(22 October 2021)

Sunwah – On 21 October 2021, Dr Jonathan Choi, Standing Committee Member of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, Chairman of the Guangdong – Hong Kong – Macao Bay Area Entrepreneurs Union and Chairman of Sunwah Group, virtually attended the “Guangdong – Hong Kong – Macao Bay Area Entrepreneurs Union 4^th Anniversary” and the “Sino – French GBA Business Summit” at Guangzhou, China. The Hong Kong Chief Secretary for Administration Mr Li Jiachao, the Macao Secretary for Economic Affairs and Finance Mr Li Weinong, French Ambassador to China Mr Laurent Bili, as well as over 300 French entrepreneurs and nearly 1,000 GBA entrepreneurs attend the events physically and virtually.

In his speech at the Summit, Dr Jonathan Choi noted that both China and France are currently advocating multilateralism in the world, encouraging equality among nations, promoting economic and trade exchanges, science, technology, culture, education as well as protecting of the common interests of mankind. Dr Choi highlighted that France has become China’s third largest trading partner in the European Union, and China is France’s largest Asian trading partner. Bilateral trade between China and France continues to grow, reaching nearly USD 70 billion last year. However, the potential for cooperation between the two countries is expanding, with the joint efforts of both sides, it is highly possible to achieve trade turnover of USD 100 billion in the near future.

Dr Jonathan Choi, Standing Committee Member of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, Chairman of the Guangdong – Hong Kong – Macao Bay Area Entrepreneurs Union and Chairman of Sunwah Group, deliver speech at the Summit

Dr Choi also added that the Guangdong – Hong Kong – Macao Bay Area has the fastest economic growth rate in the world over the past few decades. He hoped that French entrepreneurs could establish businesses in the GBA and work together for the partnership and mutual development of China and France.

French Ambassador to China Mr Laurent Bili pointed out in his speech that since the announcement of the “Guangdong – Hong Kong – Macao Bay Area Development Plan”, businesses are paying more attention to the planning of GBA, which was also the original idea for organizing this Summit. He also hoped that the Summit will strengthen the bilateral trade and economic exchanges between China and France.

French Ambassador to China Mr Laurent Bili

In the congratulation video, Hong Kong Chief Secretary for Administration Mr Li Jiachao introduced various unique advantages of Hong Kong in the national development progress as well as noted that during the recent trip to Paris, the Hong Kong Chief Executive Mrs Carrie Lam strongly promoted the GBA and encourage French companies to take advantage of Hong Kong’s strengths such as the “One Country, Two Systems” policy, marketisation and internationalization, and accompany Hong Kong to explore business opportunities anf unlimited potential of the Guangdong – Hong Kong – Macao Bay Area.

Also speaking at the Summit, Macao Secretary for Economic Affairs and Finance Mr Li Weinong shared that, in the past, Macao was once an important seaport hub on the Chinese Silk Road and also one of China’s earliest ports opened during the reform period with a long history of economic and trade relations with France and Europe. On the other hand, France has always been Macao’s important trading partner. Located in the heart of the GBA, Macao will fully cooperate with other cities and regions within the GBA in promoting economic and commercial development here. Last September, the “Master Plan for Construction of the Guangdong – Macao Intensive Cooperation Zone in Hengdian” was announced, which will take Macao’s development to a new level, and at the same time bring more potential investment opportunities for entrepreneurs in Mainland China and foreign countries, including France.

On the same day, a panel discussion session on advantages in many sectors of the GBA was also organized successfully, attracting many opinions from panelists, including: Mr Frederick Bravey, Business Development Director of Shenzhen Valley Ventures; Mr Zhang Li, Managing Director of Weride; Ms Wang Meifang, Vice Chairman of Guangzhou Knowledge City Development and Investment Company; Mr Matthew, General Director of Centdegrés; Mr. Li Guojun, Regional Director of China branch of Suez Energy Group; Mr Dai Weihong, Managing Partner of Gowling WLG; Mr Peter Helis, Global Investment Director of Guangzhou Development Zone; and many other entrepreneurs.

Panel discussion session at the Summit

In recent years, in addition to sponsoring the establishment of the Jonathan KS Choi Cultural Center in Paris, the Cultural Heritage Promotion Center and the Baiyun Cultural Center in Beijing, Dr Jonathan Choi also established French Cultural Exchange Centers in Nanjing and Shenyang, China, to organize exchange activities, French cuisine, art and film events. Leaders of the French Government have also met Dr Choi many times and highly appreciated his contributions to promoting educational, cultural and art exchanges between China and France, and praised him as a “foreign pioneer in promoting the friendship between the two countries”.

At the Gala Dinner, French Ambassador to China Mr Laurent Bili presented Dr Jonathan Choi with the “Sino  – France Diplomatic Honor Award” in recognition of his outstanding contributions in diplomatic activities between China and France over the years. Mr Jason Choi, Director of Sunwah Group, received the Award on behalf of Dr Jonathan Choi.

Mr Jason Choi, Director of Sunwah Group, received the Sino – France Diplomatic Honor Award” on behalf of Dr Jonathan Choi