The Rudong delegation poses for a photo with representatives from the UAE after a meeting. [Photo/WeChat account: rudongfb]

A delegation led by Chen Huiyu, Party secretary of Rudong county, Nantong visited Turkiye and the United Arab Emirates from April 13 to 19 to conduct a series of economic and trade exchange activities aimed at attracting investment and enhancing international cooperation.

In Turkiye, the delegation visited Koksan Group, a leading polyester materials manufacturer. Chen and his team engaged in in-depth discussions about the group's $710 million project in Yangkou Port Economic Development Zone, Rudong, which aims to produce 2.2 million metric tons of green polyester materials annually. Key topics discussed included energy assessments, foreign investment inflows, equipment imports, and talent recruitment.

The delegation also met with the Gaziantep Chamber of Commerce, which represents nearly 1,000 member companies. Chen introduced Rudong's location advantages, industrial foundation, and policy support, expressing hopes to deepen bilateral economic cooperation through the chamber. The chamber responded positively, pledging to recommend local enterprises in new energy and new materials sectors to visit and invest in Rudong.

In the UAE, the delegation visited the China-UAE Industrial Capacity Cooperation Demonstration Zone located in the Khalifa Industrial Zone Abu Dhabi (KIZAD). Covering 12.2 square kilometers, the zone serves as a model for park planning, infrastructure development, and investment promotion.

The delegation also toured a local subsidiary of COSCO Shipping Lines, which provides integrated international logistics services. As Rudong's Yangkou Port seeks to partner with COSCO on a 50,000-ton heavy cargo terminal project, Chen and his delegation held discussions on advancing cooperation to enhance port logistics capacity and optimize global transport routes.

In recent years, Rudong has attracted investments from 17 Fortune Global 500 companies, including Honeywell (US) and SNF (France), forming industrial clusters in new energy, materials, and equipment. With a 2024 GDP of 18 billion euros, Rudong ranks 29th among China's counties in overall economic competitiveness and continues to emerge as a prime destination for global investment.