Qiantang "Builds a Port" to Help Chinese Enterprises Set Sail on Globalization

Currently, the world's economic and trade landscape is undergoing profound adjustments, and the global industrial chain pattern is being reshaped at an accelerated pace. Chinese enterprises are in the midst of an unprecedented era of change. Everyone is looking for a new direction, and an undeniable answer points to going global.

In 2023, TEMU, SHEIN, AliExpress, and TikTok, known as the "Four Rising Stars of Chinese Cross - border E - commerce Going Global", expanded into the global market at an astonishing speed. According to statistics from the freight consulting firm Cargo Facts, these four companies shipped over 10,000 tons of goods overseas every day, equivalent to the carrying capacity of 108 Boeing cargo planes. Data from the China Passenger Car Association shows that in the first half of 2024, Chinese new energy vehicles accounted for 64.5% of the global market, and the annual sales are expected to exceed 13 million units.

The emergence of this trend is not accidental. In recent years, the state has introduced a series of favorable policies, clearing obstacles for Chinese enterprises to go global in terms of financial services, infrastructure, logistics networks, and customs clearance facilitation. The in - depth development of global economic integration has reduced international trade and investment barriers, enabling Chinese enterprises to enter the international market more smoothly. The rapid growth of emerging economies has provided Chinese enterprises with a vast market and development opportunities.

China is at the forefront of a new round of globalization. Going global has become a must - answer question for enterprises.

Against this background, Qiantang, as one of the regions with active export - oriented economies, is actively building an ecosystem for enterprises to go global. By combining the development and construction of Jianghai City with the trend of enterprise globalization, it aims to attract more global - going enterprises to gather here, providing more internal impetus and development vitality for the new city construction.

Currently, Qiantang is promoting the construction and implementation of the "One Port, One Park" project. The "One Port" refers to the International Port for Chinese Enterprises. Focusing on Jianghai City, it aims to build an international and efficient platform for private enterprise headquarters to go global. The "One Park" is the China - Africa Cooperation Industrial Park under the Belt and Road Initiative, which aims to build a one - stop economic and trade cooperation service platform integrating functions such as cross - border trade product production bases, capital services, industrial support, overseas business expansion, and supporting services.

Against the background of the "One Port, One Park" construction, the "Hangzhou Qiantang Enterprise Global - going Service Base" (hereinafter referred to as Qiantang Global - going) has emerged. As an important part of the International Port for Chinese Enterprises, Qiantang Global - going will focus on building an ecosystem of third - party service providers in the future, providing systematic, open, and one - stop global - going services for more enterprises.

Qiantang Global - going represents both a future mission and a historical inheritance. In fact, for Qiantang, the concept of "going global" not only has strategic significance and economic value but also shapes the "past and present" of this region.

Part 1. From Destination to Starting Point

Over 40 years ago, China's reform and opening - up began, rewriting the history of China's economic development with an overwhelming momentum. As the "bridgehead" in the Yangtze River Delta region, Zhejiang led the reform in attracting foreign investment, and Qiantang District (formerly Xiasha District) was the preferred destination for foreign investment to enter Zhejiang.

In 1993, Huayin entered Xiasha for production, manufacturing non - woven fabrics, marking the beginning of foreign investment in Xiasha. In 1996, Motorola built a factory in Xiasha, becoming a golden sign for Xiasha to attract foreign investors from around the world.

In 2004, Panasonic, a large Japanese electrical appliance manufacturing enterprise, established the "Panasonic Hangzhou Industrial Park" in Hangzhou, gradually integrating into the overall development context of China's local manufacturing industry. This was the largest foreign - investment project in Hangzhou since the reform and opening - up, and the mutual achievement between Panasonic and Hangzhou's manufacturing industry began from then on.

