The 2026 Hunan International Friendship City Economic and Trade Exchange Event and Cooperation Dialogue was held on September 18. At the event, Hunan signed cooperation agreements with nine friendship regions, seven of which were letters of intent to establish friendship city relations. Hunan's international "circle of friends" continues to grow.

The signings covered both provincial and municipal levels. At the provincial level, Hunan Province signed letters of intent to establish friendship city relations with four regions—Sindh Province of Pakistan, Bukhara Region of Uzbekistan, Shefa Province of Vanuatu, and Hermanas Mirabal Province of the Dominican Republic. At the municipal level, Changsha City inked letters of intent to establish friendship city relations with Kota Kinabalu City of Malaysia and Bishkek City of Kyrgyzstan, while Loudi City signed one with Gujrat City of Punjab Province of Pakistan.

In addition, Hunan Province and Mogilev Region of Belarus signed a roadmap for provincial-level friendship city cooperation, and Hengyang City and Bobruisk City of Belarus inked a plan of municipal-level friendly exchanges.

International friendship cities serve as an important vehicle for deepening people-to-people friendship, enhancing mutually beneficial cooperation, and promoting mutual learning among civilizations. In 1982, Changsha established friendship city relations with Brazzaville, the capital of the Republic of the Congo. This was Hunan's earliest friendship city exchange practice, and became the first pair of friendship cities between China and an African country. Over more than four decades, Hunan's international friendship city network has continued to expand. To date, Hunan has established official friendship city relations with 120 cities and administrative regions in 47 countries and regions, including 32 pairs at the provincial level, 75 pairs at the city (prefecture) level, and 13 pairs at the county (county-level city) level, spanning Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Americas. Hunan has built a new pattern of all-round, multi-level, and broad opening up.

“Deep waters delight the fish; a well-governed city makes business thrive.” These were the opening words of Zhang Xin — vice chairman of the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce (ACFIC), and Secretary of the CPC Committee and Chairman of TBEA Co., Ltd. — at the opening ceremony of the 12th Global Forum for Hunan Entrepreneurs, voicing the sincere feelings born of more than two decades rooted in Hunan.

He then “upped the ante” on the spot: TBEA plans to invest an additional more than 10 billion yuan in Hunan, and aims to drive the global revenue of its Hunan-based operations past 50 billion yuan.

Zhang said the forum comes at a crucial juncture — right after the successful conclusion of the national conference on advanced manufacturing, and at a time when the country is firmly committed to building itself into a manufacturing power. He found it immensely inspiring and encouraging, strengthening still further his confidence and resolve, and his devotion to family and country, in pursuing Hunan's revitalization through hard work.

TBEA strategically restructured Hengyang Transformer Works in 2000. It has since invested over 20 billion yuan and paid over 10 billion yuan in taxes in Hunan, building in Hengyang a nationally prominent green, low-carbon and smart full-chain cluster for power transmission and transformation equipment. As the “chain leader” enterprise, TBEA has earnestly played its role as a driver and anchor, helping enterprises along the power transmission and transformation chain develop in coordination; the local sourcing rate along its supply chain has reached 70 percent.

Zhang was the first entrepreneur to speak at the opening ceremony. He said that over more than 20 years rooted in Sanxiang — Hunan — TBEA has witnessed firsthand the concrete actions of Party committees and governments at all levels across the province in nurturing fertile ground for business. The province has solidly carried out the “Enterprise Service Year” campaign, with society at large honoring and valuing enterprises, serving them across their entire lifecycle, empowering industries along the whole chain, and protecting their rights and interests on all fronts — giving companies greater confidence and greater peace of mind in their development.

Zhang said Hengyang has closely followed the province's overall deployment and practiced the “Four Commitments” spirit, treating enterprises’ affairs as “our own family’s affairs” and entrepreneurs as “our own people,” making business development that much more worry-free. It is precisely this welcoming, reassuring and enriching land that has laid a solid foundation for TBEA to continue expanding its presence in Hunan and staying rooted in Hengyang.

Standing at the new starting point of the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026–2030), TBEA will deeply participate in the building of Hunan's modern industrial system. It plans to invest an additional more than 10 billion yuan in Hunan, advance the construction of nine major industrial upgrading projects in the province — including intelligent manufacturing of AC/DC ultra-high-voltage (UHV) transformers and UHV combined electrical insulation systems — conduct R&D and demonstration applications of innovative equipment for new energy and new-type energy storage, and promote the deep integration of new quality productive forces such as artificial intelligence and advanced computing power with energy equipment technology, striving to push the global revenue of its Hunan-based operations past 50 billion yuan.

Zhang said that the beautiful land of Sanxiang enjoys favorable timing, advantageous location and united people, and is in a golden period for cultivating and expanding new growth drivers. TBEA stands ready to work with Hunan entrepreneurs everywhere to share the opportunities of innovative development, bravely shoulder the mission of the new era, and jointly contribute solid strength to writing the Hunan chapter of Chinese modernization.

In recent days, the Hengyang Urban Lighting Service Center has rolled out detailed measures and tightened responsibilities, carrying out a full range of work — inspection and maintenance of lighting facilities, festive and promotional displays, environmental cleanup, and fault repairs — to create a clean, attractive, safe and stable nighttime lighting environment and help safeguard the smooth convening of the Global Forum for Hunan Entrepreneurs.

The center has strictly implemented a system under which leaders are on duty and on call, and adopted an innovative three-dimensional inspection model that combines “online smart monitoring with offline on-site patrols.” It coordinates round-the-clock staffing at the lighting control center with street-level inspections, monitors equipment performance in real time, and pinpoints hidden faults, ensuring that streetlamps and decorative lighting installations across the city operate stably and properly around the clock.

As of September 17, light pole displays along key sections of Hengzhou Avenue and Guanghui Street have been completely refreshed, and road banners have been installed on a number of major thoroughfares including Jiefang Road, Yan'an Road, Cailun Avenue, North Hongxiang Road, Xinyuan Road and the East Third Ring Road, with a total of 420 sets of various installations and replacements completed.

