With over 100 participants from Austrian companies in China and abroad AUSTRIA CONNECT China 2023 returned to its original strength last seen in 2019 and was successfully held from 19 – 21 October in Chengdu. Strong support from the local governments, the Austrian Embassy and Consulate, as well as the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber, lots of hard work put in by ADVANTAGE AUSTRIA Guangzhou and Chengdu, and last but not least the generous sponsors made the comeback of Austria’s largest business event in China possible.
Around the conference motto “Shifting Tides – Dealing with the New Era of Doing Business in China”, several keynote speeches and panel discussions revolved around topics such as geopolitical trends, innovation, supply chain compliance, data protection and human resources. Chinese superstar artist and influencer Madame JIN Xing gave an inspiring talk on goals and challenges and Mr. Jörg Wuttke provided a sobering but ultimately optimistic account of business in China. A kick-off evening reception, a gala dinner, and an excursion to China’s “National Treasure” – the Giant Panda – and Dujiangyan’s 2,000+ years old and UNESCO-honoured irrigation system made for plenty of networking opportunities.
A particular highlight was the visit of Mr. Wolfgang Hesoun, Vice President of the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber, who used the participation in the AUSTRIA CONNECT China 2023 conference for a more extensive visit in the bustling cities of Chongqing and Chengdu, conducting meetings with the respective governments of the two cities and Sichuan province. During these visits Vice President Hesoun was accompanied by Birgit Murr, Head of ADVANTAGE AUSTRIA Guangzhou and Chengdu, as well as several company representatives with interests in the region.
