September 29th, 2020

At present, while overall planing to promote the normalization of accurate pandemic prevention & control and the development of economy and society, the economic defense war of comprehensively promoting the resumption of social work and production, accelerating the formation of dual circulation and expanding domestic demand has also started. Among them, China’s existing free trade zones play a unique role of being windows to national development, especially Shenzhen Qianhai Free Trade Zone and China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone Lin-Gang Special Area, which have made a beneficial exploration and played an exemplary role in this regard.

Recently, a delegation composed of leaders from the China Association of Social Economic & Cultural Exchange, the Asia Pacific Exchange & Cooperation Foundation, the China New Energy Chamber of Commerce, the Hong Kong Alliance for Financial Security, the Federation of World Museums and other institutions, went to Shenzhen Qianhai Free Trade Zone and China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone Lin-Gang Special Area respectively for investigation and research, and achieved fruitful results.

During the visit to Shenzhen Qianhai Free Trade Zone, Wang Jinxia, Deputy Director of the Qianhai Management Bureau, accompanied the delegation to visit the new plan and comprehensively and systematically introduced the prospects of Qianhai in the next 10 years, which made the delegation feel very excited. He focused on Qianhai’s exploration in the construction of Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and the pilot demonstration area of socialism with Chinese characteristics and its achievements in the innovations of model, system, rule of law and culture.

Members of the delegation agreed that after years of development, Qianhai Free Trade Zone has laid a foundation for China to further deepen reform and open to the outside world at a higher level, and created a successful model. Chun Yuan Chiang, Secretary General of the Alliance for Financial Stability with Information Technology, was full of confidence in the future development of Qianhai and pushed the UN Technology Bank for the Least Developed Countries to settle in Qianhai. On behalf of the Federation of World Museums, Xiao Wunan expressed his willingness to promote the project of World Museum Group to settle in Qianhai. These projects will play a role of “head economy” in Qianhai’s practice of “dual zone” construction, play an exemplary role in the construction of the free trade zone, and will also become a link between China and the world.

During the investigation to China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone Lin-Gang Special Area, Zhang Sifu, Director of Department of Scientific Innovation and Industrial Development of Lingang Group, introduced in detail the new planning of Lingang Group. Especially after this pandemic, Lingang Group has put forward new development ideas in terms of urban renewal, cultural construction and scientific innovation in view of the major changes in global supply chain and industrial chain, which highlights the window role of the free trade zone and will play an important role in the economic integration of the Yangtze River Delta region. It also actively promotes the overall evaluation system of Shanghai’s international competitiveness to a new level. It has laid a solid foundation for Shanghai to become the world economic center and provided the driving force for Shanghai’s sustainable development.

Xiao Wunan, Executive Vice Chairman of the Asia Pacific Exchange & Cooperation Foundation and Vice Chairman of the China Association of Social Economic & Culture Exchange, first expressed his gratitude to Lingang Group for its long-term support. At the same time, he hoped that through this investigation, he would actively promote the implementation of some major projects, such as China Renewable Resources Trading Center, the cultural tourism project cooperated by the Shanghai SVA Group, etc. Xu Biao, Vice Chairman of China New Energy Chamber of Commerce, said that we should take advantage of the unique advantages of Shanghai’s Lin-Gang Special Area, actively promote Sino-Russian cooperation in the field of science and technology, and realize the settlement of Sino-Russian Center for Sci-tech Achievements Transformation in Lin-Gang Special Area. And he introduced the project vision and specific measures in detail. After that,the participants actively discussed many topics and reached a broad consensus.

While visiting SAIC Motor’s Lingang base, the delegation expressed appreciation for SAIC Motor’s achievements in the development of new energy vehicles. The delegation considered that SAIC Motor’s products and technological achievements have broad prospects for China’s automobile industry in Belt & Road countries, both in industrial layout and sales layout, and reached some preliminary consensuses on cooperation with SAIC Motor.

As members of the delegation, Wang Zhiwen, a former military observer for the United Nations, Lu Baoping, a member of the Board of Directors of China Agricultural Specialties Development Co., Ltd., Frangelica Liang, Managing Director at Ogilvy & Mather Guangzhou, and other people also participated in the whole or part of the investigation and research activities.

Executive Editor: Han Donglin