From 21 to 28 September, Ms. Gwenn Sonck, Executive Director of the Flanders-China Chamber of Commerce, represented the Chamber during an inspiring discovery trip to China, led by Prof. Rudy Aernoudt. The mission was organized by UNIDO ITPO and ChinaConnect with visits to Shanghai, Hangzhou, Chengdu, and Beijing. The purpose of the trip was to provide Belgian business leaders with deeper insights into China’s innovation landscape.
The Flanders-China Chamber of Commerce (FCCC) had the privilege of organizing the business program in Shanghai on September 23. FCCC members shared their perspectives and experiences on doing business in China.
Mrs. Carmen Guo, General Manager of KBC Bank Shanghai, provided an overview of China’s economic landscape and highlighted the business opportunities for Belgian companies. This was followed by a panel discussion where representatives from Bekaert and Volvo shared their experiences with innovation and R&D in China. Bekaert, which operates two R&D centers globally – one of which is located in Jiangyin and is the fastest and largest in the world – was represented by Mr. Yiwen Luo, Head of Bekaert Asia R&D Center, who outlined the company's R&D strategy in this highly competitive environment.
Mr. Wei Wang, Investment Director at the Volvo Car Tech Fund, Volvo Car Asia Pacific, discussed Volvo’s growth in China and internationally, emphasizing their continuous search for the latest technologies to enhance their portfolio.
During lunch, Mr. Philippe Snel, Lawyer and Founder of Dawo Law Firm, shared his insightful perspective on the opportunities for Belgian businesses in China, drawing on his extensive experience. “The time to invest in China is now,” he remarked.
As the Chamber also plays an active role at the EU-China level, managing the EU-China Business Association, we had the opportunity to hear from Mr. Jens Eskelund, President of the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China. He provided an overview of European business sentiment in China, sharing the EUCCC’s annual Position Papers, which are widely distributed to both Chinese and European authorities and business leaders.
A special thanks to the Shanghai Diamond Stock Exchange for hosting a wonderful dinner in the historic center of Shanghai!
We will elaborate more on this trip next week!