Targeting prominent problems such as unauthorized light pole advertising and safety hazards in lighting facilities, the center has carried out a sustained campaign to remove illegal pole-mounted advertising boards. To date, it has taken down 35 illegal boards along the North Second Ring Road and cleared 30 more on major sections including the South Second Ring Road and Xihe Road. A full-coverage inspection has been conducted on boards along North Zhengxiang Road, with more than 30 non-compliant displays required to be rectified, effectively decluttering public spaces and eliminating safety hazards.

In response to faults at multiple locations — including the power distribution line on Dongfeng Branch Road, the streetlight cable on South Huaxin Road and the meter boxes on South Dongfeng Road — repair crews rushed to the sites, restored road lighting promptly and safeguarded the safety of residents traveling at night. Through high-quality urban nightscape services, they are helping to ensure a successful forum.

On September 18, a commemorative event marking the 35th anniversary of the establishment of a friendship province-region relationship between Hunan and France's Centre-Val de Loire Region, as well as the 10th anniversary of the inauguration of the Historical Museum of French-Chinese Friendship (Musée Historique de l'Amitié Franco-Chinoise), was held at the Lezhi Bookstore on Orange Isle in Changsha. More than 40 people attended the event, including David Jacquet, vice president of the Centre-Val de Loire Regional Council in charge of the Economy and Innovation; Julien LE LAN, consul general of France in Wuhan; and relevant officials from the Publicity Department of the CPC Hunan Provincial Committee, the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the CPC Hunan Provincial Committee, and Hunan Publishing Investment Holding Group; as well as representatives from all walks of life in China and France.

Located in central France, the Centre-Val de Loire Region governs six departments (administrative subdivisions). As one of France's core regions, it boasts profound humanistic heritage and robust industries. In October 1991, Hunan Province officially established a friendship province-region relationship with the Centre-Val de Loire Region in France. The region shares deep historical ties with Hunan Province. Montargis, a city under its jurisdiction, serves as a "red" bond linking Hunan and France in their century-long friendship. A group of young Hunanese, including Cai Hesen and Xiang Jingyu, participated in the Work-Study Movement in France in the 1920s, where they sought truth for national salvation and convened the renowned Montargis Conference, sowing seeds for the Chinese revolution. On the basis of this history, Hunan established the Historical Museum of French-Chinese Friendship (Musée Historique de l'Amitié Franco-Chinoise) in 2016. This has become an important venue for people-to-people exchanges and mutual visits of youths between the two countries.

At the event, Chinese and French guests together enjoyed cultural performances celebrating China-France friendship and watched a commemorative documentary. Guests from both sides delivered speeches in turn, reflecting on friendship ties and discussing visions for cooperation. Guests from both sides expressed hope for higher-quality mutually beneficial cooperation in areas such as economy and trade, culture and tourism, science and education, and agriculture and water conservancy.

This event was an important part of the 2026 Hunan International Friendship Cities Economic and Trade Exchange Event. The launch ceremony for the French edition of The Youthful Years in Montargis (Les Années de Jeunesse à Montargis) was held simultaneously, with Chinese and French guests jointly unveiling the new book and exchanging books as gifts. The book systematically reviews the century-old exchanges between China and France witnessed by Montargis and vividly recreates the journey of Chinese progressive youth who went to France for the work-study movement and sought truth for national salvation.

The 2026 Hunan International Friendship Cities Economic and Trade Exchange Event & Cooperation Dialogue kicked off in Changsha on the afternoon of September 18. More than 300 international friends from 28 countries and regions gathered in Hunan to discuss cooperation, share opportunities, and create a win-win future. Hipólito Mejía, former president of the Dominican Republic; Mao Weiming, deputy secretary of the CPC Hunan Provincial Committee and governor of Hunan Province; and Lu Xiangdong, vice president of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, attended and delivered speeches.

Also present were Wang Daoxi, member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Hunan Provincial Committee and executive vice governor of Hunan Province; Jamol Ashurov, chairperson of the People's Deputies Bukhara Regional Council, Uzbekistan; Sam Kiri, president of Shefa Province of Vanuatu; David Jacquet, vice president of the Centre-Val de Loire Regional Council, France; and, Wang Wei'an, secretary general of the People's Government of Hunan Province.

In his speech, Mejia stated that the ocean can separate territories but cannot block the desire of the two peoples to know each other. The Dominican Republic and China have always adhered to mutual respect, equality, and mutual benefit, with bilateral relations continuously deepening and fruitful cooperation achieved in various fields. The Dominican Republic is located at the core of the Caribbean region, with prominent geographical advantages, a vibrant economy, hardworking and innovative people, and enormous development potential. Hunan has a solid foundation and rich experience in such areas as agriculture, science and technology, and innovation, offering broad prospects for collaboration between the two sides. He expressed the hope that through this event, the Dominican Republic and Hunan will further deepen pragmatic cooperation in modern agriculture, economy, trade and investment, cultural and people-to-people exchanges, tourism, science and technology, and education. The two sides will work together to promote complementary industrial advantages, interconnected trade and shared prosperity, and mutual learning between civilizations. This will continuously enhance the well-being of both peoples to achieve mutual benefit and win-win results, he added.

Governor Mao welcomed the guests. He noted that in recent years, Hunan has thoroughly implemented Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy, embracing the world with sincerity and openness. The provincial "circle of friends" among friendship cities has grown wider, the "circle of cooperation" in economy and trade has become more solid, and the "circle of shared aspirations" in people-to-people and cultural exchanges has expanded larger. Currently, Hunan has established friendship city relations with 120 cities in 47 countries and regions, using this platform to help more than 2,300 Hunan enterprises enter 113 countries and regions. Hunan's development now has reached a new historical starting point. Governor Mao expressed his hope to work hand in hand with all friendship city partners to enhance connectivity by broadening opening up channels; to write new cooperative chapters by expanding economic and trade exchanges; and, to foster mutual understanding by strengthening people-to-people and cultural exchanges. Friendship city relations can serve as bridges and bonds linking the world and pursuing shared prosperity.

