On May 13, the 2026 “Belt and Road” National Business Community Visit to Hunan Economic and Trade Cooperation Exchange Conference, themed “Encountering the Belt and Road in Hunan, Co‑Creating an Open Future,” was successfully held in Changsha. More than 60 business representatives from ten participating countries—Argentina, Ethiopia, The Gambia, Mongolia, North Macedonia, Nigeria, South Africa, Turkey, Uzbekistan, and Zimbabwe—joined over 200 representatives from Hunan-based enterprises, industrial parks, and institutions. Together, they engaged in targeted matchmaking across key sectors such as advanced manufacturing, modern agriculture, green and low‑carbon development, and biopharmaceuticals, jointly discussing cooperation plans and exploring new opportunities for growth.

Yang Aiyun, President of the Hunan Provincial Council for the Promotion of International Trade, and Sun Jun, Director of the Training Center of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, attended the event and delivered remarks. Yang Aiyun stated that Hunan has consistently been a steadfast proponent of the Belt and Road Initiative, having established economic and trade cooperation with 235 countries and regions, forged 120 pairs of international sister-city relationships, and achieved fruitful results in economic and trade exchanges with participating countries. By 2025, the total import and export value between Hunan and Belt and Road partner countries is expected to reach RMB 320.08 billion, accounting for nearly 60 percent of the province’s total foreign trade.

She emphasized that Hunan is committed to deepening cooperation with countries across four key areas—advanced manufacturing, modern agriculture, green and low-carbon development, and industry–education integration—while promoting the global outreach of its strengths in construction machinery, electric locomotives, hybrid rice technology, and vocational education programs, thereby contributing to the coordinated development of partner nations.

Sun Jun pointed out that the Belt and Road Initiative has become a key engine driving global economic cooperation, and the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade Training Center will continue to build bridges for communication between Chinese and foreign business communities, helping both sides deepen economic and trade exchanges and achieve mutual benefit and win-win outcomes.

At the meeting, the Hunan Provincial Council for the Promotion of International Trade formally signed memoranda of cooperation with partner national chambers of commerce and industry, including the Northwest Economic Chamber of North Macedonia, the National Chamber of Commerce of Zimbabwe, and the Mongolian Business Council. The agreements stipulate that all parties will establish a regularized coordination mechanism in areas such as information sharing, reciprocal delegation visits, and exhibition collaboration, thereby laying the groundwork for a long-term communication platform to support deeper cooperation going forward.

During the economic and trade promotion session, Changsha Economic Development Zone, the Chenzhou Area of the Hunan Pilot Free Trade Zone, and companies including Hunan Jinluo Electronics, Wenyue Group, Sanovo Biotech, and Yutai Manufacturing showcased Hunan’s strengths and potential in advanced manufacturing, electronic information, biopharmaceuticals, new energy, and other sectors. Representatives from five foreign institutions—the Northwest Chamber of Commerce of North Macedonia, the Mongolian Business Council, the Namangan Region Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Uzbekistan, the Gambia Young Entrepreneurs Chamber of Commerce, and the Argentine Federal Investment Commission—spoke in turn, highlighting their respective countries’ investment climates and industrial opportunities.

To further deepen the effectiveness of matchmaking, the conference concurrently hosted one-on-one business meetings and an enterprise exhibition area, creating a platform for precise alignment and efficient communication between Chinese and foreign companies. Participants engaged in in-depth consultations and built consensus around key topics such as procurement cooperation, project investment, technological R&D, and agricultural collaboration.

The atmosphere at the event was vibrant, as representatives from Hunan-based enterprises drew on their own experiences in international expansion, squarely addressed key challenges, and articulated clear priorities, while firmly reaffirming their commitment to actively participating in the joint development of the Belt and Road Initiative. Tang Liangrong, Chairman of Hunan Jinluo Electronics Co., Ltd., stated candidly: “In the course of our overseas deployment under the Belt and Road framework, payment‑collection risks represent our most pressing challenge, constraining further deepening of cooperation with partner countries. We hope that the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade and relevant government departments will help promote the use of letter‑of‑credit settlement to effectively mitigate financial risks. At the same time, we urgently need skilled foreign‑trade professionals and localized support services, leveraging official endorsement to ensure the steady growth of our overseas operations and better integrate into the Belt and Road’s industrial and supply chains.”

Peng Juanjuan, Director of Operations Management at Hunan Yutai Manufacturing Group, stated that the company has long sought to leverage the Belt and Road Initiative as a platform to expand into overseas markets. However, it currently faces challenges such as insufficient market attention and inefficient resource coordination. The group hopes to receive greater policy and resource support to establish precise connections with customers in partner countries, while also enhancing its export compliance capabilities through practical foreign‑trade training, thereby helping Hunan’s construction machinery sector strengthen its global competitiveness.

Chen Jiangzhu, head of Sanovo Biotech for the Middle East and Africa, stated frankly: “At present, our biggest challenge in expanding overseas is that international brands erect market barriers through patents and litigation, creating ‘bottleneck’ pressures. Our B2C and B2B channels are now becoming increasingly robust, and we hope to leverage government support to connect with health authorities in various countries, roll out our proven chronic disease management solutions to partner nations, help improve local livelihoods, and achieve mutual benefit and win‑win outcomes.”

Representatives from Zimbabwe, Mongolia, and North Macedonia, drawing on their respective national development contexts, expressed a strong desire to deepen cooperation with Hunan Province. They particularly seek to engage in in-depth partnerships with Hunan-based enterprises in advanced construction machinery, high technology, energy, and other sectors, thereby contributing to the high-quality development of their domestic industries.

Michele Ugaro, a senior economist at the Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce, stated that Zimbabwe boasts abundant agricultural resources but remains under‑mechanized, making it urgently in need of support from Hunan’s construction machinery and agricultural technologies. Tumensoogt Tsevegmid, Chairman of the Mongolian Business Council, noted that Mongolia’s agricultural development hinges on reliable energy supplies and high‑tech innovation, expressing hope that Hunan’s strengths in construction machinery can help improve production conditions. Meanwhile, Miranda Adedini, Chief Operating Officer of the Northwest Economic Chamber of North Macedonia, also voiced strong anticipation for deepening bilateral economic and trade cooperation, further reinforcing a shared vision of win‑win collaboration between China and foreign partners.

During the event, the foreign delegation also paid a special visit to the Xiangjiang New Area and the Changsha Economic Development Zone, gaining first-hand insight into Hunan’s robust industrial capabilities and favorable business environment, thereby further bolstering their confidence in deepening cooperation with the province.

This event is an important initiative for Hunan to deepen economic and trade cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative. It not only provides a pragmatic and efficient platform for Hunan’s leading industries to expand overseas and for Hunan-based enterprises to tap into diversified international markets, but also effectively strengthens mutual trust between Chinese and foreign business communities and unlocks new potential for collaboration.

Going forward, the Hunan Provincial Council for the Promotion of International Trade will continue to monitor the outcomes of this event’s matchmaking efforts, work tirelessly to ensure that intended projects are successfully implemented and deliver tangible results, and inject strong momentum into accelerating the realization of Hunan’s vision for high‑level opening-up and its “Three Highs and Four New” development blueprint. (Xue Yan)