More than 8,000 European companies settle in E. China's Jiangsu Province

Photo: The Nanjing Chapter of the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China holds an exchange meeting to celebrate the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the EU in Nanjing, capital of east China's Jiangsu Province, Oct. 14. 

BEIJING, Oct. 16 (Xinhua) -- The number of European companies settling in east China's Jiangsu Province has reached 8,398, and the amount of the foreign investment in actual use was 32.8 billion U.S. dollars, according to the local newspaper on Thursday. 

"The European Union (EU) has become Jiangsu's largest trading partner, second largest source of foreign investment, and third largest investment destination," said Sun Jin, deputy director of the Department of Commerce of Jiangsu Province. 

"In recent years, Jiangsu Province has further quickened the pace of opening up to the outside world, and has continued to strengthen its ties with global economies. The cooperation with the EU has always been the top priority of the province in its international cooperation," said Yang Jing, an official of Jiangsu provincial government. 

The officials made the remarks at an entrepreneurs exchange conference recently held by the Nanjing Chapter of the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China to celebrate the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the EU. 

Nicolas Chapuis, EU ambassador to China, said in an online speech that China is actively promoting green environmental protection and digital revolution, which is consistent with the EU's development strategy. 

He believed that the European enterprises can work together with China to determine future standards in the fields of agriculture, industry, and service industries.

At present, Jiangsu is quickening the pace of opening up, advancing the construction of the free trade zone with high standards, and copying and promoting the innovations achieved in the free trade zone throughout the province in batches, benefiting the development of the European companies in the province, according to Sun. (Edited by Hu Pingchao with Xinhua Silk Road, hupingchao@xinhua.org)