WCIF Boosts Internationalization of Chengdu

Source:International Business Daily  Date£º2015-06-08

The newly published 2014 Internationalization Level Statistical Monitoring Report for Chengdu shows inspiring results: the internationalization level of Chengdu has reached 70.8%, up 2.4 percentage points from the previous year. The report is compiled based on calculation and analysis of the Chengdu international level indicator system. 

    The calculation and analysis results indicate that Chengdu has witnesses “Four Growth” in internationalization in 2014. The whole economy was on the track of stable and steady growth and the city has taken a great stride in pioneering in modernization and internationalization in central and western China. This can be greatly contributed to the internationalization effects of Western China International Fair (WCIF). 

The 15^th WCIF held in 2014 attracted more than 60,000 visits from 98 countries and regions home and abroad to its 240,000m² venues. As many as 8,981 enterprises (including 2,951 from overseas) participated in the fair, a year-on-year growth of 108%; while 14 countries including France, Britain, the United States, Russia, Germany, Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea, Georgia, Iceland, Belarus, Uzbekistan and South Africa set up national pavilions (national exhibition areas) for the event. It is record high for both the area of exhibition and the number of participating countries, enterprises and national pavilions. 

At the same time, Chengdu takes the WCIF as an important demonstration and communication media and a key platform to broaden the scope of investment and promote the opening-up and international cooperation for Chengdu. The “Sino-French Eco-Park – Urban Sustainable Development Forum”, as one of the sideline activities of China-France SME Cooperation and Development Forum, was also held at the 15^th WCIF in Chengdu.

    Focusing on “collaborative innovation, industrial cooperation, energy conservation and environment protection, and cluster development”, the forum was participated by government officials, experts, scholars and business representatives from both countries. The forum mainly introduced the general layout of Sino-French Chengdu Eco-Park and Yibin - an international landscape eco-city at upstream Yangtze River based on the themes of collaborative innovation, industrial cooperation, technological connection and energy conservation and environment protection, promoting the sustainable development of cities in Sichuan. 

    On April 17^th, 2015, the Sino-French Chengdu Eco-Park International Cooperation Investment Promotion was held in Chengdu. It was announced at the event that the Sino-French Chengdu Eco-Park would be established in Beituo of the Chengdu Economic & Technological Development Zone. Centering on the DPCA Project, it would involve a preliminary planned area of 22.3km² covering the 3 towns of Xihe, Luodai and Huangtu, while radiating its influence over the entire 77km² Beituo Area. 

    The Sino-French Chengdu Eco-Park is regarded as the key platform for various joint ventures and cooperation of enterprises, institutions and relevant organizations of both countries in Chengdu. The park is focusing on the construction of the Dongfeng Peugeot Citroen Automobile (DPCA) Chengdu Industrial Base which boasts a total investment of RMB12.3 billion and an output capacity of 480,000. While the construction is advancing as planned, Chengdu is also planning to bring in high-end industrial projects including French and EU automobiles, equipment manufacturing and ecological and environmental protection, and promoting high-level exchange and cooperation in culture, scientific research and service among other fields with France and the EU. The park is expected to take initial shape in 2020. 

    Statistics show that 250 Chinese enterprises had established businesses in France by the end of 2014. France is also an important trading partner for Sichuan in the EU. By the end of 2014, France had 98 projects in Sichuan with a total actual investment of about USD 353 million. Areva, Saint-Gobain, Alcatel-Lucent, Electricite De France, Lafarge, Danone, Veolia, Carrefour, Auchan, Hennessy and other Global 500 enterprises from France have started businesses in Sichuan. Groupama even established its Chinese HQ in Sichuan.

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