12th Fortune Global Forum in Chengdu
Updated: 2012-04-06 17:27
(m.hwdly.com.cn)
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The 12th Fortune Global Forum is scheduled for June 2013 in Chengdu, the hometown of Kung Fu panda in the heart of Western China.
It’s the fourth time the forum has come to the country. It was first held in Shanghai in 1999, secondly in Hong Kong in 2001 and the third time in Beijing in 2005.
One third of all forums have been held in the nation. The conference has found itself in a strange cycle.
The forum was launched in 1995, which set out standards to select a host city. Organizers seek an energetic and innovative city to host the event, which may not infer it’s the most developed metropolis..
When the People’s Republic of China celebrated its 50th anniversary in 1999; Fortune magazine chose Shanghai to host the forum, which was entitled, China in the Next 50 Years.
Shanghai held the largest forum for the magazine. Its slogan -- win over China before you win over the world, had captured the hearts of over 300 representatives from multinationals, 200 Chinese entrepreneurs and high-level government officials, including then Chinese President Jiang Zemin, former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger and former Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew.
China has undergone 20 years of market-oriented reforms and opening up, while overcoming the Asian financial crisis in 1997 and emerged out of the recent global economic recession ahead of other Asian countries and regions.
The 7th Fortune Global Forum was held in Hong Kong in 2001. Hong Kong returned to China in 1997, the magazine forecasted “the Death of Hong Kong” in a cover story published around that time.
Yet three years later, Hong Kong, relying on the “One Country, Two Systems” policy, witnessed a 10.5 percent annual growth rate in the local economy, which topped all countries and regions in Asia.
The forum was held shortly before the entry of the nation as a member of the WTO. The conference was called, Asia’s New Generation. The words emphasized in its agenda were “future” and “China.”.
Later on, the three-day 9th Fortune Global Forum was unveiled at the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvest at Beijing’s Temple of Heaven on May 16, 2005, while Chinese President Hu Jintao delivered the opening address. The theme was China and the New Asian Century.
China has captured more attention from Fortune. Chengdu deserves greater global recognition.
Chengdu has launched five strategies to boost the regional economy. The city is transforming into an economic hub of Western China.
Perhaps, local officials should borrow a saying from Fortune: win over Chengdu first before you can win over China.