Director of Investe São Paulo presents the State to 100 Chinese businessmen in the city of Foshan
Event between São Paulo entrepreneurs and Chinese entrepreneurs of the city of Foshan organized in conjunction with Chamber of Commerce of São Paulo had the presence of Director of Investe SP
For the third consecutive year it was held in São Paulo the business meeting between Brazilian and Chinese entrepreneurs. The event was attended by 370 people, 100 of them from China to represent companies of various segments such as: Midea Group and Coagent Electronics (home appliances), Hengwey Automobile and Nanhai Yanbu Lianyi (automotive) and Guangdong Eagle Brand Ceramic (construction materials).
Several Brazilian and Chinese authorities attended the event, among them the Deputy Consul General of the People's Republic of China in Sao Paulo, Hu Ying, the Vice Mayor of Foshan, Li Zifu, the Director of the Investe São Paulo, Sérgio Costa and the Municipal Secretary of International Relations of São Paulo, Alfredo Cotait Neto.
Costa presented the Chinese and Brazilian businessmen information on the Sino-Brazilian economic and commercial relation. He highlighted the growth of the interchange between the two countries and the importance of that interaction showing that, in 2010, China was the country that imported and invested the most in Brazil.
The Director of the São Paulo Agency showed the foreign investment opportunities in projects of the São Paulo State Government in the areas of infrastructure, sanitation and housing, which should be implemented through public-private partnerships and concessions. Besides, he talked about which projects should be implemented until 2014, when São Paulo will be one of the host cities of the FIFA World Cup.
Costa wound up his presentation presenting two successful cases of Chinese companies that have settled in São Paulo and that received the support of Investe São Paulo. Chery Automobile Co., which will build a plant in the city of Jacareí, in a total investment of US$ 400 million will generate nearly 3 thousand jobs. And Sany Heavy Industry that has announced an investment of US$ 200 million in the setting up of a new plant in the State of São Paulo, generating one thousand direct jobs.
The Vice-Mayor of Foshan said the volume of transactions between the city and Brazil, in 2010, amounted to US$ 1.1 billion, representing an increase of more than 80% compared to 2009. Zifu also said in the 2008 Olympics held in Beijing, most of the ceramic materials used in the constructions were produced in Foshan, which is known as the capital of ceramics. Therefore he believes the 2014 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 Olympics are great opportunities for Foshan companies to make deals in Brazil. Other prominent sectors in the city are those of electronic equipment, industry of equipment and steel.
According to the Deputy Consul General, Foshan is nestled in a privileged geographic location, because it is near to Hong Kong, Macau and Guangzhou. "The infrastructure of the region is very well developed and that makes the city very active and facilitates the commercial exchange", he said. Ying also said there is an incentive for the Chinese companies to come to Brazil and the Brazilians willing to go to Fosham will be well received, since there are economic complementarities between both countries.
For the municipal Secretary, Alfredo Cotait, the São Paulo businessmen should have initiatives like those of the Chinese. "They had proactive attitude and sought the relationship with the city of São Paulo. It is now the time for the São Paulo entrepreneurs to go to Foshan", he said. Cotait said there is the intention of putting together a party of São Paulo businessmen to visit the Chinese city later this year.
At the end of the event there was a business round for the establishment of contact between Chinese and Brazilian entrepreneurs.