Mr. Chris Yost, Australian Consul in Guangzhou for political and economic affairs, visited CDI and met with Dr. Zhang Jiansen, Director of Finance and Modern Industry Research Center, Dr. Yu Lingqu, whose research focuses on financial industry, and Ms. Feng Yueqiu, Director of International Cooperation Department. The interview intention was to grasp the full picture about status quo of China’s securities market. With the emphasis on Shenzhen securities market, Dr. Zhang explained its difference with its counterpart in Shanghai and its relation with Hong Kong stock market. Dr. Zhang held that considering its active capital flow and high level opening up, Shenzhen securities market still has huge development potential, while government shall play a better role as a regulator to promote its marketization. From a micro perspective, Dr. Yu illustrated the growth momentum with specific data and operation mechanism of Shenzhen stock market.

EMBA student delegation from management school of the University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland (SUPSI) paid a visit to CDI for a lecture on Shenzhen Special Economic Zone presented by Dr. Guo Wanda, Executive Vice President of the institute and met with Dr. Zhang Jiansen, Director of Finance and Modern Industry Research Center and Ms. Feng Yueqiu, Director of International Cooperation Department. Ms. Feng first briefly introduced CDI in terms of the establishment purpose, research and consultation focus, and academic exchange. Dr. Guo gave the students a presentation centered on Shenzhen Special Economic Zone and China’s New Normal. He clearly demonstrated Shenzhen’s economic miracle, innovation in hi-tech industry and financial sector, and the macroeconomic background of China’s new normal. In the end, Dr. Zhang and Dr. Guo answered students’ questions and exchanged views with them.

Dr. Geoffrey T.M. Chow from Swinburne University of Technology in Melbourne Australia visited CDI. Ms. Feng Yueqiu, Director of International Cooperation Department, introduced Development course, research focus, consultation projects, and academic exchange. With an in-depth discussion on how to conduct collaboration, they reached a tentative agreement on holding a Shenzhen promotion seminar to enhance inter-city cooperation between Shenzhen and Melbourne.

Dr. Yose Rizal Damuri, Head of Department of Economics, Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), and his colleague Dr. David Christian paid a visit in CDI. Dr. Liu Guohong, Deputy Director of CDI Centre for Finance and Modern Industry Research and the research fellow Dr. Yu Lingqu met with the guests. Dr. Liu reviewed the development history of Shenzhen as China’s first Special Economic Zone, and outlined the achievements Shenzhen has made and its successful experiences since it was established 35 years ago. He also made a detailed introduction on the institutional arrangement and financial innovation in Shenzhen.

Mr. Lars Børresen, Royal Norwegian Consul in Guangzhou, interviewed with Dr. Wang Guowen, Director of Logistics and Supply Chain Management Department of CDI. Dr. Wang briefed visitors on the significance of Free Trade Zones (FTZs) in terms of infrastructure construction, industrial development and institutional innovation, and compared the functional positioning of China’s three newly established FTZs in Shanghai, Tianjin and Guangdong. Dr. Wang elaborated on the priorities of Qianhai & Shekou Area of Shenzhen, Nansha Area of Guangzhou, and Hengqin Area of Zhuhai in Guangdong Pilot FTZ respectively, and introduced some institutional breakthroughs Qianhai has made and its future direction.

Ms. Yazini, a South African scholar, paid a visit in Shenzhen for her report on the experience in developing a successful Special Economic Zone (SEZ). Professor Li Luoli, Vice Chairman of CDI, and Mr. Lu Wenbin, Director of Regional Planning Department of Shenzhen Municipal Development and Reform Commission had an in-depth discussion with Ms. Yazini. Prof. Li illustrated Shenzhen SEZ’s development and the universal significance of Deng Xiaoping Theory. Both Prof. Li and Ms Yazini agreed that governmental guidance and involvement in the primary stage of SEZ is important and necessary. Mr. Lu also analyzed new opportunities and challenges faced by Shenzhen SEZ.

Mr. Dominic Trindade, Australian Consul-General in Guangzhou, and Ms. Julie-Anne Nichols, Australian Deputy Consul-General in Guangzhou, paid a visit to CDI and met with Dr. Qu Jian, Vice President, and Researcher Yu Jun. Dr. Qu briefly introduced the background and status quo of Shenzhen Special Economic Zone(SEZ), and then answered a series of questions concerning the planning of Free Trade Zones(FTZs) in China, especially Qianhai & Shekou Area of Guandong Pilot FTZ. He described SEZ as version 1.0 of opening-up, and FTZ, version 2.0. As is pointed out by Dr. Qu, Qianhai is oriented to open modern services to the outside world, with emphasis on financial innovation and RMB internationalization. Besides, he also holds that governments should play a role in building up FTZs to solve problems which cannot be dealt with by the market.

Commissioned by Asian Development Bank (ADB), the Department of Regional Development Planning of CDI launched the study on development strategy and policies on SEZs in the region of India’s Vizag Chennai Industrial Corridor (VCIC) on March 1, 2015. The project’s inception report was submitted on March 16, 2015. From April 23 to 30, Vice President Qu Jian, Mr. Zhou Zhenbang, Senior Consultant of the department and Deputy Secretary-General of China Association of Development Zones, and Researcher Jin Xiaojia had carried out a field study in India and visited the India’s Capital New Delhi, and cities of Visakhapatnam (Vizag), Kakinada, Vijayawada in the state of Andhra Pradesh. During the tour, on-site research on SEZs in the region was conducted, and interviews with various government officials, SEZs developers and local entrepreneurs were carried out to locate the key challenges confronted by Indian SEZs in terms of management, development and policy design. In the next stage, the project team will propose a set of practical solutions for revitalizing SEZs in the VCIC region by drawing upon successful SEZ models around the world.

Ms Chay Yuen Ting, Consul of the Republic of Singapore and Ms Yap Si Hong, Vice-Consul of the Republic of Singapore visited CDI and were warmly welcomed by Dr. Zhang Jiansen，Director of Financial Research Centre. Dr. Zhang answered the questions concerning the role of Qianhai &Shekou Free Trade Zone and the construction of legal system in Qianhai raised by Ms Chay. He also analyzed the status of financial cooperation between Hong Kong and Shenzhen.

On 14th January, 2015, the Regional Commissioner of Kigoma, Tanzania, Mr. Issa S. Machibya, led a delegation of four to visit CDI. Vice President Dr. Qu Jian, Deputy Director of Regional Planning Department Dr. Peng Jian, and junior researcher Jin Xiaojia received the delegation and had a good discussion with the distinguished guests from Africa. The Tanzania delegation was first introduced about CDI’s history and fields of research and consultation in the Exhibition Hall, where Dr. Qu Jian highlighted CDI’s recent projects on African SEZs in Mauritius and Ethiopia. After the tour, CDI’s experts and the Tanzania delegation engaged in a fruitful discussion on Shenzhen SEZ’s success and Kigoma SEZ’s challenge in investment promotion. On behalf of Kigoma Region and his colleagues, Mr. Issa S. Machibya had expressed his sincere gratitude to CDI for the hospitality. He believed CDI’s experience in SEZ strategic planning and consultation will be of good reference value to Kigoma SEZ. After the discussion, CDI and the delegation have reached a preliminary agreement on how to proceed with further cooperation between the two.