Foreign Companies Embrace More Opening-up Opportunities in Pudong

21世纪经济报道记者吴斌 上海报道

The parallel session of the 7th Hongqiao International Economic Forum (HQF)—Pudong and the World: High-Standard Institutional Opening-up For New Development Opportunities was held at the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai) on November 6, 2024. The session was hosted by Shanghai Municipal People's Government and Ministry of Commerce of the People's Republic of China, and organized by Pudong New Area People's Government.

The panel discussion invited business representatives to exchange insights on the theme of the session, including Vivian Bian, CEO of Roche Pharma China; Marc Horn, EVP of Merck KGaA and President of Merck China; Maximilian Foerst, President and CEO of ZEISS Greater China; Jasmine Xu, Chairman of the Board and CEO of P&G Greater China; and Bai Binyi, Executive Vice President of Business Group Electronics China at FORVIA HELLA and Member of the Executive Board of Electronics of HELLA GmbH & Co. KGaA.

Pudong is actively promoting systemic opening-up to facilitate higher-level international cooperation and outward-oriented development, aiming to create a more open, transparent, and fair business environment to attract global investment and promote high-quality economic growth. There is a win-win situation for Pudong and enterprises.

2024 marks the 30th anniversary of Roche Pharmaceuticals in China. Vivian Bian said the connection between Roche and Pudong is akin to what the leader of the new district often mention: "Roche and Pudong share stories about 'a road' and 'a building.' Roche has witnessed and participated in the development and construction of Pudong, embodying an inseparable bond with Pudong 'as one city'." Roche has been rooted in Pudong for 30 years. As the first multinational company to settle in Zhangjiang, it witnessed the birth of Longdong Avenue ("a road") on farmland. With the establishment and continuous upgrading of a full industry chain layout covering early research and development, clinical research, production, marketing, and open collaboration, 'buildings' have sprung up in this fertile land. Roche is not only a witness, beneficiary, and contributor to Pudong's development, but also a microcosm of Pudong's high-quality development.

The openness and inclusiveness of Pudong, along with the continuously optimized business and regulatory environment, have laid a solid foundation for the thriving development of the biopharmaceutical industry and provided a robust guarantee for Roche's full industry chain layout in Pudong. While constantly improving the full industry chain layout, Roche has witnessed and experienced the development process of "China's first free trade zone, Zhangjiang Science City, Pudong Leading Area, Pudong Comprehensive Reform Pilot, and the entire chain innovation development of the biopharmaceutical industry." Pudong is becoming a leader in industrial clusters and a source of technological innovation, with an initial formation of "a world-class biopharmaceutical industry cluster oriented towards innovation." "All of these give us great confidence in this fertile land and reinforce our long-term commitment and continued investment in China," Vivian Bian emphasized.

Merck is a global leading technology company, founded in 1668 and headquartered in Darmstadt, Germany. Its business spans three major areas: healthcare, electronics, and life science. With over 60,000 employees in 66 countries, China is a significant strategic market for Merck and marks the beginning of its true internationalization. In the 1930s, Merck established its first overseas branch in Shanghai, initiating its globalization journey. Today, China has become a global innovation center for Merck.

Merck has established various R&D and operational entities in Pudong, including the Electronics Technology China Center, Biological Safety Testing China Center, the Innovation Center, the Warehousing and Logistics Center, and the China Regional Headquarters, with approximately 1,700 employees in Shanghai. Merck is recognized by the Shanghai municipal government as a "Regional Headquarters of Multinational Corporations."

Marc Horn said that Merck places great importance on the innovation development strategy related to Chinese industries, particularly in the biopharmaceutical sector, and actively engages in multi-level and comprehensive collaborations with Chinese universities, research institutions, and R&D manufacturing enterprises.  

ZEISS is a global leader in optics and optoelectronics and exemplifies institutional openness and local innovation in the development of Pudong. In 2012, ZEISS established its first enterprise-level innovation and R&D center outside Germany in Shanghai. This center accelerates our product innovation through local R&D, catering both the Chinese and global markets. "We have also set up ZEISS Digital Partners in China, focusing on developing digital solutions in collaboration with various business segments, "Maximilian Foerst said.

Procter & Gamble is a well-known global fast-moving consumer goods company, with a profound influence in China and the global market. Jasmine Xu believes China's consumer goods market is one of the most prosperous markets in the world, and Chinese consumers are among the most innovation-driven consumer groups globally. In this dynamic and competitive consumer goods market, where many are vying for success, P&G aims not only to "run fast" but also to "move steadily." Therefore, what P&G pursues is not just the quantity of innovation, but more importantly, the quality of innovation.

P&G believes that the quality of innovation lies in prioritizing consumer service as its core mission, utilizing digital and intelligent technologies as "catalysts." The goal is to bring high-quality innovative products to Chinese consumers that balance functional value and emotional value. By doing so, P&G aims to lead category growth, further stimulate domestic demand, and unlock consumption potential, thereby creating value for Chinese consumers, the industry, and the market.

As a globally leading expert in automotive electronics and lighting, FORVIA HELLA's development journey in China is indispensably linked to Shanghai, particularly Pudong. "Our Electronic Plant and R&D Center in Pudong Shanghai HELLA Electronics has been established in Pudong for nearly 30 years and has now developed into the largest electronic plant in the world at FORVIA HELLA, with the most comprehensive product portfolio and the highest level of automation. This achievement is inseparable from the excellent open environment in Pudong and the strong support of the Pudong government, " Bai Binyi emphasized.

Pudong New Area has always been a pioneer in leading the way and continuously innovating, aligning itself with world and global innovations. "In the future, we will continue to rely on Pudong's new strengths in innovation, being based in and rooted in Pudong. We also call upon more companies to join us in bringing cutting-edge technologies, management concepts, and innovative products to Pudong without delay, together transforming Pudong into a global hub of innovation," Vivian Bian said.