18TH EUROPE-CHINA BUSINESS AND TECHNOLOGY COOPERATION FAIR HELD

BEIJING/CHENGDU, NOVEMBER 21 /SRNA/ – The 18th Europe–China Business and Technology Cooperation Fair – the “Euro-China Fair” was held in Chengdu under the theme "Mutual Trust and Connectivity for Shared Success and Prosperity". The event was organized by the China Chamber of International Commerce (CCOIC) and the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China (EUCCC).

Speakers at the opening ceremony included Liu Jinan, Vice Chairman of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT), Chen Zhiyong, Deputy Mayor of Chengdu, Raquel Ramirez Alexander, EUCCC Vice President and Chair of the Southwest China Chapter and Dario Mihelin, Ambassador of Croatia to China. The Head of China’s Mission to the EU addressed participants via video message. Liu Jinan stated that the Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China outlined an ambitious plan for economic and social development over the next five years, which contributes to greater global stability and predictability. He added that CCPIT and CCOIC will further strengthen their role in linking government and business, facilitating engagement between domestic and international stakeholders, and connecting supply and demand. According to Liu, the two institutions will support Chinese and European companies in exploring new areas of cooperation in investment, trade, technological innovation, and the digital economy. They will work together to maintain stable and efficient industrial and supply chains, uphold the global free-trade system, and continue deepening economic and trade ties between China and Europe. The fair was held from November 19 to 21 at the China–Europe Center for Business and Innovation Cooperation (CCEC) in Chengdu. It featured plenary sessions, a roundtable of Chinese and European business associations, five thematic parallel panels (Energy and Environment, Biomedicine, Digital and Cultural Creativity, Agriculture and Food Industry, Intelligent Robotics), the Linking Europe forum, B2B meetings, as well as visits to industrial parks and leading companies. The focus was on bilateral economic and trade relations between China and Europe, particularly cooperation within industrial and supply chains, with the aim of strengthening dialogue between government and business, improving international coordination, and building a consensus for cooperation. This year’s edition stood out for its scale, high-level participation, orientation toward advanced industries, and strong emphasis on practical cooperation. More than 600 representatives of government institutions, business associations, diplomatic missions, leading companies, as well as experts and academics from over 20 countries attended the event. The fair gathered numerous major Chinese and international companies. A highlight of the event was the B2B networking session, which was highly dynamic and produced concrete outcomes. Representatives of 204 Chinese and foreign companies from 15 countries held a total of 257 one-on-one meetings, covering trade, investment, and technological cooperation in sectors such as renewable energy, artificial intelligence, biomedicine, digital technology and cultural creativity, intelligent manufacturing, and agriculture and the food industry – resulting in 166 expressions of intent for cooperation. Launched in 2002 as an initiative of the European Commission, the fair has been held in Chengdu since 2006. Today it is one of the leading and most recognizable platforms for investment, trade, and technological cooperation between China and Europe, attracting broad participation from EU member states and European companies. Since its establishment, the event has brought together more than 12,000 Chinese and European companies, organized over 29,000 B2B meetings, and facilitated the signing of more than 3,200 letters of intent, the China Chamber of International Commerce said.