Vice President Lu Xiangdong believed that international friendship cities are important vehicles for deepening people-to-people friendship, enhancing mutually beneficial cooperation, and promoting mutual learning among civilizations. He expressed the hope that all participants will take this event as an opportunity and, through international friendship cities as a bond, to further stimulate the internal momentum of economic and trade cooperation; maintain the stability and smooth flow of industrial and supply chains; and, consolidate the social and public foundation of friendship city relations, jointly writing a splendid chapter of international friendship city partnership. The Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries will continue to support Hunan in expanding international friendship city cooperation; advancing people-to-people exchanges, pragmatic collaboration, cultural exchanges, and youth friendship; and, amplifying win-win results.

The event, themed "Friendship Cities Empower the New Economy, Charting the Future of Business Cooperation," is scheduled to host a series of activities, including the Economic and Trade Cooperation Dialogue, the Thematic Industry Matchmaking Session, and "Hunan Enterprises Going Global" Investment Cooperation Matchmaking Session. It will also feature an exhibition on Hunan's international exchange achievements, and a showcase of premium products from Hunan's international friendship cities. The event aims to build a high-level platform for opening-up to help Hunan enterprises accelerate their expansion into international markets and expand exchanges and cooperation.

During the event, Governor Mao also met with the attending guest representatives and visited the exhibition on international exchange achievements, and the showcase of premium products from Hunan's international friendship cities.

Spring bears the tree of friendship; autumn yields the fruit of economy and trade. On the afternoon of September 19, the 2026 Hunan Enterprises Going Global: Investment Cooperation Matchmaking Conference, co-hosted by the Department of Commerce of Hunan Province and the Foreign Affairs Office of the Hunan Provincial People's Government, was held at the Changsha International Conference Center. More than 120 representatives from government agencies and industrial and commercial enterprises across nearly 20 countries and regions gathered alongside representatives from over 150 Hunan-based enterprises. With friendship-city cooperation as a bridge, they discussed new opportunities for international production capacity cooperation and explored high-level opening-up.

Shen Yumou, secretary of the CPC Leadership Group and director of the Department of Commerce of Hunan Province, attended and delivered a speech. Wang Liwen, first-level inspector of the Foreign Affairs Office of the Hunan Provincial People's Government, presided over the conference. Foreign guests in attendance included Kiri Sam Andrew Manlangai, president of Shefa Province, Vanuatu; Jose Julio Gomez Beato, ambassador of the Dominican Republic to China; the deputy chairman of Ulyanovsk Oblast, Russia; Isara Charoenchasri, deputy governor of Chonburi Province, Thailand; and Chamlak Kanphet, deputy governor of Nong Khai Province, Thailand.

Build a Cooperation Platform to Showcase Cooperation Opportunities

The purpose of this matchmaking conference was to build a precise and efficient international cooperation platform and promote the deep integration of Hunan enterprises into global industrial and supply chains. At the conference, Shen Yumou delivered a speech on three topics: "Why Go Global," "Where to Go," and "How to Proceed Steadily." He pointed out that as global industrial chains are accelerating their restructuring, "going global" is no longer an optional question for enterprises but a mandatory one for better integration into global industrial chains. Going global is not about "relocating" but about "taking root." Shen Yumou emphasized that truly successful overseas expansion exports not only products and production capacity but also technology, standards, brands, and talent, ultimately forming an industrial symbiotic relationship in which each is embedded in the other.

Shen Yumou noted that although Hunan is an inland province, it harbors ambitions to embrace the sea. The Department of Commerce of Hunan Province will continue to improve the "Hunan Enterprises Going Global+" comprehensive service platform, provide one-stop services ranging from registration and financing to risk prevention and control, and serve as a good "matchmaker" for enterprises expanding overseas. It will guide Hunan enterprises to respect local laws, integrate into local communities, and drive local employment, so as to truly "take root locally and achieve mutual benefit and win-win results."

In the investment promotion session, six guest representatives took the stage in turn to present their respective investment environments and cooperation opportunities. They were Jose Julio Gomez Beato, ambassador of the Dominican Republic to China; Feng Xingliang, chief representative of NRW.Global Business China; Maria Luiza Barbosa Pinto, advisor to the Secretariat for Sustainable Development, Innovation and Competitiveness (SEDIC) of the Municipality of Juiz de Fora, Brazil; Kraisorn Chatlekavanich, president of The Chonburi Chamber of Commerce, Thailand; Aibek Dzhunushaliev, mayor of Bishkek, Kyrgyz Republic; and Chaudhry Shafay Hussain, minister of the Industries, Commerce and Investment Department of Punjab Province, Pakistan. 

Going Global: Hunan Enterprises Achieve Fruitful Results in Global Expansion

In the subsequent roadshow and presentation session by Hunan enterprise representatives, Zoomlion highlighted its achievements in global expansion: it has now established more than 40 overseas subsidiaries and laid out more than 10 production and manufacturing bases abroad. Through a network of over 530 marketing and service outlets, its products and services now reach more than 170 countries and regions, and its market share in Africa has increased from 5% to 15%. Hunan Construction Investment Group shared the practical experience of the "Hunan Construction Force" in 128 countries and regions, focusing on infrastructure construction, project contracting, and other fields.

In the free matchmaking session, foreign guests from the political and business circles and Hunan enterprise representatives conducted in-depth exchanges in the negotiation area. They carried out targeted matchmaking with a focus on potential cooperation in engineering machinery, rail transit, energy and power, biomedicine, infrastructure construction, and other fields, creating a lively on-site atmosphere.

