Teda Model's Desert 'Blooms and Bears Fruit'; Tianjin Daily's Front Page Focuses on the Sino-Egyptian Jointly Built Economic 'Oasis'

Source | Tianjin Daily

Under the tide of the Belt and Road Initiative and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization's joint efforts to build a community with a shared future, international economic and trade cooperation is constantly ushering in new opportunities. On May 20, the front page of Tianjin Daily focused on the China-Egypt TEDA Suez Economic and Trade Cooperation Zone, telling the story of the rise of this "economic oasis" in the desert. The TEDA Cooperation Zone, based on the "TEDA model," has taken root and flourished in Egypt, attracting numerous enterprises to settle in and promoting local economic development and talent cultivation. Among them, the investment and construction of the Kemidi Group is not only a new exploration for the company to expand its global business, but also a strong testament to the friendship and cooperation between China and Egypt.

TEDA Model Bears Fruit in the Desert

China and Egypt Join Hands to Build an Economic "Oasis"

Starting from Cairo, the capital of Egypt, and traveling eastward across the vast and boundless Gobi Desert, a "desert rose" suddenly appears on the shores of the Red Sea and south of the Suez Canal. Where the "flowers" bloom, a prosperous "economic oasis" rises from the ground—the China-Egypt TEDA Suez Economic and Trade Cooperation Zone (hereinafter referred to as the TEDA Cooperation Zone). This business environment, which is releasing a strong magnetic attraction, is a new starting point for many Chinese companies to pursue their dreams in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization countries and to jointly build and share new productive forces with the world. It also bears witness to the profound friendship between the Chinese and Egyptian peoples in their joint development and common prosperity.

Recently, Zhang Zongchao, chairman of Kemidi (Tianjin) Group Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as Kemidi Group), has frequently traveled between China and Egypt. As a globally renowned operator of calcium hypochlorite, the group's Kemidi Egypt project, which started construction in the TEDA Cooperation Zone at the end of September last year, will complete its first phase of construction and put into production in October this year. The rapid progress of the project has surprised Zhang Zongchao: "The logo of the TEDA Cooperation Zone is the desert rose, which is regarded by Egyptians as a symbol of tenacity, faith, and miracle. Our project, like this desert flower, has taken root with the support and assistance of the local authorities and the TEDA Cooperation Zone, and will grow into the largest calcium hypochlorite production base in Egypt and even Africa, driving local employment and boosting economic development."

Calcium hypochlorite is commonly used in bleaching, sterilization, and disinfection. Kemidi Group is a national high-tech enterprise mainly engaged in the manufacturing, research and development, and sales of calcium hypochlorite and related fine chemical products. Relying on the scientific research support of Nankai University, its products are now exported to more than 100 countries and regions worldwide. "In addition to three production bases in China, the group has accelerated the global layout of its business since 2016 and has built several production bases abroad, with a total annual output of more than 100,000 tons." Zhang Zongchao told reporters that in recent years, the group's business expansion to Egypt has achieved rapid growth, making it urgently necessary to build a factory locally.

The choice of location determines the future development of the enterprise. Factors such as convenient transportation, preferential policies, and convenient living conditions must be considered comprehensively. Soon, the TEDA Cooperation Zone came into the sight of Kemidi Group's investigation.

It turned out that Kemidi Group's partners in Egypt strongly recommended the TEDA Cooperation Zone. In addition, Kemidi Group is located in Tianjin Binhai High-tech Zone and has some understanding of Tianjin TEDA Investment Holding Co., Ltd., which is also located in Binhai New Area, so it decided to conduct an on-site investigation. "Seeing is believing." Zhang Zongchao described the investigation trip in this way: "When we arrived at the TEDA Cooperation Zone and visited many enterprises that have settled in, we found that the park has created a good manufacturing, business, cultural, and living environment, which is very satisfactory. The "one-stop" attentive service can solve all kinds of matters for enterprises from investigation to landing and operation. It only took more than a month from the investigation to the signing of the agreement, which also fully demonstrates that the environment of the TEDA Cooperation Zone makes investors satisfied and reassured."

"This is because we have replicated Tianjin's "TEDA model" in the TEDA Cooperation Zone in Egypt." Li Daixin, chairman of China-Africa TEDA Investment Co., Ltd., introduced in a recent interview: "Egypt is a member of the "SCO family." The TEDA Cooperation Zone located in Egypt is a demonstration project of China-Africa cooperation in jointly building the Belt and Road Initiative. Its geographical location and environment are very similar to Tianjin Economic Development Zone. We have adapted Tianjin's experience to Egypt's local conditions to promote local economic development. So far, the TEDA Cooperation Zone has attracted 185 enterprises to settle in, with a total investment of more than US\$3 billion, sales exceeding US\$5.3 billion, and tax revenue of nearly US\$300 million, directly creating nearly 10,000 jobs."

The TEDA Cooperation Zone also attaches importance to the localization of talent construction and, together with enterprises in the park, has trained and reserved a group of excellent management personnel and technical employees for Egypt, driving the country's industrialization process. Li Daixin gave an example: "We organize Egyptian managers and outstanding employees to visit and study in China to get a close understanding of Chinese culture. We have also trained and sent a group of professional technicians and enterprise managers to Egypt. At the same time, with the help of the plan of the State Administration of International Development Cooperation to build a technical school in the special zone in Egypt, we have successfully promoted the establishment of a technical training center in the TEDA Cooperation Zone to cultivate urgently needed talents for enterprises in the zone."

With the deepening of the Belt and Road Initiative and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization members joining hands to build a closer community with a shared future for the SCO, economic and trade cooperation between China and Egypt has ushered in more opportunities. At present, the TEDA Cooperation Zone is also making every effort to promote strategic upgrading. "In the next three years, we will promote the improvement of both investment and services in the expansion area of the TEDA Cooperation Zone, and at the same time accelerate industrial agglomeration to help shape the new development pattern of "dual circulation." Li Daixin said that the TEDA Cooperation Zone will innovatively try to build and operate cold chain warehouses, and through the automobile and parts distribution center and the China cross-border goods distribution center, it will form an increase in supply chain trade around textile raw materials, ferrous metals, home appliance accessories, building materials, etc., and promote more cross-border economic and trade cooperation through "promoting production through trade and promoting trade through production."

—END—