BEIJING, June 8 -- The strategic importance of the Yangtze River Delta and
the great opportunities it provides to global businesses will be the focus of a
two-day high-level dialogue starting today.
The summit, co-hosted by China Daily and the Ningbo municipal government in
Zhejiang Province, provides a forum for interaction between multinationals and
local governments.
More than 100 senior executives of Fortune 500 companies who manage global,
Asia Pacific and China operations, and officials from ministries and regional
governments will exchange ideas on the development of the thriving area.
The Yangtze River Delta, which comprises Shanghai and 15 cities in Jiangsu
and Zhejiang provinces, accounted for about 35 per cent of China's total import
and export value, 22 per cent of tax revenue and 20 per cent of the country's
GDP in the first three quarters of 2005.
"The Yangtze River Delta has become a 'new continent' of global economic
and social development, and is inspiring new hope for sustained prosperity,"
said Wang Guoqing, vice-minister of the State Council Information Office.
However, after two decades of blistering growth, the region has hit some
roadblocks such as energy and resource costs, and environmental pollution. To
address the problems, several key issues such as logistics, innovation,
sustainable development, competitiveness and high-end services will be discussed
at the China Daily CEO Roundtable International Summit on Yangtze River Delta
Development.
"We intend to provide a platform for an open forum between the local
governments and multinationals," said Zhu Ling, editor-in-chief of China Daily.
"The forum gives us an opportunity to establish an ongoing dialogue which
will ensure the synchronization of all of our efforts," said David Arkless,
senior vice-president of Manpower Inc.
The China Daily CEO Roundtable is a by-invitation-only network of
government leaders, CEOs and senior executives of Fortune 500 and China's
largest companies.
(Source: China Daily)