In recent years, Hunan has made steady and remarkable progress in going global. In 2025, the province's actual outbound investment reached 3.28 billion USD, ranking among the top ten nationwide and first in China's central and western regions. During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, Hunan recorded a cumulative outbound investment of 11.46 billion USD. To date, Hunan enterprises have invested and operated in 115 countries and regions overseas, with overseas assets exceeding 17 billion USD. Eight competitive industries for outbound investment cooperation have been formed: agriculture, engineering machinery, rail transit, energy and power, biomedicine, light industry manufacturing, mineral resource exploitation, and infrastructure construction.

This matchmaking conference was an innovative practice by Hunan to deepen international economic and trade cooperation and promote high-level opening-up. Going forward, Hunan will continue to leverage the strengths of platforms such as the China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo and the China (Hunan) Pilot Free Trade Zone, keep the five major international trade corridors open and smooth, guide more Hunan enterprises to find their niche and secure a promising future amid the restructuring of global industrial chains. Hunan will work with countries around the world to share opportunities through open cooperation and open a new chapter of development through mutual benefit and win-win results, vividly telling the China story of "turning a distance of 10,000 kilometers into 10,000 possibilities for cooperation."

Winds rise over the Xiangjiang River; wild geese will return to Hengyang.

As Hunan entrepreneurs from the four seas set foot upon the land of Hengzhou — Hengyang’s ancient name — a two-way embrace between their native soil and the times begins to unfold. The 12th Global Forum for Hunan Entrepreneurs is being held in Hengyang. It is an opportunity bestowed by the times, and still more a heartfelt invitation extended to Hunan entrepreneurs across the world by this national regional key city and provincial sub-center city of Hunan.

The confidence of a city lies hidden in a millennia-old cultural lineage and reveals itself in the grandeur of its mountains and rivers. This culturally deep-rooted land of Hengyang has never been absent from the advance of human civilization.

One sheet of paper: Cai Lun's papermaking revolutionized the writing medium of human civilization.

Two mountains: Mount Heng (Nanyue), a natural summit whose seventy-two peaks take in all the grace of Xiaoxiang; and Wang Chuanshan, a cultural summit who raised a towering peak of Eastern thought, sowing the spiritual spark of the maxim “It is my charge to open a new vista for the Six Classics,” and blessing countless generations since.

Three rivers converging: The Xiangjiang, Leishui and Zhengshui rivers rush together in the urban area, forming the distinctive geographical feature and ecological advantage known as “three water gates locking the great river.”

Four kinds of luminaries: Hengyang has produced talents in every generation — political figures represented by Luo Ronghuan; cultural elites represented by Zhou Dunyi and Zeng Xi; scientific masters represented by Fang Zhiyuan and Liu Daxiang, academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Chinese Academy of Engineering; and industrial leaders represented by outstanding entrepreneurs such as Zhou Chaonan and Zhou Nanfang.

Five signature cards: “Capital of Nonferrous Metals,” “Major Industrial Town,” “Hub City,” “City of Science and Education,” and “City of Heroes” — these five distinctive labels are the rich legacy that history has deposited for Hengyang, fully displaying the city's millennia-old character and its endowments for the new era.

Tempered by the years, Hengyang is undergoing a “splendid transformation.” It advanced steadily through the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021–2025), and the blueprint for the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026–2030) is now in place. Anchored to the development strategy of “building the city on manufacturing and energizing it through culture and tourism,” Hengyang has mapped out a modern industrial system with distinct Hengyang characteristics following the framework of “stabilizing five, advancing three and positioning two” — consolidating five traditional strengths, growing three emerging industries and positioning two future industries. The city is striving to become a growth pole for the province’s high-quality development, a bridgehead for integrating with the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, and a powerful engine driving development across southern Hunan. It will better leverage its role as a transport hub and accelerate the building of six regional centers — for the economy, science and technology, consumption, education, healthcare and emergency response.

In Hengyang today, traditional industries are like old trees putting forth fresh branches; emerging industries are clustering into momentum; and future industries are being positioned with foresight to seize the commanding heights. The city’s strides toward becoming a national regional key city and a provincial sub-center city are firm and resounding.

Deep is the love for one’s native soil, and nowhere is it truer than in the heart of a Hunan entrepreneur. Returning Hunan entrepreneurs bring a living flow of capital; returning alumni bring a wellspring of talent; and Hunan expertise empowering Hunan injects the momentum of innovation. Batch after batch of major projects have taken root, one specialized industrial park after another has risen with force, and set after set of figures bears witness to the fruits of development. Hunan entrepreneurs have become a key pillar of Hengyang’s high-quality development.

Hengyang has always treated entrepreneurs as partners walking side by side in a shared cause, honoring the “Four Commitments” spirit: “We do not come unless summoned, we come whenever summoned, we serve with care, and we do what we say.” Policies benefiting enterprises are delivered with precision, services to assist enterprises land with warmth, and the business environment is fair and transparent — giving investment a stage, entrepreneurship fertile soil, and development solid safeguards.

From ancient times to the present, wild geese have chosen Hengyang as their roosting place; in this prosperous age, Hunan entrepreneurs ride the wind home. “Wild geese reaching Hengyang fly no further south; travelers arriving in Hengyang never wish to leave.” The wild goose keeps faith with the seasons; the Hunan entrepreneur keeps faith with the native soil. Today’s Hengyang offers the locational advantage of reaching rivers and seas, the industrial support of complete chains and clusters, and above all the surging enthusiasm of officials and residents united in pursuit of enterprise.

The grand gathering opens, and a momentous convergence begins. We look to Hunan entrepreneurs everywhere to strive to be the “leading geese” of the return home — bringing capital back to their hometown, bringing projects back to Hengyang, and bringing industries home. Standing with Hengyang in the same heart and the same direction, let us jointly build a highland of development, jointly open a new chapter of our era, and jointly write a brand-new answer sheet.

We wish the 12th Global Forum for Hunan Entrepreneurs complete success!

On September 22, the 12th Global Forum for Hunan Entrepreneurs opened in Hengyang. More than a thousand Hunan entrepreneurs from home and abroad crossed mountains and seas to attend this “reunion of the returning wild geese.”

