On January 10 and 11, 2020, leveraging the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Commerce’s extensive overseas resources to facilitate the collective international expansion of enterprises from the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei region, the Beijing Center of the World Trade Network Alliance under the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Commerce, in collaboration with the Construction Industry Committee of the Beijing International Economic and Trade Development Association, hosted a seminar on the internationalization of Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei enterprises and an exchange event on Belt and Road projects at Beijing Dongfangcheng International Steel Structure Engineering Co., Ltd. in the Lutai Economic Development Zone of Tianjin.

This conference marks the first overseas‑oriented industry symposium convened since the establishment of the Construction Industry Committee of the Beijing International Economic and Trade Development Association. Invited guests include: Tan Chenghai, Director of the Beijing Center of the World Trade Network Alliance and legal representative of the Beijing International Economic and Trade Development Association; Hu Yukuo, Secretary-General of the Steel Structure Branch of the National Prefabricated Building Industry Technology Alliance and Vice President of the Steel Structure Branch of the China Association for Metal Structures; Zhang Hezhen, Director of the Enterprise Service Center of the Beijing International Economic and Trade Development Association; Tong Biao, expert member of the Association’s Expert Committee; Yu Jinghai, Vice President of the Tianjin Steel Structure Association and Chief Engineer of the Architectural Design Institute of Tianjin University; Liu Jianli, Head of the Beijing–Kathmandu International Economic and Trade Service Center; Xu Hang, expert of the Association and General Manager of AVIC International New Energy Co., Ltd.; Miao Wenjie, expert of the Association and Vice President of the China Society of Calligraphy and Painting; Zhang Dandan, Director of the Second Research Institute of the China Academy of Building Research; and Yao Zhen, from the Beijing–Almaty International Economic and Trade Service Center.

The participating companies include: Bailude Machinery Manufacturing Co., Ltd., Chenyang Water-Based Paint Co., Ltd., Zhongwu Hangxiao Green Construction Co., Ltd., Tianjin Construction Group, Beijing Duowei Yester International Engineering Technology Co., Ltd., Jinhuan Construction Group, Jiangsu Hanjian Group Co., Ltd., Shandong Juxin Steel Structure Co., Ltd., Shenyang Aowen Doors and Windows Co., Ltd., and others.

First, Duoyuegang, Chairman of Dongfang Cheng Steel Structure, welcomed everyone and outlined how, by leveraging the resources of the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Commerce, they can work together to identify effective strategies for expanding overseas.

At the meeting, Tan Chenghai, Director of the Beijing Center of the World Trade Network Alliance under the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Commerce and Secretary-General of the Beijing International Economic and Trade Development Association, announced the establishment of the Association’s Construction Industry Committee and appointed Zhang Jinling as its Chair. Director Tan outlined the goal of establishing 80 overseas service centers by 2022, leveraging these centers to gather international project opportunities, organize domestic and international trade fairs and economic‑trade exchanges, and facilitate project matchmaking. The Association’s target clientele includes, but is not limited to, tens of thousands of small and medium‑sized enterprises in Beijing, with the aim of supporting businesses in both “going global” and “attracting investment.” This initiative represents the Association’s top priority at present.

Going forward, the Construction Industry Committee will progressively pool resources from across the sector to serve its member enterprises and help them achieve their international expansion goals. The association will promptly establish specialized committees, including an Expert Committee, a Cultural Industries Committee, a Financial Industries Committee, and a Technology Industries Committee. In the near term, its objective is to explore the establishment of industrial parks overseas, thereby supporting enterprises in collaborating and jointly expanding into global markets.

Hu Yukuo, Secretary-General of the Steel Structure Branch of the National Prefabricated Construction Industry Technology Alliance and Vice President of the Steel Structure Branch of the China Association for Building Metal Structures, outlined the Alliance’s efforts in international cooperation and Belt and Road initiatives. He noted that the steel structure industry has entered a new phase: companies must strengthen internal management while expanding into overseas markets to unlock broader growth prospects.

Hu Yukuo also noted that, in his 2020 New Year address, President Xi Jinping stated China’s willingness to work with countries around the world to actively advance the Belt and Road Initiative and to share the fruits of its high‑tech development. To achieve the Two Centenary Goals, fundamentally, China must become an economic powerhouse. Recently, the State Council has issued measures and guidelines on enhancing quality; by elevating product and service quality, promoting and developing steel‑structure construction, and guiding the healthy growth of the steel‑structure industry, we are fulfilling a key mission.

