PwC released a new report in Guangzhou. It analyzes the impact and development of the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road in Southeast Asia, Central and Eastern Europe, the Middle East and North Africa, Africa, Europe and Asia from the perspectives of trade, investment, and major industries. The report shows that cross-industry, multi-dimensional e-commerce will accelerate the local digital development and strengthen connections with the global economic system.

Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (Photo: Nanfang Daily)

Huang Yaohe, China Lead Partner of PwC's Global Cross-Border Services, said that China and the participating countries of the Belt and Road Initiative have carried out close cooperation in the transportation of anti-epidemic materials and vaccine development during the pandemic.

Zhang Rui, a partner of PwC Greater Bay Area M&A Transaction Services Department, said that the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) is an important hub for globalization. GBA is also a key development market for PwC's regional economic city cluster strategy.

Zhang Pingping, director of PwC's global cross-border services and Southeast Asia business development, said that five sub-regions including Southeast Asia, Central and Eastern Europe, the Middle East and North Africa, Africa and Eurasia have achieved the most significant achievements.

It is worth mentioning that in 2020, ASEAN has become China's largest trading partner, with bilateral merchandise trade reaching US$684.6 billion. The report pointed out that for Chinese investors, Southeast Asian countries have advantages in consumption upgrades, demographic dividends, geographical proximity and cultural proximity.

In recent years, e-commerce has developed well in the Middle East and North Africa, especially the GCC countries. The report believes that China's cooperation with the Middle East and North Africa will expand to a wider range of areas in the future.

The report believes that the Belt and Road Initiative has promoted China's investment cooperation in Africa's infrastructure, logistics, telecommunications and financial services, promoted the growth of cross-border e-commerce, and brought bilateral trade to a new level of quality.

Guangdong has developed rapidly in the process of globalization and has formed a strong locational advantage. In 2020, Guangdong's foreign trade import and export will reach 7.08 trillion yuan, accounting for 22% of the country's total, and its scale will continue to rank first in the country.

Author | Alice

Editor | Jerry