Over 30 foreign businesses in Nanjing turned up to the launch of the new Chapter of the European Chamber on 15th April, in what has been described by Chamber President Serge Janssens de Varebeke as “overwhelming support for this new Chapter”.
In a move that will further strengthen the presence of the Chamber in China, the Nanjing Chapter already has its work cut out dealing with the imminent threat of power cuts, a result of Jiangsu province’s seven percent deficit in electricity generating capacity.
In this regard, Helmut Güsten, chair of the new Nanjing Chapter, sees the presence of the new European Chamber really coming into its own, building on what he says is an already strong sense of community among Nanjing’s foreign investors.
We need a collective voice to communicate with the government. We can’t afford to stop production, we can’t afford to be cut off from our customers and we need to secure our investment.
Helmut Güsten, chair of the new Nanjing Chapter
His concern is shared by many other enterprises which are running production shifts round the clock. In the harsh realities of the China market, prices are going down while wages and other costs are going up. Faced with such a situation, Güsten says, increasing volume is the only way to maintain profits – and power cuts won’t help.
The power issue he feels will be something of an urgent test case for the new chapter, but he’s optimistic that it will create what he calls a “win-win situation for both business and the local government.”
“Before, when officials wanted to consult the foreign business community, they didn’t know where to go,” he says. “Now they can pick up the phone and just call one number.”
This new Chapter will come under the chairmanship of Helmut Güsten, of Leitz. Other members of the local board include Janet McNab (Sheraton Hotels), Terence South (Maurer China), Olivier Sainson (Carrefour), Patrick Heckelmann (Skyways) and Bernd Blumenberg (BASF). The daily activities of the Chapter will be managed by Francine Hadjisotiriou.
Apart from the advocacy, the Nanjing Chapter will engage with local media, establish horizontal working groups and organise social events for members.
Read the interview with Helmut Güsten in 2020.
Source: EURObiz May 2004 Issue
Leave a Reply