November 29, 2023, the round table aims to give a voice to the business situation of key foreign-funded companies in Chongqing, and to study and respond to the demands and opinions of company operation issues. Representatives of 12 companies and foreign-related business associations including Pegatron, Panasonic Vacuum, Ernst & Young (China), Carlsberg Chongqing, Shell Energy, and Metro AG attended the meeting.
Chongqing is implementing a series of national and local major strategies, including the China-Singapore (Chongqing) Demonstration Initiative on Strategic Connectivity, Chongqing Pilot Free Trade Zone, National Service Industry Expansion and Opening Comprehensive Pilot, and the First Batch of Business Environment Innovation Pilots. The municipality hopes that foreign-funded companies and overseas customers can share the strategic opportunities and policy dividends of the building of the new era, new journey, and new Chongqing, further strengthen their development confidence, continue to invest in Chongqing, and deepen their growth in Chongqing's win-win development.
In 2022, foreign-funded companies created about half of Chongqing's foreign trade, contributed over a tenth of tax revenue, and directly and indirectly accounted for a fifteenth of urban jobs. They not only made positive contributions to the utilization of foreign investment and economic and social development, but also achieved the growth and development of companies in the rapid development of Chongqing's economy and society.
The meeting highlighted that Chongqing is fully implementing the deployment of the 20th National Congress of the CPC, solidly promoting the construction of the Chengdu-Chongqing Economic Circle, using the New Western Land-sea Corridor as a guide to accelerate the building of an open inland economy, focusing on building a modern industrial system, accelerating the building of the international consumer hub, promoting the building of digital Chongqing and beautiful Chongqing, and comprehensively building a modern socialist Chongqing in the new era and new journey.
The meeting highlighted that foreign-funded companies have become an important component of the Chongqing market, playing a key role in building a new development pattern, promoting high-quality development, and creating a high-quality life. The meeting emphasized that optimizing the business environment and promoting the development of foreign-funded companies should be given a more prominent position, and efforts should be made to overcome the pain points, difficulties, and bottlenecks that restrict the development of foreign-funded companies, in order to jointly create a high-quality gathering place for foreign investment. The attending companies stated that the meeting for foreign-funded companies is an important channel for communication and exchange between companies and government departments. Participating in the meeting has been very rewarding, solving problems and doubts, and learning relevant policies.
The Chongqing Municipal Commerce Commission will promote the introduction of further supportive policies such as "Several Measures to Further Encourage Foreign Investment to Establish Research and Development Centres in Chongqing", coordinate the convening of round-table meetings for foreign-funded companies at municipal and district levels, resolve issues in a closed loop system, enable more productive round-table meetings, accelerate the landing of landmark foreign-funded projects, and support the better development of existing foreign-funded companies.
Efforts in creating a market-oriented, legal, and international business environment
Chongqing will strengthen the building of a trustworthy government, adhere to the principle of a trustworthy government, fulfill commitments in accordance with laws and regulations, continuously create an open, fair, and just market environment, fully maintain market operation order, actively build more platforms for government enterprise exchanges, and encourage foreign-funded companies to cooperate with state-owned companies in accordance with market-oriented principles. The "One Company, One Policy" aims to break through blockages, pain points, and fill gaps in the industrial chain, fully ensuring the normal operation of the industrial system.
To solve difficulties for foreign-funded companies
Chongqing will implement policies to assist companies at all levels, further strengthen research on policy reserves, identify the direction of development, and provide relief for foreign-funded companies. Expand policy promotion sources to accurately reach foreign-funded companies and ensure that they know everything and enjoy everything they deserve.
Properly resolving the demands of foreign-funded companies
Chongqing will utilize round-table meetings, regularly identify the difficulties and demands of companies, establish a list of problems and accounts for foreign-funded companies round-table meetings in Chongqing, led by the Municipal Commerce Commission, in conjunction with relevant departments and units, carefully study, properly solve, and respond, form a closed loop of service work, implement classified management, draw lessons from others, and establish a system.