2024-12-2

Guests from European institutions, including ChinaEU and the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China, along with Shenzhen scholars and representatives from local enterprises, gathered in Shenzhen on November to exchange ideas on innovation and potential cooperation.

The China-Europe Innovation Dialogue, held under the framework of the World Innovation Cities Cooperation Organization (WICCO), took place at the Qianhai International Talent Hub.

Participants shared experiences, conducted case studies, and explored how to address the challenges and opportunities of innovative cooperation between China and the EU.

The event was jointly hosted by Shenzhen Municipal Foreign Affairs Office, the Authority of the Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Modern Service Industry Cooperation Zone and the Preparatory Office of the World Innovation Cities Cooperation Organization (WICCO).

Forum participants widely recognized Shenzhen’s capabilities in innovation.

Luigi Gambardella, president of ChinaEU, addresses the audience during his speech.

Luigi Gambardella, president of ChinaEU, stated in his speech that Shenzhen has earned a global reputation as a beacon of innovation, creativity, and entrepreneurship over the past few decades. He described it as a textbook example of a technology company cluster and one of the fastest-growing tech hubs in the world.

In light of the rapidly evolving global landscape of innovation, Gambardella suggested launching a label such as "Made in Shenzhen" or "Shenzhen Quality" to further enhance and solidify the market presence of active companies within the Shenzhen cluster.

Klaus Zenkel, vice president of the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China, delivers a speech at the event.

Klaus Zenkel, vice president of the European Chamber, noted in his speech that, as a young metropolitan area in China, Shenzhen has already become the country’s leading city of innovation, giving rise to world-renowned enterprises such as Tencent, BYD, and Mindray. Zenkel also highlighted the vast potential for cooperation between China and Europe in innovation, particularly in manufacturing, green transformation, and life sciences. He explained that Europe has accumulated extensive experience and achieved significant innovations in these sectors, while China is focusing on their development.

The forum also featured a roundtable session that emphasized deepening cooperation between Europe and China. Invited speakers engaged in discussions about jointly building an international innovation ecosystem.

Shenzhen and its partners are actively promoting the establishment of WICCO. Nearly 80 cities and institutes from over 23 countries and regions, including Munich, Barcelona, and Edinburgh, have responded to Shenzhen’s call to participate in building this organization.