2009 Global SME Business Expo
Representing more than 98% of all businesses worldwide, SMEs (Small and Middle-Sized Enterprises), play an instrumental role in the socio-economic development of the entire global community as they are a major force not only in economic prosperity but also in social stability.. In facing the current global financial crisis, SMEs in every country need to strengthen collaboration and develop innovative strategies to ensure survival in today's turbulent market.
The promotion of strategic international cooperation between SMEs is a difficult task at the best of times. Even so, in order to forge a platform for multilateral exchange between global SMEs, enable mutually-enriching collaboration and foster rapid, healthy and sustainable growth of SMEs worldwide, the Global Alliance of SMEs, together with trade organizations and government agencies from more than twenty countries, will hold the "Global SME Business Expo 2009" in Shanghai on July 13, 2009.
The "Global SME Business Expo" has developed from the "US-China Business Matchmaking Conference", which is jointly organized by the US-China Exchange Association, US Department of Commerce, US Small Business Administration, and US National League of Cities. Since 2001, forty-four US-China Business Matchmaking Conferences have been successfully held in New York, Boston, Los Angeles, Newark, Rhode Island, Philadelphia, Orlando, Chicago, and Milwaukee in the United States and Shanghai, Hangzhou, Beijing, Changsha, Guangzhou, Qingdao, Nanning and Chengdu in China. More than 9,000 US and Chinese companies have participated in these conferences, about 17,000 government officials and entrepreneurs both from China and America have attended them and more than 1,300 business contracts or agreements have been signed with a total value exceeding more USD$1.3 billion. Additionally, the conferences have facilitated the signing of forty-nine US-China city to city agreements for economic cooperation. Governments of both these two countries have paid great attention to and given strong support to the "US-China Business Matchmaking Conference" and more than 100 top governmental officials from both countries have attended the matchmaking conferences.
Based on the development strategy of going global while expanding US-China ties, and with the vigorous support from US Department of Commerce, the US-China Exchange Association coordinated more than 100 chambers of commerce and business associations globally to initiate the "Global Alliance of SMEs" in 2008. Chambers of commerce from each participating country have appreciated and endorsed the operating model of the "US-China Business Matchmaking Conference", and suggested that the "Global SME Business Expo" should follow the same format. Since China is the largest developing country in the world, has the largest number of SMEs and plays the most significant role in enhancing economic globalization, the Global Alliance of SMEs has decided to hold the first Global SME Business Expo in Shanghai in July 2009.
Proceedings of the conference are as follows:
1. Time and Venue
Time: July 13, 2009 Venue: Shanghai Galaxy Hotel (888, Zhongshan West Road, Shanghai)
2. Organizers and Sponsors
Organizers: Global Alliance of SMEs, US-China Exchange Association
Sponsors: Chambers of commerce from major trading nations including USA, Canada, Great Britain, Germany, France, China, Japan, Russian, India, Australia, Brazil and South Africa.
3. Conference Themes
- Hotspot issues confronting SMEs globally.
- Promotion of bilateral and multilateral economic and trade cooperation between Chinese and overseas SMEs.
4. Conference Content
The following activities are to be held during the conference:- Keynote speeches on Global SME Cooperation Forum
- Signing ceremony of "Shanghai Manifesto on Global SME Cooperation"
- Signing ceremony of US-China City Cooperation Program
- Signing ceremony of Global Industrial Cluster Cooperation Bases
- Awarding ceremony of the Leading Chinese Entrepreneurs of GASME
- Awarding ceremony of 2009 Top 10 Chinese Entrepreneurs of SMEs
- Entrepreneurs: Chinese-Foreign Enterprises Cooperative one-on-one meeting
- Chambers of Commerce: Global Chamber Executives roundtable
- Briefing on 3 Chinese Cities' Business Environment / Opportunities
- Business banquet
5. Attendees
- Top officials from the Ministry of Commerce of the People's Republic of China
- Chairman of the Global Alliance of SMEs
- Over twenty senior officers from chambers of commerce and government officials in participating countries
- More than 20 commercial consuls from all general consulates in Shanghai
- 6 US mayors
- 10 Chinese mayors
- More than 100 executives from foreign enterprises
- More than 500 top executives from Chinese enterprises
6. Conference Agenda
| Time | Content |
| 09:00 - 11:15 | Keynote speeches on Global SME Cooperation Forum (10-15 minutes per speech, simultaneous translation) Invited speakers(TBD) are as follows:
|
| 11:15 - 11:30 | Signing ceremony of the "Shanghai Manifesto on Global SME Cooperation" |
| 11:30 - 11:40 | Signing ceremony of US-China City Cooperation Program |
| 11:40 - 11:50 | Signing ceremony of Global Industrial Cluster Cooperation Bases |
| 11:50 - 12:00 | Awarding ceremony of 2009 Top 10 Chinese Entrepreneurs of SMEs |
| 12:00 - 12:10 | Awarding ceremony of the leading Chinese Entrepreneurs of GASME |
| 12:10 - 13:10 | Buffet lunch |
| 13:30 - 17:00 | Entrepreneurs: Chinese-Foreign Enterprises Cooperative one-on-one meeting Chambers of Commerce: Global Chamber Executives Roundtable |
| 17:30 - 19:30 | Briefing on 3 Chinese Cities' Business Environment / Opportunities Business banquet |
7. Attending foreign enterprises and the format of the matchmaking meeting
Foreign enterprises attending the conference include manufacturers, products/services purchasers, financial agencies, and consulting companies. They have the following intentions for cooperation with China.
- Invest in China
- Purchase Chinese products
- Forge technological cooperation with Chinese enterprises
- Contract Chinese companies to process goods
- Export to China
- Become international agents for Chinese enterprises
- Provide consulting services (such as financing, accounting, auditing, legal and business development) to help develop overseas markets for Chinese enterprises
During the matchmaking meetings between foreign and Chinese enterprises held on the afternoon of July 13, representatives from international companies will have their booths set up in the conference hall with a table, four chairs and one interpreter, while representatives of Chinese enterprises will move around to find prospective international collaborative partners.
8. Conference Journal
The conference journal is written in both Chinese and English. It is printed in color on 185 X 260mm paper and includes:
- The conference agenda
- A list of Chinese and international government officials and top management personnel from the various chambers of commerce who are attending the conference
- An introduction to the Cooperation Base for Global Industry Clusters
- An introduction to the Chinese and American cities which have signed contracts for economic cooperation
- A listing of the Vice Chairman of Global Alliance of SMEs and Leading Chinese Entrepreneurs
- Publicity for partner organizations of the Global SME Business Expo
- Statements of collaborative intent and the booth number of each attending foreign enterprise
9. Media Coverage
News reporters and journalists from more than 30 mainstream media (including TV stations, newspapers, websites and magazines) from both China and abroad will be invited to cover the conference.
