International entrepreneurs attending the 2024 Annual Conference of the Financial Street Forum in Beijing, China’s capital, have expressed confidence in the world's second-largest economy.
Chief Operating Officer of Dubai Ports (DP) World's Parks and Zones, Abdulla Al Hashmi, stated in an interview with China Global Television Network (CGTN) that the company, which has long invested in China, is looking to further expand its business in the Chinese market.
"We are not a stranger to China. We have been investing in China for many, many years. As a matter of fact, we already have our investments in ports. Over the past 10 years we have been aggressively expanding our footprint in the supply chain and logistics. The DP World's mission is to provide our customer a solution from the factory floor to the customer door, and there are a lot of factories in China, and we want to provide a green and sustainable supply chain solution to the world," he said.
In another interview, Stefanus Ade Hadiwidjaja, chief investment officer of Indonesia's sovereign wealth fund, the Indonesia Investment Authority, expressed optimism about the cooperation between China, Indonesia, and the broader Southeast Asian region.
"I'm also very excited that the collaboration between the two countries, between China and Indonesia, China and the whole region of Southeast Asia will become stronger and stronger, because each of us, we need each other, right? There is a massive opportunity in China, massive opportunity in Southeast Asia, in Indonesia. We need to learn a lot in many areas from China, in terms of technology, in terms of AI, in terms of biotechnology. On the other hand, there is a massive opportunity for Chinese investors to go to Southeast Asia, including Indonesia," he said.
The conference, which runs until Sunday, is co-hosted by the Beijing government, the People's Bank of China, the National Financial Regulatory Administration, the China Securities Regulatory Commission, Xinhua News Agency, and the State Administration of Foreign Exchange.
Global entrepreneurs upbeat about China's market
Global entrepreneurs upbeat about China's market
The Chinese government has done a lot to create a fair and competitive business environment with clear regulations to perfect the market economy system over the years, said Vincent Lam, the Chairman and CEO of Asiaray Media Group Limited.
As China's financial leaders gather for this year's Annual Meeting of the Financial Street Forum, recent government initiatives aimed at bolstering the country's economy became a hot topic.
Lam, chief of the pioneering company for outdoor advertising industry in China, said that he welcomes the Chinese government's efforts to stimulate the national economy and build a market economy system with clear rules and regulations that the private enterprises get to benefit from.
"In last month, the Chinese government has put up a series of actions that the government is trying to do. I think what the most companies and -- I have been in a private enterprise -- what we want is a fair competition environment, and not so much about how the government can subsidize. And what we want is a more fairer, competitive environment and also the clearer rules and regulations that we know how to follow. And we know how to benefit from it. So I think in this, I think the government has done a lot and positively and laying out the rules clearly, and also some (measures) encouraging business to come in," Lam said.
Lam, who has been operating in mainland China since 1993, said that he witnessed significant changes that have taken place in Chinese mainland in his industry over the years. China is among the top in terms of out-of-home advertising sector, he commended.
"I think the government has done a lot to encourage private enterprises and to perfect the system. Of course the rule of the game always change, but I think the main things are still there. And I think the spirit of setup[setting-up] companies, of encouraging business are always there. And this is something quite encouraging to me. I have been doing the business in mainland, ever since we started in 1993. And in all these years, we see big changes in our industry. I think people might have this misconception that China is lagging behind both in terms of hardware, software, or in the total spending. In actual fact, the total spending in out-of-home advertising in China is probably among the first two in the world," he said.
The entrepreneur also highlighted the potential of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Maca Greater Bay Area (GBA), citing its combination of research institutions, manufacturing bases, and Hong Kong's financial center as a foundation for substantial growth.
"I think the Greater Bay Area or GBA poses big potential for growth. And in GBA -- both in terms of the areas and population and GDP -- if it's not the first in the world, (it) will be among the first two or three in the world. This holds a very good advantage that we have great research institutions and great companies that manufactures the best products. And also (the GBA has) the finance center that Hong Kong has always been. So when you have great research centers, finance centers, and also manufacturing base, and this provides what we call basic for substantial growth," Lam said.
The three-day conference opened on Friday and was co-hosted by the Beijing government, the People's Bank of China, the National Financial Regulatory Administration, the China Securities Regulatory Commission, Xinhua News Agency, and the State Administration of Foreign Exchange.
China makes strides on creating fair, competitive business environment: media chief
