Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in northeast China's
Liaoning Province have been establishing closer links with European
businesses thanks to joint efforts between the local government and
the European Union (EU).
"We are aiming at providing a platform for local SMEs to meet with
the European investors directly," Simon Briggs, an EU investment
and promotion expert, said during Liaoning Innovation and
Investment Week, which ended yesterday.
More than 30 overseas companies and investment institutions from
Italy, Germany, France, Spain and England, as well as 40
representatives from local SMEs, academic institutions and industry
associations, attended the event.
The five-day conference was sponsored by the Industry Restructuring
and Investment Promotion (IRIP) Component of Liaoning Integrated
Environmental Program, which was initiated in September 1999 and is
China's largest project of its kind.
"The activity offered us an excellent opportunity to have an
overview of the SMEs in Liaoning and we will recommend more
business people in the south of Europe for them, especially in the
agriculture and fishing sectors," said Javier Iglesias Rodriguez,
president of Ciagro, a Spanish company.
EU
and Chinese experts say they believe SMEs in Liaoning should
sharpen their competitiveness by using innovative management
techniques, upgrading technology and increasing staff training.
(China
Daily November 2, 2002)