Businesses cheer Shenyang problem-solving tea parties

SHENYANG, Dec. 16 (Xinhua) -- On the second floor of a red-brick government building in Shenyang, the capital of northeast China's Liaoning Province, a special tea party was held in a small but comfortable conference room with warm party arrangements.

For dozens of participants, mainly businessmen and businesswomen, delightful afternoon tea was not the only cause for them to rejoice.

"For us, it is not only a home-like place but also a pragmatic problem-solver," said Xiao Zheng, the deputy manager of Shenyang Laijin Auto Parts Co., Ltd., with visible excitement.

According to Zhang Zhan, an official with the city's business environment bureau, the business-themed tea party is among the city's glittering array of measures aimed at building a sound business environment.

Unlike a run-of-the-mill negotiation meeting, the tea party was designed to provide a casual and favorable occasion for businesses facing problems to talk with problem-solvers, ranging from government officials to experts on relevant issues, and the bureau weighs in with thoughtful and well-prepared solutions.

"Before the party, we need to determine the topic and the participating businesses, government departments and experts, on the basis of the information we collected through multiple channels, including mobile applications, hotlines, and business associations," said Zhang.

She added that the authority is required to track and supervise the follow-up of the government departments involved and send feedback to businesses within one week after the event.

"I took part in the event for the first time, witnessing the city improving the business environment in order to inject vitality into the economy," said Xiao, brimming with confidence. "A promising prospect for our business."

Since its inception in 2019, a total of 76 business-themed tea parties have been held, and more than 5,000 businesses have participated online or offline.

Moreover, based on the authority's data, 13,367 officials of the municipal and district-level governments have been dispatched to support the projects of over 500,000 businesses.

"The event will be upgraded down the road, and we will connect the upstream and downstream industrial chains and set the stage with concrete action for businesses to transform industry and upgrade skills," said Liu Xiaohong, director of the bureau. "And it will be more efficient, faster, and more convenient."

In recent years, the city has stepped up business-friendly efforts to trawl the world for competitive companies and investment.

With long-term, large-scale investment since 2010, BMW's production base in Shenyang has been developed into the group's largest production base globally. It is estimated that the Shenyang production base will increase its current annual output to more than 830,000 units, following the opening of the group's two plant extensions in the city in 2022.

U.S. electric automaking giant Tesla also spotted an opportunity in the city, planning to boost the construction of the supercharger network and open a Tesla Collision Center in Shenyang in 2023.

"The city's sound business environment, abundant research and development resources, quality infrastructure and skilled human resources, make Shenyang attractive to new energy companies like Tesla," said Ma Li, Regional General Director of Tesla China.