(from left to right): Mr Marc Vinck, Ambassador of Belgium in China; Ms Gwenn Sonck, FCCC Executive Director; Mrs Michèle Deneffe, Consul General of Belgium in Hong Kong and Macao; and Mr Bart De Smet, FCCC Vice Chairman

The Flanders-China Chamber of Commerce (FCCC) organized a meeting and reception with the Ambassador and Consuls General of Belgium in China with sponsoring of Dawo Law Firm Shanghai. This event took place on 28 January at ING in Brussels. It provided an excellent opportunity to discuss member companies’ activities in China with the Ambassador and Consuls General of Belgium in China, Mr Marc Vinck, Ambassador of Belgium in China; Mr Paul Lambert, Consul General of Belgium in Shanghai
 Mr Joris Salden, Consul General of Belgium in Guangzhou
 and Mrs Michèle Deneffe, Consul General of Belgium in Hong Kong and Macao.

Mr Bart De Smet, Vice Chairman, Flanders-China Chamber of Commerce
 delivered an introduction, followed by a speech by His Excellency Mr Marc Vinck, Ambassador of Belgium in China. An exchange of views and networking with the Ambassador and Consuls General concluded the event.

In his speech Ambassador Vinck said that “2018 was a good year for our bilateral relations, although the general international situation was challenging to say the least. The U.S. and China engaged in a trade war, developing into a wider strategic competition. This situation has repercussions far beyond the protagonists themselves, not least upon the multilateral system, to which we all owe so much.” But he added that at the same time China continued its impressive development. “The transformation towards a new normal of quality- and consumer based growth seemed well on track.”

“People are becoming better aware of China’s rise and the opportunities this presents, but there are also worries. Worries about market access, about technological transfers, cybersecurity, political meddling. We should welcome this debate,” the Ambassador said.