To keep expressways safe and flowing during the forum, the Hengyang Branch of Hunan Expressway Group has stepped up road network coordination, maintenance management and travel services, with a focus on keeping urban entries and exits and forum-related road sections clear, greeting every returning entrepreneur with a travel environment that is “safe, smooth, comfortable, beautiful and excellent.”

Faced with surging traffic pressure, the branch has drawn on its smart expressway system. Powered by four intelligent engines — a unified data standard system, a “single network” for real-time road conditions, a “single map” for decision-making and dispatch, and intensive cloud services — it has integrated business modules such as road network monitoring and breakdown clearance and rescue, enabling intelligent dispatch across the entire network and one-click emergency response.

As a key node linking the urban area, the forum’s main venue and local industrial parks, Yanfeng Toll Station uses a digital-intelligent, cloud-based integrated dispatch platform to collect real-time data on lane traffic volume and vehicle-type composition, dynamically adjusting the number of open lanes and effectively easing the pressure of short-term traffic surges. It has also refined procedures for handling exceptional situations, opened fast-track inspection channels for oversized cargo transport and the “green channel” for fresh farm produce, and partnered with local medical institutions to build a joint highway-hospital emergency rescue mechanism.

Expressway entrances and exits are the “first window” onto a city’s image. In line with the “Three Guarantees, Three Campaigns and One Creation” special campaign, the branch has prioritized lighting upgrades and quality improvements at peri-urban entrances and exits including Nanyue, Shigu and Yanfeng. Toll stations along the routes have fully incorporated Hengyang's local cultural character: by day the roads are clean, orderly and lush with greenery; by night the lights form pleasing, layered scenes, presenting a completely renewed gateway that expresses the spirit of the Wild Goose City.

At the same time, the branch has advanced regular, fine-grained maintenance across its whole network, completing 699.484 kilometers of mechanical sweeping, 1,617.712 kilometers of manual road-surface cleaning, pothole repairs totaling 230.54 square meters, and 31,440 square meters of freshly painted road markings — comprehensively improving road conditions, facilities, environment and services.

To serve the attending entrepreneurs, the branch has also set up forum “information and navigation service desks” at urban toll stations including Shigu, Yanfeng and Zhuhui South, centrally offering practical information such as the forum agenda, the locations of key investment-promotion parks and distinctive cultural tourism sites. Dedicated bilingual staff provide route planning, reminders on conference guidelines and briefings on the local industrial landscape.

On the eve of the forum, the branch launched a themed livestream, “See the Wild Goose City from the Expressway · Hunan Entrepreneurs Return Home.” Hosts went into Songmu Economic Development Zone and the Baishazhou Industrial Area to showcase the digital transformation achievements of the “Smart Manufacturing Wild Goose City,” delivered briefings on enterprise-support policies for returning entrepreneurs, and promoted mutual empowerment between the Hunan entrepreneur brand and Hengyang’s industries.

On September 23, the 12th Global Forum for Hunan Entrepreneurs opened in Hengyang City. Hunan entrepreneur representatives, academicians and experts, and delegates from chambers of commerce and businesses from around the world gathered in the “Wild Goose City” to reconnect over hometown ties, discuss cooperation and chart development.

Shen Xiaoming, Secretary of the CPC Hunan Provincial Committee, attended the opening ceremony and presented plaques to representatives of signature projects under the 2024–2025 “Welcome Fellow Townspeople Home, Return to Hometown, Build Up Hometown” initiative. Mao Weiming, Deputy Secretary of the CPC Hunan Provincial Committee and Governor of Hunan Province, and Wang Hongyan, member of the Leading Party Members' Group and vice chairman of the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce (ACFIC), delivered speeches.

Before the opening ceremony, Shen and Mao met with a number of guest delegates attending the forum.

During the meeting, Shen, on behalf of the provincial Party committee and provincial government, welcomed the guests and thanked them for their long-standing care and support for Hunan's development. He noted that Hunan entrepreneurs worldwide now number more than 4 million, spread across over 180 countries and regions, making theirs one of China’s ten major business communities. Since the provincial Party committee and provincial government launched the initiative to encourage Hunan entrepreneurs to return home, they have made important contributions to the province's economic and social development.

“Practice has fully shown that Hunan entrepreneurs are a valuable asset for Hunan’s development and an irreplaceable, important force driving the province’s high-quality development,” he said. He expressed the hope that Hunan entrepreneurs will actively participate in the province’s development and offer valuable opinions and suggestions on the work of encouraging their return. Hunan will continue to create better conditions for entrepreneurs to develop in the province and work with everyone to build a strong Hunan — living up to General Secretary Xi Jinping's earnest expectations for Hunan and to the support and affection that Hunan entrepreneurs have shown their home province.

“Wild geese fly a thousand mountains yet always return to the nest; Hunan traders roam the four seas yet always think of Hunan.” In his speech, Mao called on all present to thoroughly implement General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important statements on the development of the private economy, to carry forward the legendary story of Hunan entrepreneurs and open a new chapter of cooperation.

He said that in recent years, Hunan entrepreneurs — driven by the enthusiasm to invest and build businesses, the passion to innovate, the hometown sentiment to build bridges, and the deep affection to give back to their native place — have returned to develop Hunan in a surging tide. During the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021–2025), returning Hunan entrepreneurs registered 6,510 new enterprises in the province, with total investment exceeding 1 trillion yuan.

Standing at a new starting point, and buoyed by the compounding empowerment of national strategies, the surging momentum of science-industry integration, the strong potential of domestic and international connectivity, and the supporting effectiveness of both “hard” infrastructure and “soft” environment, investing in Sanxiang — Hunan — is perfectly timed. He sincerely invited all to become participants in investing in Hunan, pioneers in innovating Hunan, bridge-builders for an open Hunan, and ambassadors for a striving Hunan, joining hands with the province for shared development and mutual benefit. The provincial Party committee and provincial government will, with first-class services, “welcome businesses,” “support businesses” and “reassure businesses,” creating the best possible conditions for their return and growth in Hunan.