Panasonic is a Fortune Global 500 company. Since its entry into the industrial park, it has successfully attracted more than 20 enterprises in multiple supply chain links such as motors, washing machines, intelligent toilet lids, and small household appliances to gather here, gradually building an industrial chain cluster centered around Panasonic. The annual production capacity of washing machines exceeds 3 million units, making it Panasonic's largest washing - machine production base globally.

This demonstrates another significance of attracting international large - scale enterprises: promoting the improvement of local industrial supporting facilities and infrastructure through industrial chain - based development, and cultivating local enterprises based on high - end manufacturing.

The reason why Qiantang District has become the preferred destination for foreign investment in Zhejiang is due to the open development thinking and excellent business environment created by the local government over the past 40 years.

On the one hand, Qiantang actively integrates into globalization, broadening its international vision through international economic and trade cooperation and international innovation conferences. By attracting Fortune Global 500 companies to form an agglomeration effect, it has built five leading industries of "Automobile, Pharmaceuticals, Semiconductor, Chemicals, and Aviation", strengthening the foundation of the manufacturing industry. On the other hand, through a series of preferential policies such as land and factory building guarantees, talent introduction and cultivation, and innovation incentives, Qiantang provides all - around support for foreign - funded enterprises.

From attracting foreign investment and absorbing advanced global production experience to promoting the development of local manufacturing enterprises, the combination of an open international vision, a solid manufacturing foundation, and supporting policies has made Qiantang a typical example of China's manufacturing industry transformation and upgrading.

The growth process of Zhejiang - based Xizi Group coincides with this development trajectory.

In 1997, Xizi Group jointly established Xizi Otis Elevator Co., Ltd. with Otis, a Fortune Global 500 company from the United States, which produced and installed the first elevator in Chinese history. Wang Shuifu, the chairman of Xizi United Holding Group, once said that the purpose of cooperation was not only to attract foreign investment but also to introduce advanced technology and scientific management concepts, improve the overall quality of employees, enhance the enterprise's strength and core competitiveness, and increase the market share of products.

Driven by this concept, Xizi comprehensively carried out cooperation with advanced international foreign - funded enterprises: it cooperated with Ishikawajima - Harima Heavy Industries of Japan in the development of multi - story parking garages, with Kawasaki of Japan in the research and development of subway shield machines, and with GE of the United States, Siemens of Germany, Alstom of France, etc. in the manufacturing of waste - heat boilers... Eventually, it grew into one of the top 500 private enterprises in China.

Represented by Xizi, a large number of private enterprises in Qiantang have grown high - quality during the process of "bringing in" and are now embarking on the journey of "going global" with Qiantang's experience.

Today, Qiantang is not only a "bridgehead" for attracting foreign investment and promoting growth but also a place where a group of Chinese enterprises with independent R & D and production capabilities and brand value have emerged, leading the way in the "Age of Exploration".

With a gene for going global, geographical advantages, and a mature methodology system, Qiantang is accelerating its pace, continuously amplifying the comprehensive effects of the comprehensive bonded area, free trade area, and cross - border e - commerce comprehensive pilot area, leveraging the "multi - area superposition" advantage, and actively promoting institutional innovation such as the integrated customs - clearance platform for special biological products in Zhejiang Province to boost the "Sweet Potato Economy". In 2023, 78 Fortune Global 500 companies were gathered in Qiantang, with the actual utilization of foreign investment reaching 677.83 million US dollars and the total import and export volume reaching 107.291 billion yuan.

Through planning and preparations in terms of policies and mechanisms, Qiantang will not only further cultivate and improve the regional global - going ecosystem but also aims to radiate its global - going capabilities and services to a wider area, making Qiantang the starting point for more Chinese private enterprises to go global and embark on the journey of becoming global enterprises.

Part 2. A One - Stop Solution Platform for Enterprises Going Global

Although the goal of going global is clear and the vision is promising, both the government and enterprises have to face the reality that the path to going global is not smooth.

