From November 19 to 21, the 18th China–EU Investment, Trade and Technology Cooperation Fair (the “China–EU Fair”) was held in Chengdu under the theme “Mutual Trust, Connectivity and Shared Prosperity.”
The event was jointly organized by the China Chamber of International Commerce and the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China, attracting more than 600 representatives from government, business and academia across over 20 countries and regions. Discussions focused on China–EU economic and trade relations as well as cooperation along industrial and supply chains. Participants widely agreed that China and the EU are key investment partners with highly complementary trade structures, and that deeper cooperation will further expand opportunities in sectors such as artificial intelligence, clean energy, biomedicine and digital creative industries.
Liu Jiannan, Vice Chairman of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT), noted that closer China–EU communication and cooperation are particularly important amid rising global economic uncertainty. He emphasized that the Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee has outlined China’s economic and social development blueprint for the next five years, bringing greater stability and certainty to the global economy and creating new opportunities for Europe and other regions. CCPIT and the China Chamber of International Commerce will continue to support China–EU enterprises in identifying new growth areas in investment, trade, technological innovation and the digital economy, while jointly safeguarding stable industrial and supply chains and the global free trade system.
Ran Mengzhi, Vice President of the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China and Chair of its Southwest Chapter, said that EU–China cooperation can generate a “1+1 greater than 2” global impact. The EU and China share common visions in innovation, green development and connectivity. Tangible progress has already been made in areas such as low-carbon industries, high-end manufacturing, smart technologies, digital economy and talent development. The European side stands ready to leverage its strengths in R&D, sustainability and high-value manufacturing to deepen cooperation with China and move toward shared growth and mutual benefit.
According to the organizers, the fair featured three key highlights: large scale and high-level participation, a strong focus on frontier industries, and an emphasis on practical cooperation. Representatives from numerous well-known Chinese and international companies, including Three Gorges Group, CATL, BGI Group, AstraZeneca, Bayer, SAP, BASF and SUEZ, attended the event.
During the China–EU B2B matchmaking sessions held alongside the fair, 204 companies from 16 countries and regions conducted 257 one-on-one meetings. The discussions covered cooperation in new energy, artificial intelligence, biomedicine, digital technology and creative industries, smart manufacturing, and agri-food sectors, resulting in 166 preliminary cooperation intentions.
【Background】
Launched in 2002 by the European Commission, the China–EU Investment, Trade and Technology Cooperation Fair has been held in Chengdu since 2006. Over the years, it has grown into one of the most influential platforms for China–EU economic, trade and technological cooperation, featuring broad participation from EU member states and European enterprises.
Since its inception, the fair has attracted more than 12,600 Chinese and European companies, facilitated nearly 30,000 business matchmaking meetings, and helped generate over 3,300 intended cooperation agreements.
【Conclusion】
Against a backdrop of a fragile global recovery and increasing geopolitical uncertainty, the China–EU Fair continues to provide a stable and pragmatic platform for dialogue and cooperation. Participants generally agreed that expanding collaboration in emerging industries and maintaining open communication will inject greater certainty into China–EU economic relations and create long-term win-win opportunities for businesses on both sides.
Source: This article is based on publicly available reporting from CCOIC.
Original link: http://www.ccoic.cn/cms/content/42687
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