Time: June 22, 2012 (afternoon)
Location: Guomao Hotel
The 5th Multinational Corporation Leaders Roundtable Conference
Meeting content:
Host: Respected guests, ladies and gentlemen, the opening ceremony of the 5th Multinational Corporation Leaders Roundtable is about to begin! I am the Secretary General of the Organizing Committee of this session, from the Ministry of Commerce of China. Commissioned by the Chairman of the Organizing Committee, before the official opening ceremony, I would like to introduce the main leaders and distinguished guests attending the ceremony. They are Mr. Jia Qinglin, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference; Mr. Du Qinglin, Vice Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, Minister of the United Front Work Department of the Central Committee, and Honorary Chairman of the 12th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference; Mr. Zheng Wantong, Vice Chairman and 12th President of the Chinese National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, Chairman of the Organizing Committee of this session, and other leaders attending the opening ceremony include Mr. Gao Hucheng, Representative and Vice Minister of International Trade Negotiations of the Ministry of Commerce of China, Vice Director of the Internal and Judicial Committee of the National People's Congress, Vice Director of the Economic Committee of the Chinese National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, Vice Minister of the United Front Work Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, Secretary of the Party Group of the All China Federation of Industry and Commerce, and, Director of the Counselor's Office of the State Council of China, Deputy Secretary General of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, Deputy Director of the National Development and Reform Commission of China, Deputy Minister of Agriculture of China, Deputy Minister of Health of China, Deputy Director of the State owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council of China, Deputy Director of the State Administration for Industry and Commerce of China, Chief Engineer of the General Administration for Quality Supervision and Inspection of China, and Deputy Director of the Development Research Center of the State Council of China, Vice Mayor of Beijing, China, Member of the Standing Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, and Deputy Director of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference. The foreign representatives of the United Nations and the government attending the opening ceremony include the Director of the United Nations Development Programme in China, the Representative of the United Nations Environment Programme in China, the Director of the OECD Development Center, the Chief Representative of the International Monetary Fund in China, and the Representative of the World Health Organization in China. Global CEOs from Fortune 500 companies include Mr. Heinrich Hesingen, Vice President and Global President of Hyundai Motor Group in South Korea, President and 12th Vice President of Minmetals Group in China, Zhou Zhongzhong; Chairman of Sinosteel Group, President of Bank of China, Chairman of China Resolute Bank, Chairman of China National Offshore Oil Corporation, President of Sinosteel Group, President of China Railway Construction Co., Ltd., Intel, Boeing, DuPont, Carrefour, Cisco, Total, Samsung, LG Electronics, SK, Zhongliang Group, Sinochem Group, China Unicom, COSCO Group, State Grid, The vice presidents of 125 multinational companies such as Sinopec, the presidents and representatives of China, as well as the presidents and vice presidents of China Merchants Group, New Austria Group, Sany Heavy Industry, and other Fortune 500 companies in China, will not be introduced here due to time constraints.
Today we are also very pleased to invite management comrades from the National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Health, the State Administration for Industry and Commerce, the Development Research Center of the State Council, the Food and Drug Administration, and some local governments. Diplomats from over 30 countries, including Germany, the United Kingdom, Pakistan, Poland, Romania, and other countries, business representatives and presidents, representatives from South Korean enterprises, the French Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the OECD, well-known Chinese and foreign enterprise executives, and business professionals from multiple countries attended today's opening ceremony. Let us express our sincere welcome to all the guests.
Let's warmly applaud Mr. Zheng Wantong, Chairman of the Organizing Committee, Vice Chairman of the Chinese National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, and Chairman of the 12th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, to preside over today's opening ceremony.
Host Zheng Wantong: Respected Chairman Jia Qinglin, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, good afternoon! Tomorrow is the Dragon Boat Festival, a traditional Chinese festival. In the festive atmosphere, we gather together to welcome the grand holding of the 5th Multinational Corporation Leaders' Roundtable Conference. We feel sincerely happy. On behalf of the organizing committee of the conference, I would like to extend a warm welcome to all the guests here!
Today we are honored to invite Mr. Jia Qinglin, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, to attend our opening ceremony. Chairman Jia's personal guidance reflects the high importance that the Chinese government attaches to the development of domestic and foreign multinational corporations, the deep concern for world economic recovery and sustainable development, and the care and support for this round table meeting. Let us express our sincere gratitude to Chairman Jia with warm applause!
After the keynote speech of this afternoon's conference, Chairman Jia will deliver an important speech. I believe this speech will add a dazzling color to this conference, and will play a positive guiding role in deepening the conference theme, stimulating ideological sparks, opening the door to wisdom, and consolidating conference consensus.
