Jiangsu Officials Enhance Practical Skills for Entrepreneurship in an Open Environment

Continuous Development of Essential Skills for Jiangsu Officials in an Open Environment

As the party and the nation progress, the demands on the capabilities of leading officials continue to grow. General Secretary Xi Jinping has emphasized the necessity for officials at all levels to enhance their ability to think critically, make decisions, and tackle challenges in an open environment.

Since the beginning of this year, in response to the evolving complexities of the international landscape, officials across Jiangsu province have risen to the occasion, taking on responsibilities with determination. Through multi-level collaboration, specialized task forces, and professional services, they are aiding foreign trade enterprises in maximizing domestic and international markets and resources, ensuring robust high-quality development amidst challenges. The provincial government has reinforced the implementation of the “20 Measures” to motivate officials to be proactive in entrepreneurship within an open context, enabling the economic powerhouse of Jiangsu to shoulder its responsibilities effectively.

Task Force Collaboration: Mobilizing Elite Teams to Overcome Challenges

“Thanks to the support from the task force, we have officially entered the domestic market, received production orders, and are simultaneously exploring more new markets,” said a representative from Kunshan Yixin Motor Technology Co., Ltd. on May 19, after successfully obtaining the China Compulsory Certification (CCC) just two weeks after the application. Traditionally, this process would take at least 1-2 months.

In light of the complicated international situation, the domestic market serves as a solid foundation for foreign trade enterprises. However, transitioning from export to domestic sales is not merely a matter of relocating products and markets; companies often face challenges such as unfamiliarity with market access, sales, and settlement regulations, as well as difficulties in securing orders. At such critical moments, professional guidance is essential.

Since April, Suzhou, a significant hub for foreign trade, has established a task force that operates 24/7 to stabilize foreign trade efforts. This has created a framework for city leaders to coordinate and for different departments to collaborate. To leverage the advantages of officials in policy interpretation, resource integration, and government-business connections, the task force comprises 43 skilled personnel from 24 different units, including development and reform, and industry and information technology. Additionally, each county-level city and district has set up corresponding task forces, providing tailored services to 1,660 key enterprises, addressing 641 business needs with a resolution rate of 95.2%. All levels of officials are working together to stabilize the foreign trade sector and fulfill the economic responsibilities of a major city.

Recently, Nanjing Wolite New Energy Technology Co., Ltd. participated in the 26th Jiangsu Export Commodity Fair in Osaka, showcasing solar panels, photovoltaic balcony system kits, and energy storage devices, reflecting the innovative capabilities of Jiangsu’s new foreign trade products. This year, the provincial commerce department has taken robust steps to stabilize foreign trade and attract foreign investment, quickly implementing policies to support enterprises, creating a coordination mechanism for response, and mobilizing party members to engage in the “Jiangsu Quality Products Go Global” initiative, focusing on emerging market expansion with 288 overseas exhibition projects.

The “combination punch” effect of officials leading and enterprises following is now evident. Emerging markets have become the primary driving force for foreign trade growth in Jiangsu amidst external pressures. From January to April, exports to ASEAN, Africa, and Latin America grew by 24.7%, 14.9%, and 11% respectively, contributing a total of 5.8 percentage points to import-export growth. Officials at all levels in the provincial commerce system will continue to implement the “Measures for Stabilizing Foreign Investment in Jiangsu Province 2025,” fully supporting enterprises in overcoming difficulties.

Professional Services: Targeted Solutions to Address Challenges

In the past week, products such as home textiles, household goods, pet supplies, and baby products from Wuxi Shangbai Global E-commerce Co., Ltd. have been sold to North America, Europe, Japan, and other regions through platforms like Amazon. “Due to external pressures, our production and sales in North America were indeed affected, but thankfully, the overseas business innovation exchange center established in Europe has helped us set up an office in Amsterdam to further expand our business channels and resources,” said Wu Xinfeng, Chairman of Shangbai Global E-commerce.

A similar scenario unfolded at Wuxi Rilian Technology Co., Ltd., which specializes in industrial X-ray detection equipment. To assist the company in market expansion and the establishment of an international industrial chain, the Wuxi High-tech Zone (Xinwu District) vigorously supported Rilian Technology in setting up a new production base in Johor, Malaysia, and establishing a European operations center in Hungary to improve product quality, reduce costs, enhance production efficiency, and optimize the supply chain and processes.

