Benelux Chamber of Commerce East China | Shanghai

On October 26, the Benelux Chamber of Commerce East China | Shanghai hosted a successful 2nd edition of the Sino-Benelux Career Fair in Shanghai. Building on last year’s achievements, this year’s fair continues to create opportunities for Benelux university alumni to connect with our member companies and industry leaders. Workshops led by members FrieslandCampina, Horizon Consulting, Wise Wings, and Randstad covered diverse and relevant topics, including company culture, employee wellbeing, social trend analysis, market dynamics, HR evaluation systems, and some practical salary negotiation techniques. Attendees gained valuable insights and actionable takeaways from these sessions. This annual event will continue to serve as a vital bridge between our Chamber members and the Benelux university alumni community, enhancing visibility within the Sino-Benelux network. This year, its open format also attracted notable non-members, including Zhilian Zhaopin, a leading local HR brand. With our Chamber’s Deputy General Manager, Ms. Jian Lu, served as MC, Chamber’s Board Chairman, Mr. Karel Eloot, and Mr. Pascal Buffin, Consul General of Belgium in Shanghai, delivered heartfelt speeches underscoring the event’s significance. We look forward to making this a lasting annual tradition. Special thanks to our sponsors UCB, FrieslandCampina, and our partners AIA’s team, Taroko Games & Restaurant, and PuCui Culture for making this outstanding Benelux community event possible! #BeneluxChamber #SinoBeneluxCareerFair #BeneluxAlumni #CareerOpportunities #ProfessionalDevelopment #HRInsights #WorkplaceWellbeing #IndustryLeaders #TalentConnection #BeneluxCommunity #BridgeChinaAndBenelux Ahlers Logistics | Ahrend | AkzoNobel | AluK China | CONNECTED CREATIVES | China Europe International Business School (CEIBS) GEMBA | Dashmote | Zhejiang Dushan Port Economic Development Zone | Duan & Duan Law Firm | FrieslandCampina | Horizon Consulting | MLSAD | MOOV | Pacific Prime | Randstad | Sapience Pro | UCB | Wise Wings | ZhilianZhaopin

Benelux Chamber and Huangpu District Tourism & Culture Bureau sign Memorandum of Understanding! ✈️ 🎭 Last Friday, our Executive Committee Director Jacquelien Postigo Brussee signed a Memorandum of Understanding with leaders of Shanghai's Huangpu District Tourism & Culture Bureau. This project, shaped and witnessed by our Commercial Director Jonathan Xu, aims to foster more possibilities and projects around cultural exchanges between the Benelux region and Huangpu District. Huangpu District is known for it's "shikumen", old heritage, Yu Garden, Shanghai Museum and many more historical locations. This event was also held at Shanghai's Yu Garden, which was built in 1559 during China's Ming dynasty.

Welcome to "Greater Shanghai", Benelux Chamber member Jati & Kebon Furniture! 🇧🇪 On October 9th, the groundbreaking ceremony for the Belgian Jati & Kebon’s Outdoor Leisure Products Operation Center project took place in Nanjing’s Gaochun development zone. Frank Van Eynde, Commercial Consul for the Flanders Region at the Consulate General of Belgium in Shanghai (Flanders Investment & Trade (FIT) and Jonathan Xu, Commercial Director of the Benelux Chamber of Commerce East China | Shanghai were both invited to this groundbreaking ceremony. Jati & Kebon, based in Nazareth, Belgium, has been focusing on outdoor furniture for over 30 years, pioneering an integrated industry chain operation model that includes "branding, design, production, sales, and service." With strong technical reserves, a wide range of products, and well-established sales channels, the company is not only a key player in Belgium’s high-end furniture ecosystem but has also gradually become a leader in the global outdoor furniture industry. The total investment for the Belgian J&K Outdoor Leisure Products Operation Center project is approximately 45 million USD, with a registered capital of 15 million USD. The project covers 30 acres, with a construction area of about 30,000 square meters. Upon completion in August 2025, it will serve as their Asian headquarters, with an expected annual output value of up to 400 million RMB. We look forward in following the growth of this Belgian firm in China and offer support where we can! More information here 👉 https://lnkd.in/gZheDQ7m #innovative #makehaywhenthesunisout #FDI #capitalinvest #tuinmeubelenvanbijons

Our annual "Welcome back to Business Drinks" was a success! 💯 On Friday September 20, the Benelux Chamber hosted its annual "Back to Business Drinks" in Westin Bund Hotel. For this year's edition, the Benelux Chamber welcomed over 20 delegates from the "HIDC - Holland International Distribution Council " trade mission. This event, which was co-organized and sponsored by our member MSA , is the annual event for our members to (re)connect with friends, connections and clients. This year, we welcomed more than 80 guests, fostering connections over more than 4 countries.

On September 24, our Chamber's Deputy GM, Ms. Jian Lu, was invited to visit Ahlers China's headquarters and met with Mr. Denis Leysen, the company's owner and Family Board member. Ahlers China’s GM, Ms. Loewe Luo, and Senior Sales Manager, Mr. Xin Zhuang, gave a presentation introducing the company’s China operations and the current market landscape. Denis encouraged the local team to continue focusing on their strengths, stay close to clients, maintain loyalty, and remain ready to provide tailored services that expand business opportunities and sustain their leading market position. With its strong reputation in Belgium and its industry expertise, we expect Ahlers to continue its consistent growth in China and globally. #AhlersChina #LogisticsIPG #BusinessGrowthInChina #ChinaMarket #BelgianBusiness #BeneluxChamberMember

