On the afternoon of September 29, Cai Qi, Secretary of the CPC Beijing Municipal Committee, met with Benjamin Keswick, Executive Chairman of Jardine Matheson Holdings Ltd. via video links.
Cai thanked Jardine Matheson for its support in Beijing's epidemic containment. He said, Beijing has achieved preliminary success in the battle against the epidemic under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee and will take solid steps to coordinate epidemic prevention and control with economic and social development. At the recently concluded 2020 China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS), Chinese President Xi Jinping voiced support for Beijing to develop a national integrated demonstration zone for greater openness in the services sector and set up a pilot free trade zone featuring scientific and technological innovation, opening-up of the services sector, and digital economy. We will take these opportunities to speed up the building of the pilot free trade zone, boost the high-quality development of the services sector, and develop a “Beijing model” for opening-up. Cai hoped that Jardine Matheson could seize the opportunities to actively participate in the building of the pilot free trade zone and provide high-end services in the Canal Business District in the Beijing Municipal Administrative Center and the Jinzhan International Cooperation Service Zone. As the New Shougang Area is shaping itself into a new landmark in the capital city in the new era, he expected that the British group could play an active role in building the new Shougang community for international talents. WF Central has become a landmark and popular spot in the Wangfujing commercial area and the group may leverage its advantages in integrated development of culture, commerce ad tourism and adopt new modes like live streaming to attract more consumers and promote consumption upgrading and quality improvement in the commercial area. Beijing will continue to foster an enabling business environment and provide strong support and one-to-one services for the development of the group.
Keswick spoke highly of what China and Beijing have done and achieved in epidemic prevention and control and said that Jardine Matheson will seize the opportunities to gain a stronger foothold in Beijing and actively participate in the building of the pilot free trade zone and the national integrated demonstration zone for greater openness in the services sector.
Other leaders of the municipality attending the meeting included Zhang Jiaming and Yang Jinbai.
(Reporter: Wu Hongli; photographer: Jia Tongjun)
