Tilburg junction along the New Silk Road

On Thursday 24 January, a Chinese delegation from Chengdu visited our region. The delegation was led by vice-mayor Liu Xiaoliu (logistics portfolio). She was received that morning by the mayor and the alderman after which a visit was made to Railport Brabant/GVT Group of Logistics, Vossenberg and the Spoorzone.

Chengdu is one of the largest logistics hubs in Asia. Thirty percent of all Chinese exports by train to Europe now go by rail between Chengdu and Tilburg. This rail connection offers Brabant companies structural access to millions of consumers in China. During this visit, the possibilities for further cooperation between Tilburg and Chengdu were examined. A further intensification of the cooperation in the field of our logistics relationship is the starting point for this. In addition, Chengdu is also interested in cooperation in the area of (talent) exchange and themes such as culture, education, sports and tourism. 

At the beginning of November, a delegation from Tilburg (including GVT Group of Logistics) visited Chengdu. During this visit, the Holland Pavilion in Qingbaijiang District (entrepreneurial pavilion) was opened. One of the goals is to stimulate the sales of products of Brabant entrepreneurs. The pavilion should contribute to this. The Sino-Dutch initiative is still in development and would like to offer more entrepreneurs the opportunity to present their products.

Chengdu has 11 million inhabitants and since 2012 has a twinning with Maastricht. Chengdu is characterized by high economic growth and developments. Through an active international and open attitude, the city attracts many Western companies and investors. In the economic field, the city focuses on the food processing industry, IT and electronic information, (financial) services and the bio-pharmaceutical industry. The city is also known for its world-famous Panda Reserves, a major tourist attraction.