A scene of the meeting
Prof. Tao Yitao heads a delegation of alumni young entrepreneurs from Shenzhen University (SZU) to Cambodia for a string of “Shenzhen x Lancang-Mekong Initiative” events as the vice president of Shenzhen Foundation for International Exchange and Cooperation (SFIEC) from March 19 to 22, 2019. Prof. Tao is the director of the China Center for Special Economic Zone Research (CCSEZR) of SZU, dean of the “Belt and Road” Research Institute of SZU, and also dean of the Belt and Road Research Institute (Shenzhen) for International Cooperation (BRRIIC). As a part of the second session of the “Lancang-Mekong Week”, this event is themed after “Youth” and “Productivity” jointly proposed by the leaders of China and Cambodia.
On the morning of March 20, Prof. Tao and Mr. Huang Shun, Chairman of the Alumni Association of SZU, led a delegation of 20 alumni young entrepreneurs from SZU to visit the Sihanoukville Special Economic Zone (SSEZ) in Cambodia, and Cambodia Sihanoukville Special Economic Zone Co., Ltd., invested by Hongdou Group (Jiangsu) founded by an SZU alumnus.
Director and dean Tao Yitao (left), and president Chen Jiangang (right)
Located in Sihanoukville province, 3 km away from the Sihanoukville airport and 12 km from the Sihanoukville port, SSEZ is a landmark project along the Belt and Road route. With an aim of building an integrated investment and trade platform for enterprises to achieve the goal of “investing in ASEAN for global reach”, SSEZ has to date introduced 153 enterprises and created more than 22,000 jobs.
On behalf of Zhou Haijiang (an SZU alumnus), Chairman and CEO of Hongdou Group, Chen Jiangang and Cao Jianjiang, President and General Manager of Cambodia Sihanoukville Special Economic Zone Co., Ltd. extended their warmest welcome to the delegation, and introduced in detail the development history of the SSEZ and the company’s entrepreneurial journey since 2007 - from investment and construction of the industrial park, through introduction of emerging industries to deep integration with the local economy. In Phase I, the industrial park has attracted investors of textile and clothing, luggage and bags, leather goods and wooden products. In Phase II, it will give full play to the geographical advantage of proximity to port and focus on introducing industries such as hardware, machinery, equipment, building materials, home furnishing and fine chemicals.
President Chen Jiangang gives detailed introduction to director Tao's delegation
Prof. Tao Yitao expressed her heartfelt thanks to President Chen and General Manager Cao for their introduction, and extended her most sincere greetings to Zhou Haijiang. She spoke highly of the development and the achievements of SSEZ, and regarded the success of SSEZ as a model of China’s Going Global policy. It not only showcases the friendship between China and Cambodia, but also reflects the patriotism and a sense of mission of SZU alumni to serve their home country. The alumni also marveled at the rapid development of SSEZ, and felt a glow of pride for an SZU alumni enterprise developing into a demonstration project of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
Group photo of director Tao's delegation
At the end of the meeting, the delegation had explored cooperation opportunities between two sides, hoping to write a new chapter of business exchanges between the SZU alumni enterprises in Sihanoukville, a city known as the “smaller version of Shenzhen” in Cambodia.
