[China.org.cn]European leaders wowed by China's high-tech hub

Young politicians from Central and Eastern European Countries try the latest smart devices at the JD+ Smart Milk Tea House on the Entrepreneurship Street of Zhongguancun, China's Silicon Valley, on Oct. 29, 2015. [Photo by Guo Yiming/China.org.cn]

A group of young western politicians visited the Zhongguancun Industrial Park, a technology district dubbed China's Silicon Valley, in Beijing on Thursday, ahead of the Young Political Leaders Forum of China and Central and Eastern European Countries.
 
The group, which consists of 16 young politicians from central and eastern European countries (CEEC), was amazed at the innovation-driven incubator as well as the business-friendly environment for budding entrepreneurs in China's renowned tech hub.
Along the 200-meter-long entrepreneurship street, young politicians visited the Garage Cafe, a coffee shop acting as a social platform for start-up founders and investors, the Innohall, a one-stop service for streamlined registration, legal advice, employment and financing, as well as the JD+ Milk Tea House, a business incubator for new products, road shows and experiments.
Augustine Mitu, vice president of the Romanian senate and member of the visiting group, was amazed at the number of budding entrepreneurs at the coffee shop. There, they can work all day long having their ideas incubated and introduced to potential investors.
"I heard that start-up founders could work on their project, demonstrate ideas, publicize products as well as debate and share experiences with their counterparts and investors," said Mr. Mitu. "Places like this coffee shop could really help young people realize their dreams."
Goran Radosavljevic, vice president of the Serbian Social Democratic Party, told the reporter that he actually "invested" in the incubator through buying a drink from the coffee shop.
"I'm especially impressed by the technology presented here in the milk tea shop, like the smart refrigerator, washing machine and recorder in the future of housing, especially the smart music device which can recognize your voice and play the music you want," said Mr. Radosavljevic. "Beijing is trying hard to help start-up firms and ambitious entrepreneurs through various policies, and this is something other countries should learn from China."
The group is part of a delegation consisting of young European political leaders, invited by the International Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee (IDCPC) to enhance mutual understanding through a trip to China and a forum on Oct. 30.
The Young Political Leaders Forum of China and Central and Eastern European Countries, under a wider cooperative platform of China-CEEC cooperation, or "16 plus 1 cooperation," is held every two years. It aims to forge a consensus on development issues through candid and in-depth exchange between the country and young leaders.
Another two groups of the delegation visited China Radio International, the state-owned radio station broadcasting in 61 languages, as well as Shichahai community in Beijing's northern historic scenic area.

Young politicians from Central and Eastern European Countries listen to an introduction at the Garage Café, a social platform for start-up founders and investors, on the Entrepreneurship Street of Zhongguancun, China's Silicon Valley, on Oct. 29, 2015. [Photo by Guo Yiming/China.org.cn]