The Jiangsu Province Southern Cooperation Promotion Conference on Construction was held in Boao, Hainan.

Further deepen extensive cooperation with the three southern provinces in the construction sector to boost the international expansion of Jiangsu’s construction enterprises.

　　On September 19, the Jiangsu Provincial Government held the Jiangsu Province Southern (Boao) Cooperation Promotion Conference for the Construction Sector in Qionghai City, Hainan Province. Vice Governor He Quan attended the conference and delivered a speech, while Hainan Provincial Vice Governor Chen Zhirong addressed the event.

　　He Quan stated that Jiangsu Province has long maintained close ties with Hainan, Guangdong, and Fujian Provinces. The convening of this Southern (Boao) Promotion Conference on Construction in Jiangsu Province marks the entry of cooperation between Jiangsu and the three southern provinces in the construction sector into a new phase. On behalf of the Jiangsu Provincial Government, He Quan put forward four recommendations for deepening such cooperation:

　　First, guided by the principle of mutual benefit and win-win outcomes, we will continuously refine cooperation mechanisms. To this end, we will establish a joint conference system for cooperation in the construction sector and set up platforms for communication and collaboration on issues such as market access and regulatory oversight, thereby better standardizing market conduct, coordinating market activities, and stimulating market vitality.

　　Second, we will take transformation and upgrading as an opportunity to continuously enrich the scope of cooperation. By strengthening the integration of related industries and markets, we will gradually expand the areas of collaboration from construction execution to architectural research, energy conservation and environmental protection, infrastructure development, and resource-efficient urban and rural development, thereby truly transforming the construction industry into a technologically advanced modern sector, a green industry that promotes energy conservation and emission reduction, and a powerful pillar industry with strong driving force.

　　Third, we will harness reform and innovation as the driving force to continuously expand cooperation models. While continuing traditional forms of collaboration such as project construction, we will promote joint ventures between construction firms and entities in real estate, design, urban planning, and other related sectors, and explore effective cooperation mechanisms in areas such as investment and financing, and technological innovation.

　　Fourth, with the goal of promoting development, we will continuously enhance the quality of cooperation. We encourage more leading Jiangsu construction enterprises to bring their technology and capital to participate in infrastructure development in southern China, and we welcome southern construction firms to enter the Jiangsu market to explore opportunities for investment and business development. We will support enterprises from both regions in jointly tapping domestic and international construction markets, thereby accelerating the expansion of exchanges and cooperation to broader scopes, wider fields, and higher levels.

　　During the meeting, Zhou Lan, Director of the Jiangsu Provincial Department of Housing and Urban–Rural Development, and Xu Xuejun, Deputy Director, signed framework agreements on strengthening strategic cooperation in the construction sector with the housing and urban–rural development authorities of Hainan, Guangdong, and Fujian provinces. The agreements stipulate that each year 5 to 10 major government projects will be selected as pilot initiatives for joint venture and collaborative construction; furthermore, construction industry professionals holding construction engineer certificates issued by either province, as well as vocational skills qualification certificates issued by the respective provincial housing and urban–rural development departments, will be mutually recognized, thereby facilitating the expansion of construction enterprises from both regions into each other’s jurisdictions.

Speech by Chairman Zhang Xiangyang at the Jiangsu Construction Sector Southern Cooperation Promotion Conference

(September 19, 2012)

　　Distinguished leaders, honored guests, and colleagues:

　　Good afternoon, everyone!

　　Nantong Construction Engineering Group was originally founded in April 1952 as the Nantong Municipal Construction Company, making it one of the earliest construction firms established nationwide. It has since grown into a state-level general contractor with Special-Class qualifications for residential building construction, and also holds First-Class general contracting licenses for municipal engineering, equipment installation, interior decoration and fit-out, architectural fire protection, foundation and groundwork, steel structure, as well as numerous Second-Class qualifications. The company oversees 29 civil engineering and specialized subsidiaries and branches, operating across six major regional markets—North China, East China, South China, Northwest China, Northeast China, and overseas—and comprises 34 member enterprises with a workforce of more than 20,000. Its annual business volume exceeds RMB 10 billion.

　　Our company boasts a long and storied history, a profound cultural heritage, an abundant pool of human resources, and standardized construction management. As early as the 1950s to 1970s, we gained national recognition for the “Old Eighth Route Army” spirit of hard work and pioneering, and subsequently undertook the construction of a number of key national projects and overseas aid initiatives, including Beijing’s Ten Major Buildings, the Nanjing Yangtze River Bridge, and the post-earthquake reconstruction of the Beijing–Tianjin–Tanggu region, thereby making outstanding contributions to the national economy and social development. Over the more than three decades since the reform and opening-up, the company has implemented a “go global” strategy while continuously expanding its domestic general contracting market. To date, it has won 12 prestigious awards, including the Luban Award, the Zhan Tianyou Award, and the National Quality Engineering Award, as well as hundreds of provincial-level excellence awards such as the Yangzi Cup and the Green Island Cup. The company has been honored as a “Special Honoree for the Luban Award” and has received over a hundred national and provincial honors. It has also been listed among ENR’s Top 225 Global Contractors and has been included in the China Top 500 Private Enterprises for four consecutive years, earning a solid reputation at home and abroad and generating broad social impact.

　　Our company entered the southern market in the 1990s and has established branch offices in Haikou, Hainan Province, as well as in Shenzhen and Dongguan, Guangdong Province. Over the past two decades and more, adhering to the business philosophy of “integrity-based operations and win-win cooperation,” we have been recognized in the South China market with one Zhan Tianyou Award, two National User-Satisfaction Projects, and dozens of provincial and municipal high-quality projects. Currently, we have 21 projects under construction in Hainan, with a total contract value exceeding RMB 1 billion, and seven projects under construction in Guangdong, totaling more than RMB 500 million. In recent years, we have also actively engaged in the development of affordable housing; among the 28 projects currently under construction across the South China market, five are affordable-housing projects each with a contract value exceeding RMB 100 million. Notably, Tiansong Yayuan in Shenzhen is currently the city’s largest affordable-housing project and a key initiative vigorously promoted by the Shenzhen Municipal Government. Wang Rong, Secretary of the Shenzhen Municipal Party Committee, has personally inspected the site on two occasions and expressed satisfaction with both the project’s progress and its quality and safety. These achievements are attributable, first, to the care, support, and trust extended by the governments of southern provinces and municipalities, industry regulatory authorities, and all sectors of society; and second, to our company’s relentless pursuit of innovation and unwavering dedication.

　　Going forward, our company will, as always, continue to increase our investment in the Southern market, constantly optimize resource allocation, actively participate in market competition, and strive to deliver high-quality projects, thereby making new and greater contributions to the economic development and social progress of the provinces and regions in South China. Let us join hands, further strengthen mutual trust, expand cooperation, and comprehensively deepen the positive relationships we have already established, so that we may tirelessly work toward the realization of our respective development goals!

　　Thank you, everyone!