Entrepreneurs from 105 countries and regions gather for conference

The curtain on the 12th World Chinese Entrepreneurs Convention was raised in Chengdu yesterday as more than 3,200 Chinese entrepreneurs and industry leaders from 105 countries and regions gathered in the agreeable city.

With the theme of "China's Development, Chinese Entrepreneurs' Opportunities", the convention is held at a time when the country's galloping economic growth has slowed to a stable trot.

But compared with coastal cities, conference delegates found that as an engine of western growth in the country, Chengdu promises more room for business development, in part fueled by a central government strategy that began in 2000 to boost inland regions.

Chinese President Xi Jinping sent his blessing to the convention with a hope that Chinese entrepreneurs will grasp opportunities so that they not only realize their own dreams but also help with the dream of the great revitalization of the Chinese nation.

In a speech to the conference, Yu Zhengsheng, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, said "China has come to a stage where industrialization, the development of information technology, urbanization and modern agriculture are accelerating to make tremendous market capacity and strong demand that will provide bigger potential for Chinese entrepreneurs from all over the world".

Ge Honglin, mayor of the host city, said in his speech to the conference that in the last 10 years Chengdu has made great achievements economic development.

According to Chengdu Statistics Burea, the city's GDP hit nearly $130 billion last year, growing 13 percent from 2011 at a time when the overall rate for the nation was 7.8 percent.

Chengdu's total trade volume with foreign countries reached $47.54 billion in 2012, up 25.5 percent compared to the year before.

Some 246 Fortune Global 500 companies now have operations in Chengdu.

Chengdu is also one of the only two cities in western and central China that made the list of the nation's 20 most competitive cities, according to the 2013 Blue Book of City Competitiveness published by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

"We sincerely welcome our Chinese entrepreneurs to come to Chengdu," Ge said

Liu Jinting, chairman of the Thai-Chinese Chamber of Commerce, said "Chengdu provides a great stage for Chinese entrepreneurs from around the world to talk with each other and share our experience".

Tens of thousands of overseas Chinese people have invested in Sichuan, accounting for 60 to 70 percent of the total foreign investors there, said Wei Hong, governor of Sichuan province.

Even with its existing advantages, authorities in Sichuan province as well as Chengdu are determined to do more to draw investment.

"We'll try our best to create a fair and open investment environment for our Chinese entrepreneurs," said Wang Dongming, secretary of Sichuan provincial committee of the Communist Party of China.

yangyangs@chinadaily.com.cn

Yu Zhengsheng, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, meets delegates after the opening ceremony. Photos by Feng Yongbin / China Daily

(China Daily USA 09/26/2013 page10)