For the launch, a seminar was organized at Floriade Expo 2022 in Almere under the leadership of Floriske 薄芙蓉 Deutman (director of Dutch Sino Business Promotions), sponsored by Horizon Flevoland and ICBC (EUROPE) S.A. Amsterdam Branch. The event was also livestreamed in in China, where the Chinese audience and other digital attendees could follow the hybrid event.
Greenports Nederland developed this portal in collaboration with the Provincie Zuid-Holland and Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO). The aim of this portal is to help entrepreneurs doing business in China, by helping them get started with horticultural-related information about China. Dutch Horticulture in China offers first-line information, news, an event agenda and links to various organizations for further information and orientation. The initiators want to make it easier for entrepreneurs to undertake business activities in the Chinese market; either through the provision of products or services or through actually setting up a business in the country.
Besides the fact that China offers enormous potential, it is also a difficult market. The distances are great, both physically and culturally. Current developments surrounding the Corona pandemic and the crisis in Ukraine have made business relations with China even more difficult. It is therefore very important that entrepreneurs who want to be active in the Chinese market prepare themselves. The portal helps to bridge distances.
In Almere, among others, the King’s Commissioner of the province of Flevoland, Leen Verbeek, and the Chinese ambassador to the Netherlands, Z.E. Tan Jian were key-note speakers. Furthermore, Adri Bom – Lemstra, Chairman Greenports Nederland and Mr. Li Feng, General Manager of the ICBC (EUROPE) S.A. Amsterdam Branch, contributed to the program.
After the official launch, there was a presentation by ICBC Amsterdam about the Chinese financial policy towards the agricultural and horticultural sector. Other presentations were given by Martin Van Gogh (board member Batenburg Industrial Automation), Dirk Aleven (CEO FoodVentures) and Wil Bekkering (Dean Aeres University of Applied Science Almere).
