This time next month over 1,200 representatives, including the leaders of more than 20 countries and 50 international organizations, will gather in Beijing for the first Belt and Road Forum.

To observe how Chinese enterprises are jointly developing with their counterparts in the “Belt and Road” countries and regions, journalists from major national media, as CCTV and Xinhua, recently paid a visit to Foshan city of Guangdong Province from April 10-12.

Located in the heart of the Pearl River Delta, Foshan is known for its traditional manufacturing industries and products as home appliances, tiles and furniture, maintaining long-term business relationships with buyers from all over the world.

Following Beijing media’s paces, we found unexpected changes taking place in these traditional enterprises and the ways they are seeking cooperation in the global stage.

【11：06 AM, April 11】Midea, Foshan’s home appliances magnate

The media group saw a robot playing Rubik Cube when visiting Midea’s headquarter. A staff introduced this robot was co-created by Midea and Yaskawa Electric, a Japan-invested robot company. He also said Midea is now mapping its global markets in more cooperative ways...

More+

【3:05 AM, April 11】Sino- German industrial service zone

Joey Pather, the CEO of Guangdong Tanzhou International Convention and Exhibition Center, was being interviewed by the Beijing media. He said Germany’s HANNOVER MESSE is now working with Foshan’s Sino- German industrial service zone to connect industries in Germany and Foshan...

More+

【9.19 AM, April 12】Monalisa，Foshan’s tile enterprise

Journalists found some of Monalisa’s tile products are processed by a Italian factory, Romani. Apart from various latest products, they also learned the way in which this tile enterprise breaks the anti-dumping policies in countries as India and Kazakhstan...

More+

【4.34 PM, Apri 6】Louvre, Foshan’s furniture enterprise

Journalists ofnewsgd.comsaw the well-designed constellation square in Louvre, a furniture complex in Foshan, right before Beijing media’s trip. Chen Guifang, CEO of Louvre, said the enterprise has gone way beyond a traditional furniture manufacturer and is offering diverse services to their international buyers...

More+

“Since 2013 when President Xi Jinping first proposed the initiative, trade volume between China and economies along the trading routes amounted to $3 trillion, total investment reached $50 billion, and newly signed contracts exceeded $304.9 billion,” said Shen Danyang, Ministry of Commerce spokesman.

According to the statistics recently released by the Bureau of Commerce of Foshan city, the total export volume from Foshan to “Belt and Road” countries and areas jumped 13.6 percent to over RMB 107.6 billion in 2016.

Foshan’s investment to these countries and areas rose as well in 2016. For example, the city launched 12 new directly invested enterprises and the newly added investment reached USD 634 million, which accounted for 76% of the city’s total.

These statistics show Foshan has been changing its development mode into one that brings in world’s top technology, upgrades local manufacturing industry and serves the global markets.

(by Jasmine)