In 2023, another four overseas Guangdong chambers of Commerce were established. As of today, the total number of overseas Guangdong Chambers of Commerce initiated by the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) Guangdong Committee has reached 46, covering the world's major economies and the Belt and Road partner countries.
The number was released at the 2024 Annual Meeting of Overseas Guangdong Businessmen and Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Investment Promotion Conference held in Guangzhou on January 29 by CCPIT Guangdong Committee.
The newly established overseas Guangdong Chambers of Commerce will contribute to extending the overseas economic and trade networks and exploring more platforms for trade and investment cooperation for Guangdong enterprises.
"China and Thailand have signed an agreement on mutual visa exemption, which is good news for Guangdong enterprises," said Lin Guoxin, Chief Representative of Guangdong Economic and Trade Representative Office in Thailand and President of Guangdong Chamber of Commerce in Thailand. He added that after the Spring Festival, the Guangdong Chamber of Commerce in Thailand will organize enterprises and talent from Guangdong to visit Thailand in order to promote investment in new energy projects and industrial projects.
According to Lin, the economic and trade ties between Guangdong and Thailand have become increasingly close in recent years, and the volume of import and export trade between the two regions has increased by 45% between 2017 and 2022. "After three years of construction, the Thai Guangdong Industrial Park, developed by the Guangdong Chamber of Commerce in Thailand, has started attracting investment. It has become a Chinese overseas trade cooperation zone, offering modern advantages in Thailand."
"The number of foreign companies investing in Mexico increased by 40% in 2023, with Asian companies accounting for 61%," said Yang Peiliang, Chief Representative of Guangdong Economic and Trade Representative Office in Mexico and Founding President of the Guangdong Chamber of Commerce in Mexico. He told GDToday that Mexico is an ideal transiting place for Guangdong enterprises to access the US market. The Guangdong Economic and Trade Representative Office in Mexico plans to conduct research on "Guangdong Enterprises Business Practice in Mexico" in 2024.
Sun Jiye, Chief Representative of Guangdong Economic and Trade Representative Office in Russia and President of the Guangdong Chamber of Commerce in Russia, said, "In 2023, we organized enterprises to participate in eight well-known exhibitions in Russia, with a total of about 1000 exhibitors." The Guangdong Chamber of Commerce in Saudi Arabia is one of the four new overseas Guangdong Chambers of Commerce established last year. "Saudi Arabia has become a hot word," said Zhu Dongmian, President of the Guangdong Chamber of Commerce in Saudi Arabia, adding that Saudi Arabia is opening up to the world, especially to China. Many leading enterprises in Guangdong have settled in Saudi Arabia.
Jesse Choi, Executive Vice President of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Bay Area Entrepreneurs Alliance, said that many enterprises in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) are interested in investing in the ASEAN market. "We will also build a bridge for entrepreneurs in the GBA to open up the international market," said Choi.
Zhang Qinwei, Chief Representative of the Guangdong Economic and Trade Representative Office in the United Arab Emirates and President of the Guangdong Chamber of Commerce there, said that the chamber helps to introduce Dubai's enterprises to invest in the construction of a high-tech electronic technology industrial park in Huizhou. The first phase of the project has been completed, and the annual output value will reach about eight billion yuan after its operation.
Reporter丨Nina
Editor丨Steven, Monica, James
Photo provided to GDToday
