Independent think-tank Horasis held its ninth Global China Business Meeting earlier this month, with TMF Group showing its support as a knowledge partner of the event.
Taking place in The Hague, the Netherlands, the meeting drew 350 entrepreneurs and government officials together – including TMF Group’s Global Director of Business Development Jochum Haakma.
Providing the ideal platform for discussion, the flagship event is the foremost annual business meeting on China, attracting the CEOs of world-leading companies. This year saw the biggest Chinese CEO delegation ever received in the Netherlands.
Top government officials were also in attendance. Numbered amongst them were Dutch Minister Ploumen (Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation), Dutch Minister Blok (Housing and Civil Service), State-Secretary Mr. Weekers (Finance), the Chinese Ambassador H.E. Mr. Chen Xu and former Prime Minister of The Netherlands Mr. Balkenende.
In his capacity as Chairman of the Board of the Netherlands Council for Trade Promotion (NCH) and Chairman of the China Council of the NCH, Mr. Haakma co-hosted the event – personally receiving all the guests and taking a front seat in proceedings.
A series of boardroom sessions were held at the event, with Haakma chairing “Investing in the Netherlands” and Sharp chairing “Investing in China – Leveraging on the World’s Growth Engine”.
Haakma noted during the conference that until 2020, China will invest another US$2 trillion in the world economy outside China. At least US$500 billion will be invested in Europe. Compliance can become a big issue and TMF Group's expertise can support investors in all countries where we are at the moment.
The key points drawn from the meeting were:
- China’s economic growth is still robust but it is slowing. Yet as plans unfold for another wave of urbanisation and the economy transitions toward greater consumption there will be many opportunities
- China will take innovation as the main theme and focus on transforming the economic development pattern at a faster pace. Social stability and qualitative economic growth are key
- China and the world need to deepen policy exchanges to share expertise, to learn from one another, and to build cooperative solutions at the global level.
You can download the full report here.