Advocacy Actions: Meeting with Guangdong Provincial Development and Reform Commission

On 14 October, representatives from the European Chamber’s South China Chapter met with officials from the Guangdong Provincial Development and Reform Commission at the Chamber’s Guangzhou office. The meeting was chaired by Zheng Bin, Director of the Commission’s Department of Foreign Investment, and focused on discussing strategies to attract and retain foreign investment in the province. The European Chamber delegation was led by Cindy Wang, Chair of the Standards and Conformity Assessment Forum, Danica Mai, Vice Chair of the SME Forum, and Lynn Wu, Business and Government Affairs Manager.

During the meeting, the Chamber raised key issues faced by European businesses operating in South China. Cindy Wang highlighted concerns regarding the transparency of standards and regulations, particularly for foreign enterprises, and addressed challenges related to the flow of sensitive business data. Danica Mai, representing EU SMEs, discussed difficulties in recruiting skilled workers and recovering outstanding payments from large state-owned enterprises. She also emphasized the need for streamlined administrative processes and the continuation of tax incentives beneficial to foreign businesses.

In response, Zheng Bin provided updates on the province’s efforts to improve the business environment for foreign investors, including the development of new standards for data transfer within the Greater Bay Area and forthcoming policies to ensure fair treatment in government procurement. The meeting served as a valuable platform for open dialogue on enhancing the long-term success of European companies in Guangdong.

At the conclusion, both sides agreed to continue collaborating to address these challenges and strengthen the investment climate for foreign businesses.