International Consultative Conference on the Future Economic Development of Guangdong (ICC) is an international consultative mechanism established by Guangdong for the promotion of economic and social development. It is a major measure for upgrading the level of opening up to the outside world, integrating fully into the globalized economy and strengthening overall cooperation with famous transnational companies, educational and scientific institutions. Governor of Guangdong Province invites business leaders of well-known transnational companies and famous experts and scholars from different fields as his economic advisors. The ICC is a high-level international conference for the Governor of Guangdong and his economic advisors to discuss the future planning of Guangdong's economic and social development and to promote cooperation.

The first ICC began in 1999, with a 3-year tenure for the economic advisors. Governor Lu Ruihua invited 20 business leaders and leading academic figures as advisors in 1999 and the number went up to 25 in 2000 and 2001.

The first ICC held annual conferences in 3 consecutive years. The ICC formulated the theme of each annual conference in relation to the issues of guidance and of foresight according to the global economic development trend, Guangdong's economic and social situation and its future planning. The themes for the three annual conferences were: "World Technological Progress and Guangdong's Industrial Restructuring", "Exploration of Modernization in Guangdong", "Economic Globalization and Guangdong."

The content of the first ICC consists of three parts. The first part is closed-door meeting chaired by Govenor and participated by advisors and their assistants, vice governors of Guangdong Province, mayors, and leaders form the departments of economy, education, science and technology and related institutions. The second part features seminars on special topics, with four seminars of different topics taken place simultaneously, chaired by a vice governor, and participated by advisors and their assistants, leaders of government departments and big enterprises, and famous experts and scholars. The content of the seminars covered the fields of science and technology, education, industrial competitiveness, electronics and information industry, finance, venture investment, modern logistics, petrochemical, LNG and investment environment. The third part includes special TV forum, speech of special topics, briefing and project session.

Advisors of the first ICC provided many good advices and suggestions on how the global and regional development affect the development of Guangdong Province, how to formulate Guangdong's development strategy, how to maintain Guangdong's status as the most dynamic region, how to promote overall cooperation with transnational companies and other issues. In the meantime, by taking the post as the advisor to the Governor, the advisors and their companies, educational and scientific institutions have greatly improved their profiles in Guangdong and other parts of China with a win-win effect, bringing them more business opportunities.

The ICC mechanism provides a joint global advertisement opportunity for Guangdong and advisors' organizations. During the conference, CNN, Associated Press, New York Times, France Reuter's New Agency, Agency France Press, Asahi Shimbun, Hong Kong ATV World, Hong Kong TVB Pearl and Phoenix TV, China¡¯s Xinhua News Agency, CCTV, People's Daily, Guangdong TV and other news media organize large group of reporters to conduct extensive and intensive reports on the ICC.

The success of the first ICC has attracted extensive attention from home and abroad. Many leaders of transnational companies and leading experts and scholars who wish to seek development and extensive cooperation in Guangdong and Chinese market, have written to the Governor of Guangdong, expressing their appreciation of the spirit of mutual benefit and common progress displayed at the ICC and their readiness to serve as the economic advisors to the Governor and to contribute to Guangdong¡¯s economic and social development.

The second ICC started in 2002, with tenure for economic advisors changed to 4 years. The conference will be held in every two years, which will be in 2003 and 2005.

The Governor of Guangdong has sent invitations to more than 20 Presidents, CEOs and decision making figures of famous transnational companies in the Global 500 list and ranking top in their industries as well as world renowned experts in education, science and technology and economy to be his economic advisors and present at this year's conference. The 2003 conference will be held in Guangzhou on November 3 and the morning of November 4. The theme is "International competitiveness and Guangdong's development". Based on strict adherence to basic style whereby the first session of the conference was convened, this conference will feature more variety of style, more in-depth discussion and more intake of participant, especially entrepreneurs in Guangdong province.

Editor: Catherine