Successful Promotion of the Third China International Supply Chain Expo Held in Belgium

On April 24, the promotional event for the Third China International Supply Chain Expo (CISCE) was successfully held in Brussels. The event was jointly hosted by the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT), the Belgium-China Economic and Commercial Council, and the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC).

Distinguished guests including Xie Yajing, Counselor at the Chinese Embassy in Belgium; Bernard Dewit, Chairman of the Belgium-China Economic and Commercial Council; and He Biqing, General Manager of ICBC Brussels Branch, attended and delivered speeches. More than 100 representatives from government, business associations, and enterprises from both China and Belgium participated in the event.

Counselor Xie Yajing pointed out that the current international landscape is increasingly complex, with rising unilateralism and protectionism. The United States' frequent imposition of tariffs and policy shifts have severely disrupted global trade order and the stability of industrial and supply chains. She emphasized that cooperation in industrial and supply chains is not a zero-sum game of "who depends on whom," nor is it about decoupling, but rather a mutually beneficial and two-way choice. Maintaining the resilience and stability of global industrial and supply chains is a key driver for world economic growth and aligns with the shared interests of all countries. China attaches great importance to safeguarding the stability and smooth operation of global industrial and supply chains. President Xi Jinping has repeatedly stressed China's commitment to advancing international cooperation in this area through concrete actions.

Facing an increasingly uncertain external environment, China remains committed to openness and collaboration in global division of labor, advocating for "handshakes" rather than "fist fights," and working towards building a mutually beneficial, stable, and resilient global supply chain system. The CISCE is a constructive initiative by China to provide a platform for global enterprises to exchange ideas, seek cooperation, and pursue common development, showcasing China's practical efforts to deepen international supply chain cooperation. Belgian companies are encouraged to fully leverage the CISCE platform to expand China-Belgium and China-Europe trade and logistics channels, and jointly safeguard the security and resilience of global supply chains.

Bernard Dewit shared that he had just returned from a visit to China the previous week, where he personally experienced the vitality of the Chinese market and the strong willingness of businesses to cooperate, despite concerns over trade frictions and barriers in international discourse. He noted that CISCE offers a highly valuable platform for Belgian and European enterprises, helping them to better access the Chinese market by leveraging China's mature exhibition system and strong industrial base. In the current complex global trade environment, he stressed the importance of seizing opportunities for joint China-Europe project cooperation. The Belgium-China Economic and Commercial Council will continue to act as a bridge to facilitate mutually beneficial cooperation between enterprises from both sides.

He Biqing emphasized that CISCE plays a crucial role in promoting global supply chain openness, collaboration, and high-quality development. As a leading global financial institution, ICBC will continue to leverage its strengths in financing, green finance, and digital services to help businesses seize opportunities in key sectors such as new energy and digital technologies, and to further elevate China-Europe economic and trade cooperation. The Brussels branch will also continue to support European companies in entering the Chinese market and participating in the Expo.

Zhao Feng, Deputy Representative of CCPIT's Representative Office to the EU (Belgium), and Liu Guojin, East Asia Manager of the Port of Antwerp-Bruges, introduced the structure of CISCE and shared exhibitor experiences. Li Yuan, Associate Researcher at the International Investment Research Department of the CCPIT Academy, joined online to present an overview of the latest trends in China's supply chain development.

Liu Guojin remarked that CISCE is a professional and well-organized platform that places greater emphasis on fostering human connections and economic linkages. Belgian supply chain-related companies can use CISCE to better position themselves within the industrial chain and find potential partners to expand into the Chinese market. In the face of ongoing trade wars and tariff disputes, Liu stressed that as Europe's second-largest port, the Port of Antwerp-Bruges strongly advocates for free and fair trade.

The Third China International Supply Chain Expo will be held in Beijing from July 16 to 20, 2025. It will focus on six key industry chains: advanced manufacturing, smart vehicles, green agriculture, clean energy, digital technology, and healthy living, highlighting full-chain integration, internationalization, and sustainability. Since its inception in 2023, CISCE has successfully held two editions, establishing an efficient platform for global enterprises to connect, innovate, and collaborate.

The promotional event in Brussels saw lively exchanges, with participants affirming that China and Europe's supply chains have become deeply intertwined. Particularly as Belgium serves as a logistics hub in Europe with natural geographic and industrial advantages, CISCE provides European companies with an efficient, professional, and reliable platform for cooperation. It is also expected to inject greater certainty and new momentum into the stability and restructuring of global supply chains.