Qingdao, a coastal city in Shandong province, hosted a roundtable meeting on Jan 9 with city officials and representatives from 50 Japanese companies and institutions. The meeting aimed to discuss the current operations of Japanese businesses in the city and explore future business opportunities.

During the session, representatives from Japanese enterprises shared their insights, commending the city's business-friendly environment and the proactive approach taken by local government departments in supporting businesses. They also provided constructive suggestions to further enhance Qingdao's economic and social development.

Japan plays a key role in Qingdao's open economy, ranking as the city's third-largest source of foreign investment and its third-largest trading partner. The two sides have forged strong economic relations, with significant cooperation in sectors such as advanced manufacturing, modern commerce, financial services, and healthcare.

As the first foreign investment roundtable this year, the meeting highlighted Qingdao's continued commitment to supporting the growth of Japanese enterprises in the city. Over 40 issues raised by the participating companies were addressed, with municipal and district authorities in Qingdao pledging to study and resolve these concerns. This promises to further optimize the business environment and deepen mutually beneficial cooperation with Japanese investors.

In November 2024, Qingdao introduced a roundtable meeting system for foreign enterprises to foster better communication between the government, foreign businesses, and international chambers of commerce. The initiative aims to promote local policies more effectively, address corporate concerns, and ensure stronger service guarantees as part of the city's ongoing efforts to improve its business environment.

Qingdao, a coastal city in Shandong province, hosts a roundtable meeting with Japanese enterprises on January 9. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]