On October 15–16, the delegation met with Hefei officials, visited local companies and joined a business matchmaking event that drew about 60 Chinese and Belgian participants.
On October 15–16, the Global New Industrial Revolution Alliance (NIRA) and a Belgian business delegation visited Hefei for exchanges with municipal government leaders, a tour of the Grand Union of Innovation (GUi), business matchmaking, and visits to companies in aviation, renewable energy, electronics and information technology, and modern services. The programme offered insights into Hefei’s technological innovation and industrial development and explored opportunities for China–Belgium trade and investment cooperation.
The delegation was organized by the Belgian business leaders’ organization ETION and ChinaConnect. It was led on the Belgian side by Rudy Aernoudt, Chief of Cabinet to the President of Belgium’s Reformist Movement (MR), with Geert Janssens, Chief Economist of ETION, serving as Deputy Delegation Leader. Professor Yabin Wu, Secretary-General of NIRA and Executive Director of the Artificial Intelligence Sustainable Development Hub, participated as the Chinese Delegation Leader. The delegation included representatives of leading Belgian businesses in industrial manufacturing, food industry automation, construction and engineering, human resources services, corporate finance, digital services and executive education.
Huang Xin, Member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Hefei Municipal Committee and Vice Mayor of Hefei, received the delegation and introduced the city’s industrial development and opportunities for international cooperation. Also participating were Xu Yue, Deputy Director-General of the Hefei Municipal Bureau of Industry and Information Technology; Huang Guilan, Deputy Director-General of the Hefei Municipal Bureau of Commerce; Xiao Rangjian, Deputy Director-General of the Hefei Municipal Foreign Affairs Office; Li Qingshan, Deputy Director-General of the Hefei Municipal Bureau of Investment Promotion; and Zhang Liye, Executive Vice President of Grand Union of Innovation Service Platform Co., Ltd.
The delegation toured the GUi exhibition hall to learn about its operating model integrating professional teams, investment funds and physical facilities, as well as its work in technology commercialization, business incubation and fund investment. Displays featuring deep-tech projects from Zhileng Cryogenics, CIQTEK and other companies provided concrete examples of how Hefei connects research, capital and industry.
The China–Belgium Business Leaders Matchmaking Meeting, themed “Joining Hands for an Innovative Future”, was subsequently held at GUI SPACE. Representatives of nearly 30 companies and institutions from Anhui Province joined the event, bringing together approximately 60 Chinese and Belgian participants. Zhang Liye introduced Hefei’s technological innovation and GUi’s international cooperation activities, highlighting the support available to businesses in connecting with customers and application opportunities, accessing finance and policy support, and protecting intellectual property.
Rudy Aernoudt, Geert Janssens and Professor Yabin Wu each delivered remarks. Aernoudt and Janssens discussed innovation, investment and industrial competitiveness, examining the roles of government and markets in advancing technological development. Professor Wu noted that Hefei’s technological strengths, together with the Anhui merchant tradition of honouring trust, upholding integrity and balancing commercial success with ethical responsibility, provide an important foundation for international cooperation. Technology and markets create opportunities for businesses to collaborate, while integrity and mutual trust sustain long-term partnerships.
During the business presentations and networking session, Belgian companies and institutions outlined their operations and partnership needs in industrial equipment, green logistics, food processing, energy-efficient buildings and business services. The Anhui Port Association, Anhui Artificial Intelligence Association, Anhui Comprehensive Foreign Trade Service Platform and Anhui Enterprise Development Research Association, alongside Chinese companies in smart manufacturing, advanced materials, technology services and human resources, as well as relevant educational institutions, presented opportunities in international business expansion, technology cooperation and talent exchanges. Participants held face-to-face discussions on specific needs relating to market access and distribution channels, technology applications, cross-border logistics and business services, establishing contacts for future cooperation.
During their stay in Hefei, the delegation visited Zero Gravity Aircraft Industry to learn about electric aircraft development and low-altitude aviation applications, gaining a deeper understanding of the city’s progress in cultivating emerging industries and advancing aviation technology.
At Sungrow, the delegation met with Chairman Ruan Cao (Cao Renxian) and other company representatives to learn about the company’s technological innovation and international business development. The exchange enabled Belgian businesses to better understand China’s renewable energy industry, establish direct contacts with Sungrow’s technology and international business teams, and explore opportunities for future cooperation.
The delegation toured LCFC’s production facilities, observing the manufacturing processes for electronics and information technology products and the application of digital technologies, production management and supply chain coordination. The visit provided further insights into how technological innovation and industrial manufacturing reinforce one another in Hefei.
The delegation also visited the Fillmore Grand Hefei and met with Shen Jishui, Chairman and General Manager of Tongqinglou Catering Corporation Limited, and other representatives. Participants learned about the company’s development in catering, hotels and service operations. The visit offered delegates from the food, business management and service sectors a fresh perspective on China’s consumer market and the development of its modern service industries.
Combining government exchanges, visits to innovation platforms, business matchmaking and factory tours, the Hefei programme established direct channels for the Belgian business community to understand the city’s innovation and industrial ecosystem and identify potential partners. NIRA will maintain communication with relevant Chinese institutions and platforms, follow up on the partnership needs identified during the exchanges, and support practical cooperation in technology, market expansion and project implementation.
