last year, a special team was established to deal with affairs of Asia, Africa and Oceania, to facilitate cooperation between Guangzhou and cities along the Belt and Road," Chen said.
Since the launch of the Belt and Road Initiative, Guangzhou has redoubled its efforts to expand its network of friends. In 2015, cities in Oceania and Africa, such as Suva of Fiji, Kinshasa of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Victoria of the Seychelles and Mombasa of Kenya established friendly ties with Guangzhou. For now, Guangzhou, in which 57 countries have established consulates.
UPGRADING TRAFFIC HUBS
Nansha Port in Guangzhou.
Guangzhou, a key hub linking China with the countries and regions along the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, has stepped up efforts to upgrade its transport capacity in air, sea and land.
Recently, Guangzhou is announced to be the host city for the International Association of Ports and Harbors' 31th World Ports Conference in 2019. "Global professionals in the field of ports and shipping will gather in Guangzhou to share information and experience. Guangzhou is expected to hold a successful, memorable Word Ports Conference," said Mr. Santiago Garcia Milà, president of IAPH.
As of April, 2017, China Southern Airlines (based in Guangzhou) reached destinations in 68 cities of 38 countries and regions along the Belt and Road. It is said that company also plans to open new flights from Guangzhou to destinations along the Belt and Road, such as Johannesburg, Tehran and Islamabad.
Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport, with an ambition to become an advanced world-class air transport hub, has opened flights to 87 international destinations, including 52 in 27 countries and regions along the Belt and Road, according to data provided by the airport.
In August, 2016, Guangzhou launched its first weekly cargo train to Europe as a new way to import and export goods. Meanwhile, by collecting goods by train form Chinese inland and then transferring them by sea, Guangzhou has also become a major port shipping goods to international destinations.
(Source: Guangzhou News Center)
