Abuja: On Nov. 20, the 18th Europe-China Business and Technology Cooperation Fair, organized by the China Chamber of International Commerce (CCOIC) and the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China (EUCCC), commenced in Chengdu. The opening ceremony featured prominent speakers including Liu Jiannan, vice chairman of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT); Chen Zhiyong, vice mayor of Chengdu; Raquel Ramirez Alexander, vice president of the EUCCC; and Dario Mihelin, Croatian ambassador to China. H.E. Cai Run, head of the Chinese mission to the EU, also contributed via a video message.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Liu Jiannan emphasized the recent plans outlined at the fourth plenary session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, which set ambitious goals for economic and social advancement over the next five years. He highlighted the roles of CCPIT and CCOIC in fostering connections between government and enterprises, both domestically and internationally, to bolster cooperation in investment, trade, technological innovation, and the digital economy. These efforts aim to maintain stable industrial and supply chains and enhance China-Europe economic and trade partnerships.
The fair, held at the Business and Innovation Center of China-Europe Cooperation (CCEC) from Nov. 19-21, was themed ‘Mutual Trust and Connectivity, Shared Success and Prosperity.’ It included an opening ceremony, plenary sessions, a China-Europe business association roundtable, five industry-themed sessions, B2B matchmaking, and industry park visits. Discussions centered on China-Europe economic and trade relations, industrial cooperation, and strengthening government-business dialogue.
This year’s fair was marked by its scale and high-level participation, focusing on cutting-edge industries and practical cooperation. Over 600 representatives from government, business associations, and enterprises from more than 20 countries attended. Participants included major companies like China Three Gorges Corporation, CATL, AstraZeneca, Bayer, SAP, and BASF.
The China-Europe B2B Matchmaking Session was particularly productive, with 204 companies from 15 countries participating in 257 meetings, resulting in 166 cooperative expressions. Discussions covered new energy, artificial intelligence, biomedicine, digital technology, intelligent manufacturing, and agriculture.
Since its inception in 2002, the Europe-China Fair has become a leading platform for investment, trade, and technology cooperation between China and Europe. It has facilitated significant business interactions, including over 29,000 matchmaking meetings and more than 3,200 cooperation agreements.