SMEs forum seeks new direction for regional cooperation

Changzhou, People’s Daily Online (June 28) -- The Fourth Forum on China-West Asia & North Africa Countries Small & Medium Enterprises (SMEs) Cooperation concluded Thursday in Changzhou of east China's Jiangsu Province. The forum has built a platform for SMEs of China and West Asian and North African countries to know the market demand and search for new field of cooperation.

Delegates of West Asia and North Africa region reached a consensus that SMEs are a key sector for a country’s social and economic advance. They are keen to learn Chinese lessons in technology, capital and personnel training during the process of developing SMEs to boost the private sector in their own countries.

In the two-day session, Sudanese enterprisers inked several cooperative agreements or memorandums with Chinese partners, mainly focusing on the projects in Sudan’s agriculture and rural area where Chinese experience and investments are most wanted.

SMEs in rural areas are capable of stimulating production activities and then lead to the country’s economic prosperity, said Nafie Ali, vice chairman of National Congress Party of Sudan and Presidential Assistant.

This year's forum was hosted by the International Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and the Jiangsu provincial government, which indicates CPC’s huge efforts in promoting the ties between two countries’ private sectors. Nafie hoped that the forum could be an example of promoting economic and trade relations by cooperation between parties of different countries.

As more as 90 percent of enterprises in Palestine are small and medium sized, and they are in great need of Chinese technology for growth, said Mohammad Shtayyeh, Minister of the Palestinian Economic Council for Development and Reconstruction.

Changzhou, one of main birthplaces of China’s rural business, has large number of private enterprises and rich experience. About 95 percent of Changzhou’s enterprises are privately owned and keep vigorous.

Green economy and sustainable development became the hottest topic in the event. Government officials and businessmen showed strong interest in renewable energy, and China’s solar industries were placed at the centerpiece of business talks.

West Asia and North Africa region is rich in solar resources and capitals which make it a potential market for solar industry. Although oil is abundant there, regional leaders are gradually aware of the value of solar energy for their countries’ sustainable development, told by Li Peng, head of Middle East market of Changzhou’s Trina Solar, one of top four Chinese photovoltaic products makers.

Despite the impact of the EU’s duties, his company shifted attention to West Asia and North Africa market four years ago and registered a firm there about one year ago. Currently, Trina’s market share there is still small but sales have ascended to leading level in some countries, Li added.

For Changzhou’s enterprises, the forum helped them get close to the condition of market and business opportunities there so that the confidence of going global is hugely boosted, said Fang Guoqiang, deputy mayor of Changzhou.