Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in northeast China's Liaoning Province have been establishing closer links with European businesses thanks to joint efforts between the local government and the European Union (EU).

"We are aiming at providing a platform for local SMEs to meet with the European investors directly," Simon Briggs, an EU investment and promotion expert, said during Liaoning Innovation and Investment Week, which ended yesterday.

More than 30 overseas companies and investment institutions from Italy, Germany, France, Spain and England, as well as 40 representatives from local SMEs, academic institutions and industry associations, attended the event.

The five-day conference was sponsored by the Industry Restructuring and Investment Promotion (IRIP) Component of Liaoning Integrated Environmental Program, which was initiated in September 1999 and is China's largest project of its kind.

"The activity offered us an excellent opportunity to have an overview of the SMEs in Liaoning and we will recommend more business people in the south of Europe for them, especially in the agriculture and fishing sectors," said Javier Iglesias Rodriguez, president of Ciagro, a Spanish company.

EU and Chinese experts say they believe SMEs in Liaoning should sharpen their competitiveness by using innovative management techniques, upgrading technology and increasing staff training.

(China Daily November 2, 2002)