Premier Li Qiang Attends “70 Years of Canton Fair Connecting the World” Symposium
On the morning of October 14, Premier Li Qiang of the State Council attended the “70 Years of Canton Fair Connecting the World” symposium in Guangzhou.
After listening to speeches by representatives of overseas buyers and exhibiting companies, Li Qiang said that over the 70 years since its inception, the Canton Fair has grown and expanded along with China’s opening-up and development. It has not only become a shining hallmark of China’s opening-up but also an important window for the world to observe China. The Canton Fair is a rare one-stop trade platform globally, offering a complete range of categories with convenience and efficiency. It also brings together the latest products and technologies, serving not only as a grand stage for traditional goods trade but also as a bellwether for the development of new forms of trade. Upholding the purpose of “connecting the world and benefiting all,” the Canton Fair has become not only a bond for Sino-foreign economic and trade cooperation but also a bridge for enhancing understanding and friendship.
Li Qiang noted that in recent years, businesses from various countries participating in the Canton Fair have engaged in more diverse business activities and are gradually upgrading toward all-round cooperative partnerships. Three trends are particularly notable, which can help enterprises make better use of the Canton Fair platform and better seize China’s development opportunities. First, the upgrade from trade partners to innovation partners allows for better sharing of the dividends of technological progress. China will continue to cultivate an open and innovative ecosystem, strengthen the protection of foreign-related intellectual property rights, and actively address the concerns of enterprises. Second, the upgrade from trade partners to investment partners opens up more incremental market space. China will continue to optimize the foreign investment environment, expand market access, and support localized production by foreign enterprises. Third, the upgrade from trade partners to industrial and supply chain partners can effectively enhance the ability to prevent risks and withstand shocks. China will accelerate the building of a modern industrial system and advance the planning and construction of new-type power grids, computing power networks, and next-generation communication networks. Enterprises from all countries are welcome to invest more in China, deepen their presence in the Chinese market, strengthen mutually beneficial and pragmatic industrial and supply chain cooperation, and promote the building of an open and inclusive global industrial and supply chain. It is hoped that Chinese and foreign enterprises will actively promote global supply-demand matching, lead international innovation cooperation, tell stories of mutual benefit and win-win outcomes, and contribute more to world economic and trade cooperation.
Li Qiang pointed out that standing at the new starting point of the 70th anniversary, it is necessary to polish the “golden signboard” of the Canton Fair even brighter. It is important to build a “Smart Canton Fair,” develop more new scenarios and new tracks, and make the Canton Fair more digitally and intelligently empowered. It is important to build a “Green Canton Fair,” introduce more green products and exhibition areas, promote green trade, and contribute to the global green transition. It is important to build a “Cultural Canton Fair,” highlight the cultural elements of the exhibition, promote exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations, and deepen mutual understanding and friendship.
About 70 business representatives from nearly 30 countries and regions attended the symposium. Enterprise representatives who spoke said that over the past 70 years, companies from various countries have grown together with the Canton Fair. Amid the current deep restructuring of global industrial and supply chains, the competitiveness of Chinese manufacturing is growing stronger and making important contributions to promoting world economic development. The Canton Fair is the most trustworthy global business platform. The Chinese government continues to implement precise policies and continuously optimize the business environment, helping enterprises from various countries achieve leapfrog development. Foreign representatives said that the Canton Fair empowers Chinese and foreign enterprises. They are full of confidence in China’s development prospects and are willing to firmly walk together with China, share innovation, promote growth together, and achieve mutual benefit and win-win outcomes.
Before the symposium, Li Qiang visited the “70 Years of Canton Fair Connecting the World” thematic exhibition, awarded commemorative badges and certificates to representatives of “veteran Canton Fair participants,” and took a group photo with them.
Huang Kunming and Wu Zhenglong attended the above activities.