Around mid-May, BOM strengthened its ties in its China network. BOM representatives, and other delegates from the province of Noord-Brabant, Eindhoven council and Brainport headed by the Provincial Governor, Wim van de Donk, visited the World Expo in Shanghai and the city of Nanjing, the capital of Brabant’s twin province Jiangsu.

The intensive four-day programme included meetings with representatives from Jiangsu’s government (77 million inhabitants), members of the People’s Congress (the equivalent of the Dutch Provincial States) and officials from the highest levels of the Ministry of Trade.

Connecting role
It soon emerged from the meetings that the agenda of both provinces for the coming years showed many similarities. In fact, it was obvious that there were many opportunities for cooperation concerning renewable energy, new materials and environmental technology. BOM regards itself as the connection by which the Province, the larger Brabant towns, Brainport, the knowledge institutions and Brabant’s trade and industry can expand the cooperation with Chinese partners.

Network dinner
BOM Foreign Investments hosted a network dinner in Nanjing for existing and future relations in Nanjing and Jiangsu that are involved in the promotion of trade and investment, both companies and government. A hundred attendees listened interested to short speeches of Mr Van de Donk, Mr Pelle (managing director BOM) and Mr Van Gijzel (mayor of Eindhoven). They expressed their views on past, present and future cooperation between the Netherlands and China, and the possibilities to make use of each others knowledge and capacities in the area of new technology.

Investment boost
BOM Foreign Investments held introductory meetings with Huawei, the largest telecom company in the world, about intensifying the cooperation in Research and Development. Further more, they discussed the facilities for testing and developing in Helmond during a visit to Geely, one of China’s largest car manufacturers.