On 26 June 2026, The EU SME Centre participated in the 2026 United Nations Micro-, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSME) Day event, organised by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) China. Under the theme “Building Future-ready MSMEs: Enabling Ecosystems for Inclusive, Green and Digital Growth”, the event brought together representatives from government authorities, international organisations, financial institutions, academia, industry associations and the private sector to discuss how coordinated policy, finance and digital innovation can foster a more resilient and sustainable environment for MSMEs.
James George, Resident Representative of UNDP China, delivered the opening remarks. He stressed that the sustainable development goals of MSMEs depends on collaborative action across governments, financial institutions, businesses, development partners, academia, local communities and entrepreneurs.
Representatives from Chinese government institutions, international organisations and academia also shared perspectives on the policy and financial frameworks needed to support the next generation of MSMEs. The EU SME Centre contributed to the panel discussion on strengthening the enabling ecosystem for MSMEs. Representing the Centre, Liam Jia, Team Leader, joined fellow panellists from UNDP China, the Ministry of Emergency Management, the Zhangjiakou Municipal Government and the financing industry to exchange views on green and digital transitions and business opportunities for MSMEs.
Drawing on the Centre’s experience supporting European SMEs entering or operating in the Chinese market, Liam Jia shared the European industry perspectives on China’s R&D capabilities and manufacturing industries, noting a high level of confidence in the country’s capabilities of innovation and advanced manufacturing. He noted there were collaboration opportunities for European and Chinese SMEs in advancing China’s green transition. At the same time, complying with increasingly stringent environmental regulations on top of addressing other traditional hurdles such as access to financing, IPR protection and late payments can be challenging, particularly for smaller companies with limited administrative and compliance resources. Echoing UNDP’s commitment to “leave no one behind”, he urged policymakers, government authorities, international organisations and other stakeholders to ensure that the needs and realities of SMEs are taken into account when designing and implementing initiatives.
Following the event, the EU SME Centre exchanged with key stakeholders and agreed to explore opportunities for further cooperation.