Wang Hongyan pointed out that this forum is being held in the crucial year marking the start of the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026–2030), and is of great significance for pooling the strength of Hunan entrepreneurs worldwide and supporting Hunan's high-quality development. Hunan entrepreneurs should bear in mind General Secretary Xi Jinping’s earnest entrustment, carry forward their fine traditions, and bravely shoulder important responsibilities in advancing Chinese modernization.

Specifically, she urged them to stand high and see far, maintain resolve, and strengthen confidence by grasping the overarching trends; to dare to be pioneers, pursue strength through innovation, and take the lead in developing new quality productive forces; to build internal strength, operate in compliance with the law, and go far steadily by improving corporate governance; and to balance principle with profit, keep their hometown in their hearts, and demonstrate responsibility through giving back to society.

The ACFIC, she said, will give full play to its role as a bridge, bond and assistant, build a “home for private-sector figures,” and as always care for the growth of Hunan entrepreneurs and serve their development — pooling stronger private-sector strength for Hunan to realize the beautiful blueprint of the “Three Highlands and Four New Missions” strategy.

Provincial leaders Sui Zhongcheng, Wang Daoxi, Wang Junshou, Wu Guiying and Zhang Jian attended the event, and five entrepreneur representatives spoke at the exchange session.

On the morning of September 16, Zhang Jian, vice chairman of the CPPCC Hunan Provincial Committee and chairman of the Hunan Federation of Industry and Commerce (HFIC), visited Hengyang to oversee preparations for the 12th Global Forum for Hunan Entrepreneurs. Zhu Jian, Secretary of the CPC Hengyang Municipal Committee, was also present.

Zhang and his delegation inspected the conference venue and held a symposium, where they heard a detailed briefing on Hengyang’s work and expressed full appreciation for the preparatory work accomplished so far. He noted that under the strong leadership of the provincial Party committee and the provincial government, and with the coordinated efforts of the conference organizing committee, the CPC Hengyang Municipal Committee and the Hengyang Municipal People's Government have shouldered their responsibilities with resolve, and the entire city has rallied as one. Organization and leadership have been precise and effective, guest invitations have yielded notable results, investment project work has been solid and in-depth, and conference services have advanced in an orderly manner — producing a sound dynamic of coordinated, efficient cooperation between the province and the city.

Zhang called for a full concentration of effort and an all-out final push, adhering to the highest standards, the strictest requirements and the most concrete measures, so as to deliver solid preparatory work and ensure a conference that is safe, orderly, splendid and successful.

First, guest reception must be well arranged. The “one-to-one” service mechanism must be strictly implemented, service procedures refined across the entire process and every link of the chain, and attention paid to both standardized and personalized service, so that every guest feels the warmth and familiarity of home as well as the openness and sincerity of Hunan.

Second, conference organization must be solidly advanced. Against the conference’s overall plan, venue setup, accommodation and catering, transport arrangements and media coverage should be rehearsed and re-checked once more, and gaps and blind spots resolutely eliminated.

Third, security must be strictly enforced. Officials should keep bottom-line thinking, designate responsible parties and implement control measures item by item, formulate and refine emergency response plans of all types, organize emergency drills, and ensure close inter-departmental coordination so that all security work is handled in a coordinated manner.

Fourth, preparatory responsibilities must be earnestly shouldered. Liaison and coordination between the province and the city should be strengthened. The Hunan Federation of Industry and Commerce will spare no effort in mobilizing its finest resources, while Hengyang must firmly assume the primary responsibility of host city, screening the task list item by item with a fine-tooth comb and implementing every single requirement, so as to make a full-out final sprint and deliver a forum that is more distinctive, sets a higher benchmark, is fully prepared and truly unifying.

Zhu Jian said that the 12th Global Forum for Hunan Entrepreneurs has entered its final countdown and sprint stage, and that the CPC Hengyang Municipal Committee and the Hengyang Municipal People’s Government have made its preparation the city’s top priority at present. The whole city must work as one and deploy its best forces, seize the opportunity presented by the conference, further strengthen engagement and cooperation with Hunan entrepreneurs, and contribute to Hunan's high-quality development.

Before the meeting, Zhu went through the preparatory work of all 12 work areas item by item. He stressed the need to further strengthen the working mechanism of the core task forces, complete and refine the Service Manual to a high standard, and uphold the principle of integrating sectoral and regional efforts — with sectoral departments setting the standards and regional units handling execution — so that every task is seen through to the end and implementation is followed up again and again, living up to the expectations and trust of the provincial Party committee and the provincial government.

Xie Shangwen, member of the Leading Party Members’ Group and vice chairman of the HFIC, chaired the symposium. Liu Ping, vice mayor of Hengyang and deputy secretary of the Leading Party Members’ Group of the Hengyang Municipal People’s Government, delivered the work report. Municipal leaders Xie Hong, Jiang Tao, Wu Lesheng, Wang Jing and Fu Ping attended the coordination meeting.

On the morning of September 9, Zhu Jian, Secretary of the CPC Hengyang Municipal Committee, chaired a coordination meeting on preparations for the 12th Global Forum for Hunan Entrepreneurs. 

He stressed the need to integrate sectoral and regional efforts and coordinate action across all levels, to plan ahead and act ahead, to take initiative and deliver results, and to spare no effort in making the forum a resounding success — one that earns the endorsement of the provincial Party committee and provincial government, satisfies Hunan entrepreneurs, and wins the recognition and praise of the public. At the meeting, seven preparatory working groups, each focusing on a component of the forum’s “4+7+1” activity framework, reported on the progress of their work and laid out their plans for the next stage.

After carefully hearing the reports, Zhu noted that preparations have now entered the final sprint, with tight timelines, heavy workloads and high requirements. Departments at all levels must keep firmly in mind that “details determine success or failure,” and work to higher standards, with stricter requirements and a more solid work style. They should go through the task list item by item to close gaps and consolidate gains, ensuring that all events connect smoothly and that every support service is in place.

