China is home to an important cluster community. The bilateral dialogue between the EU and China has been growing in recent years, stimulating the collaboration links between European and Chinese clusters. The EU-China 2020 Strategic Agenda for Cooperation, which aims to foster the establishment of synergies to enhance cooperation in strategic fields, is a strong basis for the creation of cluster collaboration initiatives.

Economic and political context and framework

In 1978, China changed from a centrally-planned to a market-based economy and consequently experienced a rapid economic and social development. Currently, China has a leading position in many sectors that are crucial for the global economy and social development. China is the second largest economy in the world the world's largest exporter and the second largest importer.

Cluster community in the country

China is home to an important cluster community. The main sectors for cluster activity in China are: agriculture, high-tech industry, and manufacturing. Chinese clusters are distributed in different regions, namely the Pearl River Delta (PRD), Yangtze River Delta (YRD) and Bohai Rim (Beijing – Tianjin – Liaoning). The figure below presents a map of China's top 100 industrial clusters.

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China’s public cluster policy is developed by both the central and provincial governments. The Chinese central government seeks continuous cluster development according to the guidelines on facilitating the development of industrial clusters announced by the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC). The most notable central government programme regarding cluster development is the TORCH Programme, which is based on an initiative to develop China's new and high-tech industries approved in 1988 by the national government.Read less.

Cluster policies encouraging the development and internationalisation of clusters

EU and China cooperation has been established with the aim of managing global challenges like health, climate change, food security and clean energy supply. In the particular case of the ICT industrial sector, cooperation could attain great mutual benefits to the businesses and societies, as China and the EU are considered to be global ICT leaders. Read more...

Several projects and some cluster matchmaking missions have already been organised in order to stimulate cooperation between European and Chinese clusters. China is one of the top targeted countries for international cooperation according to the current cluster consortiums under the ESCP-4i initiative. Read less.

Cluster to cluster cooperation opportunities and potential interest from European clusters and SMEs

EU and China cooperation has been established with the aim of managing global challenges like health, climate change, food security and clean energy supply. In the particular case of the ICT industrial sector, cooperation could attain great mutual benefits to the businesses and societies, as China and the EU are considered to be global ICT leaders.

Read more...

Several projects and some cluster matchmaking missions have already been organised in order to stimulate cooperation between European and Chinese clusters. China is one of the top targeted countries for international cooperation according to the current cluster consortiums under the ESCP-4i initiative. Read less.

Key Facts

Capital: Beijing Population: 1,357 trillion (2015) Total area: 9,597 millions km² GDP per capital: $15,095 (2015) Gross domestic product: $20.853 trillion (2015) Currency: Yuan

Documentation

News

Stay updated about the latest developments and activities in this strategic partner country

Events

Join events to learn about the cluster policy and meet peers from this country
Date Event Target Event Type
17 February 2020 Live Webinar - IP for SMEs: protecting your IP at Trade Fairs. Large audience Webinar
17 December 2019 Webinar: IPR Protection in China and South-East Asia for the Software Industry Cluster managers, Project coordinators, SME Webinar
31 October 2019 Understanding China deeper: From business culture to its innovation enhancement Cluster managers, Investors, Large audience, Project coordinators, SME Webinar
23 October 2019 Webinar: Developing and Protecting Your FinTech Business in China and South-East Asia Cluster managers, SME Webinar
20 March 2019 ENRICH in China is hosting its 14th Webinar, on March 20th SME Webinar

Achievements

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ESCP-4i News

Stay updated with the news from the European Cluster Partnership for Internationalisation

ESCP-4is targetting this country

Acronym Name Technology Fields Sectoral Industries Targeted third countries No. of SME involved No. of Partners
Med-DietEurocluster MediterraneanDiet European Cluster initiative
Accommodation and food service activities:I56 Food and beverage service activities
Information and communication:J63 Information service activities
Other service activities:S94 Activities of membership organisations
United States, United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates, Morocco, Egypt, China, Canada
MobiGoIn Mobility Goes International Canada, China, Malaysia, Singapore, United States 1100 4
MobiGoIn-Action Mobility Goes International - In Action
Information and communication:J63 Information service activities
Canada, China, Singapore, United States 1270 4
NATUREEF Natureef ESCP Brazil, Chile, China, Colombia, Mexico, Peru, Philippines 1232 9
New Frontier in Food New Frontiers for Emerging Industries in Food Brazil, Canada, China, Japan, Republic of Korea (South Korea), Taiwan, Thailand, United States 514 4