The Conference of the International Trade and Investment Advisory Council for Shandong Province 2021 was held in Ji'nan last month. Zhou Naixiang, Deputy Secretary of the CPC Shandong Provincial Committee, and Governor of Shandong, issued appointment letters to 19 advisors from 12 countries including the United States, the UK, Russia, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, and Mexico.
The 19 advisors had submitted consulting advice reports prior to the conference, according to China Council for the Promotion of International Trade Shandong Sub-council. At the meeting, Alexander Kalinin, President of All-Russian Non-Governmental Organization of Small and Medium Business "OPORA RUSSIA"; Jim McDonald, Principal and Vice Chancellor of University of Strathclyde, President of Royal Academy of Engineering, UK; Hiroshi Onomura, Executive Vice President, Japan External Trade Organization(JETRO); Antoine Simonnet, Chief Supply Chain Officer of Hewlett-Packard; Lim Gait Tong, Chairman and Chief Executive of Farlim Group (Malaysia) and President of China-ASEAN Business Association; Yoon Doson, CEO of CJ China; Li Tao, Vice President, Head of Government & Public Affairs, Philips Greater China; and Gu Wei, Head of Continental BU CVS China, Vice President of Continental BA VNI China, delivered key addresses.
The 19 advisors put forward dozens of targeted suggestions on topics such as strengthening economic and trade cooperation and cultural exchanges between Shandong and Japan, South Korea, Russia, and ASEAN, the transformation of Shandong's manufacturing sector, green and low-carbon development, and further optimization of the business environment. They were very optimistic about Shandong's investment development opportunities and prospects. They all expressed a willingness to deploy their own resource advantages to actively make suggestions, and to contribute robustly to the cooperation.
Zhou Naixiang said that the establishment of the Conference of the International Trade and Investment Advisory Council for Shandong Province is an important initiative for Shandong to garner global wisdom and experience, improve scientific decision-making capabilities, promote high-level opening to the outside world, to better provide services, and to introduce new development patterns. He thanked the advisors for their inspiring speeches and suggestions and asked various government authorities to seriously study and absorb these suggestions. He said that he hoped the advisors will continue to care about and support the development of the city of Shandong.