Press Conference Held on the 2nd WCIF Import and Export Expo & Western China (Sichuan) International Investment Conference

Source:查看原文  Date：2017-09-02

A press conference on the Second Western China International Fair Import and Export Expo & Western China (Sichuan) International Investment Conference (“2^nd WCIF Import and Export Expo & International Investment Conference”) was held in Chengdu on the morning of September 1. At the press conference, Mr. Tang Limin, Secretary General of Sichuan Provincial People's Government, briefed media attendees the preparations for the event. Relevant officers from preparatory groups of Sichuan Provincial Investment Promotion Bureau, Sichuan Bureau of Expo Affairs and Tianfu International Exhibition Co., Ltd. were present at the briefing and answered questions raised by journalists. Mr. Li Xiaojun, Deputy Head of Publicity Department of Sichuan Provincial Party Committee, moderated the press briefing. Also present at the conference were relevant officials from Sichuan Provincial Economic and Information Commission, Sichuan Provincial Department of Commerce, Office of Foreign and Overseas Chinese Affairs, Sichuan Provincial People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, and Sichuan Provincial Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese, as well as journalists from more than 40 central and local media agencies.

According to the press briefing, the 2^nd WCIF Import and Export Expo & International Investment Conference, a major opening-up event of Sichuan in the second half of the year, is scheduled to be held at the International Exhibition Center of the Western China International Expo City on September 15 through September 18, 2017. This year’s theme is “Open Trade, Cooperative Development”. The event comprises of the WCIF Import and Export Expo and the International Investment Conference. The WCIF Import and Export Expo, with a planned exhibition area of 60,000m², is facilitated with six exhibition halls for three sectors, i.e. industrial cooperation, merchandise trade, and trade in services. Specifically, there will be an electronic information area and an equipment manufacturing area for the industrial cooperation sector, an imported wine, beverage & food area, an imported fashion apparel area, and an imported baby product and daily necessities area for the merchandise trade sector, and an import and export trade routes and vehicles area for the trade in services sector. The International Investment Conference will, focusing on key countries (and regions) for investment cooperation and key industries of Sichuan, stage a range of targeted investment presentations, business talks, and small spontaneous matchmaking activities.

At present, preparations including guest invitation, activities organization, business and exhibitor attraction, investment promotion and conference support for the event, are well underway and largely in place.

Guest invitation: So far, government agencies, industrial organizations and famous businesses from 75 countries and territories have been invited. Former politicians, ministerial-level officials and ambassadors to China of foreign countries, international friends, and heads of international organizations including UN Procurement Division will be present at the event. Domestically, 22 provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities) will send delegations to the event. Investment promotion activities will see the presence of more than 700 executives from well-known domestic and foreign companies, including 75 Fortune Global 500 companies and 56 China Top 500 companies. It is expected that more than 20,000 guests from at home and abroad will be present. This year's event will be much bigger in size than the first one, with greater international influence.

Activities organization: A total of 25 activities are organized around hot economic and trade topics and industrial trends, including the opening ceremony, meetings, investment promotion, international exchange, sourcing and trade. Specifically, there are 11 investment promotion activities, five international exchange activities, and five sourcing and trade activities. To date, the time schedule, venues and processes of these activities have been basically finalized. Activity-specific preparations are intensely underway.

Exhibitions & displays: So far, an actual exhibition area of 75,000m² has been set aside, 25% larger than the planned exhibition area. Exhibitors from 39 countries and territories, including Germany, Italy and the U.K. have confirmed to attend. Exhibitors from 16 other domestic provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities and 18 Sichuan cities/prefectures have confirmed to attend the exhibition. Sinopec, China Unicom, Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and other renowned companies have confirmed to attend the expo. The exhibition, highlighting the opening up characteristics and industrial strengths of Sichuan, will set up specialized exhibition areas dedicated to businesses from countries along the Belt and Road, cross-border e-commerce platforms, importers and exporters and industrial parks, and parallel-import cars. The exhibits cover a variety of foreign specialty products that cater to shopping needs of the wide audience, including high-end German kitchen and home products, French skin care and beauty products, Japanese and Korean fashion clothes, Italian wine, Ghana ebony, Australian honey, Belarusian chocolate, Thai fruits, baby and mother products, dairy products, and jewelry.

Investment promotion: A series of investment promotion activities will be organized closely following Sichuan's industrial development strategy and arrangements to carry out businessmen invitation and project matchmaking, in a bid to facilitate the conclusion of a number of major contracts or letters of intent. A host of well-known domestic and foreign companies including CITIC, FAW, CRRC, Geely, PHICOMM, Flex, P&G, GlobalFoundries and AGC have confirmed their participation. A contract-signing ceremony for cooperation projects will be part of the opening ceremony. In addition, Sichuan cities/prefectures will hold a diversity of special investment promotion activities in light of local advantages and characteristics.

It is learnt that this year’s event will have the following three features:

Highlight serving the ‘Belt and Road” Initiative. The event will see participants from 36 countries and territories along the Belt and Road, or 48% of the total. Pavilions for countries along the Belt and Road will be set up to showcase country-specific local leading businesses and specialty products. Chinese provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities) will highlight the display of cooperation projects and results with countries and territories along the Belt and Road, while Sichuan state-owned enterprises will exhibit investment results and projects in countries and territories along the Belt and Road. Many activities will set agenda, facilitate discussions and seek effective results centering on the Belt and Road Initiative.

Highlight effective industrial cooperation. This event puts in more efforts inviting companies with an intention to invest in Sichuan and carefully organizes early project matchmaking to ensure the conclusion of cooperation deals for a number of major high-quality projects. Relevant parties will facilitate a full display of good local image and development potential by presenting their advantages in resources, industry and market via the exhibition platform. Professional forums and industrial presentations to be held during the event will see the presence of professional trade associations or economic organizations, and facilitate industrial cooperation and project landing in light of hot industrial developments in Sichuan and western China.

Highlight facilitation of open trade. During the exhibition, a dedicated introduction to the construction and services of the Pilot Free Trade Zone, Comprehensive Bonded Zone, Bonded Logistics Centre, national- and provincial-level development zones, Chengdu-Europe Express (Chengdu-Europe Express Rail), and various open ports and accesses. Besides, purchasing and trade activities and special matchmaking sessions will be held to actively establish open trade platforms and facilitate pragmatic economic and trade cooperation.

Practicing strict economy, this year’s event has developed a detailed, thoughtful and scientific event support scheme. Under the scheme, Chengdu municipal government and relevant authorities directly under the Provincial People’s Government will effectively carry out services management, traffic policing, health and quarantine and logistical support, among other jobs, to create a warm, safe and comfortable environment for the event and help provide better visitor experience for the wide audience. 

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