Chinese V. Premier He Lifeng's message for foreign investors
Commitments for reform and opening up, and messages of welcome
China observers have noticed that starting this fall, China’s Vice Premier He Lifeng, who’s in charge of China’s economy and financial affairs, is meeting with foreign finance and investment executives on a almost weekly basis.
The reason for the interest in He’s meetings is that they are much more frequent than before, raising speculations that the Chinese central government is putting out a signal by holding these meetings.
According to official English readouts of the meetings, some keywords appear quite frequently, such as
▲Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee
▲ Reforms (of the financial sector)
▲ Opening up (better market access)
▲ Welcome (cooperation, investment, etc.)
Below is a list of his recent meetings with foreign finance and investment executives. Other events of He, including with foreign government officials or those focusing on domestic issues, are not included in this list.
▲Sept. 20 evening, He Lifeng met with Severin Schwan, chairman of the Board of Directors of Roche Group.
He said
China is implementing the reform measures of the third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee, promoting high-quality development and high-standard opening up, further relaxing market access, including for biopharmaceuticals, and creating a better business environment.
China's super-large market advantages will certainly provide more and better development opportunities for foreign enterprises.
For his part, Schwan said that as a world-renowned pharmaceutical company, Roche Group is full of confidence in China's economic prospects and business environment, and is willing to continue deepening investment cooperation in China.
▲ Sept. 24, He Lifeng met members of the international advisory committee of China Investment Corporation (CIC).
He said
China will deepen financial system reform, accelerate the establishment of a modern financial system with Chinese characteristics, and promote high-quality development of the financial sector.
▲ Sept. 24, He Lifeng met with Evan Greenberg, executive vice chair of the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations and the chairman of insurance company Chubb Limited.
He said
China will steadfastly promote high-level opening-up of the financial sector and welcomed Chubb Group to continue actively participating in the development of China's financial market.
the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations is expected to play a more effective role as a bridge and link between the two countries, facilitating exchanges and cooperation among the business communities, and achieving greater mutual benefit and win-win outcomes.
The official readout says members of the international advisory committee of CIC and Greenberg expressed their belief that
further comprehensive and deepened reforms in China will bring new potential and vitality to the country's economy and financial sector. They remain confident in the prospects of China's economy and financial markets.
▲ Oct. 18, He Lifeng met with members of the International Advisory Council of the National Financial Regulatory Administration.
He said
China will further deepen the reform of the financial system, steadily expand the institutional opening up in the financial sector, facilitate cross-border investment and financing, and support more foreign financial institutions and long-term capital to invest and start businesses in China, in order to provide high-quality financial services for China's modernization.
For their part, the advisory council members expressed their anticipation for the financial reform and opening up, and the development prospect of China's economy and financial market.
▲ Oct. 28, He Lifeng met with Ben Keswick, executive chairman of Jardine Matheson.
He said
Since the beginning of the year, China's economy had maintained a generally stable performance while making progress.
China is deepening its reform and opening up in a comprehensive manner, fostering new quality productive forces and making headway in high-quality development.
We welcome Jardine Matheson and enterprises of various countries to continue deepening cooperation with China to achieve mutual benefits and win-win results.
For his part, Keswick said that Jardine Matheson is optimistic about China's economic prospects and market potential, and expressed the company's willingness to increase its investment in China and expand cooperation.
▲ Nov. 1, He met with an Australian high-level business delegation led by David Olsson, National President of the Australia China Business Council.
He said
China welcomes Australian enterprises to strengthen cooperation with China in trade, investment, finance and other areas.
While China is advancing high-level opening up and further easing market access, it will protect the national treatment and legitimate rights and interests of foreign-funded enterprises.
For their part, representatives of Australian enterprises said that they are optimistic about China's economic prospects and are willing to commit to long-term cooperation with China and promote the sustainable development of bilateral economic and trade ties.
▲ Nov. 12, He met with Andrew Schlossberg, President and Chief Executive Officer of Invesco.
