S. China City Hosts Symposium on GlobalizationOver 250 people representing 152 transnational companies gathered in Guangzhou Tuesday to attend an international symposium titled "transnational companies and Guangzhou, a city marching towards globalization".Mayor Lin Shusen made an opening speech, titled "the development of Guangzhou in the new century and its opportunities for investment", encouraging overseas investors to invest in hi-tech fields, urban infrastructure and reform of state-owned companies. The city government will try hard to create a tidy, efficient and sound investment environment for investment, he stressed. According to the official, over the past 22 years, Guangzhou has witnessed an average annual growth of 14 percent in GDP and 21 percent in foreign trade. Up to now, investors from over 60 foreign countries and regions have opened more than 8,000 companies and over 2,000 offices in the city. Foreign-funded firms contributed 35 percent to the city's employment, 65.4 percent of foreign trade, 47 percent of industrial output, and 42 percent of revenues. At the meeting, the participants shared their views with local officials, entrepreneurs and experts on the economic and industrial development of Guangzhou, which ranks third among China's top 10 cities. Many of the speakers highlighted the key role of Guangzhou in the economic development of the Pearl River Delta, one of the most developed areas in China. Some of the representatives of the international firms called their cooperation with the city a win-win deal. Deng Zhan, an official from the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation, told the audience that China will further open up its less developed western region and service sectors for overseas investment. |
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