From 19 to 21 November 2025, the EU SME Centre participated in the 18th Europe-China Business & Technology Cooperation Fair at the invitation of the China Chamber of International Commerce and the Chengdu Municipal Government.
The Fair, which took place in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, is the largest China-Europe bilateral cooperation gathering held in China.
On the eve of the opening, the EU SME Centre co-organised a business and policy exchange session, bringing together representatives from European consulates, trade associations, SMEs & large enterprises and Chinese officials from Chengdu CCPIT to discuss opportunities and challenges European companies face when doing business in Chengdu and Southwest China.
EU SME Centre Team Leader Liam Jia opened the session with an introduction to the Centre’s work. He outlined the main challenges encountered by European SMEs in China and reaffirmed the Centre’s commitment to fostering regular dialogue among all relevant stakeholders. Following his remarks, EU SME Centre Advisor Massimo Bagnasco provided an analysis of the business environment in Southwest China.
He highlighted Sichuan’s strategic position linking Eastern and Western China, both geographically and economically. In this context, he noted, Chengdu has emerged as a rising city with strong competitiveness in innovation, R&D, digital industries, culture and tourism.
Nevertheless, SMEs in Southwest China still face challenges such as attracting senior foreign talent, IPR protection, and access to financing. He called for more exchanges and matchmaking activities and proposed that stakeholders meet again next year to review progress.
Julian Lasinger, Deputy Consul General at the German Consulate General in Chengdu, and Francesca Celi, Vice-Consul at the Italian Consulate General in Chengdu, shared perspectives from their respective countries. Mr Lasinger highlighted Chengdu’s strong R&D capabilities and comparatively low business costs.
However, due to the higher vulnerability of SMEs to risks and policy changes, he noted that German SMEs have recently found it difficult to enter the Chengdu market. He recommended that more government guidance and SME-specific incentives be introduced.
Ms Celi highlighted Chengdu’s strengths in sectors such as IT, aviation, culture, and the green transition. She emphasised the importance of events like the Fair in creating synergies and expressed optimism regarding future local developments.
Representatives from companies and trade associations from Poland, Switzerland, Belgium, and Italy also shared their insights.
On the Chinese side, Xiong Miao, Deputy Director-General of the Chengdu Opening-up and International Cooperation Center, together with Stefan Zeng from the Center’s team, presented Chengdu’s cooperation initiatives for foreign businesses, especially SMEs, and welcomed further exchanges and enquiries from European SMEs.