Helping enterprises penetrate new markets and enhance their resilience depends not only on policy support but also on a professional cadre team. The Wuxi High-tech Zone has formed a specialized task force for open economic work, promoting the establishment of overseas business innovation exchange centers in Tokyo, Seoul, Frankfurt, and Singapore. “We adopt a comprehensive approach to selection, carefully evaluating our cadre team and implementing a model of ‘department-level team leader + resident + rotating resident + local hires,’ selecting an agile-thinking, well-coordinated departmental leader, supported by two foreign language proficient, industry-savvy residents, two rotating young potential leaders, and a local investment consultant knowledgeable about the industry and policies,” explained a representative from the district’s organizational department. Overseas officers regularly conduct specialized training to broaden their international work perspectives and hone their foreign affairs skills.

“Watching over 5 million yuan of inventory nearly fill our warehouse while orders fluctuate was stressful,” recalled Lu Saiyong, General Manager of Meimian Century (Nantong) Trade Co., Ltd., reflecting on a recent period of difficulty when the company faced a 20% profit decline due to drastic changes in international trade conditions.

In this critical moment, the service task force from the Samsung Town in Haimen District of Nantong provided timely assistance, developing a tailored strategy: utilizing an “international market heat map” to precisely target the Japanese mid-range home textile market, arranging for supply chain experts to provide on-site guidance, and introducing a third-party quality inspection agency to optimize export processes, thereby helping the company navigate the challenges. “The task force not only provided a ‘lifeline’ but also taught us a ‘new swimming style,'” Lu said. “Now, our orders from Japan exceed 2,000 per month, with profit margins recovering to 22%, and we’ve successfully expanded into the Middle East market!”

Centered around the Die Shi Bridge in Nantong, the Die Shi Bridge home textile market is the largest production and distribution center for home textile products in the country, with a commercial network exporting to over 130 countries and regions worldwide. Given the current circumstances, how can enterprises expand into diverse markets? How can they transition to the domestic market? How can e-commerce platforms and financial systems assist enterprises in overcoming difficulties? Since April, the local party committee and government have integrated customs trade data and international market dynamics, employing big data technology to create a visual “international market heat map.” They organized task force officials to conduct in-depth analyses from various perspectives, such as market size, competitive landscape, and policy environment, to provide customized market expansion plans for enterprises. Additionally, they implemented a “professional cadre stationed at enterprises” initiative, carefully selecting 32 skilled personnel familiar with foreign trade, law, and finance to serve as service officers, establishing a full-chain service system where enterprises place orders, officers respond, departments process, and the government oversees.

Specialized Empowerment: Strengthening Cadres’ Capacity for Adaptation

Learning ability is a “survival skill” in an open environment. In response to the current complex and changing foreign trade economic landscape, various regions are continuously enhancing officials’ abilities to accurately recognize changes, scientifically respond, and proactively seek transformation in an open context. They are learning by doing and practicing in real situations, helping officials broaden their perspectives and continually improve their professional skills.

Recently, Liu Fa, a senior supervisor of the cross-border e-commerce industry at the Lianyungang Free Trade Zone, along with his team, attended the 137th Canton Fair and signed several foreign trade orders with merchants from the Middle East, Southeast Asia, Central Asia, and Africa. “I just attended a specialized lecture at the Port City Lecture Hall, which inspired me greatly. We should actively guide enterprises to broaden their sales channels through ‘online digital marketing + offline exhibition synergy’ and help them find new business opportunities through the Belt and Road Initiative,” Liu stated.

This year, Lianyungang has focused on cultivating officials’ open-mindedness, international outlook, and global thinking, promoting their understanding of open economic policies and regulations. Enhancing officials’ capabilities in this regard has become a core component of training programs. Various approaches, including “theory + practice + exchange,” are being used to improve officials’ skills in navigating open environments. “We focus on the forefront of openness and institutional innovation, building a training model of ‘theoretical instruction + case analysis + practical honing,’ and emphasizing in-depth studies of international high-standard economic and trade rules such as RCEP, CPTPP, and DEPA. We leverage practice platforms like the Free Trade Zone and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (Lianyungang) International Logistics Park for immersive learning, enabling officials to transition from ‘classroom input’ to ‘development output,'” a representative from the Lianyungang Municipal Organization Department shared.

Yancheng City has adhered to an open concept in its training programs, conducting 16 specialized training sessions on marine economy, green low-carbon initiatives, and financial management, inviting experts from advanced regions and international enterprises to lead lectures. They also organized officials to visit leading cities like Shenzhen and Shanghai to gain insights and promote the absorption of open concepts, mastery of professional methods, and enhancement of scientific skills. This year, 60 outstanding young officials have been selected for two-way exchanges, assigned to frontline industries, leading enterprises, and new research institutions to serve and gain experience, better positioning talents and stimulating their intrinsic motivation to seize opportunities and strive for excellence.