The 7th WCIFIT | Netherlands Remains Optimistic about Chongqing's Development Potential with Multiple Enterprise Projects Accelerating Their Launching
"I visit Chongqing frequently - it is a vibrant and ever-progressing city where the people are very straightforward, hardworking, and willing to collaborate for common goals," said Huub Buise, Minister Counsellor of the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Beijing, China, right at the beginning of his exclusive interview with a Chongqing Daily reporter on the afternoon of May 22, as the 7th Western China International Fair for Investment and Trade (WCIFIT) commenced in Chongqing.
Mr. Buise told the reporter that China-Netherlands cooperation is currently robust, progressing smoothly in areas such as trade, cultural exchanges, and international student education, with extensive collaboration also taking place in Chongqing. For instance, in logistics, the Chongqing-Xinjiang-Europe freight trains to the Netherlands operate frequently, with cargo holds nearly always fully loaded. Additionally, in the fields of urban green, smart, and sustainable development, the Netherlands has organized delegations of Chinese experts, including those from Chongqing, to visit the country for study and exchange on circular economy and green, eco-friendly architecture.
"At present, the entire western region of China, especially Chongqing, holds significant development potential," Mr. Buise analyzed. For example, Chongqing's nighttime economy planning is innovative and effective, which can attract more tourists to the municipality. Moreover, Chongqing is actively utilizing AI to upgrade its industries, which is "truly excellent!"
Furthermore, Mr. Buise is full of anticipation for the construction of the Chengdu-Chongqing Economic Circle. "As the fourth growth pole in China's economic landscape, the collaboration between Chongqing and Chengdu, two highly popular cities, will strongly promote high-quality development across the Western China."
Thanks to the continuous optimism about Chongqing's development, eight Dutch organizations including the Port of Rotterdam Authority, WIFFA Shippingtech Co., Ltd., and Omsteel participated in this WCIFIT. They aimed to leverage this international platform for exchanges and cooperation with global enterprises.
For example, WIFFA Shippingtech Co., Ltd. is a long-term strategic partner of New Silk Road Logistics. Since 2016, it has efficiently fulfilled cross-border logistics tasks for Chinese and European clients through multimodal transportation solutions, including China-Europe railway express, sea freight, air freight, and integrated transportation, accelerating the development of sustainable global trade.
"Currently, many large Dutch companies have already established sales outlets or subsidiaries in Chongqing," Mr. Buise introduced. For instance, in February 2024, with strong support from relevant Chongqing authorities, the Solidaridad Foundation (Netherlands) Chongqing Representative Office was registered. It is involved in the commodity sector of sustainable supply chains, covering categories such as cocoa, coffee, cotton and textiles, fruits and vegetables, gold, leather, livestock, palm oil, soybeans, sugar, and tea.
Another example is Netherlands Airport Consultants B.V. (NACO), which is the master planner for Chongqing's new Bishan Airport. It is said that, NACO - a subsidiary of Royal HaskoningDHV - is a world-leading airport consultancy with over 75 years of experience in creating future-oriented airports and leading the next generation of aviation.
"In the future, we hope to strengthen cooperation with Chongqing in airport construction planning to shape a new future for the aviation industry," Mr. Buise said. He added that next, the Netherlands will also enhance discussions and exchanges with Chongqing in areas such as circular economy, green buildings, and carbon trading, pushing bilateral cooperation into broader fields.
Source: New Chongqing - Chongqing Daily
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