On September 13, the opening ceremony for "Dasein - Accurate Narration" by Daniel SLUSE took place at the Aurora Museum in Shanghai. The Consul General of Belgium in Shanghai, Mr. Pascal Buffin, and our Chamber’s Deputy GM, Jian Lu, were invited to attend the VIP preview. The Benelux Chamber of Commerce, along with Belgium AWEX, is proud to support this exhibition, which will run until October 13. Daniel Sluse was born in Belgium in 1954. He served as the dean of the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Liège, Belgium. As a co-founder of the Liège International Print Biennial, he has also been “Membre de L'Académie de Recherche et d'Enseignement Supérieur” and “Membre effectif de la Chambre des Ecoles Supérieures des Arts de la Communauté française de Belgique”. Since 1979, Daniel Sluse has held numerous solo and group exhibitions in various countries, engaging with the international art scene. Recently, he has shown a keen interest in the China market, fostering dialogues and exchanges with Chinese audiences. #DanielSluse #DaseinAccurateNarration #ArtExhibition #AuroraMuseum #AWEX #BeneluxChamber #CulturalExchange #ArtDialogue #ContemporaryArt

On September 19, 2024, the Luxembourg Consulate General in Shanghai and the Luxembourg Stock Exchange (LuxSE), in collaboration with our Benelux Chamber of Commerce East China | Shanghai, hosted an engaging evening focused on sustainable finance and ESG integration.   The event brought together 40 professionals from the banking and finance sectors, including ESG specialists, corporate finance leaders, and key decision-makers. Opening remarks were delivered by Ms. Tania Berchem, Consul General of Luxembourg in Shanghai, who emphasized Luxembourg's leadership in green finance. Mr. B.Paul Chahine, Green Finance Expert at LuxSE, served as both keynote speaker and moderator of the panel discussion. His presentation on "ESG in International Finance" underscored the growing importance of aligning investments with ESG objectives and the evolving landscape of sustainable finance.   The panel discussions provided diverse perspectives on the challenges and opportunities in ESG integration, including the role of innovation and technology in driving sustainable initiatives and the importance of collaboration between China and Europe in advancing ESG goals.   Our Chamber's Deputy GM, Ms. Jian Lu, served as the MC for the event. This event was also considered a gathering for our Finance Industry Practice Group, led by Mr. Arent Naber, CFO of FrieslandCampina and Ms. Annie Tao, Managing Director of ING Bank N.V., Shanghai Branch.   We extend our sincere thanks to the Luxembourg Consulate General, our speakers, panelists, and participants for their contributions. The positive feedback from attendees highlights the value of such events. As noted by our Consul General, this marks the beginning of a series of discussions on sustainable finance and ESG, further strengthening ties, collaboration, and integration between China, Luxembourg, and the wider Benelux region. #Bencham #Benelux #SustainableFinance #ESG #GreenFinance #Luxembourg #FinanceIndustryPracticeGroup #Innovation #Collaboration #ESGIntegration #LuxSE

4 more days until we present our yearly research on the Sino-Benelux Business environment! Each year, we collaborate with MSA to research the behaviour of Benelux businesses operating in China. The purpose of the Sino Benelux Business Survey is to provide startups, SMEs and multinational businesses with information on emerging trends and the business climate in China. Additionally, the survey seeks to analyze the current market situation with aims to provide businesses with conclusive knowledge to make more informed business decisions. Sign up now 💡 https://lnkd.in/gXMuZfZU

Last week, our General Manager, Thomas K., attended the NLinBusiness.com days, including the International Business Day in Haarlem and De Wereld aan Tafel in Eindhoven. During these events, we had the pleasure of meeting with various companies interested in doing business in and with China, providing them with real, on the ground, insights and answers to their questions. In addition to these events, we held productive meetings with VNO-NCW and Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) | Partner in Sustainable Development, where we exchanged up-to-date information about China and discussed the current business climate. We were thrilled to see genuine interest from these organizations and were subsequently invited to participate in an online round table with policymakers in the Netherlands to share our local perspectives. Our week in the Netherlands concluded with productive site visits to Brainport Eindhoven, Sioux Technologies, and a meeting with ASML's executive team. Interested in our insights from this visit? Don’t hesitate to reach out!

On September 18, the Benelux Chamber of Commerce, in cooperation with the Consulate General of Belgium in Shanghai, co-hosted its annual 'Consul Café,' an event aimed at supporting Belgian students in Shanghai. In collaboration with the CG, we welcomed over 120 students from institutions like KU Leuven, UGent, and ICHEC Business School. In addition to these 120 students, we also welcomed over 20 Belgian professionals who work and live in Shanghai. This event fosters connections among students, our consular staff, and representatives from trade offices such as Flanders Investment & Trade (FIT) , hub.brussels, and Wallonia Trade & Investment (AWEX). Belgian expats in Shanghai were also invited to this event to share their experiences working abroad. Thanks to sponsors such as Duvel Moortgat, AB InBev APAC, KU Leuven , DaWo Law Firm Shanghai, and OBOR, the event featured special guests who prepared speaches, including Mr. Jonathan Xu, Director of Business Development at the Benelux Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai, Mr. Frédéric VAN KERREBROECK, Consul for Economic and Political Affairs at the Consulate General of the Kingdom of Belgium in Shanghai, Mr. Zhou Hanmin, Standing Committee Member of Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference(CPPCC), and Mr. Philippe Snel, Managing Director at DaWo Law Firm Shanghai. Among the professionals, the Chamber also invited representatives from top universities like Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai Foreign Language School Affiliated to SISU, and NYU Shanghai. Both the Chamber and the Belgian Consulate emphasized the importance of academic exchanges between regions. A big shout out to our Student Ambassadors An De Rademaeker and Marnix van Oort for volunteering and helping us to connect with the students!