On the morning of September 16, the Hunan Provincial Government Information Office held a press conference in Changsha to announce the upcoming the 12th Global Forum For Hunan Entrepreneurs, scheduled to take place in Hengyang from September 22 to 24. Attending the briefing were Hu Jianxin, Vice Minister of the Hunan Provincial Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) United Front Work Department and Secretary-General of the Hunan Federation of Industry and Commerce (HFIC), and Liu Zhongjie, Deputy Secretary of the Hengyang Municipal Party Committee and Mayor of Hengyang.
Hu Jianxin underscored that the Global Hunan Businessmen Conference serves as a strategic platform for engaging overseas and domestic Hunan-born entrepreneurs—facilitating their return to hometowns, participation in local development, and collaborative advancement toward shared prosperity. Since its inception in 2007, eleven editions of the conference have been successfully convened, yielding a cumulative total of 2,000 investment and cooperative projects valued at RMB 1.14 trillion. These outcomes have significantly contributed to the growth of Hunan's real economy, the transformation and upgrading of its manufacturing sector, the cultivation of emerging industries, the strengthening and refinement of industrial chains, and the construction of a modern, regionally distinctive industrial system.
Mayor Liu Zhongjie addressed media inquiries regarding the forum's anticipated socioeconomic impact on Hengyang and outlined key preparatory measures undertaken by the Hengyang Municipal Government. He extended a formal invitation to global Hunan entrepreneurs, emphasizing Hengyang's readiness to support high-potential ventures: "Weekends are ideal for strategic engagement—join us in Hengyang," and "Invest in Hengyang, and co-create your next success story." He articulated the forum's developmental impact across three interlinked dimensions—"Industry," "City," and "People."
Under the "Industry" pillar, Hengyang advances a dual-driver strategy—"manufacturing as the foundation, culture and tourism as catalysts"—to attract Hunan entrepreneurs'; capital and expertise, thereby extending, upgrading, and consolidating industrial chains; accelerating the localized application of scientific and technological achievements; and reinforcing a modern industrial system uniquely suited to Hengyang's endowments.
The "City" dimension reflects the principle of "hosting one major event to catalyze urban development": the conference serves as a catalyst for infrastructure upgrades—including transportation networks and public facilities—enhancing urban functionality, livability, and overall carrying capacity.
The "People" dimension highlights the forum's role in showcasing Hengyang's dynamic development trajectory, thereby strengthening civic pride and collective agency among residents and inspiring broader participation in building Hengyang as a provincial sub-central city.
The forum is jointly hosted by the Communist Party of China Hunan Provincial Committee and the Hunan Provincial People's Government; organized by the Hunan Federation of Industry and Commerce, the Hunan Provincial Department of Commerce, and the Hengyang Municipal Party Committee and Municipal Government; and co-organized by the Hunan Businessmen Association. Its theme is: "Hunan Forging a New Development High Ground; Entrepreneurs Launching a New Chapter."
The event will feature a plenary session, seven thematic parallel forums, on-site project negotiation sessions, and field-based investment inspections. To ensure inclusive participation, an integrated online-offline format will be adopted: overseas Hunan business associations and entrepreneurs will join remotely via dedicated virtual venues, while regional satellite conference hubs will enable global cloud-based linkage. Additionally, investment consultation desks and dedicated negotiation rooms will be established at the main venue by all prefecture-level cities and autonomous prefectures in Hunan, facilitating real-time government-enterprise dialogue and deal-making.
The seven parallel forums include: (1) the Hunan Businessmen Association Member Representative Assembly and the Promotion Meeting for Hunan Entrepreneurs'; Return; (2) a Symposium for Overseas Business Associations and Multinational Corporations; (3) a Seminar on Intelligent Robotics Industry Development; (4) an Investment Promotion Conference for the Intelligent Weighing and Measurement Industry; (5) a Global Young Hunan Entrepreneurs Forum, with a focus on university student entrepreneurship and talent development; and (6) a Women Entrepreneurs'; Forum supporting Hunan's high-quality development. Each forum targets specific industry clusters and key demographic segments of Hunan entrepreneurs, collectively establishing a pragmatic, results-oriented platform for policy-business coordination, cross-sectoral collaboration, and resource synergy.
Liu Delin, Director of the Hunan Provincial Government's Port Affairs Office, and Zhou Yumei, a municipal leader of Hengyang, also attended the press conference.