From February 25 to March 6, the Jinjiang Economic and Trade Delegation to Southeast Asia visited the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam successively for economic and trade exchanges and cooperation aiming at promoting trade and optimizing trade matching via the bridge of overseas Chinese. Jinjiang, as a bellwether of Fujian’s county economy, takes the initiative and makes joint effort by government and enterprises, striving to be a forerunner in promoting economy, innovation and development.
Taking the lead in "going out"
Making concerted efforts to promote enterprises and products globally
Taking the international flight just resumed, the Jinjiang Economic and Trade Delegation, which mainly consisted of nearly 20 enterprises and industry associations such as Anta, Heng’an, Septwolves, Lilanz, Panpan, Joeone, Jinjiang Constructive Ceramic Industry Association and Jinjiang Food Trade Association, set out from Quanzhou Jinjiang International Airport and flew to Southeast Asia.
The reasons for Jinjiang to take Southeast Asia as the first stop in its overseas market expansion are self-evident: Southeast Asia has a population of 670 million. And Jinjiang, as an important manufacturing base of consumer goods in China, boasts a footwear and clothing industry exceeding 300 billion yuan, a textile industry over 100 billion yuan, food industry and building material industry both over 50 billion yuan, as well as medical health industry and intelligent equipment industry both over 30 billion yuan. With solid industrial foundation as such, Jinjiang possesses unique advantages in expanding the Southeast Asian market.
In the Philippines, an important stop along the route of "the Belt and Road", the delegation had face-to-face exchanges with leaders of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry and that of Davao City Investment Promotion Center, as well as overseas Chinese and local entrepreneurs there to learn about the economic and social development of the Philippines, local land policies, investment promotion policies, as well as issues about industrial investment, enterprise operation and etc. so as to analyze the current foreign trade situation in-depth and take the initiative in exploring new business forms and modes.
In Davao, the Philippines, a sister city of Jinjiang, Anta Group signed an agreement with SM Investments Corporation to launch its brand store in Davao. "In Anta’s global layout, Southeast Asia is one of the most important markets." Ding Shijia, vice chairman of Anta Group’s Board of Directors, said that the Philippines has great advantages in terms of geography, demographic dividend, consumption trend and market potential.
Giving full play to "overseas Chinese advantage"
Sharing new development opportunities of hometown
Jinjiang is a famous hometown of overseas Chinese. It has 3 million citizens living abroad, thus people often say "Nine families out of ten here are overseas Chinese families". These overseas Chinese build a bridge for Jinjiang’s going out.
In the Philippines, there are more than 1 million overseas Chinese coming from Jinjiang. A large number of Jinjiang enterprises have invested and set up factories in the Philippines. The enterprises run by Jinjiang elites such as Philippine Airlines, SM Group, Longwei Group , and Global Ferronickel Holdings Inc. are influential enterprises in the local society.
During the visit to expand economic and trade exchanges and cooperation in Southeast Asia, the Jinjiang Economic and Trade Delegation visited Chen Yongzai, Chen Zuchang, Shi Hansheng, Wu Congman, Su Chengzhi and other famous overseas Chinese leaders and entrepreneurs, and held discussions and exchanges with local chambers of commerce, associations and other overseas Chinese.
From the Philippines to Thailand and Vietnam, Jinjiang Economic and Trade Delegation carried out in-depth economic and trade exchanges and cooperation activities, including on the spot investment promotion and food industry promotion. They introduced the industrial orientation, business environment, the quality of the city, transportation network, opening up policies, investment carrier and other economic and social development in Jinjiang to the overseas Chinese associations and individuals and shared with them the development opportunities of Jinjiang .
"Jinjiang Economic and Trade Delegation’s activities in Southeast Asia have brought business opportunities for us overseas Chinese." Chen Kaifu, president of the World Jinjiang Association and president of the Philippine Jinjiang Association, commended that this investment promotion was very timely. He said that most of the overseas Chinese in the Philippines are engaged in trade, wholesale, retail and other businesses, and as Jinjiang is a major manufacturing city of consumer goods, the cooperation would be a win-win situation for both sides.
"Bringing in" is the ultimate goal for Jinjiang Economic and Trade Delegation’s Southeast Asia trip.
During this trip, in addition to visiting overseas Chinese associations and individuals, the delegation also paid a return visit to Jinjiang’s sister city Davao in the Philippines and signed a framework agreement for bilateral economic and trade innovation and development cooperation. Meetings are held with local entrepreneurs and the relevant personnel from the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Davao City Investment Promotion Center, Economic Management Bureau of Quang Ninh Province, Vietnam, Hai Ha County of Quang Ninh Province and Vietnam Rubber Group South Company. Six agreements were signed for projects such as the second phase investment project of Jinjiang Shengkang Water Company and the premixed baking flour cooperation project. High-end hotel investment projects were also on the agenda. Meanwhile, the delegation also discussed matters related to the deepening of investment cooperation with SM Group and Global Ferronickel Holdings Inc..
Aiming at "globalization" Integrating into the "the Belt and Road"in Depth
Digital economy provides new opportunities for integrating into the construction of "the Belt and Road" in depth. On March 2, Jinjiang signed a brand marketing service cooperation project with Fanslink, a Thai trade and multi-platform business solution provider to supply market analyses for Jinjiang brands in the global market expansion, assist Jinjiang enterprises in promoting brands, marketing products and expanding its market share in Thailand.
During the trip to Southeast Asian countries, the Jinjiang Economic and Trade Delegation made continuous efforts to promote the construction of demonstration parks of economic and trade innovation and development while exploring cooperation mechanism for industrial connectivity as well as infrastructure connectivity and etc..
In the Philippines, plagues of the Philippines Jinjiang Building Materials and Home Furnishing Exhibition and Sales Center as well as the Philippines Jinjiang Industrial Cooperation Park were officially unveiled. With a total investment of more than 10 billion yuan and an area of 350,000 square meters, the Philippines Jinjiang Building Materials and Home Furnishing Exhibition and Sales Center will turn out to be the largest, finest, most professional, most complete, most distinctive, and most competitive international building materials and home furnishing wholesale and retail market in the Philippines. It is worth mentioning that the sales center has also set up a special area for Building Materials and Ceramics Sales Center of Cizao, Jinjiang, which will provide accurate matching of supply and demand.
In Vietnam, the Jinjiang Economic and Trade Delegation signed a cooperation framework agreement for the joint construction of the Jinjiang International Shoes and Textile City (Vietnam) Exhibition Trade Center, and a framework agreement for the joint construction of industrial parks in Vietnam and Jinjiang with Texhong Textile Group Co., Ltd.. The parties involved will take the signing of the agreement as an opportunity to accelerate the construction of industrial cooperation parks, establish and improve cooperation mechanisms including industrial connectivity, information exchange and resource sharing, so as to release economic benefits as soon as possible and achieve mutual benefit and win-win results.
This trip to Southeast Asia has been fruitful. The channels of "going out" have been expanded, and the projects "brought in" have been explored. The overseas Chinese have come to know the development of their hometown better and strengthened their bond with it. Entrepreneurs have gained more inspirations and enhanced confidence... Jinjiang will take this opportunity to deepen economic and trade exchanges as well as cultural exchanges with countries along the "the Belt and Road", promote a higher level of opening up, and take solid steps to advance the practice of Chinese modernization in Jinjiang.