Chongqing and Belgium to Boost Cooperation in Biomedicine, Logistics

Chongqing - China (Chongqing)-Belgium Economic and Trade Industry Exchange Meeting was held in Chongqing on February 23. Representatives from government departments, industrial parks, business associations, and enterprises discussed topics such as biomedicine, environmental protection, clean technology, logistics, cross-border e-commerce, and trade, to explore development opportunities and promote exchange and cooperation.

"China has enormous market potential and is an essential partner for Belgium. In 2019, Belgium sent a delegation of over 600 representatives to visit China," said Belgian Ambassador to China H.E. Jan Hoogmartens. He added that Belgium is an important gateway to Europe, with a convenient and efficient transportation and logistics system. In 2021, bilateral trade between Belgium and China exceeded 32 billion euros. China is an important market for Belgium, and it is hoped that this meeting will serve as a platform to promote closer cooperation and achieve more balanced bilateral trade.

In 2022, the total import and export volume between Chongqing and Belgium reached 2.07 billion yuan ($29.75 million), an increase of 6.4% year-on-year. In the field of pharmaceuticals and biotechnology research and development services, Chongqing enterprises undertook 33.82 million U.S. dollars in offshore outsourcing business from Belgium, a year-on-year increase of 107.3%.

Ren Yujia, a second-level inspector of the Chongqing Municipal Commission of Commerce, suggested that both sides fully promote economic and trade cooperation between the two sides. For example, Chongqing can increase imports of chemical products, biomedicine products, and food from Belgium. Belgium has important international trade ports such as the Port of Antwerp, Port of Zeebrugge, and Port of Liège, which can take advantage of its transportation channel to further expand trade with Chongqing.

"Chongqing enterprises attach great importance to and actively promote technological innovation cooperation with Belgium and have achieved remarkable results," said Xu Zhipeng, Deputy Director of the Chongqing Municipal Bureau of Science and Technology. He introduced that the joint research project between Chongqing University and the Center for Agronomy and Agro-Food Industry of Hainaut Province (CARAH) in Belgium has jointly addressed the problem of late blight disease in potatoes, saving an average of more than 20 million yuan for potato farmers in Chongqing's Wuxi County and trained a group of potato professionals and technical personnel in the Wuxi County and other parts of China. 

Xu Zhipeng added, "We look forward to Belgium participating in the first Belt and Road Initiative Exchange Conference in Chongqing and establishing a strategic partnership in scientific and technological innovation with Chongqing to fully leverage the advantages of both sides and promote in-depth cooperation in science, technology, and industry innovation."

The logistics industry has always been an essential cooperation sector between the two places. Chongqing and Belgium have built logistics channels such as the China-Europe Railway Express and the Chongqing-Brussels Cargo Airline.

"The port of Antwerp is the second largest container port in Europe. We hope to deepen cooperation between Chongqing and Antwerp in logistics nodes, achieve mutual investment and resource sharing, and make logistics exchanges between the two places more smooth," said Jian Jie, Vice General Manager of Chongqing International Logistics Hub Park Construction Co., Ltd.

Zeng Su, Chief Representative of the Antwerp Province Economic Development Bureau in China, said that Chongqing is an important city in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River and has a significant responsibility for environmental protection. Belgium has advanced concepts, experience, and technology in the field of environmental protection and hopes that both sides will carry out practical cooperation in the field of green and clean technology and jointly build an environmentally-friendly industrial system.

Belgium is a globally important location for pharmaceutical research and development and pharmaceutical exports. Biomedicine is one of the six major characteristic industry clusters in Chongqing. During the visit to Chongqing, the Science Park University of Antwerp signed a letter of intent for cooperation with the Dadi (International) Life Science Park in Chongqing Liangjiang New Area.

The signing ceremony between Science Park University of Antwerp and Dadi (International) Life Science Park of Chongqing Liangjiang New Area. (Photo/Ran Yulin)

The Dadi (International) Life Science Park in Chongqing Liangjiang New Area is home to more than 160 domestic and foreign biopharmaceutical companies. Zhu Hong, the park's general manager, said that the park will work with the Science Park University of Antwerp to support and serve Sino-Belgian biotech companies, carry out scientific and technological innovation cooperation, and help the companies in both parks "go global and bring in."

Zhang Yaqian, Deputy Director of Chongqing Municipal Foreign Affairs Office, expressed the hope that through this economic and trade industry exchange meeting, Chongqing and Belgium could further enhance mutual understanding in industries such as biomedicine, logistics, technology, environmental protection, and trade, and lay a more solid foundation for future cooperation between the two places. 

(He Hanyue, as an intern, also contributed to the report.)