Fortune Global Forum- Speaking of China’s Future.docVIP

Fortune Global Forum: Speaking of China’s Future 　　Never before had so many CEOs of Global 500 companies gathered in Chengdu as on June 6 when the 2013 Fortune Global Forum kicked off in the southwestern Chinese metropolis known for giant pandas and spicy cuisine. The three-day event， with the theme of“China’s New Future，” lured attendance from more than 600 leaders of the worlds biggest multinational companies as well as government officials， economists， entrepreneurs， investors， and scholars – the largest attendance in the forums 12-year history – to brainstorm and share insight into the trends and forces that are redefining economic growth in China and the world in general. Why Chengdu？ Chengdu is the fourth Chinese city to host the Fortune Global Forum after Shanghai （1999）， Hong Kong （2001） and Beijing （2005）， and this is the first time for the event to be held in western China. “Western China has proved to be a major draw for leaders from all over the world，” remarked Andy Serwer， managing editor of Fortune magazine， as the forum approached. “We are pleased to bring focus to Chengdu， a great city at the center of the regions development story.” Serwer added that the city lies in the heart of China’s booming west and is becoming a leading hub for higher education， as well as a diverse range of technologies， industries， logistics and services. “Fortunes choices over the years reflected the wealth and growth shift within China， and Chengdu is an embodiment of the shift，”noted Cao Heping， a professor from Peking Universitys School of Economics. Benefiting from the Western Development Strategy first implemented in 2000， inland China is now witnessing even faster development after lagging behind the eastern seaboard in the past. Western China now holds competitive advantages in essential production factors compared to eastern China， including costs， strong government support， and abundant human resources. Chengdu， one of the largest cities in