Seven years ago when the China High-Tech Fair (CHTF) set foot in Barcelona for the first time, only a dozen companies came to discuss cooperation issues. This time, more than 240 enterprises from Belgium and Spain came to the Barcelona site of the CHTF overseas session, vying with each other to "chase" after Chinese businesses. Spain’s Barcelona TV has been fully covering the event.

As time goes by, from an initial cold reception to popularity, the change of CHTF reflects its rising international influence and expanding benefits as a business platform.

Many European countries are willing to organize these CHTF overseas sessions.

"More than a dozen companies in Belgium and Spain have come to us to discuss cooperation issues," Song Longfeng, Chairman of KNQ Technology (Shenzhen), said with excitement. This is his first time attending the CHTF overseas session and he did not expect such a big harvest. "Our electromagnetic shielding film broke through the Japanese blockade on techniques and became a global leader in technology. Now we want to expand the European market. The Belgian office of KPMG hopes to discuss financing an IPO with us and the Belgian region of Flanders wants to attract our investment. Besides, many other agents want to buy our products and sell them in Europe." People can hear such remarks nonstop at this year's CHTF overseas session.

The 3D somatosensory fitting system invented by Guangzhou Newtempo Technologies drew the attention of European luxury brands. "We had just arrived in Spain from Belgium when a Belgian enterprise with which we had negotiated sent us a letter of intent." Liang Haiquan, CEO of the company, said that the retail stores in Europe generally close quite early, but now even if the store closes, this system can make interactive trading possible through a virtual shop window, which can improve sales efficiency. Some decorators of top brand stores are seeking cooperation with the company at the site of the overseas session. Some venture capital firms in Europe also want to cooperate with the company and jointly apply for the "Horizon 2020" EU Framework Program for Research and Innovation.

As the bridgehead for Chinese enterprises to enter the European market, the role of CHTF is more directly reflected in the increasing number of countries and companies that show concern for the Fair. Many entrepreneurs of neighboring countries appeared at the matchmaking meeting in Barcelona.

Gao Guohui, deputy secretary general of the Organizing Committee of CHTF and deputy secretary of Shenzhen municipal government, said that now all the European countries are hoping to organize the CHTF overseas sessions in their own countries. This year, the Barcelona municipal government has paid high attention to the Fair and actively hosted the Spanish session of CHTF. "After years of effort, CHTF and Shenzhen have become more and more influential abroad, and the overseas sessions have laid the foundation and created conditions for CHTF to become an international fair."

European enterprises look forward to cooperating with Chinese enterprises.

The enhancement of the influence is also reflected in changes in the initiative. The situation of European enterprises successively "chasing" after Chinese enterprises is impressive.

These countries, just like when they were attracting foreign business and investment in Shenzhen 30 years ago, took the initiative to send out their invitations to Chinese enterprises.

Deng Yu, managing director of Shenzhen Kedao Digital (Shenzhen) Co., felt pleasantly surprised to discover that even in Europe, their intelligent housing system technology is at the forefront of the industry. "From Belgium to Spain, four companies have made clear their intent to cooperate with us, and now it is our turn to examine their qualifications and decide whether they can meet our needs to expand the market." Deng Yu said that the CHTF overseas sessions made Chinese enterprises understand the threshold to enter the European market: "It is an excellent platform for enterprises to expand their business abroad."

Chen Xuan, general manager of Shenzhen Gas Investment Co., showed that this is the first time that the company has participated in the CHTF overseas session and the staff members did not expect they could receive so much attention in Europe. During its stay in Belgium and Spain, the company had business negotiations with a total of seven companies.

It has been found that European enterprises "chasing" after Chinese enterprises reflects not only their endeavor to seek directions of industrial breakthroughs via technology, capital and market cooperation under the circumstance of sagging economic performance, but also the need to complement and interact with innovative elements to achieve internal development. Huang Zhuowei, general manager of Shenzhen Small & Medium Enterprises Credit Financing Guarantee Group Co., said that foreign enterprises hope to obtain help from the platform of the guarantee group so that their investment in China can enjoy follow-up financing services for rapid growth and expansion.

Overseas professionals are paying close attention to innovation and entrepreneurship in Shenzhen.

CHTF's effect of gathering creative professionals has become increasingly prominent. During this year's CHTF overseas session, these people have paid high attention to the innovation and entrepreneurial environment in Shenzhen.

During the Spanish session, over 50 overseas students from the University of Barcelona, Polytechnic University of Catalonia and Pompeu Fabra University, who came to the site after hearing the news, hoped to take this opportunity to know about the opportunities for career development in China, especially in Shenzhen.

To help them have a more intuitive understanding of Shenzhen, Huang Xiaorong, secretary general of the Organizing Committee of the Star Entrepreneurs Contest, Shenzhen Nanshan, held a promotion presentation, which specifically introduced the innovation and entrepreneurial environment, skills introduction policies and services in Shenzhen and Nanshan district.

Xu Feng, Doctor of Automation Control at the Polytechnic University of Catalonia, said that he was about to graduate and willing to return to China and work in Shenzhen. "Shenzhen has a favorable innovation and entrepreneurial atmosphere and pays high attention to creative talents, and it also has an advantageous environment. Through this CHTF overseas session, I've learned more information about Shenzhen."

Yang Fan, a junior at the Department of Economics, University of Barcelona, hoped to come back to China and start a business. "I've been to Shenzhen once, which impressed me very much. Shenzhen has a strong atmosphere of entrepreneurship. I hope to start a business there after graduation."

The Belgian session of the CHTF 2014

The Spanish session of the CHTF 2014

The products of Newtempo Technologies are popular among foreign companies.

China-Belgium Enterprise Fair

Spanish companies wait at the site of the China-Spain Enterprise Fair.

China-Spain Enterprise Fair