This conference has received widespread attention and positive response from people from all walks of life at home and abroad. The attending representatives include leaders of relevant departments of the Chinese government and some local governments, presidents and representatives of Fortune Global 500 and Chinese Fortune 500 enterprises, representatives of relevant United Nations agencies in China, ambassadors of some countries in China, presidents or presidents of foreign chambers of commerce in China, leaders of Chinese industry associations, representatives of Korean enterprises, and representatives of the French Chamber of Commerce, Representatives from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, as well as leaders of domestic and foreign media, and other professionals from all walks of life. More than 510 representatives from 24 countries, 380 domestic and foreign enterprises, and 22 international institutions and organizations attended the meeting.
The theme of this meeting is to promote investment by multinational corporations, strengthen corporate social responsibility, and promote sustainable development. This theme is a realistic, dynamic, and futuristic one. It reflects the essence of the development and progress of multinational corporations today. The impact of the current global economic crisis is still ongoing, and the prospects of the European sovereign debt crisis are still uncertain. The world economy is currently undergoing a tortuous and lengthy recovery process. I hope that all guests present can closely focus on the conference theme and use this platform to express their analysis and views on the trend of the world economic crisis, as well as their expectations and reflections on the global economic recovery, We can also explore the outstanding issues that will be encountered in the field of sustainable development in the current complex situation, based on the judgment and estimation of the downward pressure on the Chinese economy, as well as the strategies and suggestions for multinational corporations to invest in China. In the constantly changing social environment, how to position and fulfill the social responsibility of multinational corporations? I believe that no country can stand alone in the current crisis, nor can any country solely respond to the development and changes of the world economy. In this process, the development of multinational corporations will also face significant challenges. It is particularly important to gather wisdom from multiple parties and jointly respond to challenges.
The Roundtable Conference of Multinational Corporation Leaders is an honor and a great willingness to become a platform for deep exchanges among global multinational corporation leaders, politicians from various countries, and international organizations, and a link for enhancing mutual understanding and communication among multinational corporations. We look forward to working with people from all walks of life around the world to make positive contributions to the sustainable development of human social sciences.
Ladies and gentlemen, this session has received the support and support of relevant United Nations organizations. In accordance with past practice, the Secretary General of the United Nations, Mr. Ban Ki moon, has also sent a congratulatory letter to this session. Next, we invite Mr. Bai Hao, Country Director of the United Nations Development Programme Office in China, to read out a congratulatory letter from Secretary General Ban Ki moon.
Bai Hao: Chairman Jia, Respected Chairman Jia, Chairman Zheng Wantong, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, it is a great honor for me to read out the congratulatory message from United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki moon here today.
That's what he said. I would like to congratulate you on the convening of the 5th Multinational Corporation Leaders' Roundtable. Companies have promoted globalization, connected the world more closely, and focused on social responsibility, which is equally important for our future. Faced with the global economic crisis, climate change, and the impact of natural disasters, governments, businesses, and society have come to the same conclusion that sustainable development is crucial because it is related to peace and security, the world market, and the development of the human family.
The leadership of the government can play a crucial role in mobilizing the enormous power of the business community to drive change, but without the knowledge, technology, and innovation provided by enterprises, the development of our planet will be unsustainable. By implementing corporate social responsibility, companies can help reverse this trend. Companies that have already made efforts in this area, including an increasing number of Chinese companies, are realizing that increasing investment to meet people's needs is also beneficial for companies themselves. In China and other parts of the world, the United Nations has been committed to building strong partnerships with the private sector, including through the United Nations Global Compact project. At the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development held in Rio de Janeiro earlier this week, approximately 3000 business leaders from over 100 countries, including China, participated in the United Nations Global Compact's Enterprise Sustainable Development Forum. They proposed about 200 new ideas and commitments, with clear goals and commitments to report on progress annually.
The challenge we face after the Rio G20 summit is to maintain momentum, improve the level of sustainable development of enterprises, and ensure that enterprises around the world not only create economic value, but also create social environment and moral values. These four values can be called the bottom line of the four in one. I welcome the cooperation between the private sector and the United Nations in energy, climate change, water resources, food, health, education, employment, anti-corruption, women's rights, and achieving the Millennium Development Goals. There is still great potential for sustainable development.
All of you here are from top global companies. Through joint efforts, we can build our ideal future. We wish the conference discussions fruitful and complete success. Thank you all.
Host Zheng Wantong: Thank you to Mr. Ban Ki moon for his high recognition and good wishes for this meeting. We also thank Mr. Ban Ki moon for taking this opportunity to articulate important concepts and viewpoints.
Let's warmly applaud today's first keynote speaker, Mr. Gao Hucheng, the International Trade Negotiation Representative and Vice Minister of the Ministry of Commerce of China. Welcome everyone.
Gao Hucheng: Respected Chairman Jia Qinglin, Respected Vice Chairman Du Qinglin, Respected Vice Chairman Zheng Wantong, Ladies and Gentlemen, Friends! I am very pleased to participate in the 5th China Foreign Multinational Corporation Leaders Roundtable. The theme of this meeting is to promote investment by multinational corporations, strengthen corporate social responsibility, and promote sustainable development. It is in line with the characteristics and trends of current global economic development, and helps Chinese and foreign enterprises strengthen communication, deepen consensus, share opportunities, and encounter risks. It has important practical significance for the smooth development of future cross-border investment cooperation, and I would like to take this opportunity to share my own views and opinions on relevant issues with everyone.
