With the increasing number of domestic and international business operations, what convenient measures are available for frequent travel by multinational corporate executives? How can global hotel brands, as an integral part of providing a high-quality business travel environment, better participate in the high-quality development of Guangzhou's tourism industry? These questions arose from the 2024 Eu-Guangzhou Business Dialogue held on January 24th in Guangzhou.

In the first 2024 Eu-Guangzhou Business Dialogue, the attending corporate representatives eagerly focused on the latest developments and trends in areas such as preferential tax policies in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, convenient entry and exit measures, consumption promotion, green and low-carbon initiatives, new energy, biomedicine, and modern services.

According to the information obtained, in 2023, the EU was Guangzhou's largest trading partner, with the total import and export volume exceeding 180 billion yuan, representing a year-on-year growth of 6.6%. As of December 2023, the EU had accumulated investments in 1,101 enterprises in Guangzhou, with the actual use of foreign capital amounting to 2.109 billion US dollars.

During the dialogue, EU participators shared the development history of their companies in Guangzhou while expressing their expectations for future development in the city. Keywords such as green and low-carbon initiatives became hot topics of discussion throughout the day.

Yi Min, Vice President of the Chinese branch of Linde Group, said that Linde has settled in Guangzhou since 1993 and has successfully established and operated four gas production plants with a cumulative investment of more than one billion yuan. The company plans to further promote the transformation towards green and low-carbon energy.

Fabian Blake, Vice Chairman of the South China Chapter of the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China and General Manager of the Foshan branch of AMS Group, told reporters that as Guangdong Province boasts well-established supply chains and industrial infrastructure, he hopes to collaborate with government departments to further promote the deepening development of European companies in the fields of green energy and decarbonization within the Greater Bay Area.

Pan Qianyi, General Manager of Decathlon Guangzhou, shared the achievements of the company's business operations in the city. Since the opening of the first Decathlon store in 2004, they have invested in 13 physical stores, one intelligent manufacturing office, and one export trading company, serving over 15 million people annually. "Today's dialogue provides a platform for businesses to engage in conversations with the government and exchange ideas with peers. We look forward to more foreign enterprises joining Decathlon in investing in and rooting themselves in Guangzhou."

Klaus Zenkel, Vice Chairman and President of the South China Chapter of the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China, expressed in an interview with reporters, "Looking ahead to 2024, the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China will focus on three keywords: confidence, green, and innovation. The measures implemented in Guangzhou to incentivize foreign investment will help boost corporate confidence and enhance mutual trust. The Chamber hopes to receive more support in green development. In terms of innovation, we aim to establish a comprehensive talent pool and database for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area."

Source: Yangcheng Evening News

首届广州—欧盟经贸合作圆桌对话会举行

随着境内外业务逐渐增多，对于频繁往来的跨国企业高管有哪些出入境的便利措施？国际品牌酒店作为优质商旅环境的重要一环，将如何更好地参与广州市旅游业的高质量发展？这些提问，均源于1月24日在广州举行的2024广州—欧盟经贸合作圆桌对话会。

据悉，这是首届广州—欧盟经贸合作圆桌对话会。与会企业代表热切关注粤港澳大湾区税收优惠政策、出入境便利措施、消费促进、绿色低碳、新能源、生物医药、现代服务业等领域的最新发展动态和趋势。

记者了解到，2023年欧盟是广州的最大贸易伙伴，双方进出口总额超过1800亿元、同比增长6.6%。截至2023年12月，欧盟在广州累计投资企业1101家，实际使用外资21.09亿美元。

在圆桌对话会现场，与会欧盟企业代表介绍自身企业在广州的发展历程的同时，也表达了所在企业对于未来在广州发展的期待，绿色、低碳等关键词成为了当天讨论的热点。

林德公司大中华区副总裁易岷提到，林德公司于1993年进入广州，目前已在广州建设和运行了4个气体工厂企业，累计投资额超10亿元。企业将持续推动能源绿色低碳转型。

中国欧盟商会华南分会副主席、阿麦士产品装配总经理范斌（Fabian Blake）告诉记者，广东省的供应链和产业基础设施都很完善，接下来希望与政府部门携手，推动深耕大湾区的欧洲企业在绿色能源、去碳化领域更深入地发展。

迪卡侬广州公司总经理潘倩怡则分享了企业在穗经营发展的收获。自2004年第一家迪卡侬商场开业以来，现已投资了13家实体商场、1个智能制造生产办公室及1家出口贸易公司，每年服务超1500万人次。“今天的对话会给企业搭建了与政府对话、与同行交流的平台，期待有更多外资企业与迪卡侬一起投资广州、扎根广州。”

中国欧盟商会副主席兼华南分会主席高志豪（Klaus Zenkel）在接受记者采访时表示：“展望2024年，中国欧盟商会将围绕三个关键词开展工作，即信心、绿色和创新。广州开展的激励外商投资的举措有助于提振企业信心、增进互信；商会希望能够得到更多在绿色发展方面的支持；在创新方面能建立更加全面的粤港澳大湾区人才库和数据库。”

文丨记者 谭铮
图丨主办方供图
翻译丨陈萱