Business groups, consuls eye stronger ties with China
Representatives from foreign business chambers and consuls say they’re eager to forge closer links with China, as they continue an inspection tour of interior provinces to mark the 10th anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). The Commissioner of Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Hong Kong, Liu Guangyuan, has been leading the tour of Henan and Shaanxi, showcasing the advancements that have been made over the past decade. In Zhengzhou, participants said they were impressed by what they saw, following a tour of energy bus manufacturer Yutong, and the HNCA Aviation Training Centre which cultivates talent for the BRI. “Seeing is believing,” said Wilhelm Brauner, chairman of the Austrian Chamber of Commerce Hong Kong. “The factory ground is cleaner than before, and that also shows the development and the technological level. The second thing that I found, especially in the new energy vehicle factory, I was inspired by the amount of trees and greens within the facility grounds and the company grounds.”  Brauner added that he expects to see tourism playing a bigger part in Henan’s economy, saying Austrian tourism experts are eager to share their experiences with their mainland counterparts.  Other participants say the BRI has proved to be a success. Tony Ho, director of the Indonesia Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong, said the multibillion-dollar drive has helped improve livelihoods in his home country. “Many Chinese companies came to Indonesia for investment, especially for infrastructure. It helps Indonesians improve their living standard, because they build the roads, they build the power plants. Those kind of things are better for Indonesian citizens,” he said. Ho also said the completion of the first high-speed railway project in Indonesia this August – one of the most high-profile BRI projects in Southeast Asia – will bring about further investment opportunities. “If Indonesia's train succeeds, other countries will also try to buy China’s railway system. This also gives China more opportunities for doing more business,” he said.  The railway, which connects Indonesian capital Jakarta to the neighbouring city of Bandung, completed a trial run last week, reaching a top speed of 350 kilometres per hour. Meanwhile, the consul general of South Africa in Hong Kong, Mojalefa Mogono, expressed hope that there will be more cooperation between Henan and his home country when it comes to technology innovation. Henry Cheung, who chairs the Finnish Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong, for his part said he believes Zhengzhou and Finland can work together to create new products by combining their innovative ideas.  Next, the delegation will visit the Shaolin Monastery before heading to Luoyang.