Foreign diplomats attend an industry cooperation forum in Shanghai, looking at industrial cooperation in technology and the green sector

Photo: Chen Xia/GT

About 40 diplomats from 28 countries attended an industry cooperation forum in Shanghai on Friday, looking to engage in in-depth discussions with leading Chinese enterprises in cutting-edge fields such as brain-computer interface (BCI), robotics and green energy.

Attendees took part in engaging Q&A sessions where they were able to ask questions and gain valuable information on the latest developments in these fast-growing sectors.

The event served as a platform for sharing knowledge, networking and building partnerships, laying the foundation for future cooperation between Chinese enterprises and their international counterparts.

“Business people in the UAE are interested in many technology sectors. It’s a win-win relationship. They come to explore what areas they can collaborate on and work on together. We have seen this number increase over time,” UAE Ambassador to China Hussain bin Ibrahim Al Hammadi told the Global Times after Friday’s forum.

Chatchai Viriyavejakul, Thailand’s ambassador to China, told the Global Times that Thailand is trying to attract more investment from Chinese electric vehicle makers as Thailand plans to become a regional hub for electric vehicles in Southeast Asia.

“We want to reduce our dependence on natural gas and conventional energy. Electric vehicles are one option. Chinese electric vehicles are popular in Thailand. I have seen many Great Wall Motors and BYD vehicles in Thailand,” he said.

Another area of ​​cooperation that Thai companies are interested in is medical innovations, such as robotics and artificial intelligence used in rehabilitation.

“China is making progress in artificial intelligence and information technology. I believe these are areas that many Thai companies would like to work on,” he added.

During Friday’s visit, the diplomats also visited the Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Center, new energy company Envision Group, Yuyuan Garden and the Bund Financial Center.

Shanghai is stepping up its efforts to become an international center of economic, financial, trade, shipping and science and technology innovation, as well as a global digital city.

Shanghai achieved a GDP of 4.72 trillion yuan ($650 billion) in 2023, maintaining its leading position as China’s largest economic center and ranking among the world’s leading cities.