Looking Forward: Logistic and Environment are Hot Issues

Nikolaus W. Schües, Conference Chairman

When the Finnish Export Promotion Office for Germany was opened in Hamburg a few years ago, its director had a deceptively simple explanation to offer for Finland’s decision to locate here: "We just had to go where the trade is!” For the same reason, top-level people from twelve countries made the journey to Hamburg, "Europe’s focal point for trade with China”, to discuss a wide range of political and economic issues at the aptly-named Hamburg Summit this year.

Nikolaus W. Schües, Conference Chairman In summing up the Summit’s results, I would like to stress the following points in particular:

China’s further integration into global politics and into the global economy is inevitable. The European Union should view the People’s Republic as a strategic partner and facilitate the process of forging a relationship among equals.
China is definitely a must for most European companies. In fact, for those of our companies which face growing competition from China, seeking partnerships with their counterparts in the People’s Republic could be a question of survival.
The European Union should support the Chinese government in its endeavours to reform its economy and establish a stable society.

The Hamburg Chamber of Commerce will be hosting the second "Hamburg Summit” in autumn 2006

The first "Hamburg Summit: China meets Europe” was a remarkable success as far as the number and quality of both speakers and delegates was concerned. Our Chamber of Commerce will therefore be hosting the next "Hamburg Summit” in September 2006. And since logistic and environment are already "hot issues” for Chinese-European business today, and destined to become even more important in the future, we have chosen these particular subject matters as the key topics for next year’s event.

Closing Words of Conference Chairman Schües

Closing Words of President Dreyer