CEC i-Valley & Apulia Cooperation Conference Successfully Held

On November 15, the CEC i-Valley & Apulia Science and Technology Cooperation Conference was successfully held in Electronic Technology Building of Futian District, Shenzhen City. In July this year, a memorandum on establishing a friendly exchange relationship between Futian District and Italy’s Apulia region was signed. A delegation of the Apulia government reached Shenzhen to participate in the 20th China High-Tech Fair (CHTF) and visit China Electronics Information Service Co., Ltd (CECIS) and CEC i-Valley, launching talks on the landing of science and technology cooperation between Futian District and Italy’s Apulia region in Huaqiangbei, Futian District.

Chinese representatives included Gao Weimin, Deputy Director of the Science and Technology Innovation Bureau of Futian District, Li Xiang, Deputy Secretary of the Party Working Committee of Subdistrict Office of Huaqiangbei Street, Chen Wenhai, Deputy General Manager of CECIS, Fang Zenan, Deputy Chief Engineer of CECIS, Zhao Cong, General Manager of Business Management Department of CECIS, Sun Wei, General Manager of Shenzhen CEC i-Valley Operation Co., Ltd. (CEC i-Valley), Li Xinyang, General Manager of China Electronics BLACKARK Operation Co., Ltd., Xiong Yuhong, General Manager of Firefly Workshop of CECI Technology Co., Ltd. (CECport), etc.

Left: Fang Zenan, Deputy Chief Engineer of CECIS. Middle: Chen Wenhai, Deputy General Manager of CECIS. Right: Li Xiang, Deputy Secretary of the Party Working Committee of Subdistrict Office of Huaqiangbei Street.

Italian representatives included Mr. Cosimo Borraccino, Minister of Economic Development and Innovation of Italy, Mr. Laforgia Domenico, Minister of International Development and Innovation of Apulia Government, Mr. Cosimo Del Vecchio, Leader of International Project Group and International Consultant of Apulia Government, Mrs. Gianna Elisa Berlingerio, Director of Apulia Enterprise Federation, Mr. Pastore Giuseppe, Director of Apulia Department of International Cooperation, Mr. Eugenio Di Sciascio, President of Academy of Fine Arts of Bari, Mr. Giuseppe Gigli, Director of Apulia’s Nanotechnology Center, Mrs. Luisa Torsi, Professor of University of Bari, Mrs. Quan Hong, General Manager of Prandi Company, an officially authorized International Cooperation Agency of Apulia Government, etc.

Mr. Cosimo Borraccino, Minister of Economic Development and Innovation of Italy

Mr. Laforgia Domenico, Minister of International Development and Innovation of Apulia Government

Leaders of Apulia Government expressed their thanks to Chinese representatives for their invitation and reception, and delivered an introduction of Apulia: Apulia is a large region in Southern Italy with an area of 19,358 square kilometers and a population of 4.06 million. The capital city, Bari, is an important cultural center in the region. Apulia Government is very concerned about the progress of China’s economy and science and technology. In the conference, they briefed Chinese representatives on some of Apulia’s achievements in technological innovation. Apulia is the first one in the European region to set up a nanotechnology center. By taking this conference as an opportunity, Apulia Government is looking forward to actively carrying out exchanges and cooperation in Futian District with CECIS and CEC i-Valley.

Chinese representatives expressed their welcome to Italian guests for their attendance in the conference. Futian District, centering on the financial industry, high-end service industry, science and technology innovation industry, and cultural industry, is an international urban area integrating political, economic, and cultural elements. Futian District is similar to Apulia in terms of main industries and there is great potential for cooperation between both parties. There are now 26 Italian-invested enterprises in Futian, with a total investment of USD56.88 million. Leaders of CECIS briefed the guests on the development and future planning of Huaqiangbei. As a leading enterprise in the field of electronic information services, CECIS, subsidiary of China Electronics Corporation, has been rooted in Huaqiangbei area for a long term and has played a driving role in the development of various industries in Huaqiangbei. CECIS made full use of the resources in China’s electronics industry to create the CEC i-Valley Innovation and Entrepreneurship Demonstration Zone of International Intelligent Hardware in Huaqiangbei, which focuses on the ecological agglomeration of intelligent hardware. They expressed the expectation that CEC i-Valley can build a bridge for science and technology cooperation between China and Italy, act as the carrier platform for cooperation of Apulia’s innovation achievements and the resources in China’s electronics industry, and create greater value for the construction of mass entrepreneurship and innovation in both Futian District and Shenzhen City.

During the conference, professors from the University of Bari and Polytechnic University of Bari introduced their research projects. In addition, Italian representatives listed projects of eight representative enterprises that participated in the CHTF, covering information engineering, intelligent control system, 5G communication, brain wave control, bio-electronic induction, biomedical engineering and other fields. Shenzhen SED Wireless Communication Technology Co., Ltd., Shenzhen Aquarobotman Science & Technology Co., Ltd., Hangzhou Samdi Technology Co., Ltd., Shenzhen Yunji Tianxia Technology Co., Ltd. and other Chinese enterprises also introduced their businesses and products respectively.

Mrs. Luisa Torsi, Professor of University of Bari

Sun Wei, General Manager of CEC i-Valley

Li Yijia, Co-Founder & Partner of Shenzhen Yunji Tianxia Technology Co., Ltd.

The Cooperation Conference held by CECIS, CEC i-Valley and Apulia laid a good foundation for further connecting advanced technologies from Italy with resources in Futian District. Apulia is planning to set up a Sino-Italian Advanced Technology Innovation Center in CEC i-Valley, in order to advance cooperation in technological achievements transformation, industrial resource docking, talent exchange and the introduction of science and technology projects.

Group photo of participants in CEC i-Valley & Apulia Science and Technology Cooperation Conference

【Background of signing a memorandum on establishing a friendly exchange relationship between Futian District and Italy’s Apulia region】

Focusing on “Take the lead in building a socialist modernization antecedent area”, a decision launched by the CPC Shenzhen Municipal Committee and Shenzhen Municipal People’s Government, CPC Futian District Committee and Futian District Government have been actively promoting the construction of friendly city in recent years, and is devoted to turning the district into a first-class international modern urban area. The Foreign Affairs Office of the Futian District Government has been developing friendly ties with the Apulia region since April last year, and has built a solid relationship by promoting exchanges and cooperation in technology, the cultural industry and other projects. The Apulia Government, by sending its delegation to Futian District to conduct a series of friendly exchanges and talks on cooperation in economy, science, technology, culture and tourism, has been exploring the possibility of creating a friendly exchange relationship, and has laid the foundation for signing a memorandum on establishing a friendly exchange relationship between two parties. On July 19, 2018, as a delegation of the Apulia Government visited Futian District, a memorandum on establishing a friendly exchange relationship between Futian District and Italy’s Apulia region was signed, elevating bilateral ties to a new level.

Aldo Patuno, Apulia’s Minister of Tourism, Culture and Territorial Stability (left) and Gao Shengyuan, Head of the Futian District Government (right) are signing the memorandum on establishing a friendly exchange relationship between Futian District and 

Italy’s Apulia region.