The CHINA TODAY Zhongshan SALON was unveiled on 26 October in Zhongshan City of Guangdong Province, the hometown of Dr. Sun Yat-sen, the great pioneer of China's democratic revolution. Concurrently, the Symposium on International Communication and Economic Development was held to discuss how to make full use of the salon to promote international people-to-people, economic and trade exchanges and enhance the high-quality local development. 

Baudelaire Ndong Ella, ambassador of Gabon to China, Fu Longcheng, vice president of the China General Chamber of Commerce, Li Wuzhou, deputy director of the Centre for Europe and Africa (China Today) of the China International Communications Group (CICG), Ren Xinglei, executive president of the China Association for Small & Medium Commercial Enterprises, Helal Ashraf Raafat Mahmoud, former director of the Industrial Development Authority of the Egyptian Ministry of Trade and Industry, and Tan Wenhui, vice chairman of the Zhongshan Federation of Industry and Commerce delivered speeches and unveiled the CHINA TODAY Zhongshan SALON. Nearly 100 representatives from local departments, international friends, overseas Chinese, related associations and entrepreneurs, including Hans Seesaghur, chief representative of the Shanghai Office of Economic Development Board of Mauritius and Yang Rongjian, deputy director of Zhongshan State-Owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission attended the unveiling ceremony and the symposium. 

Unveiling of the CHINA TODAY Zhongshan SALON

In his speech, Ndong Ella noted that China and Gabon are close and special partners. The CHINA TODAY Zhongshan Salon is an excellent platform for exchanges and cooperation, and it is hoped that on this platform, friendly cooperation between Gabon and China will be further promoted, the understanding and friendship between the two peoples will be deepened, and the relations between Gabon and China will be enhanced. He also hoped that the salon will serve as a bridge to strengthen ties between Gabon and Zhongshan City, facilitating enterprises in Zhongshan, especially in the field of intelligent manufacturing, to enter Gabon. 

Guests deliver speeches at the unveiling ceremony

While addressing the unveiling ceremony, Fu said that as the largest comprehensive organisation in China's business sector, the China General Chamber of Commerce has been committed to the transformation and upgrading of manufacturing and service industries. It is also committed to the construction of an international service system, the promotion of trade, the optimisation of industrial layout, and the enhancement of brand influence and competitiveness. 

In the future, the chamber will actively explore cooperation with CICG and the CHINA TODAY Zhongshan SALON to contribute wisdom and dynamics to the pursuit of high-quality common development of the Belt and Road Initiative, and the high-level opening up of Zhongshan, he said.  

For his part, Li noted that the CHINA TODAY Zhongshan SALON is an international communication project specially designed for local communities and industries, with an aim to serve as a platform for international exchange and tell the China story well. It will bring together international and domestic enterprises and think tanks to create an exchange and cooperation platform for showcasing Chinese culture, enhancing international exchanges, promoting economic and trade cooperation, and facilitating the dissemination of knowledge and information. The establishment of the salon will contribute to Zhongshan’s efforts in attracting overseas investment, enhancing international people-to-people exchanges, building up images of the city in the world community, and facilitating globalisation of local manufacturing industry.  

According to Ren, as the first salon launched by a national-level international communication institution in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, the CHINA TODAY Zhongshan SALON is a valuable channel for promoting high-quality development of Zhongshan. He added that the China Association for Small & Medium Commercial Enterprises looks forward to joining hands with the salon to help local SMEs go global, attract foreign investors, and boost the local economy. 

In his speech, Raafat Mahmoud said that the recently opened CHINA TODAY Egypt Cairo SALON and the CHINA TODAY Zhongshan SALON will open a new chapter in the two countries’ cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative. Undoubtedly, the salons will promote China-Egypt cooperation in a range of fields, especially Zhongshan City’s intelligent manufacturing industry and products entering Egypt and the Arab world at large. He hopes to see more companies from Zhongshan City invest in Egypt and promote the high-quality development of the Belt and Road Initiative. 

According to Tan, Zhongshan is not only an important city in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, but also an important manufacturing base in the area. At present, Zhongshan is gathering resources to build itself into a modern industrial cluster led by new energy, bio-medicine and healthcare, new-generation information technology and intelligent home appliances, while focusing on six sectors of high-end equipment, photoelectricity and optics, lighting, housing decoration, modern agriculture and food and fashion industry. 

In 2024, the Shenzhen-Zhongshan Bridge will be fully open to traffic, and Zhongshan will usher in unprecedented development opportunities. He hopes that the salon will play a role in enhancing the profile and globalisation of local businesses and industry. 

Symposium on International Communication and Economic Development

The Symposium on International Communication and Economic Development was held after the unveiling ceremony. Ren Xinglei, executive president of China Association for Small & Medium Commercial Enterprises, Helal Ashraf Raafat Mahmoud, former director of the Industrial Development Authority of the Egyptian Ministry of Trade and Industry, Xu Yanhe, head of CHINA TODAY Egypt Cairo SALON, Huang Shaojie, head of CHINA TODAY Zhongshan SALON, Han Zhen, vice president of Phoenix Tea (teahouse), Qi Lichang, general manager of Beijing Aode Group, Yang Minhua, head of the Brand Operating Department of Guangdong Taili Technology Group, Deng Yuhua, president of the Cross-Border E-Commerce Association of Dongfeng Town of Zhongshan City, and Zhou Xueqing, professor at Zhongshan Polytechnic discussed on the topic of how to use the salon to promote international people-to-people and economic exchanges and strengthen high-quality development. 

Group photo of guests