On November 29, 2007 the Seminar on Cooperation between Chinese and Spanish Enterprises jointly sponsored by the CPAFFC, the Chinese Committee of the China-Spain Forum (CSF) and the Autonomous Government of Andalucia Region of Spain was held in the Office of the president of Andalucia in Seville, capital of the region. The seminar, an extension of the Fourth Meeting of the China-Spain Forum, aimed at boosting cooperation between the localities and small and medium-sized enterprises of the two countries in a practical and innovative spirit.
Teresa Saenz, representative of the Andalucian Regional Government and director general of the Agency for International Economic Cooperation; Miguel Angel Serrano, director general of the Agency for Innovation and Development of Andalucia; Hu Qili, chairman of the Chinese Committee of the CSF, Chen Haosu, president of the CPAFFC; and Zheng Silin, executive vice president of the China Enterprise Confederation; attended the opening ceremony and spoke on the occasion.
In her speech, Teresa Saenz said, in the past 20 years the value of economic growth of the Andalucian Region has surpassed the average level of the EU and Spain. Andalucia attaches importance to the economic and trade cooperation with China. China isSpain’s fourth largest import partner, while Spain ranks the 15th in China’s foreign trade and Andalucia the 12th among its 17 regions. Andalucia can supply China high quality products, good services and rich experience in regional management. She hoped that the two countries would take this seminar as an opportunity to make a good start for the economic cooperation between the localities.
In his speech Zheng Silin said, in carrying out economic and technological cooperation between the localities, the two countries should pay attention to the following aspects: 1. Each side should have a good understanding of the local economic features and investment policies of the other side, and select the places and projects for making investment that are good to the development of its own enterprises while meeting the other side’s requirements. 2. Both sides should make good use of the existing platforms of exchanges and continue to expand new channels for contacts. 3. Both sides should carry out practical and innovative economic and technological exchanges between the localities and adopt a strategy of sustainable development. 4. The exchanges between enterprises of the two sides should be carried out with a realistic approach and honesty for mutual benefits and long-term cooperation.
In their speeches at the seminar, representatives of the enterprises briefed about the general conditions and business advantages of their enterprises, suggested the potential areas and expressed their desire for the future cooperation between the enterprises of China and Andalucia.