Zhu stressed the need to further improve the operation of the core task forces and to break down assignments in detail, so that responsibilities rest with specific posts and specific individuals. Planning and action must come first: departments should stay closely aligned with provincial requirements, work backwards from key milestones, and advance every task on schedule against fixed time nodes. It is essential to integrate sectoral and regional efforts and advance in a coordinated manner, using a directive-based task dispatch mechanism to achieve breakthroughs on priority tasks.

Focus should be placed on the signing and implementation of major projects. High-quality investment and service manuals should be compiled, and counties, urban districts and industrial parks should be organized to seize the favorable window of the conference to conduct door-to-door investment outreach. Guest invitation and liaison work must be handled with precision, with each invitee confirmed and contacted individually and all activity schedules arranged in a coordinated way. Responsibilities within the preparatory groups must be clearly divided, organizing work by functional block while ensuring coordination at every specific event, so as to deliver solid work on conference organization, materials preparation and venue setup. The venue environment and the citywide atmosphere should be further enhanced to ensure that every stage — every link of the chain — proceeds in an orderly manner.

Zhu also stressed the importance of exploring and communicating the local “returning wild goose” culture. Officials should gain an early grasp of the conference’s highlights, selling points and underlying messages, coordinate news and publicity efforts, tell the stories of Hengyang and of Hunan entrepreneurs, and foster a positive public atmosphere. Guest reception, vehicle arrangements and catering services must be well coordinated, along with training for volunteers and guides, so that every guest experiences warm, attentive service and feels at home.

It is learned that the 12th Global Forum for Hunan Entrepreneurs, themed “Hunan Rising to New Heights, Business Opening a New Chapter,” will be held in Hengyang from September 22 to 24. Preparatory work is currently advancing steadily as planned.

Municipal leaders Liu Zhangyu, Zhou Yumei, Chen Liyang, Liu Ping, Jiang Tao, Liu Zhigang and Fu Ping attended the meeting.

The 12th Global Forum for Hunan Entrepreneurs will be held in Hengyang City from September 22 to 24. Guided by the goal of “bringing together Hunan entrepreneurs worldwide, putting down deeper roots across the land of Sanxiang, and advancing cooperation and development,” the conference is set to be a more distinctive, higher-benchmark, fully prepared and truly unifying gathering. It stands out in three key respects.

Aligning with the 15th Five-Year Plan and serving the broader goal of high-quality development. From agenda design and guest invitations to its overall messaging, the conference is built around the priorities of the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026–2030), Hunan’s development goals and the concerns of Hunan entrepreneurs. It focuses on the province's modern industrial system and its 12 key industrial chains, using the conference as a link to draw upstream and downstream enterprises, major projects and quality resources toward Hunan, so that the development needs of Hunan entrepreneurs and the development opportunities in Hunan converge and move forward in step.

Putting Hunan entrepreneurs front and center to build a main stage for exchange and cooperation. The conference keeps the spotlight on entrepreneurs and gives full respect to the role of market players. Its core program consists of 10 elements: one provincial briefing that systematically presents Hunan's industrial foundation, business environment and opportunities in frontier sectors; two speeches by provincial leaders extending a sincere invitation to invest; one Hengyang briefing highlighting the city’s status as a provincial sub-center city and its functional strengths as a bridgehead for connecting with the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and as a regional growth pole; speeches by five prominent private entrepreneurs on industry trends, development opportunities and shared visions for cooperation; and one on-site industrial tour that offers a first-hand look at the momentum building in local industrial parks, helping turn conference opportunities into concrete investment and cooperation outcomes.

Pursuing two-way empowerment and co-creation to build an open, win-win development landscape. The conference serves both as an important window for Hunan entrepreneurs at home and abroad to learn about, engage with and establish a presence in Hunan, and as a quality platform for enterprises within the province to broaden their horizons, refresh their development thinking and position themselves in emerging sectors. It seeks to deeply integrate global capital and scientific and technological innovation resources with Hunan's modern industrial system and local growth momentum — supporting the province's industrial transformation and upgrading on the one hand, and helping Hunan entrepreneurs explore new blue-ocean opportunities on the other, so that all sides gain and grow together.

As the 12th Global Forum for Hunan Entrepreneurs approaches, the conference's official logo has been finalized. In a recent interview, designer Peng Xin gave reporters an early look at the cultural meaning and creative thinking behind this visual symbol.

“When we took on the design task, we knew this was more than a logo. It is a visual invitation extended by Hengyang and by Hunan Province to Hunan entrepreneurs around the world,” Peng said. Her team set the direction from the very beginning: wild geese as the bond, Hunan as the root, the world as the horizon. Two questions had to be answered: how to convey the conference’s international vision and openness, and how to root the design in Hengyang's identity as the “Wild Goose City” and create a distinctive local imprint. The team first studied in depth the legends behind Hengyang’s goose-city heritage and the cultural connotations of sanxiang sishui — Hunan’s “three Xiang regions and four rivers.” They eventually made the wild goose the central thread linking a sense of local belonging with a global outlook, producing a visual symbol that combines international appeal with a distinctive Hunan signature.

A closer look at the logo shows flowing, streamlined forms in a blue-green gradient — at once an impressionistic rendering of a wild goose in flight and an allusion to Hunan's rivers and landscape. Multiple lines converge toward the center, symbolizing Hunan entrepreneurs worldwide resonating in unison and pooling their strength. Against a faint world map in the background, three birds fly forward in formation, echoing the Wild Goose City culture and signifying Hunan entrepreneurs crossing mountains and seas with their hearts set on home.

Peng admitted that this “one form, multiple meanings” symbol went through many rounds of refinement. The team weighed repeatedly the degree of graphic concreteness, recognizability and overall impact, and gradually evolved a single goose shape into a structure integrating multiple layers of meaning — one that retains the liveliness of birds in flight while giving the conference a sense of dignity, modernity and technological sophistication.

