Minister Torrent: "Catalonia is the perfect European territory for Chinese companies to develop their industrial projects"

The Minister of Business and Labour of the Government of Catalonia, Roger Torrent, has assured that "Catalonia is the perfect European territory for Chinese companies to find institutional and private allies and to be able to develop any business and industrial project". He made these statements during his speech at the China Automotive Forum, the most important meeting of the automotive sector in China. The event was also attended by the General Director of Industry, Oriol Alcoba.

In this sense, Torrent used the news of Chery's recent arrival in Barcelona as an example, recalling that it will be the first Chinese company in the sector to produce electric cars in Europe. "From the Government of Catalonia, we are very proud to have collaborated to make this news a reality, and we trust that it will be an example for many other Chinese companies", he said.

“Catalonia has a strategic position in Spain and Europe, with first-class international land, air and port connections, a strong industrial fabric and a prestigious innovation ecosystem”

Roger Torrent, Minister of Business and Labour

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In his speech, the Minister of Business and Labour also stressed that "Catalonia has a strategic position in Spain and Europe, with first-class international land, air and port connections, a strong industrial fabric and a prestigious innovation ecosystem".

For his part, the General Director of Industry, Oriol Alcoba, presented the assets and opportunities that Catalonia offers as an industrial hub and, in particular, as a powerhouse in the automotive sector to strengthen commercial relations between the two territories and, in particular, positioning the country as a destination for production projects.

He explained, "Catalonia has more than 350 companies working in the automotive sector and more than 1,700 emerging companies aligned with the country's main industries and Europe". He also highlighted the value of IDIADA, a world reference center, technology and research centers, universities, and major scientific infrastructures such as the Barcelona Supercomputing Center.

Alcoba concluded his speech by recalling, "The Government of Catalonia has a clear determination and commitment to the industrial sector, and we are dedicating our efforts and resources through a National Plan that aims to continue investing to increase the weight of industry in our economy".

The China Auto Forum brings together more than 1,000 attendees annually, with more than 200 high-level speakers and about 500 participating companies. Organized by the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM), it is supported by the International Organization of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers (OICA) and the World Economic Forum (WEF). It has an agenda of conferences and presentations focusing on various key aspects of the automotive industry.

The Catalan delegation's participation in the congress is part of the trip to China to position Catalonia as a productive investment destination. Torrent and the government team also visited the R&D center of the multinational Chery in Shanghai, together with the Barcelona City Council representatives. The Minister of Business and Labour also visited the Zhangjiang High Tech Technology Park, which specializes in semiconductors, and met with other Chinese companies in the sector and other technology industries.

The institutional trip is part of the initiatives promoted by ACCIÓ-Catalonia Trade & Investment through the China Desk, an initiative created in 2024 to attract investment projects from Chinese companies, mainly in the mobility and health sectors.

Minister Torrent has already traveled to China several times, where he held several meetings with representatives of Chery and announced the attraction of investment projects such as that of the Chinese multinational Wanhua, one of the largest in the world in the chemical industry, which opened an innovation center in Catalonia. At the end of 2023, it was also announced that the Chinese textile company Shanghai Jingqingrong Garment will open its first production plant abroad in Catalonia after meeting with a government delegation.

China's growing presence in Catalonia

There are currently more than 200 subsidiaries of Chinese companies established in Catalonia. The number of subsidiaries has grown exponentially in recent years, making Catalonia the third most important non-European country in terms of the number of subsidiaries, preceded only by the United States and Japan.

With 27 million vehicles to be produced by 2022, China is the world's leading automobile producer, well ahead of the United States (10 million), Japan (7.8 million), and India (5.5 million). It is a strategic country for the government and one of the largest investors in the world. Still, it is one of the least established manufacturing countries in Europe.