- What?
“China at Barcelona Summit” is a first in its kind initiative around Chinese Outbound Foreign Direct Investments (OFDI) in Southern Europe and the Mediterranean. It is a special “investment bridge”: a series of activities designed to give Chinese potential investing companies and China OFDI stakeholders (government, institutions, specialized media) the opportunity to know this key market and discover why Barcelona is the best option to locate investments in the area.
- Who?
Chinese Potential Investing Firms & China OFDI Stakeholders
Chinese firms or investors with intention of expanding in Europe and with special interest in Southern Europe and the Mediterranean Region.
The Investment Promotion Agencies of four Chinese provinces will attend the Summit, each of
them leading a group of companies with potential investment projects in Europe
Chinese Global Firms already in the region
The Summit invites as well the most representative Chinese firms already present in the region to participate in the conference and share their experiences.
Local community
State, regional and local administration and investment promotion agencies will support the potential investing firms. Selected local businesses will be present as industry contacts, key suppliers or potential partners.
- Why?
To help Chinese firms with expansion plans (to Europe in general, to Southern Europe and the Mediterranean Region specifically) with a tool to understand this market and to know a potential location to operate in it. To give Chinese visitors the chance to meet all their needs around a potential expansion in the area in just a few days: a well structured, practical program will allow visitors to get key insights, get to know the city, meet local businesses, interact with local administration. To become a new source of information, analysis and knowledge generation around China Outbound Foreign Direct Investment (OFDI) in Europe and specifically in Southern Europe and the Mediterranean Region.
- When?
The first edition was held in October 2011. The date of the second edition will be announced soon
- China at Barcelona Summit Program (.pdf - 230.55 kB)
- Why Barcelona?
8 reasons explain why Barcelona is a perfect landing platform for Chinese investments in Europe
Access to a vast number of potential consumers: Access to 1,2 billion consumers in Europe, North Africa, Middle East and Latin America
A privileged geographical advantage: Barcelona is less than 5 hours flight to London, Paris and Berlin, Istambul, Casablanca…
Extensive infrastructure network: Martime Commerce from Asia via the Port of Barcelona represents 3 days savings vs. North European Ports
Powerful & Diversified Economy: 300 years of industrial tradition,. 40% of active population working in knowledge-intensive services (media, ICT, biotech, clean energies, transportation and logistics,…)
High Qualified Workforce: Around 250,000 university students, 10% of them international, 2 Barcelona Business School are in the World Top 10
Attractive Business Environment: 6% Tax Burden lower than average EU nations, Labor costs approximately 30% lower than in the rest of EU 15
A success story in FDI attraction: Barcelona occupies the 5th position in the ranking of the top 33 European cities in which to set up a business
Excellent Quality of Life: 580 km's of beaches, 53 Golf Courses, 17°C average temperature, 12.57hours average of daylight