The choice of a blue-green gradient is equally deliberate. Blue stands for openness, technology and a global vision; green represents Hunan's landscapes and vitality. Together, they convey an upward-growing momentum that fits closely with the conference's theme of openness, cooperation and win-win development.

“The one message we most want to convey is: wild geese return to Hunan; together we shape the future,” Peng said. In her view, the returning goose and Hunan entrepreneurs share the same spiritual core: heading for distant places while never forgetting where they come from. She hopes Hunan entrepreneurs at home and abroad will read from this logo an open, confident and dynamic Hunan, and understand the community’s loyalty, fellow feeling and attachment to their hometown.

As the conference’s visual calling card, the logo carries the hope of connecting hometown ties and pooling strength. Peng said she looks forward to it becoming an important symbol of Hunan’s image, helping Hunan entrepreneurs worldwide gather, get to know one another and move forward together, and injecting fresh momentum into the province’s high-quality development.

On the morning of September 5, Liu Zhongjie, Deputy Secretary of the Municipal Party Committee and Mayor of Hengyang, conducted a special inspection of the Hengyang Intelligent Measuring Instruments and Metrology Industrial Park and presided over a symposium. He emphasized that the city should seize the opportunity presented by the 12th Global Forum for Hunan Entrepreneurs to further refine tasks, clarify responsibilities, and make every effort to promote the high-quality development of Hengyang’s intelligent measuring instruments and metrology industry.

▲On the morning of September 5, Liu Zhongjie inspected the production and operations at Hunan Qunyingfei Aviation Technology Co., Ltd.

Liu Zhongjie visited Hunan Qunyingfei Aviation Technology Co., Ltd., the Concept Certification Center and pilot plant construction project of the Hengyang Intelligent Measuring Instruments and Metrology Industrial Park, the construction project of the Measurement Talent and Technology Integration Training Base, Hengyang Zhongyi Measurement, Testing, and Certification Co., Ltd., and the Hengyang Smart Weighing and Measurement Industrial Base. He listened attentively to presentations by enterprise leaders on core technologies, product applications, and project planning and construction, and conducted on-site inspections of the enterprises’ production and operations as well as project construction progress.

▲On the morning of September 5, Liu Zhongjie inspected the construction progress of the project at the Intelligent Measuring Instruments and Metrology Industrial Park.

At the subsequent symposium, Liu Zhongjie commended the phased achievements made in various tasks at the Hengyang Intelligent Measuring Instruments and Metrology Industrial Park Industrial Park since the beginning of the year. He pointed out that with the Global Forum for Hunan Entrepreneurs imminent, the park’s preparatory work has entered the final sprint phase. He emphasized the need to closely monitor key timelines, strengthen organizational support for construction, and meticulously refine the details of the site tour to showcase the park’s construction achievements and development potential in the best possible light.

▲On the morning of September 5, Liu Zhongjie visited Hengyang Zhongyi Metrology Testing and Certification Co., Ltd. to inspect the company’s production and operations.

Liu Zhongjie emphasized the need to further refine the park’s positioning, objectives, and specific measures. The positioning must be clear, with the industrial landscape and spatial planning presented visually to ensure they are immediately understandable; objectives must be specific, divided into phased goals and annual tasks, and advanced in a phased manner according to a timeline and roadmap; measures must be precise, with clear development paths and implementation methods for each plot of land to ensure that all tasks are effectively carried out and yield tangible results. We must further enhance the level of refined management, carefully calculate the input-output ratio, establish a dynamic rent adjustment mechanism, and introduce professional property management teams to achieve meticulous planning and scientific operations. Comprehensive supporting services must be further optimized; we must collaborate with local authorities to ensure living and service support for corporate talent, continuously improving the park’s livability and business environment; we must meticulously design the tour route for the Global Forum for Hunan Entrepreneurs, ensuring convenient, safe, and efficient access; and we must conduct targeted investment promotion across the entire industrial chain to facilitate the signing and implementation of a number of major projects, thereby continuously expanding the park’s reputation and influence.

Wu Xudong, Secretary-General of the Municipal Government, attended the meeting.

On September 11, it was learned from the Municipal Urban Management Bureau that, in order to ensure high-standard, high-quality urban environmental support for the 12th Global Forum for Hunan Entrepreneurs , steadily advance the improvement of the city’s appearance and environment, comprehensively enhance the level of refined urban management and routine governance, and ensure a spectacular presentation of the Global Forum for Hunan Entrepreneurs as well as a clean and beautiful environment during the National Day holiday, the city will carry out a special campaign to ensure urban appearance and environmental standards in preparation for the Global Forum and National Day.

▲ Efforts to sweep and clean roads will be intensified to fully showcase Hengyang’s neat and civilized urban image.

To ensure the orderly and effective implementation of this special campaign, the Municipal Urban Management Bureau has established a special campaign leadership group. This special campaign will coordinate support for the Global Forum for Hunan Entrepreneurs with efforts to create a festive atmosphere for the National Day holiday. It will focus on key areas such as the Libo International Hotel (the main venue), the conference route, major and minor city thoroughfares, key commercial districts, and city entry and exit points, carrying out concentrated efforts to improve the urban environment and comprehensively address shortcomings in urban management, sanitation, landscaping maintenance, and lighting. The goal is to ensure that during the Global Forum, the urban environment remains refined, orderly, clean, and refreshing, and that during the National Day holiday, the cityscape is neat, beautiful, and the atmosphere is harmonious—thus comprehensively showcasing Hengyang’s image as a clean, livable, open, inclusive, and civilized city.

This special campaign will place strong emphasis on the improvement and enhancement of areas surrounding conference venues and transportation hubs; coordinate promotional efforts for the Hunan Business Conference with the creation of a festive atmosphere for the National Day holiday; deepen citywide efforts to improve urban order; solidify citywide environmental sanitation upgrades; carry out landscaping improvements in key areas; and strengthen inspections of lighting facilities to ensure the quality of the nighttime environment during the Global Forum and create an atmospheric nighttime ambiance for the National Day holiday.