Chinese enterprises going global face a series of complex and specific pain points. According to relevant research results, 82% of enterprises believe that due to the complex diversity of local policies, regulations, and high - standard compliance requirements, "risk management and compliance" is not only an area where problems have frequently occurred in recent years but will also be the biggest challenge for global - going enterprises in the future. In addition, issues such as cultural integration, market research, team building, overseas marketing, and local - based operations directly affect the success or failure of enterprises going global.

However, for enterprises, more energy should be focused on the core business such as products, technology, and capital. It is unrealistic for enterprises to solve the complex problems of going global on their own in a short time. Relying on the professional capabilities of third - parties to find the most suitable market and accelerate the implementation of products and business is the optimal solution.

As a front - line area for enterprises going global, Qiantang not only has years of experience in foreign - capital cooperation, successful global - going cases, and methodology but also has gathered a large number of high - quality global - going enterprises and service providers. Against this background, Qiantang, aware of the actual pain points and needs of enterprises going global, officially established the 'Hangzhou Qiantang Enterprise Global - going Service Base'.

As a supporting part of the International Port for Chinese Enterprises, Qiantang Global - going will rely on the superior location, abundant industries, and preferential policies of the international port in the future to build a systematic, open, and one - stop global - going service platform, ultimately achieving the overall goal of "Gathering global service providers to assist Chinese enterprises in globalization".

Different from traditional global - going service institutions or government platforms, Qiantang Global - going is an innovative model that combines government support and market innovation, with multi - dimensional and full - journey capabilities from resource connection, resource operation, service demand matching to actual implementation of going global. Specifically, it includes:

Consulting End - Provide market research and customized consulting services according to the industry and business development goals of enterprises, including but not limited to various solutions such as market research, strategic design, marketing communication, and digitalization.

For example, Qiantang Global - going can sort out the product features and business situations of potential global - going enterprises, conduct detailed research on the scale, growth trend, and competitive landscape of the target global - going market, analyze the consumption behavior, needs, and potential opportunities of local market consumers, and provide feasible development suggestions to help enterprises complete long - term and overall planning.

Operation End - Build an "ecological circle of friends" that brings together the government, state - owned platforms, upstream and downstream of the industrial chain, and business support parties. Deeply connect domestic and overseas ecological resources, and build a communication and cooperation platform for enterprises with global - going needs, service - capable institutions, and industry experts.

Centering on the topic of going global, Qiantang Global - going will hold multiple salons for niche sectors, industry summits, and special training courses every year, bringing together the latest trends, the most authoritative experts, and the most cutting - edge global - going enterprises to connect people with various resources such as information, markets, and capital.

Service End - Provide on - the - ground services to address the numerous problems and needs arising from the consulting and operation ends, and bridge the last mile for enterprises going global.

Qiantang Global - going has currently gathered a large number of high - quality global - going service providers. By integrating resources from various departments and fields, it has achieved centralized and unified services, helping global - going enterprises improve the efficiency of the entire process.

For example, in the marketing communication link, it provides account setup and agency operation services for enterprises, helps enterprises connect with high - quality influencers and KOLs that match their brand image, and selects advertising channels based on ROI goals to achieve overseas marketing with content, rhythm, and results.

From pre - going - global consultation to on - the - ground implementation, Qiantang Global - going builds a one - stop solution platform for enterprises. It not only serves enterprises within Qiantang but also takes it as its mission to serve Zhejiang's global - going enterprises, participates in the global development of enterprises, takes building the soil for the "Sweet Potato Economy" as its strategy, gathers global global - going service providers, and aims to attract Chinese multinational enterprises to promote a two - way ecological cycle of domestic and foreign investment.

In the future, Qiantang Global - going will continuously provide support for enterprises' global expansion, build a private - enterprise service system that matches the "Sweet Potato Economy", attract and gather various global - going resources, and form a two - way ecological chain of "going global" and "returning", enabling more private manufacturing enterprises to have their roots in Qiantang and branches spread across the globe.