He said
China is promoting high-level opening-up in the financial sector and welcomes foreign-invested enterprises to deepen mutually-beneficial cooperation.
China is continuing to deepen the reform of the capital market, steadily expanding the institutional opening up of the financial sector, and striving to provide high-quality financial services for economic and social development. Companies from all countries are welcome to continue deepening investment cooperation with China for mutual benefit and win-win results.
For his part, Schlossberg expressed his optimism about the development prospects of China's financial market, saying his company is willing to take China's further comprehensive deepening of reform as an opportunity to continue expanding cooperation with China.
▲ Nov. 14, He met with HSBC Group Chairman Mark Tucker.
He said
China welcomes more foreign financial institutions and long-term capital to invest and operate in China.
China is making efforts to deepen the reform of its financial system, steadily expand institutional opening-up in its financial sector, and create a transparent, stable and predictable institutional environment, providing greater convenience for foreign enterprises to expand their business in China.
For his part, Tucker said that HSBC Group is confident in the prospects of China's economy and financial market, and will continue to expand its investment in China.
▲ Nov. 21, He met with Jane Fraser, chief executive officer of Citigroup.
He said
China is deepening the reform of its financial system and continuing to expand the high-level, two-way opening-up of its financial sector.
China welcomes more foreign financial institutions and long-term capital, including Citigroup, to invest and do business in China, and to share opportunities and participate in the development of the country's financial market.
For her part, Fraser said that Citigroup is optimistic about the prospects of China's economy and financial market, and is willing to explore the Chinese market further, contributing to the promotion of U.S.-China economic and trade cooperation and maintaining the healthy development of the global economy.
▲ Nov. 27, He met with a delegation from Japan's Kansai business community.
He said
It is hoped that the Kansai business community of Japan will continue to seize China's development opportunities for mutual benefit and win-win results.
Noting China and Japan's deep integration in terms of industrial and supply chains and their broad common interests and cooperation space, He encouraged Japan's Kansai business community to continue to grasp China's development opportunities and deepen practical cooperation for mutual success and win-win outcomes.
For their part, the Leaders of the delegation expressed their appreciation for China's achievements in economic and social development -- and their willingness to contribute more to achieving mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries.
▲ Dec. 3, He met with Frédéric Oudéa, chairman of the board of directors of French pharmaceutical giant Sanofi.
He said
It is hoped that more French and European companies will continue to develop their business operations in China and share its development opportunities.
Economic and trade cooperation between China, France, and the broader European continent has many converging interests and strong complementarities, providing broad space for development.
China is continuously opening up to the outside world at a high level and building a market-oriented, law-based and internationalized business environment.
For his part, Oudéa said that Sanofi Group is optimistic about the prospects of China's economic development and is willing to deepen its presence in the Chinese market and contribute more practical results to the mutually beneficial cooperation between China and France and between China and Europe.
▲ Dec. 4, He met with John Waldron, president and chief operating officer of Goldman Sachs Group.
He said
China is fully implementing the guiding principles of the 20th CPC Central Committee's third plenary session, steadily advancing major measures to deepen comprehensive reform, and continuously expanding opening-up at a high level.
We welcome more U.S. financial institutions and long-term capital, including Goldman Sachs Group, to continue deepening mutually beneficial cooperation with China, and to play a greater role in promoting the healthy development of China-U.S. relations.
For his part, Waldron said the Goldman Sachs Group is full of confidence in China's economy and future development and is willing to continue expanding cooperation with China and making contributions to promoting U.S.-China economic and trade cooperation.
▲ Dec. 5, He met with BlackRock CEO Larry Fink.
He said
China is further deepening the reform of its financial system and steadily expanding the institutional opening up of the financial sector, providing greater convenience for foreign enterprises operating in the country.
China welcomes more foreign financial institutions and long-term capital, including BlackRock, to invest and do business in China, sharing China's development opportunities.
For his part, Fink said that BlackRock is optimistic about the prospects of the development of China's economy and financial market, and is willing to continue to deepen its engagement with the Chinese market and contribute to U.S.-China economic and trade cooperation.
