On September 22, the closed-door meeting between companies and the Chinese and Extremaduran governments was held in the Ruyi Hall of the Wanda Vista Hotel in Beijing. The event, focused on regional development, industrial cooperation and business ties, aimed to build an effective and pragmatic communication bridge between Chinese companies and Spanish authorities, and promote long-term economic and trade cooperation and direct contact between projects. It was the final stage of the Chinese delegation led by Guillermo Santamaría Galdón, advisor for Economy, Employment and Digital Transformation of the Extremadura Council. The meeting took the format of «enterprise-government dialogue · by invitation only» and brought together representatives from the Spanish Embassy in China, the China International Chamber of Commerce (CCIC) and the Chinese and Spanish business communities.
High-level dialogue: building bridges between companies and governments of China and Spain
In the opening chapter, Nicolás Cimarra Etchenique, Second Secretary of the Embassy of Spain in China, pointed out that bilateral relations are maintaining a good pace of development, with a strategic partnership that is constantly deepening and a political trust and economic cooperation base that is becoming increasingly solid. He expressed his vision of a broader future in terms of local cooperation, industrial connectivity and business investment, and considered that Extremadura has the potential to become a gateway for Chinese companies to the European, Latin American and North African markets.
Xu Liang, Deputy Secretary-General of the China International Chamber of Commerce, emphasized that the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) and the CCOIC, as key bridges and links for China's foreign economic and trade cooperation, have been working for years to promote exchanges between Chinese and foreign business circles and bilateral and multilateral economic and trade relations. He highlighted that the CCPIT is the largest public institution for promoting trade and investment in China, with an organizational network covering the entire country and extensive mechanisms for international cooperation, while the CCOIC brings together numerous multinational companies and leading representatives and competitive companies, and plays an important role in civil economic diplomacy, supporting the internationalization of Chinese enterprises, deepening international cooperation in productive capacity and participating in global economic governance. He expressed his desire to use this meeting to boost practical contact between Chinese and Spanish companies and expand the scope of cooperation. María Guardiola, President of the Junta de Extremadura, intervened via a video message in which she expressed the great importance she attaches to cooperation between China and Spain.
Systematic presentation: showing the region's investment appeal
Minister Santamaría reviewed the friendly relations between China and Spain and systematically presented the region’s attractive investment opportunities. As for its location, Extremadura is located in the southwest of Spain, in a strategic position that connects Europe, Latin America and North Africa, and constitutes Europe’s Atlantic gateway.
In terms of resources and energy, the region boasts leading solar irradiation conditions in Europe, produces about a quarter of Spain’s photovoltaic energy, has nearly a quarter of the country’s reservoir capacity, and offers favorable public and industrial land conditions and logistics, with competitive PPAs on a European scale. In the field of talent and research, local universities and research centers support sectors such as batteries, green hydrogen, biomedicine, and agrotechnology. The region has identified five key sectors for attracting investment: the value chain of connected electric vehicles, renewable energy, agro-food, tourism, and technology. In addition, it relies on the Atlantic Corridors to connect with various European countries, with logistics nodes and convenient access to ports and airports.
On the policy level, the region offers, through instruments such as regional incentives, R&D subsidies, employment and training, support for internationalization and non-refundable aid, funding percentages of up to 40%-60% for companies of different sizes, in addition to priority support in terms of approvals, land and access to the energy grid. Currently, several Chinese projects have been established in the region, creating an industrial ecosystem that connects battery materials, industrial gases and battery manufacturing.
«Extremadura wants to be an important platform for Chinese companies to enter Europe and connect with the Latin American market, offering a stable, secure, and competitive investment environment.»
—— Guillermo Santamaría Galdón, Minister of Economy, Employment and Digital Transformation of the Junta de Extremadura
Questions and direct contact: practical cooperation is materialized
After the presentation, a question-and-answer session was held in which Councillor Santamaría answered one by one the questions raised by the business representatives regarding investment policies and industrial cooperation. Subsequently, Wang Yina, General Manager of the Antenachina office in China, thanked the regional government for its support of the office’s work and expressed her willingness to continue promoting practical contact between Chinese and Spanish companies. Miguel Ángel Mendiano Calle, General Director of Extremadura Avante, delivered a greeting and welcoming remarks. At the end of the meeting, the guests proceeded to a cocktail to maintain a direct exchange and a free contact between companies and authorities.
This closed-door meeting between companies and the Government was the final stage of the Extremadura delegation’s China tour. From the interventions of the Embassy and the Chamber of Commerce to the systematic presentation by the counselor and the subsequent Q&A session and cocktail, the event offered Chinese companies an effective and pragmatic communication platform to learn about Extremadura’s investment environment and connect with the Spanish official resources. Extremadura’s position as a gateway to the EU, its potential in green energy and its investment incentives, along with the industrial capacity and the willingness of Chinese companies to internationalize, constitute a channel of mutually beneficial collaboration. In the next steps, both parties will leverage the results of this meeting to continue promoting direct contact between Chinese and Spanish companies and consolidate cooperation.
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