In addition to the opening speeches, the So Swiss! in Changzhou event consisted of three panels.
The event provided an excellent platform to showcase Switzerland's achievements and its positioning in the field of investment, business, diversity, and innovation.
The Consulate General of Switzerland in Shanghai hosted the fourth edition of So Swiss! in Changzhou, Jiangsu province on 11th July 2024 in cooperation with the Foreign Affairs Office of Changzhou Municipal People’s Government. Previously, the Consulate had already successfully organized three So Swiss events in Shanghai, Suzhou and Hefei.
The event in Changzhou showcased Switzerland's strong and versatile credentials as a reliable partner by focusing on three important topics in Sino-Swiss relations in today's rapidly evolving world - investment opportunities in Switzerland, Sino-Swiss Free Trade Agreement and female business leadership. Experts actively engaged with like-minded professionals and participants to discuss matters of shared interest.
Jürg BURRI, Ambassador of Switzerland to China and SHENG Lei, Mayor of Changzhou People’s Municipal Government jointly welcomed the participants at the voco Changzhou Fudu and opened the So Swiss! in Changzhou event.
The Ambassador mentioned in his opening speech that China is Switzerland’s most important trading partner in Asia. Meanwhile, Changzhou hosts a very impressive cluster of Swiss companies. “So Swiss” in Changzhou” aims to strengthen Sino-Swiss cooperation in different fields and highlight Swiss key success factors such as innovation.
Panel 1: Go Global in Switzerland - How Switzerland can make you successful globally:
Switzerland is the world's most innovative country for the 13th consecutive year. It offers stable political, economic and financial framework conditions combined with the highest standard of life. Swiss Business Hub helps innovative companies from all over the world to establish their business in Switzerland, on behalf of the Swiss Confederation and the cantons.
Mr. Kuno Gschwend, Chief Investment Officer and Deputy Head of Swiss Business Hub China moderated a very insightful panel discussion. In this first session, panelists introduced the framework of the investment environment in Switzerland, sharing insights into the industry strength, legal structure, talent pools and the labour market in Switzerland. As one of the focus ecosystems for the China market, Future of Automation’s opportunities and challenges were also highlighted based on panellists’ own experience.
The panel consisted of the following participants:
- Joe LIU, Managing Director, FRAISA (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.
- CHEN Cheng, Head of China Desk, Kellerhals Carrard
- Frances YAO, General Manager, Brainforce (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.
Panel 2: Challenges and opportunities of utilizing the Sino-Swiss Free Trade Agreement
The year 2024 marks the 10th anniversary of the entry into force of the Sino-Swiss Free Trade Agreement (FTA), the first of its kind between China and a major Western economy. During the recent visit of Swiss Federal Councillor and Minister of Economy, Education and Research, Mr. Guy Parmelin to China, he had a meeting with Chinese Minister of Commerce, Mr. WANG Wentao. The two sides signed a Memorandum of Understanding and agreed to officially start negotiations for the upgrade of the Sino-Swiss FTA as soon as possible.
Mr. Zhen XIAO, CEO of Swiss Centers moderated the panel. With extensive hands-on experience, the panelists discussed the positive impact of the Sino-Swiss FTA on trade and investment over the past ten years. When talking about the upgrading of the FTA, they shared views on the areas that the upgrading may cover and the improvements that can benefit the two countries and their enterprises.
The panel consisted of experts from academia, local authorities and Swiss companies:
- Prof. Patrick ZILTENER, Member Board of Governors at the University St. Gallen
- LIU Jing, Chief of Customs Tariff Section, Changzhou Customs under Nanjing Customs
- Stanley CHEN, Head of Supply Chain, Sika (China) Ltd.
- TANG Liang, Head of China PO, METTLER TOLEDO
Panel 3: Leveraging Innovation through Female Business Leadership
This session explored the empowerment of women's leadership for innovation. The panelists discussed how female leaders can leverage their values to positively impact the innovation and the development of their companies.
Moderated by Sophia Slingerland, member of Swiss Cham’s Board of Directors, founder and CEO of Ateliers Phi and founder of SHINE® Ecological Technology, the discussion included the following four female leaders in Swiss and Chinese companies:
- CUI Hong, General Manager, Ypsomed Medical Devices (Beijing) Co.,Ltd.
- Connie HE, President, Bühler Greater China
- Natasha CHI, Managing Director and Vice President, Medela
- Maggie CHEN, Founder & CEO, Jiangsu Reliance Energy Tech. Co., Ltd.
The So Swiss! in Changzhou event was a great success for all involved. The city has one of the most successful Sino-Swiss innovation parks in China - a place where Swiss innovations in advanced manufacturing are showcased. The event provided numerous networking opportunities, allowing companies and stakeholders to foster cooperation and explore new business opportunities.
