Video and photo by Lin Songtao

SHENZHEN, a city at the forefront of innovation, has significant future potential for cooperation with European companies in China, according to Jens Eskelund, president of the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China (EU Chamber).

Eskelund shared his insights with Shenzhen Daily yesterday while participating in an event where 30 European companies converged in Shenzhen. The event was jointly organized by the Shenzhen Municipal Committee of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade and the EU Chamber.

During the interview, Eskelund said that Shenzhen is a vital market for European companies and is very attractive for European enterprises. “We will continue to be here, develop here, and prosper together with our local partners,” Eskelund said.

Jens Eskelund, president of the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China. 

The EU Chamber has over 1,800 members in China. Its South China Chapter, which covers Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan, and Fujian, has almost 300 members in total.

“We are working hard every day to create an understanding in our members about Shenzhen and Guangdong,” Eskelund said. “We hope to be a bridge builder between European companies and Shenzhen-based companies, and we keep exploring how we might find ways to collaborate in sectors like technology.”

The visit by a delegation led by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz to China between Sunday and yesterday further underscores the significance of high-level engagements between China and Europe, according to Eskelund.

“I think a lot of the tension that we see today is because the two sides have not been meeting each other for a long time. I think there is a big need that we get to reacquaint ourselves with each other and try to really understand and address concerns on both sides,” Eskelund said.

Eskelund also stressed the importance of people-to-people exchanges in building trust and enhancing mutual understanding between China and Europe, across all spheres of life.

During the delegation’s visit, European companies had the opportunity to visit Huawei’s headquarters in Longgang District, held business discussions with nearly 30 Shenzhen-based companies at the UpperHills business complex in Futian District, and gained insights into Futian District’s industrial policies.

Klaus Zenkel, vice president of the EU Chamber of Commerce in China and chairman of the EU Chamber South China Chapter, echoed Eskelund’s sentiments, emphasizing Shenzhen’s investment potential and the prospects for cooperation in cutting-edge technologies, infrastructure, and manufacturing.