The BGEZ: A Pilgrimage to the Land of Miracles

written by Lin Han / translated by Ma Jinyu

The BGEZ: A Pilgrimage to the Land of Miracles

written by Lin Han / translated by Ma Jinyu

On the afternoon of October 27, 2015 after the Zhejiang Entrepreneurs • Guangxi Beibu Gulf Investment Round-table Conference, Mr. Li Yanqiang, Executive Deputy Director of Beibu Gulf Economic Zone & Cooperation with ASEAN Office of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, together with the delegation comprised of principals of Guangxi’s industrial parks, visited Alibaba Group's headquarter in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China. The delegation was so excited because this is a place where miracles are created. Alibaba, China’s e-commerce giant, rang up total sales of over 50 million yuan with the 24-hour sale on November 11, 2014. The Group made a detailed introduction to the delegation on its three major strategies, namely, globalization, rural taobao and big data as well as its development situation of e-commerce, rookie logistics, Alibaba cloud computing and ant fi nancial, which caused a lot of interests among delegates.

The delegation asked various questions based on their own circumstances and conducted a brainstorming session on the development of e-commerce.

“Plenty of physical stores go bankrupt as e-commerce emerges.”

“It is not necessary to debate whether we should develop e-commerce or not. The fact is that we must develop it. A new era has come.”

“The development of e-commerce raises new requirements for governmental functions.”

“The government needs to keep up with times, transfer its functions and simplify procedures.”

“Cross-border e-commerce will be the focus of our next step.”

“In spite of abundant nature resources and great potentials for e-commerce, there was no experience for us to draw upon in the past. That’s why I fi nd this trip rewarding.”

What they said really excited everybody on the scene. The success of Alibaba provides the basis and the reference for the delegation, and inspired them to better promote the development of Guangxi.

Mr. Li Yanqiang claimed that the well preparation lays a strong foundation for this trip in Zhejiang. As he stated, the BGEZ has been undergoing vigorous development over the past ten years together with his team--Beibu Gulf Economic Zone & Cooperation with ASEAN Off i ce of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, which shoulders such a mission of being the“command center of reform” and is a gobetween for the cooperation between Guangxi’s industrial parks and Zhejiang’s entrepreneurs

On September 26, 2014, Guangxi Beibu Gulf Economic Zone Planning Construction and Administration Office established in 2006 was renamed as Beibu Gulf Economic Zone & Cooperation with ASEAN Office of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, adding with new functions like coordinating and advancing the openingup and development in Guangxi’s border area, and enhancing the development of the BGEZ and the construction of the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road.

As the second time to visit Zhejiang, the delegation aims to attract more investors to jointly promote the BGEZ for win-win result of both sides. Facts proved that chances would fall behind those who show more initiative. During the conference this time, several Zhejiang entrepreneurs showed their expressions of cooperation with Yulin Longtan Industrial Park and Yulin Traditional Chinese Medicine Health Industry Garden, which indicates that this conference is a big success. Many participants gave a thumbs-up to the organizer--Beibu Gulf Economic Zone & Cooperation with ASEAN Office of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, as the conference was high-level and well proceeded.

The BGEZ has gone through the “Golden Decade”. A decade is too short for it as the “speed of Beibu Gulf’ has just begun. A decade is so long because it needs to seize every minute for opening-up and reform. The BGEZ has never stopped its pace on the road to opening-up, reform and cooperation.