The Third Qingdao Multinationals Summit Kicks Off

QINGDAO, China--(BUSINESS WIRE)--On the afternoon of June 19, the Third Qingdao Multinationals Summit, jointly hosted by the Ministry of Commerce and Shandong Provincial People's Government, was unveiled at Qingdao International Conference Center. Chinese State Councilor Wang Yong made a speech and announced the opening of the Summit. He stated that since the reform and opening up, a growing number of multinationals had expanded their footprints in China for investment and collaboration, which enables them to achieve their own development and also promote China's economy and economic globalization.

At the opening ceremony, former Japanese Prime Minister Fukuda Yasuo, former Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, and Deputy Prime Minister of Hungary Mihaly Varga, made video speeches. Li Ganjie, Secretary of the CPC Shandong Provincial Committee, delivered a speech, and Zhou Naixiang, Governor of Shandong Province, presided over the ceremony. At the same time, Lu Zhiyuan, Deputy Secretary of the CPC Shandong Provincial Committee and Secretary of the CPC Qingdao Municipal Committee, attended the ceremony.

During his speech, Li Ganjie announced that, for scientific and technological innovations, multinational companies are welcome to establish global and regional headquarters and R&D centers and collaborate with competitive innovative platforms in Shandong. For industrial upgrading, multinational companies are expected to take Shandong as a central pivot for their global business landscape and boost more open and advantageous cooperation in the industrial chain and supply chain. For green and low-carbon development, multinational companies are encouraged to actively help Shandong develop its low-carbon industries and green energy. For trade exchanges, endeavors will be made to pledge unimpeded international logistics channels and promote the continuous improvement of bilateral trade quality and efficiency. For regional cooperation, Shandong will work with multinational companies to actively explore the emerging markets and constantly extend cooperation in new forms, new models, and new fields.

The Summit, which was held both online and offline, attracted 5,600 participants, including industry leaders from 186 Fortune 500 companies and 290 leading enterprises, diplomatic envoys of other countries to China, experts and scholars from related international organizations and business associations, heads of relevant ministries and commissions of China, and related officials from Shandong. During the Summit, there were 44 events of 14 categories, including meetings, sub-forums, summit dialogues, road shows of multinationals, introduction and marketing of the guest of honor, and project signing ceremonies.