On January 8, 2024, the EU-China Chamber of Commerce held its first Board and Executive Committee meeting in Brussels. The meeting unanimously approved the 2023 work summary and 2024 work plan of the Chamber of Commerce, the implementation of the 2023 budget of the Chamber of Commerce, and listened to the preparations of the Chamber of Commerce's financial working group and automobile working group, as well as the results of membership expansion and future planning. The meeting was chaired by Xu Chen, President of the EU-China Chamber of Commerce.
The meeting held that in 2023, the Chamber of Commerce will actively cooperate with the overall situation of the country's external work, organize major economic diplomacy activities, safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese enterprises in Europe, release annual flagship reports, enhance the influence of domestic and foreign communication, strengthen the construction of internal mechanisms and improve the level of professional management, and achieve remarkable results in various tasks.
Last year, the Chamber of Commerce hosted, co-organized and supported about 40 economic and trade dialogues, forums and symposiums, including the China-EU Business Summit, the seminar on "Change and Development: China-EU Economic and Trade Relations in the New Situation", two rounds of the "China-EU Business Leaders Roundtable Dialogue", and the "China-Netherlands-China-EU Economic and Trade Gateway" exchange and cooperation forum to enhance mutual understanding and trust between China and the EU. The Chamber of Commerce has released a report on the development of Chinese enterprises in the EU for five consecutive years, which has received high responses from all walks of life in China and Europe, and has spoken out for Chinese enterprises on issues such as the EU's anti-subsidy investigation on electric vehicles in China and the EU's 5G security toolbox, so as to safeguard the interests of Chinese enterprises in Europe.
The Chamber of Commerce strengthened enterprise research and "flesh-and-blood ties", held about 100 bilateral meetings and exchanges throughout last year, went to Luxembourg, the Netherlands, France, Greece and other EU member states for research, met and talked with dozens of member units, deepened the connection with members and the majority of Chinese enterprises in Europe, and further increased the attractiveness of enterprises, with 20 new member units added throughout the year.
The Chamber of Commerce attaches great importance to communication, builds a network with the mainstream of China and foreign countries and has achieved positive results, and has received more than 1,100 reports and attention from Chinese and foreign organizations throughout the year, effectively shaping the brand power and reputation of the Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber of Commerce has made every effort to expand its "circle of friends" and has extensive contacts and cooperation with Sino-European think tanks and university institutions. In the internal construction of the Chamber of Commerce, the Chamber of Commerce has strengthened the construction of vice president units and governing units, vigorously developed joint members, successfully established a financial working group last year, and is actively preparing for the automobile working group.
The meeting affirmed the work achievements of the Chamber of Commerce and deepened the future development of the Chamber of Commerce, and the members of the Board of Directors and the Executive Committee put forward opinions and suggestions on the work of the Chamber of Commerce to better serve its members, safeguard the rights and interests of Chinese enterprises in Europe, and further exert the influence of the flagship report.
The General Assembly is the highest decision-making body of the Chamber of Commerce, and the Board of Directors of the Chamber of Commerce and the Executive Committee of the Chamber of Commerce, including non-directors, vice presidents and governing units, are the management and executive bodies. Present at the board meeting were President Xu Chen, Secretary General of the Chamber of Commerce of the Chinese Chamber of Commerce of the European Union Fang Dongkui, Deputy General Manager of Three Gorges Europe Tang Yuanjie (Vice President of the Chamber of Commerce and Deputy General Manager of Three Gorges International Yang Baihua), General Manager of COSCO SHIPPING Europe Belgium Liu Lachun (Vice President of the Chamber of Commerce and Chairman of COSCO SHIPPING Europe, Fu Xiangyang) and Pan Zhi, Director of the Chamber of Commerce and General Manager of Xinhuanet Europe.
Present at the Executive Committee were Li Jing, Vice President of the EU-China Chamber of Commerce, Vice President of Legend Holdings, and Chairman of Luxembourg International Bank, Yu Zenggang, Chairman of COSCO SHIPPING Piraeus Port Co., Ltd., a governing unit of the EU-China Chamber of Commerce, and Yu Li, Senior Manager of Sungrow Europe Sales Management (on behalf of Li Jindong, General Manager of Sungrow Europe, the governing unit of the EU-China Chamber of Commerce).
The Secretariat of the Chamber of Commerce, Bank of China Europe and other personnel attended the meeting.