Shanghai welcomes global partners in promoting foreign investment

Shanghai is embracing influential enterprises, institutions and organizations in varied categories to be global partners in promoting foreign investment in the city.

Utilizing their own advantages and industry resources, the global partners will recommend foreign-invested projects that meet the industrial development direction of the city, and assist in the implementation of these projects.

All of the partners have a wide range of platforms, businesses, investments, customer resources, and information channels and aspire to be “bridges” for foreign-invested projects.

Their partnership with Shanghai will be steadily established to attract business and investment, and to introduce and facilitate the landing of foreign-invested projects.

FGS Global, a top-notch strategic communications and advocacy firm, welcomes all the initiatives that will further enhance the business environment for international companies in Shanghai.

The firm works with a growing number of Fortune 500 companies, both Chinese and international, serving them in China and globally.

FGS Global Partner and Head of Shanghai, Claudia Kosser, said Shanghai is a global financial and business hub that attracts not only many of the world’s largest companies to set up their China or APAC headquarters, but also talent and innovative companies from across China.

“This partnership scheme will encourage and support global partners to facilitate investment promotion activities and the organization of summits and forums in the city,” Kosser said. “Global partners will also be invited to join roundtables and the International Business Leaders’ Advisory Council for the Mayor of Shanghai. These are all areas we can contribute to.”

In the past few years, the firm has supported clients to make their debuts and subsequent shows at the China International Import Expo. This year, the plans for CIIE are already on the table, and FGS has also been busy supporting clients at the Lujiazui Forum, Bund Summit, and other high-level events in Shanghai.

In Kosser’s opinion, global partners can serve as objective and trusted advisors to the global business community about actual business conditions and opportunities in Shanghai. Such a mechanism is also thought to be critical for the success of global partnerships, with a regular system of engagement sessions with global partners to ensure the information and opinions of both sides are shared in a timely manner.

“China, with Shanghai as its commercial and consumption center, is and will remain one of the biggest and most attractive markets in the world for everyone from consumer brands to industrial giants,” Kosser said. “Partners can help global companies to unlock the vast potential that China, and Shanghai, offer to them over the long term.”

Global real estate services provider JLL, meanwhile, has been deeply involved in Shanghai’s urban construction and development, providing intelligent support for the city’s development since 1994 when the US-headquartered property consultancy opened its first Chinese mainland office in the city.

Over the past three decades, the firm has helped hundreds of Fortune 500 and multinational enterprises to complete their investment and settlement in Shanghai, and contributed to the development, investment introduction, and the operation and management of many landmark projects in the city.

According to Bessie Lee, chief executive officer of JLL China, the company clearly felt the significant improvement and enhancement of the domestic business environment in recent years. China remains one of the most attractive destinations for foreign investment in the world.

“Taking our company and the many multinational companies we serve as examples, the annual business growth of the Chinese market ranks among the top in the global market,” Lee said. “The rapid growth of many different industries benefits from the continuous optimization of China’s business environment.”

She recognized the city government’s remarkable efforts in foreign investment promotion, such as attracting international industry associations and economic organizations, hosting high-level international conferences, and issuing favorable policies for the success of various industries.

With a global presence spanning over 80 countries and regions, JLL can help to introduce more leading and influential enterprises, provide services for promotional events hosted by both the municipal and district governments, and convey Shanghai’s international development concept and industrial policies to market players in a timely manner.

The company can not only offer advisory support from a strategic perspective, but also assist foreign enterprises in finding ideal office locations and comprehensive solutions for high-quality development in the city.

SHUI ON WORKX (SOWX), the office business management label of Shui On Land that manages a portfolio of office assets under brands including Corporate Avenue (CA) and INNO, also welcomes the city’s latest “global partners” initiative to promote foreign investment.

As a value-creating holistic work solution provider, it strives to create an excellent work scene that is both functional and aesthetic for enterprises and brings effective and stimulative working experiences to all its clients.

Betty Wang, deputy director of commercial management and office business, Shui On Xintiandi, applauded the partnership scheme, adding that the company would assist in attracting high-quality foreign investment to Shanghai.

“It is a positive signal that reflects the sincerity of the Shanghai government toward the implementation of foreign-invested projects, which is in line with our group’s development strategy,” Wang said

“Shanghai is the largest market in China that many foreign companies attach great importance to and are willing to come. We’re dedicated to working with the local government to continuously improve the city’s business environment.”

Currently managing a total office footprint of 1.92 million square meters across China, SOWX provides spaces and services for over 1,100 domestic and foreign enterprises at various projects in Shanghai alone.

“With our own advantages and industry resources, as well as a wide range of platforms, businesses, investments, clients, and information, we have the ability to forge a partnership with the city to attract foreign investment and recommend good foreign-invested projects,” Wang said.

“Shui On is kind of like a bridge, connecting various foreign companies with Shanghai with its high-quality office projects and services.”