I amsterdam - Trading relations strengthened between Amsterdam and China

City of Amsterdam Press Release

The delegation consists of representatives of government and the business world in the region. In addition to mayor Cohen, the region’s local government will be represented by deputy mayor Lodewijk Asscher, as well as mayor of Almere Annemarie Jorritsma, deputy mayor of Haarlemmermeer Arthur van Dijk and deputy mayor of Amstelveen Jan Willem Groot. The Chamber of Commerce, Amsterdam Partners and representatives of banks, financial consultancies and legal firms will also take part.

The trip has been made possible by the Amsterdam Harbour and the department of Economic Affairs of the Amsterdam council, as well as the council of Amstelveen.

The delegation will visit Beijing , Tianjin,  Qingdao and Shenzhen. Wide-ranging seminars have been organised in Beijing and Qingdao, at which members of the business world will give detailed presentations on the opportunities of the Amsterdam region as an access point to Europe for Chinese companies that want to export products on their own account. The delegation will also visit a number of Chinese companies, including Lenovo, Haier and Huawei. Mayor Cohen will meet Mayor Wang Qishan in Beijing. Mayor Wang Qishan visited Amsterdam in March this year.

A delegation from Amsterdam visited China in 2006, as a result of which the region’s contacts with China were markedly improved. The link with sister-city Beijing was also strengthened and an office representing the Amsterdam harbour and the department of Economic Affairs was also opened. Amsterdam has also appointed a special China co-ordinator.

A number of key points are included in the Amsterdam region’s China policy: to attract companies and goods from the country; to attract tourists and students; to strengthen two-way trade between the Amsterdam region and China; and to encourage cultural and sporting links.

The emphasis of the second trip to China is to establish economic relations, partly as a result of the successful Amsterdam Forum For China held this September in Amsterdam.

For more information:

Mirjam Otten, City of Amsterdam, +31 (0) 20 552 2045