On the evening of September 7, 2022 (GMT+8), the opening ceremonies for Seminar on Optimizing Investment and Business Environment for Developing Countries and Seminar on Youth Entrepreneurship for Belt and Road Countries hosted by Ministry of Commerce and organized by MOFCOM Training Base for International Business Officials (Shanghai) were held online. Chen Qingfen from Foreign Economic Cooperation Department of Shanghai Municipal Commission of Commerce, Chen Wei, executive vice dean of International Education College of Shanghai Business School, Xiao Benhua, researcher of Shanghai Lixin University of Accounting and Finance, and Chen Guozheng, associate researcher of Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, attended the opening ceremonies and delivered speeches.
Chen Qingfen expressed her sincere hope that the two seminars will not only provide opportunities for mutual learning and exchange, but also build bridges of friendship to work together to strengthen multi-disciplinary exchanges and deepen practical cooperation between China and the B&R countries and other developing countries, promote common development in the fields of investment, trade and youth entrepreneurship, and help the friendly relations to reach a new level.
Chen Wei said that in recent years, China and developing countries have frequent and extensive exchanges in various fields, and the level of economic and trade exchanges and cooperation has increased significantly. The B&R initiative has injected new and strong impetus into the cooperation and elevated the mutually beneficial cooperation among countries. He hoped that all the participants will use the seminar as a platform to share the advanced experience accumulated in the field of optimizing investment and business environment and youth entrepreneurship, discuss the bottlenecks and problems encountered in these fields, and jointly cope with the new environment and challenges.
Xiao Benhua, the expert representative of the Seminar on Optimizing Investment and Business Environment for Developing Countries, said that investment and business environment are important soft powers for economic development and are very important for promoting national and regional economic and social development. He hoped that everyone will apply the knowledge learned in the seminar to their home countries and promote national economic development. Chen Guozheng, the expert representative of Seminar on Youth Entrepreneurship for Belt and Road Countries, said that during the seminar, the experts will discuss issues related to youth entrepreneurship with foreign friends. He hoped to have more exchanges and interactions in the next study, so that the training can play a better role and let this valuable asset of youth entrepreneurship bear fruit among the vast number of developing countries and promote economic prosperity.
As a participant representative of the Seminar on Optimizing Investment and Business Environment for Developing Countries, Mr. Savier Umut, Chief Investment Officer from Nigeria Investment Promotion Commission, said that he will study the course content and topics carefully, follow the rules and regulations of SBS, maintain humility in communication and interaction, and strictly abide by the management of SBS. As the representatives of the Seminar on Youth Entrepreneurship for Belt and Road Countries, Mr. Samuel Mina from Kenya Africa Star Railway Operation Company and Mr. Samuel Murisha from Mzube University in Tanzania expressed their gratitude to the organizer and expressed the hope to learn more about entrepreneurship and apply it in future careers.
The two seminars will last 21 days and a total of 23 officials from 9 countries including Oman, Gambia, Lesotho, Malawi, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela and Uzbekistan will participate in the Seminar on Optimizing Investment and Business Environment for Developing Countries. As for the Seminar on Youth Entrepreneurship for Belt and Road Countries, 31 officials from 10 countries including Bangladesh, Cambodia, Ethiopia, Gambia, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania and Sierra Leone will participate in.
Written by: Ma Yizhou
Photos by: Ni Haoran
Reviewed by: Chen Wei
