China is home to an important cluster community. The bilateral dialogue between the EU and China has been growing in recent years, stimulating the collaboration links between European and Chinese clusters. The EU-China 2020 Strategic Agenda for Cooperation, which aims to foster the establishment of synergies to enhance cooperation in strategic fields, is a strong basis for the creation of cluster collaboration initiatives.

Economic and political context and framework

In 1978, China changed from a centrally-planned to a market-based economy and consequently experienced a rapid economic and social development. Currently, China has a leading position in many sectors that are crucial for the global economy and social development. China is the second largest economy in the world the world's largest exporter and the second largest importer.

Cluster community in the country

China is home to an important cluster community. The main sectors for cluster activity in China are: agriculture, high-tech industry, and manufacturing. Chinese clusters are distributed in different regions, namely the Pearl River Delta (PRD), Yangtze River Delta (YRD) and Bohai Rim (Beijing – Tianjin – Liaoning). The figure below presents a map of China's top 100 industrial clusters.

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China’s public cluster policy is developed by both the central and provincial governments. The Chinese central government seeks continuous cluster development according to the guidelines on facilitating the development of industrial clusters announced by the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC). The most notable central government programme regarding cluster development is the TORCH Programme, which is based on an initiative to develop China's new and high-tech industries approved in 1988 by the national government.Read less.

Cluster policies encouraging the development and internationalisation of clusters

EU and China cooperation has been established with the aim of managing global challenges like health, climate change, food security and clean energy supply. In the particular case of the ICT industrial sector, cooperation could attain great mutual benefits to the businesses and societies, as China and the EU are considered to be global ICT leaders. Read more...

Several projects and some cluster matchmaking missions have already been organised in order to stimulate cooperation between European and Chinese clusters. China is one of the top targeted countries for international cooperation according to the current cluster consortiums under the ESCP-4i initiative. Read less.

Cluster to cluster cooperation opportunities and potential interest from European clusters and SMEs

EU and China cooperation has been established with the aim of managing global challenges like health, climate change, food security and clean energy supply. In the particular case of the ICT industrial sector, cooperation could attain great mutual benefits to the businesses and societies, as China and the EU are considered to be global ICT leaders.

Read more...

Several projects and some cluster matchmaking missions have already been organised in order to stimulate cooperation between European and Chinese clusters. China is one of the top targeted countries for international cooperation according to the current cluster consortiums under the ESCP-4i initiative. Read less.

Key Facts

Capital: Beijing Population: 1,357 trillion (2015) Total area: 9,597 millions km² GDP per capital: $15,095 (2015) Gross domestic product: $20.853 trillion (2015) Currency: Yuan

Documentation

News

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Events

Join events to learn about the cluster policy and meet peers from this country
Date Event Target Event Type
20 October 2020 Funding Forum: Funding for Science & Innovation Cluster managers, Cluster Policy Makers, SME Conference, Policy learning, Webinar
17 September 2020 Doing Business in Asia and the importance of Intellectual Property Cluster managers, SME Webinar
10 September 2020 An Introduction to IP Protection in China Cluster managers, SME Webinar
10 November 2020 Technology Transfer Basics focusing on China Cluster managers, SME Workshop
30 September 2020 Chinese Culture and Business Etiquette Cluster managers, SME Workshop

Achievements

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ESCP-4i News

Stay updated with the news from the European Cluster Partnership for Internationalisation

ESCP-4is targetting this country

Acronym Name Technology Fields Sectoral Industries Targeted third countries No. of SME involved No. of Partners
EC2i European Cleantech Internationalization Initiative China, United States 800 5
DIA European Digital Industry Alliance Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, India, Japan, Mexico, Morocco, United States 865 6
AdPack² European Strategic Cluster Partnership for Advanced Smart Packaging
A\: Human necessities:Foods or foodstuffs; their treatment, not covered by other classes
B\: Performing operations; transporting:Nanotechnology
Manufacturing:C10 Manufacture of food products
Manufacturing:C11 Manufacture of beverages
Manufacturing:C28 Manufacture of machinery and equipment n.e.c.
Canada, China, United States 530 6
eT4S European Technologies for Sustainability
Y\: General tagging of new technological developments:Y04 - Information or communication technologies having an impact on other technology areas
Other service activities:S94 Activities of membership organisations
Canada, China, Singapore, United States, Taiwan 700 5
FoodNet Food In Eco Network Algeria, Canada, China, India, Iraq, Israel, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Morocco, Republic of Korea (South Korea), Turkmenistan, United States, Uzbekistan 362 5