The Consorci de la Zona Franca de Barcelona signs a collaboration agreement with the Qianhai and Shekou Free Trade Zone

• Representatives from the Administrative Committee of the Qianhai and Shekou Area in the Chinese region of Shenzhen, along with the special State delegate at the CZFB, Pere Navarro, and the general director of the CZFB, Blanca Sorigué, have signed an agreement based on the exchange of knowledge, promotional activities, and the promotion of international delegations.

• The collaboration agreement, supported by the president of Puente China Holding, Liling Qi, highlights the interest in fostering good cooperation relations and creating a lasting and solid mechanism of dialogue and participation.

Barcelona, 11 February 2025.- The Consorci de la Zona Franca de Barcelona (CZFB) has signed today a memorandum of collaboration (MOU) with the Administrative Committee of the Qianhai and Shekou Area of Shenzhen in the China (Guangdong) Pilot Free Trade Zone, to promote bilateral cooperation in logistics, transport, and industry 4.0 between both countries. Present at the signing ceremony were the special state delegate at the CZFB, Pere Navarro, the general director of the CZFB, Blanca Sorigué, the director of the Administrative Committee of the Qianhai and Shekou Free Trade Zone and member of the Standing Committee of the Shenzhen Municipal Committee, Wang Shourui, accompanied by representatives from the Administrative Committee of the Qianhai and Shekou Area of Shenzhen.

The collaboration agreement highlights the interest of both entities in seeking the exchange of knowledge, promoting promotional activities, and the promotion of international delegations among the parties involved.

As part of the China (Guangdong) Pilot Free Trade Zone, the Qianhai and Shekou Area’s mission is to focus on the development of strategic emerging service industries such as financial services, modern logistics, information services, technology services, etc., and to build a pilot demonstration window for the opening of China’s financial services sector to the outside world, an important base for global service trade, and an international hub port.

With the signing of the memorandum, which comes after long discussions sponsored by Puente China Holding and its president, Liling Qi, both parties commit to fostering good cooperation relations and creating a lasting and solid mechanism of dialogue and participation. Furthermore, they will promote international exchanges to explore the possibilities of cooperation in the field of international projects and strengthen mutual cooperation through activities, training, and meetings to promote high-quality development.

In this regard, the special state delegate at the CZFB, Pere Navarro, pointed out that “this new collaboration agreement between Spain and China allows us to establish new opportunities for both countries, in terms of innovation and Industry 4.0. The Consorci de la Zona Franca de Barcelona embraces new projects and collaborations that allow us to drive international business transformation. I am sure that this new chapter between China and Spain will further strengthen the bilateral relations between both countries, encouraging the exchange of knowledge, innovation, and co-creation opportunities”.

The text also expresses the intention to leverage the respective strengths and advantages of the Qianhai and Shekou Free Trade Zone and the Zona Franca de Barcelona, mobilising a greater number of Qianhai companies to invest and develop their businesses in Barcelona, thus contributing more substantially and significantly to the flourishing of economic and commercial relations between China and Spain.

This new memorandum of collaboration is celebrated with the momentous occasion of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the People’s Republic of China and Spain, in order to jointly write a new chapter of friendly cooperation between both countries.