As is well known, multinational corporations are the leaders of the contemporary global economy and important partners in China's industrial and corporate sectors. Since the late 1970s when China's reform and opening up policy opened its doors to the world, visionary multinational corporations have successively entered China to invest and prosper, gradually becoming an important driving force for China's economic and social development.
At present, about 490 of the Fortune 500 companies have invested in China, and more than 1600 functional institutions such as research and development centers and regional headquarters have been established by multinational corporations in China. The cooperation between multinational corporations and Chinese enterprises has gradually evolved from initial processing equipment to design and research, extending from the southeast coast to the central and western regions, showing a trend of continuous expansion to a wider range and higher levels. Among various economic entities participating in China's economic development, multinational corporations investing in enterprises are a dynamic and efficient component, making positive contributions to the upgrading of China's foreign trade development industry, economic management system reform, and social progress.
At the same time, foreign invested enterprises represented by multinational corporations have also gained considerable benefits from China's development. Based on preliminary calculations, foreign-invested enterprises achieved sales of over 33 trillion yuan in the Chinese market in 2010, making the Chinese market an important haven and profit source for many multinational corporations during the current international financial crisis. Throughout the development process of over 30 years since its introduction, the cooperation between multinational corporations and the Chinese business community has been fruitful and mutually beneficial.
In recent years, with the development of the situation and the improvement of comprehensive national strength, China has actively implemented the strategy of going global while vigorously introducing foreign investment. Chinese enterprises are increasingly becoming an important force in global investment cooperation, which in turn creates new development opportunities and potential broad prospects for Sino foreign investment cooperation. As of the end of 2011, China's cumulative outward direct investment exceeded 380 billion US dollars, with over 18000 overseas enterprises distributed in 178 countries and regions worldwide, forming nearly 1.6 trillion US dollars in overseas assets. During this process, a group of Chinese enterprises gradually grew into multinational groups with strong cross-border business capabilities, and established extensive business connections with foreign multinational corporations. The investment and strategic cooperation between Chinese and foreign multinational corporations in the world market is on the rise, and it is definitely promising.
Ladies and gentlemen, friends, the current world economic situation is undergoing extremely complex changes. The shadow of the international financial crisis has not faded, and the risk of a double dip in the global economy still exists. There is an urgent need for governments and enterprises of all countries to enhance mutual trust, seize time, and seek common development. The new round of global industrial restructuring and technological revolution triggered by the crisis has provided us with common development opportunities. In this process, whoever is brave and willing to cooperate will win the initiative and development. Here, I would like to offer a few suggestions to friends from multinational corporations. Firstly, we are jointly committed to the process of investment and trade liberalization with the Chinese side. China's economic and social development has achieved the current level of success, largely thanks to the development of foreign investment and trade. It has a deep understanding of the significance of investment and trade liberalization, and also has an important desire to promote this process. The vast number of multinational corporations themselves are the promoters of global economic trade and investment, as well as the disseminators of investment and trade liberalization. They have encountered temporary difficulties in the global economy, Today, with the rise of investment and trade protectionism, we hope that multinational corporations, together with China, can fully leverage their influence in the global economic and political fields, encourage all stakeholders to show courage and foresight, and push global investment and trade cooperation forward with a more open and pragmatic attitude.
The second is to expand and deepen investment cooperation with China on a global scale. Objectively, Chinese enterprises going global will compete with some multinational enterprises in the traditional international market. However, over the years, it has been proven that only developing Chinese industries and Chinese enterprises can fundamentally become more efficient and potential partners for everyone. At present, the cooperation needs of Chinese going global enterprises in capital operations, market information, marketing channels, and other aspects have provided a large number of business opportunities for multinational corporations. Tripartite cooperation, including the host country, has good prospects. We hope to actively seize the opportunity of cooperation and jointly create a new situation for global investment cooperation.
The third is to support the transformation of China's development mode. Currently, China's economic and social development has entered a new historical stage and is facing the major task of comprehensively transforming its economic development mode, adjusting industrial structure, and coordinating regional development. Its overall development direction is highly aligned with the rise of global strategic industries, the growth of green and low-carbon economy, and the breeding of the third industrial revolution, providing huge space for future investment cooperation.
The vast number of multinational enterprises have advantages in the aforementioned fields and hope to leverage them to further enrich mutual benefit and win-win cooperation with China.
The fourth is to further enrich and expand cooperation methods. Contemporary multinational corporations have not only established a large number of enterprises globally, but also created various forms of investment such as mergers and acquisitions, equity investments, etc. They continuously have advantages in specific production and research and development businesses. They also have expertise in macro fields such as strategic research, standard setting, and resource integration. The more Chinese industry develops, the wider the demand for cooperation among multinational corporations. We hope that friends of multinational corporations can fully explore the opportunities