The Syrian-Chinese Business Council in Beijing launched the "Syria International Smart Industrial Cities" platform in cooperation with the "Suzhou Land" and "Grofast" groups, and directly aims to upgrade the level of industrial and investment coordination, and support comprehensive development plans and vital reconstruction projects in the Syrian governorates.

The official hall of the ceremony witnessed the heavy presence of Chinese government officials , businessmen, and representatives of major economic enterprises and enterprises from both countries.

According to the media departments of the Syrian-Chinese Business Council, the event established a new phase of joint work based on innovation, knowledge transfer and the localization of advanced technology.

The new platform aims to formulate a practical mechanism to transfer China's advanced industrial and technological experience to the Syrian investment environment.

The project documents issued by the organizing partners stated that the plan relies on activating direct twinning programs between the industrial cities in the two countries, developing infrastructures to transform into smart cities, as well as qualifying Syrian national competencies and cadres to absorb this structural transformation and attract more capital.

The first projects

The ceremony witnessed the actual announcement of the launch of the first two investment projects under the umbrella of the platform, represented by the launch of the "Smart Furniture City in Damascus" and the "Smart Furniture City in Aleppo", as a practical first step to apply the standards of the Fourth Industrial Revolution in local production and transform the proposed ideas into existing infrastructures.

In his official speech during the ceremony, the Chargé d'Affaires of the Syrian Embassy, Mohammed Zakaria Lababidi, stressed that Syria is opening its doors and welcoming all Chinese companies and institutions wishing to actively contribute to the development and reconstruction process. Lababidi pointed to the continuous and dynamic growth achieved by bilateral relations, stressing that the entitlements of the next phase require the expansion of economic and industrial partnerships in order to ensure the common interests of the two countries.

Praise for the private sector

The Syrian diplomat praised the pivotal role played by the Syrian-Chinese Business Council in building bridges between the public and private sectors and transforming theoretical ideas and opportunities into concrete productive projects.

In a related context, the Chairman of the Business Council, Fadi Al-Ahmad Al-Muhaimeed, explained that the platform reflects a qualitative shift in the philosophy of economic relations between Damascus and Beijing, describing it as a strategic step to move from the context of "traditional trade exchange" to the horizons of "sustainable development and industrial partnership".

This technological investment move brought to mind the context of Syria's official accession to China's Belt and Road Initiative in January 2022.

According to economic analyses published in periodicals interested in Asian affairs, the signing of the historic memorandums of understanding at the time opened up broad horizons for economic cooperation that went beyond simple trade to the fields of advanced infrastructure and renewable energy, which explains the current trend towards the establishment of smart and integrated industrial cities in major cities such as Damascus and Aleppo as part of the process of technological reconstruction.

Upcoming regional integration

Changshu Mayor and Deputy Secretary of the Communist Party of China Committee Zhang Wei welcomed the podium, stressing the city's great interest in expanding its investment and industrial partnerships with the Syrian side.

Economic observers believe that this coordination will contribute to accelerating the recovery of the Syrian industrial sector based on clean energy technology and Chinese automated systems, which will contribute to the creation of hundreds of jobs and the localization of digital knowledge.