“To cope with the severe impact of the international financial crisis on the world economy, nations around the world are vigorously expanding investment and trade. The Chinese government has drawn up a series of measures to boost economic growth, and expanding investment and spurring domestic demand are now China’s top priorities. This will open up new opportunities for domestic and overseas capital to flow into China; it will also create greater potential opportunities for commercial partnership between Xiamen and Hong Kong,” stated Liu Cigui, Vice Chairman of the CIFIT Organizing Committee and Mayor of Xiamen, on June 17 at the 13th CIFIT Promotion Seminar at Conrad Hotel in Hong Kong. Mr. Liu also enthusiastically extended an invitation to domestic and overseas business professionals to attend the forthcoming 13th CIFIT to explore business opportunities and promote mutual development.
The promotion seminar was jointly sponsored by the Ministry of Commerce, the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, and the CIFIT Organizing Committee; organized by the Operational Department of the CIFIT Organizing Committee, and the Trade Office of the Economic Affairs Department of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in Hong Kong SAR; and co-organized by seven institutions, including Invest Hong Kong, Hong Kong Trade Development Council, the Chinese Manufacturers’ Association of Hong Kong, the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce of Hong Kong, Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce, the Federation of Hong Kong Industries, and the Hong Kong Chinese Enterprises Association. The seminar received an overwhelming response from all segments of Hong Kong society and attracted more than 200 representatives from Hong Kong’s major business groups, industry associations, investment promotion agencies, commercial, industrial and financial communities, and the Hong Kong offices of multinational companies and investment firms.
“This year marks the 60th anniversary of the PRC, and this seminar has a special meaning since it is staged after the State Council announced new initiatives to support Fujian Province in speeding up the development of the economic zone on the western coast of the Taiwan Straits”, stated CIFIT Organizing Committee Vice Chairman and Xiamen Mayor Liu Cigui. Mr. Liu said that this year’s CIFIT will place a greater emphasis on the integration of exhibitions, negotiations and seminars and will combine exhibitions and shows with project matchmaking seminars and forums, so that participants will enjoy greater opportunities to locate potential partners and exchange ideas. He added that the upcoming CIFIT will also stress the integration of FDI and capital cooperation and sharpen its focus on industries and internationality.
I. Investment by industries will be strengthened, particularly in a number of key industries, such as real estate development, cultural creative industries, tourism, agriculture, infrastructure, energy conservation and environmental protection, services and trade, banking, and transportation. The 1st China International Property Investment Fair and the China International Cultural Creative Industries Fair will be staged during the CIFIT.
II. Promotion of overseas quality specialty commodities, especially those from Latin America, Caribbean, Central Asia, and Taiwan, will be stressed. Moreover, separate fairs will be staged to showcase communities from Latin American and Caribbean countries and from Central Asian countries.
III. Investment policy and information release will be emphasized. A series of high-level forums and seminars themed around “Attracting FDI” and “Going Global” will be organized to shed light on investment policies.
IV. International exchange and cooperation will be highlighted. About 80 countries and regions will be staged exhibitions at the CIFIT and about 500 organizations from more than 100 countries and regions are expected to attend the fair.
V. Interaction and cooperation across the Taiwan Straits will be accentuated in line with the closer ties between the two sides of the Straits.
Mr. Liu stated that this year’s CIFIT faces two new historic opportunities. The first opportunity is the historic opportunity opened up in the development of the economic zone on the western coast of the Taiwan Straits. Last month, the State Council announced new initiatives to support Fujian in speeding up the development of the economic zone on the western coast of the Taiwan Straits. In the same month, Premier Wen Jiabao and CPPCC Chairman Jia Qinglin paid separate fact-finding visits to Fujian and Xiamen and delivered important speeches. The Straits Forum, successfully staged in Xiamen, has presented new major historic opportunities for the city’s development. As the central city on the western coast of the Taiwan Straits and a special economic zone oriented primarily towards Taiwan, Xiamen will further consolidate its ties with Taiwan and pair up with its industries; the city also plans to build 18 industrial clusters (chains) each with an output value of more than RMB 10 billion, as well as five service industry cluster; Xiamen will also strive to become a regional center for banking, port logistics, conventions and exhibitions, tourism, science and technology R&D, culture and education. The second opportunity has been opened up in investment by the international financial crisis. The crisis has seriously impacted upon national economies around the world, and most countries, including China, are proactively seeking new measures to cope with the crisis, and are expanding investment and trade as the primary measure. The Chinese government has enacted a series of policies to stimulate the economy, and has made it a top priority to expand investment and spur domestic demand. This will also open up new opportunities for worldwide capital to flow into China, and provide greater opportunities for Xiamen and Hong Kong to strengthen their business ties. As such, at the promotion seminar, Xiamen unveiled a list of major land development and logistics investment projects and hosted a series of matchmaking symposia in Hong Kong, in hopes of taking advantage of Hong Kong’s superiority in information and resources and its role as a bridge to reach out to business elites around the world.
“Thanks to the consistent support of the international community, especially Hong Kong’s business community, each CIFIT has been a great success. Over the past 12 years, CIFIT’s scale and standard have risen steadily, and its scope of events has constantly enriched, the results have improved, its role in promoting international investment and trade has strengthened, and its international influence has expanded; as a result, CIFIT has been gaining in popularity among national governments and domestic and overseas enterprise. More than 140 countries and regions and over 20,000 domestic and overseas organizations, institutions, business groups and enterprises have participated in CIFIT, and more than 13,000 agreements have signed on investment projects, bringing nearly USD 100 billion to the Chinese market and helping a large number of Chinese enterprises to establish a presence in the international market. CIFIT has become an important platform for promoting international capital investment and trade, and a vital vehicle for international business interaction,” stated Mayor Liu.
Officials from the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in Hong Kong SAR and Hong Kong Commerce and Economic Development Bureau, as well as Gu Jie, Deputy Director of the Investment Promotion Agency of the Mini |