Kunpeng gathering spotlights city's global edge

Fabian Blake (4th L), vice president of the European Chamber of Commerce in China and chairman of the South China Board, interacts with fellow participants during the 2025 Kunpeng · Autumn Gathering of the Shenzhen Global Business & Trade Networking Conference at the Sky Museum in Futian District yesterday. Photos courtesy of event organizer

Upon arriving at the Sky Museum in Futian District yesterday for the 2025 Kunpeng · Autumn Gathering of the Shenzhen Global Business & Trade Networking Conference, Michael Vonk, consul for political, economic, and public affairs at the Consulate General of Canada in Guangzhou, took a keen interest in a mini humanoid robot displayed in the reception area. 

He interacted with the AI-powered robot developed by Shenzhen-based UBTECH and asked it questions related to Canada before listening to a brief product introduction from a UBTECH staffer.

Michael Vonk (C), consul for political, economic, and public affairs at the Consulate General of Canada in Guangzhou, exchanges views with participants during the event. 

Vonk was among more than 80 guests — diplomats from foreign consulates in Guangzhou and representatives from about 40 institutions and enterprises — who attended the Kunpeng event, jointly hosted by the Shenzhen Municipal Committee of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT Shenzhen), the China Chamber of International Commerce Shenzhen Branch (CCOIC Shenzhen), and Shenzhen Media Group. 

The Kunpeng · Spring/Autumn Gathering, a pioneering Shenzhen initiative established as a regular liaison mechanism with foreign chambers of commerce in China, was officially launched by CCPIT Shenzhen in February.

Yang Haobo, deputy director of CCPIT Shenzhen, outlined the city’s measures and achievements over the past year in helping companies expand abroad and deepen Shenzhen’s presence in international markets. She said Shenzhen is committed to promoting high-tech industries, particularly artificial intelligence (AI).

“We are looking to be a very powerful agent of AI in Latin America,” said Gonzalo Rubilar, consul of economic and commercial affairs at the Consulate General of Chile in Guangzhou. “We need to learn from the best, and right now the best is China, especially Shenzhen. So, we are seeking direct cooperation with Shenzhen companies in this field,” he said.

Guests interact and explore exhibits at the 2025 Kunpeng · Autumn Gathering of the Shenzhen Global Business & Trade Networking Conference, held at the Sky Museum in Futian District yesterday. 

Shenzhen has cultivated numerous AI companies and innovation platforms that are globally competitive, resulting in a comprehensive industrial chain and ecosystem.

Maxime Dechamps, CEO of 8AM, a Brussels-based business platform that serves European companies seeking to tap the Chinese market and Chinese companies wanting to expand in Europe, told the conference that Belgium offers a very favorable R&D tax regime for AI and tech companies, which is among the most competitive in the European Union. He added that AI cuts across many sectors, and Belgium’s market access and connectivity can help Shenzhen-based companies scale into Europe.

Sergio Games (L) from Mexican enterprise GAMEX tests a virtual reality experience as Fabian Blake (C) and Daniel Domínguez Cantú, acting consul general of the Consulate General of Mexico in Guangzhou, look on during the 2025 Kunpeng · Autumn Gathering in Shenzhen.

Fabian Blake, vice president of the European Chamber of Commerce in China and chairman of the South China Board, praised Shenzhen’s business environment, calling it generally straightforward and entrepreneur-friendly, particularly when it comes to company registration and basic taxation.

Blake urged deeper engagement between European business organizations, including the European chamber, and Shenzhen authorities. “We’re happy to work closely with government agencies on talent attraction and tax policy,” he said, stressing that closer collaboration can help both Shenzhen and European companies capitalize on AI and other high-tech opportunities.