Social Impact Initiative 2024: Roundtable Discussion with China Center for Information Industry Development
On June 13, AmCham China and the China Center for Information Industry Development (CCID) co-hosted a roundtable discussion centered on four key topics: China’s New Industrialization, Digital Transformation of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs), Industrial Decarbonization, and the Digital Transformation of Manufacturing. The event featured insights from distinguished experts, including Xiaoyan Zhang, Vice President of CCID; Fei Pan, Director of the International Cooperation Research Center at CCID; and Fei Long, Director of the Research Institute of Small and Medium Enterprises at CCID. Claire Ma, Vice President of AmCham China, also attended, along with representatives from Dell, Amazon, HPE, and other companies who shared their experiences, results, and future prospects regarding digital transformation and low-carbon development cooperation in China.
Claire Ma, Vice President of AmCham China, highlighted the success of a joint seminar held in June 2023 on the digital transformation of FIEs, which brought together member companies to discuss SME digital transformation.
Yiming Li, Deputy Director of the Research Institute of New Industrialization at CCID, discussed the theme of “new industrialization.” He described China’s strategy of New Industrialization as high-end, intelligent, and green, emphasizing the importance of improving supply chain security, enhancing industrial innovation, optimizing industrial structure, integrating digital technology with the real economy, and promoting green development.
Fei Long, Director of the Research Institute of Small and Medium Enterprises at CCID shared insights on the digital transformation of SMEs, noting that the institute offers solutions to address SMEs’ resource and technical limitations.
Weidong Zhao, Director of the Research Institute of Energy Conservation and Environmental Protection at CCID, focused on “industrial decarbonization.” He outlined three core aspects: promoting green transformation in high-energy industries, guiding traditional industries towards green planning, and developing high-tech industries to boost economic growth.
Lijun Jia, Deputy Director of the Research Institute of Informatization and Software Industry at CCID, discussed policies and research progress on the digital transformation of manufacturing. He emphasized the transformative impact of digital technologies like the Internet, big data, cloud computing, and AI on production, lifestyle, and governance.
Claire Ma, also expressed that in September 2023, SASAC and AmCham China member companies had in-depth exchanges on the latest progress in state-owned enterprise reform and cooperation with foreign enterprises, yielding fruitful results. Through exchanges with SASAC and central enterprises, AmCham China aims to learn from the advanced technologies of the China Huaneng Group Clean Energy Research Institute in the CCUS field, strengthen member companies’ low-carbon energy transition development, and build a platform for deepening cooperation in this field. AmCham China also hopes to explore more future cooperation opportunities to jointly contribute to global climate change mitigation.
Lv Kun, Director of the Bureau of Social Responsibility of SASAC, said at the event that SASAC attaches great importance to the role of green development in the reform of central enterprises and will accelerate the promotion of high-quality green and low-carbon development.
Afterwards, representatives of AmCham China member companies shared their experiences and industry perspectives on the development of multinational companies in the green and low-carbon transition fields such as CCUS. They also discussed their practices and explorations in the development of CCUS technology and green and low-carbon transition.
During the interactive exchange session, representatives from SASAC, Huaneng Group, and the Clean Energy Research Institute had thorough discussions with company representatives, exchanged opinions, shared experiences on green and low-carbon transition issues, reflected on policy advantages and challenges encountered during enterprise development, looked forward to future development directions, and reached a consensus on continued cooperation to contribute to global sustainable development.
Finally, Xu Aibo, Level I Bureau Rank Official of the Bureau of International Cooperation of SASAC, made a concluding speech, stating that this Symposium on US-China Corporate Low-Carbon Practices provided valuable learning and exchange opportunities, enhanced mutual understanding, and consolidated consensus. The goal is that future exchanges will continue to be strong, allowing for the collaborative promotion of CCUS technology upgrades and corporate green and low-carbon transition. Enhanced cooperation between the government and enterprises in the green and low-carbon fields will ensure that responsibility for protecting the ecological environment and addressing climate change is collective.
Social Impact Initiative:
AmCham China launched the Social Impact Initiative in July 2020, aiming to establish a collaborative platform including stakeholders such as government bodies, domestic and foreign enterprises, international organizations, think tanks, and so on. By organizing thematic seminars, summits, and producing reports, the program shares best practices to inspire corporate social responsibility, encouraging multinational enterprises to play a more proactive role in China’s social and economic development. Upholding the principles of sharing, contributing, cooperating, and win-win outcomes, the Social Impact Initiative will continue to focus on three areas in 2024: rural revitalization, the digital economy, and sustainable development. We welcome member companies, government agencies, NGOs, academic institutions, and industry associations to join us on our journey of social impact.
To learn more about AmCham China’s Social Impact Initiative, please contact Yuning Xu.