'Made in SZ' products poised for global spotlight: ChinaEU president

Video by Xu Shuntian

“China and Europe are very complementary, particularly in relation to Shenzhen,” Luigi Gambardella, president of the international association ChinaEU, told Shenzhen Daily during an interview earlier this month.

He further explained that Shenzhen is home to many companies linked to new technologies and high-tech innovations, while Europe possesses its own unique strengths.

Luigi Gambardella

Innovative projects with Europe

Gambardella noted that Shenzhen, known as China’s Silicon Valley, has acquired a global reputation as a beacon of innovation, creativity, and entrepreneurship over the last few decades.

“It is one of the textbook illustrations of technology company clusters and one of the fastest-growing tech hubs globally,” the president said, citing Shenzhen’s GDP, number of high-tech enterprises, R&D expenditure, and export volume as indicators of its success.

Leveraging Shenzhen’s technological advantages, Gambardella emphasized the numerous opportunities for European and Chinese companies to collaborate, offering two examples related to unmanned vehicles and the retail sector.

He disclosed that ChinaEU is developing a concept for artificial intelligence-driven unmanned mobile shops. This project exemplifies how European brands with retail experience can partner with Shenzhen companies, leveraging Europe’s strengths in retail alongside Shenzhen’s expertise in high-tech and future mobility solutions.

“We believe that in the future, many shops will no longer be fixed in one location. Instead, they will move according to customer needs,” said Gambardella.

‘Made in Shenzhen’ Initiative

On Nov. 15, the China-Europe Innovation Dialogue was held at the Qianhai International Talent Hub in Shenzhen.

In his speech about the “Made in Shenzhen” Initiative, Gambardella shared ideas on how Shenzhen could cooperate with European countries, especially Italy, to forge stronger paths toward the future of innovation.

Gambardella praised Shenzhen’s technological capabilities and entrepreneurial dynamism, noting that the city has earned its reputation for adaptability by continuously transforming its industrial clusters to remain competitive on a global scale and create value for its companies and communities.

Luigi Gambardella delivers a speech at the China-Europe Innovation Dialogue held at the Qianhai International Talent Hub on Nov. 15. Xu Shuntian

However, he pointed out that as the global landscape of innovation evolves rapidly and competition intensifies, Shenzhen must take proactive steps. He suggested that the city consider launching a “Made in Shenzhen” or “Shenzhen Quality” label to further enhance and solidify the market position of companies within the Shenzhen cluster.

This idea follows the successful branding of “Made in Italy.” As Gambardella noted, the “Made in Italy” label has proven highly beneficial for lesser-known Italian brands, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises that may lack significant marketing budgets.

The Italian government issued the “Made in Italy” mark in 2019 to protect companies that have been operating for more than 50 years. According to a Forbes report, this mark can be requested voluntarily by companies producing goods in Italy and is only employed outside of Europe.

Gambardella explained that the “Made in Italy” label guarantees quality, meticulous workmanship, and conveys prestige and uniqueness.

Drawing lessons from Italy’s successful experience, Shenzhen can implement a similar “Made in Shenzhen” initiative. “Shenzhen, with its technological drive and entrepreneurial spirit, can take inspiration from the Italian model to add value to its products, focusing on a blend of creativity, quality, and authenticity that stands out in the global marketplace,” stated Gambardella.

He elaborated on three ways Shenzhen companies could benefit from this initiative: fostering partnerships between Chinese and European companies, opening new markets for Shenzhen firms, and gaining access to advanced technologies, research, and expertise from Europe.

Successful examples of cooperation between China and Europe — such as joint ventures in electric vehicles and collaborative research in renewable energy — demonstrate the potential for greater achievements through ongoing partnerships and collaborative policies among companies, researchers, and institutions. There is still much more to explore.