As a step forward to enhance EU-China urban and regional policy cooperation, a delegation Bari(Italy), Bielsko-Biała(Poland), Sofia(Bulgaria), Bacau County (Romania), Ljubljana Urban Region (Slovenia), Sisak Moslavina County (Croatia) and South Bohemia (Czech Republic) visited Chongqing and Guangzhou from September 17 to 22, 2023. This visit aimed to foster a deeper mutual understanding and collaborative learning in industrial transition and green growth.
Chongqing: A Center of Economic and Industrial Growth
The delegation’s journey began in Chongqing Liangjiang New District, an economic and industrial hub which focuses on high-end manufacturing, including automobiles, electronic information, and emerging sectors like biomedicine.
The key activities in Chongqing included:
- Cooperative meetings to discuss potential cooperation in culture and creative industry, talent training, and healthcare sector.
- Visit of the Yuelai Exhibition Centre, Shuitu High-Tech Industrial Park, and Yufu Industrial Development Zone, showcasing the critical infrastructure in positioning Chongqing as a hub in Western China for urban and industrial development.
Guangzhou: Advancing Green Growth and Industrial Transition
In Guangzhou, the delegation explored the Guangzhou Development District’s initiatives, particularly in green growth and industrial development, which algin with the national strategy of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Development.
The Guangzhou program included:
- EU-China Cooperation Meetings on industrial transformation, energy transition, and sustainable transport.
- Visits to the Guangzhou Development District, Sino-Singapore Guangzhou Knowledge City, and several manufacturers, showcasing good practices in industrial transition.
The visits brought government officals, organisations, and professionals together to explore the emerging industries, creative sectors, and healthcare innovations. The participants attended coopearitve meetings, interactive working sessions and fire-side chattings, which faciliated collaborative learning and expertice exchange for industrial transformation and resilient & green growth.