The Flanders-China Chamber of Commerce celebrated the Year of the Horse on 5 February 2026 in Brussels.
Ms. Gwenn Sonck, Executive Director, Flanders-China Chamber of Commerce, welcomed the participants to the Chinese New Year reception and wished them a very happy and successful Year of the Fire Horse. In Chinese culture, the horse symbolizes strength, dynamic energy, perseverance, and ambition, and in business it also reflects momentum: moving decisively, staying resilient, and keeping pace in a fast-changing world.
In his welcome speech, Mr. Philippe Latour, Chairman, Flanders-China Chamber of Commerce, sincerely thanked His Excellency the Ambassador and his colleagues for their strong support and excellent cooperation with the FCCC and the member companies and he also expressed his appreciation to the Government of Flanders and to the Chamber's long-standing partner, Flanders Investment and Trade, for their continued trust and support. Mr. Latour announced two new structural partners for 2026: Orsi Academy, and Dahua Technology. He said that doing business has become more complex, with geopolitical tensions creating uncertainty for companies, but that China’s investment environment is perceived by many as relatively predictable, and competitiveness increasingly depends on deeper localization, faster innovation cycles, and real “China speed”. Mr. Latour said that China and the EU remain deeply interdependent. Concluding his speech, he sincerely thanked all members and partners for their trust and engagement.
Guest of Honor and keynote speaker, His Excellency Mr. Fei Shengchao, Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Belgium, and Mr. David Moucheron, CEO, KBC Bank, talked about the perspectives of China's economy and trade between Belgium and China.
The Flanders-China Chamber of Commerce (FCCC) wishes to especially thank the sponsors who made the New Year celebration possible:
• Bank of China, supporting trade between our two countries
• China Telecom, a leading global provider of telecommunications and digital connectivity services
• Maasmechelen Village, Belgium’s premium outlet shopping destination and a valued bridge for tourism and lifestyle exchange
A special thank you to KBC Bank for giving the opportunity to host the reception in their beautiful premises, and for their generous hospitality.
All pictures of the event will be sent to the participants.
