New reception hall aims to transform Guangzhou into international trade hub

The recent establishment of the "Guangzhou International Reception Hall" is expected to provide crucial support for the Guangdong provincial capital city to build itself into an international trade hub.

It marks a substantial step forward for Guangzhou in international economic and trade exchanges and the development of high-end cooperation platforms.

According to Chen Simin, president of China Council for Promotion of International Trade Guangzhou Committee, as an international trade center and a national gateway city, Guangzhou now boasts abundant international resources, including 68 foreign consulates general, 109 international sister cities, and 60 international ports.

Located at the southern end of Guangzhou's New Urban Central Axis and on the ancient waterway of the Maritime Silk Road, "Guangzhou International Reception Hall" is a large-scale urban complex combining headquarters offices, business clubs, international conference and exhibition facilities, and high-end yacht marinas. With a total construction area of approximately 560,000 square meters, the project sit on the bank of the Pearl River and features a unique architectural design.

Building the "International Reception Hall" was a key measure to implement the core function of Guangzhou as an "international trade center", aiming to showcase the best of Guangzhou to global merchants and present the city's beauty, hospitality, and first-class business environment, said Chen, who is also the president of Guangzhou Chamber of International Commerce.

Guangzhou, which has over 2,200 years of history behind it, has long been known as a "millennium commercial capital". For eight years running, according to a study by AmCham South China, Guangzhou has been ranked as the top investment destination in China.

Zhang Yan, vice-president of China Council for Promotion of International Trade Guangzhou Committee, said Guangzhou's accessibility has been a defining characteristic of the city for over 2,000 years, and its inclusive spirit has long been ingrained into the city's identity.

"This serves as a profound foundation for us to integrate international resources and connect with global networks today," said Zhang.

The "International Reception Hall" will further leverage its advantages in the core functions of exhibition, service, information, conference and exchange, and act as a key platform to facilitate Chinese-foreign exchanges and cooperation, Zhang added.

"This is not only a continuation of the millennium-old commercial city's open history but also a new window opened to friends around the world," Zhang said.