Yu Jinghai, Vice President of the Tianjin Steel Structure Association and Chief Engineer at the Architectural Design Institute of Tianjin University, stated at the conference that steel‑structure enterprises have achieved a very high level of production automation. Today, these companies are fully equipped to expand overseas and possess the requisite technical capabilities. This exchange forum represents a rare opportunity, offering enterprises a chance to reflect on how to “go global.”

At the conference, Zhang Jinling, Director of the Construction Industry Committee of the Beijing International Economic and Trade Development Association, summarized the key priorities for 2019 and outlined the committee’s objectives for 2020. The committee’s primary focus is to connect enterprises’ products with overseas project opportunities through a variety of online and offline channels. In coordination with the association, it will support construction‑related companies in establishing industrial parks abroad and help them adopt a collaborative “going global” approach, leveraging the overseas resources provided by the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Commerce.

Zhang Hezhen, Director of the Enterprise Service Center of the Beijing International Economic and Trade Development Association, stated that the center will regularly compile overseas project resources, leverage an expert committee to screen project information—“sifting gold from sand”—and, once projects meeting the criteria for implementation have been identified, forward them to member organizations through the Construction Industry Committee.

At the conference, Tong Biao of the Expert Committee of the Beijing International Economic and Trade Development Association briefed the attendees on the various duties and responsibilities of the specialized committees. The main areas of work include conveying and implementing national and relevant departmental policies and regulations, overseeing the enforcement of rules and procedures, organizing and carrying out tasks assigned by the association, ensuring the effective implementation of the association’s 2020 work plan, and managing the planning of committee activities and the drafting of related documents.

Zhang Dandan, Director of the Second Institute at the China Academy of Building Research, provided a detailed briefing to the attending enterprises on the status of various projects in Nepal. Following a year of groundwork and coordination, exchanges with the Nepalese side have grown increasingly robust, and project details have become ever clearer. The Building Industry Service Center is fully confident that it can create a favorable environment and conditions for member enterprises, leveraging its deep understanding of Nepal’s market and ongoing initiatives.

Xu Hang, an expert at the Beijing International Economic and Trade Development Association and General Manager of AVIC International New Energy Co., Ltd., emphasized that a company’s construction management capabilities and its project development expertise together constitute the key factors for ultimate project success. Enterprises must leverage their respective comparative strengths, and adopting this approach will enable them to engage more proactively in the market. Of course, this also places higher demands on associations, requiring a highly professional team with deep market insight—covering technical, commercial, financial, and other domains—to support operations. In the initial stages of going global, the focus is on exporting products; as markets evolve, the emphasis shifts to outbound investment, and ultimately to overseas operations. Each era calls for distinct strategies and approaches to international expansion. Companies are encouraged to draw on the business bureau’s institutional framework and the association’s specialized platform to progressively strengthen their capabilities.

Summing up the achievements of 2019, under the leadership of Director Tan of the Beijing International Economic and Trade Development Association, the construction industry sector has remained committed to continuous efforts. Looking ahead to 2020, we will press on with diligence and dedication, strive to meet our objectives, and create favorable conditions for the construction industry in the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei region to expand internationally.

On the 11th, an exchange meeting was held at Tianjin Construction Group. Attendees from Tianjin Construction included Cao Shuangqiu, General Manager of Tianjin Construction Technology Co., Ltd., and General Manager Guo of the Real Estate Division. This session provided an opportunity for the association to engage in in-depth discussions and provide detailed briefings with Tianjin Construction Group regarding the Nepal project. The association looks forward to Tianjin Construction’s active participation in Nepal’s projects and stands ready to offer all necessary support and assistance.

Cao Shuangqiu, General Manager of Tianjin JianGong Technology Co., Ltd., outlined the company’s achievements in the steel‑structure sector. He emphasized that Tianjin JianGong’s strategic priorities lie in installation and construction organization, noting that the company is not merely a fabrication plant but draws on the deep-rooted expertise of a traditional construction firm, seamlessly integrating construction management practices into steel‑structure projects. The company has adopted comprehensive simulation and control across the entire steel‑structure construction process and at every stage. Over the past decade, backed by robust data, it has successfully delivered numerous projects that few could have imagined.

At the meeting, Liu Jianli, head of the Beijing–Kathmandu Economic and Trade Service Center, noted that following President Xi’s successful visit to Nepal in October 2019, bilateral relations were elevated from the previous “timeless friendship and cooperative partnership” to a “China–Nepal strategic cooperative partnership for development and prosperity across generations.” With political ties strengthened, numerous opportunities for joint projects have emerged. He expressed hope that Tianjin Construction Engineering Group would deepen its cooperation with the association to achieve its strategic goal of “going global.”

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