On the morning of April 26, local time in Brussels, the 2024 Zhongguancun Forum was hosted by the Zhongguancun Science Park Management Committee and the International Association of Science and Technology Parks and Innovation Regions (IASP), supported by the Chinese Mission to the European Union, undertaken by Tus-Belgium and Tus-Europe Science and Technology Park, and co-organized by the Chinese Chamber of Commerce in the European Union (CCCEU), the EU-China Business Association (EUCBA), the Belgian-Chinese Economic and Trade Commission (BCECC), and the Flanders Chinese Chamber of Commerce (FCCC). The Brussels Parallel Forum was held both online and offline. The forum focused on "EU-China Green Transformation and Industrial Cooperation", aiming to explore and deepen consensus and collaboration between China and the EU in the field of sustainable development. The forum attracted nearly 150 representatives of Chinese and European governments, industry leaders, distinguished scholars and entrepreneurs to conduct in-depth discussions and exchanges on various fields such as green economy, innovation and technology, and new energy vehicle industry.
▲ Tan Xuxiang, Vice Mayor of Beijing, delivered a video speech
Tan Xuxiang, Vice Mayor of Beijing, said in his video speech that the Zhongguancun Forum is a national-level platform for global scientific and technological innovation exchanges and cooperation, and an important platform for Beijing to accelerate the construction of an international scientific and technological innovation center and build a global digital economy benchmark city. Beijing has been committed to promoting scientific and technological innovation and international cooperation, and is willing to work with all sectors in Europe to promote the research and development and application of technologies in the fields of green technology, energy and environmental protection, and carry out practical cooperation in more fields to jointly contribute to the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.
▲ Zhu Jing, Chargé d'Affaires of the Chinese Mission to the European Union, delivered a speech on the spot
Zhu Jing, Chargé d'Affaires of the Chinese Mission to the European Union, delivered an opening speech at the forum. He pointed out that China and the EU are highly compatible in the concept of green and low-carbon development, and there is broad room for cooperation in technology research and development, standard setting and industrial development. In the face of the huge challenges brought by climate change to human survival and development, strengthening green cooperation between China and the EU will not only help accelerate the green transformation of both sides, but also promote the realization of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and improve people's livelihood and well-being in the international community. Chargé d'affaires Zhu Jing said that China and the EU should carry out green cooperation in the spirit of mutual benefit and win-win results, promote exchanges and cooperation in various fields of industry, education and research, jointly support and encourage enterprises of both sides to conduct business transactions in accordance with market principles, oppose "decoupling and broken chains", and jointly improve the ability to respond to and control risks through cooperation.
▲ Xu Chen, President of the Chinese Chamber of Commerce in the European Union (CCCEU) and Chairman of BOC Europe, delivered a speech on the spot
Xu Chen, President of the Chinese Chamber of Commerce in the European Union (CCCEU) and Chairman of BOC Europe, said in his speech that the EU and China have always been at the forefront of green transformation and have great responsibilities to reduce carbon footprints and promote the sustainable development of the planet. In 2023, the Chinese Chamber of Commerce in the EU conducted an in-depth survey of 180 Chinese-funded enterprises and institutions in Europe, and the results showed that the vast majority of Chinese-funded enterprises in Europe regard green economy as an important strategic direction for their development in Europe, and believe that the opportunities brought by green economy to enterprises outweigh the challenges. It is particularly important to strengthen dialogue and cooperation in the green field to achieve mutual benefit and win-win results.
▲ Salvatore Majorana, Vice President of the International Association of Science and Technology Parks and Innovation Regions (IASP), delivered a speech
Salvatore Majorana, Vice President of the International Association of Science and Technology Parks and Innovation Regions (IASP), said in his speech that it was an honor to co-host this year's Brussels Parallel Forum with Zhongguancun. IASP has always been committed to improving people's living standards through collaborative innovation, and green technology is crucial on this path. Therefore, while celebrating the achievements of China-EU green transformation and industrial cooperation, it is crucial to clarify the current situation and discuss the next steps we can take together to promote a safer and healthier planet.
As the moderator of the forum, the person in charge of TusEurope introduced the history and development of the Zhongguancun Forum, and the extensive international cooperation in the field of green environmental protection and new energy as the largest science and technology service group in China. At the same time, he said that TusPark is willing to provide all-round support for the two-way cooperation between Chinese and European enterprises through its scientific and technological innovation platforms such as the European Science and Technology Park and the Cambridge Science Park.
▲ Forum site
Gwenn Sonck, Director-General of the EU-China Business Association, moderated the keynote speech. Representatives from Energy Valley Belgium, Central and Eastern European Fund, Capricorn Fund, Deloitte and For Engergy delivered speeches on topics such as industry-university-research cooperation in green development, green infrastructure investment, green transformation of the chemical industry, ESG regulations in international business and investment, and cutting-edge technology solutions in the field of energy storage. Subsequently, under the chairmanship of Bernard Dewit, Chairman of the Belgian-Chinese Economic and Trade Committee, representatives of new energy vehicle and industry chain companies such as Volvo Cars, NIO, IEE and Weidu Technology held a high-end dialogue on the cooperation between China and the EU in the new energy vehicle industry, and the atmosphere was warm.
People's Daily, Xinhua News Agency, China Daily, China News Service, Beijing Daily, Hunan International Channel and other media reported on the forum.