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

Events

Join events to learn about the cluster policy and meet peers from this country
Date Event Target Event Type
20 May 2021 International High-level Innovation and Entrepreneurship Contest in China webinar SME Webinar
04 April 2017 International IPRs SME Helpdesks Stakeholders Meeting Cluster managers, Large audience, SME Conference, Matchmaking
31 January 2018 International IPRs SME Helpdesks Stakeholders Meeting Large audience Conference
31 August 2021 Introduction to IPR In China webinar Cluster managers, SME Webinar
08 July 2020 IP management and digitalisation with CEIPI and all international IPR SME helpdesks and the Japan Technology Transfer Helpdesk Cluster managers, SME Webinar

Achievements

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ESCP-4i News

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ESCP-4is targetting this country

Acronym Name Sort descending Technology Fields Sectoral Industries Targeted third countries No. of SME involved No. of Partners
NF4 New Frontiers in Food Fast Forward Brazil, Canada, China, United States 561 5
PIMAP Plus Photonics for International Markets and Applications Plus
B\: Performing operations; transporting:Machine tools; metal-working not otherwise provided for
B\: Performing operations; transporting:Aircraft; aviation; cosmonautics
C\: Chemistry; metallurgy:Metallurgy of iron
G\: Physics:Optics
Manufacturing:C25 Manufacture of fabricated metal products, except machinery and equipment
Manufacturing:C26 Manufacture of computer, electronic and optical products
Manufacturing:C28 Manufacture of machinery and equipment n.e.c.
Canada, China, Japan, United States 1000 6
SPACE2ID Space Clusters International Industrial Diversification Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, United Arab Emirates 757 9
SPACE2IDGO Space Clusters International Industrial Diversification Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, United Arab Emirates 757 8