Shanghai, March 10, 2023 - Hua Yuan, Vice Mayor of Shanghai hosted the first government-enterprise communication roundtable in 2023 (a special session for European companies)

Which aimed to further optimize the business environment for foreign companies, keep the communication channels between government and enterprises open, and boost the confidence of foreign companies in investment and development in Shanghai. Nine European companies, including Sodexo, Nokia, L'Oreal and Philips, were invited to join the meeting, and Mr Martin Boden, Managing Director of Sodexo Greater China, attended the meeting and spoke on behalf of Sodexo.

Vice Mayor Hua Yuan, On behalf of the municipal government, expressed his thanks to the European companies in Shanghai for their contribution to the economic and social development of Shanghai. According to Mr. Hua Yuan, Shanghai will be more open to the outside world and he hoped that European companies could seize the opportunities in a period when Shanghai is in its transformation and upgrading of industry, consumption and urban construction to better participate in the development of Shanghai. Shanghai will continue to optimize the business environment by strictly following international economic and trade rules, establish an under-pining mechanism to serve foreign-invested enterprises, and act as a gold medal "shop assistant". Shanghai looks forward to better interaction, communication and cooperation with European enterprises as well as better development of European enterprises in Shanghai.

The steady and healthy development of foreign-invested enterprises in an important force driving national economic and social development, and plays an important role in expanding openness and promoting international economic exchanges and cooperation. The open Chinese market offers great opportunities for the development of enterprises from all countries. As a beneficiary of the new pattern of China's opening up on all fronts, Sodexo is committed to engaging in active communication and dialogue with more Chinese partners, exploring opportunities for cooperation and working together to improve Chinese consumers’ quality of life in an innovative way.

"I am delighted to participate in this government-enterprise communication meeting as a corporate representative. As a French-funded enterprise that has been in China for nearly 28 years, Sodexo has always been a beneficiary in China's reform and opening up process. The huge and diverse demands of the Chinese market have injected vitality into our service development and continuously stimulated our ability to innovate. The work and efforts made by the government to “being open and listening voices from all parties' was a boost to the development of Sodexo in Shanghai and even China. We will continue to deeply explore the Chinese market, deepen cooperation with the Shanghai government, and further improve the quality of life of Chinese consumers, thus helping them create a better life,” said Martin Boden, Managing Director of Sodexo Greater China, at the meeting.

The executives of European companies attending the meeting put forward relevant questions and suggestions around areas including the construction of international shipping centers, market opening and access, high-quality green development, construction of an international consumption hub, and policy applications, to which relevant municipal departments responded on the spot.

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