On the afternoon of September 27, a research delegation comprising Ni Ke, Deputy Director of the Planning, Finance and Foreign Affairs Department of the Ministry of Housing and Urban–Rural Development; Wei Lin, Researcher in the Township and Village Construction Department; Wang Jiajian, Deputy Director of the Planning and Finance Division of the Provincial Department of Housing and Urban–Rural Development; Zhou Wenhui, Deputy Director of the Market Supervision Division; Li Yulong, Associate Professor at the Central University of Finance and Economics; and Deng Xiaopeng, Professor at Southeast University, visited the Group’s headquarters, accompanied by leaders of the Municipal Bureau of Urban and Rural Construction. The delegation conducted a field study on the Group’s participation in the Belt and Road Initiative and the implementation of its “going global” strategy. Zhang Xiangyang, Secretary of the Party Committee, Chairman, and General Manager of the Group, along with Chen Guoli, Deputy General Manager and General Manager of the Overseas Branch, attended the visit.

　　At the meeting, Chairman Zhang Xiangyang first extended a warm welcome to the research delegation for their visit and guidance. He then provided an overview of the Group’s implementation of its “going global” strategy. In recent years, while consolidating our position in the domestic market, we have made expanding into overseas markets a central pillar of our sustainable development. Guided by the goals of refining our operations, scaling up, and strengthening our capabilities, and driven by a commitment to building reputation and delivering solid returns, we have proactively pursued the “going global” strategy. Leveraging our comprehensive strengths—including our brand, core technologies, and general contracting expertise—we have adopted a steady, step-by-step approach. Over the past five years, we have established a strong market presence and secured project contracts in countries across Africa—such as Sudan, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Senegal, Tanzania, Ethiopia, and Mauritania—as well as in Southeast Asia, notably Indonesia. To date, we have undertaken more than 60 overseas projects, with annual overseas revenue exceeding US$200 million. For many consecutive years, we have been recognized on prestigious rankings such as the “Top 10 Jiangsu Provincial Construction Firms in Foreign Economic Cooperation,” the “Top 80 Chinese Contractors,” and the “ENR Top 250 Global International Contractors.”

　　Chairman Zhang Xiangyang put forward four recommendations to the leaders of the Ministry of Housing and Urban–Rural Development on how construction enterprises can seize the opportunities presented by the Belt and Road Initiative, further accelerate their international expansion, and capitalize on the strategic layout of the initiative: First, government policies should be tailored to specific industries to enhance their practical applicability; second, government departments should treat state-owned enterprises and private enterprises equally and step up support for private enterprises, particularly key backbone firms that are prioritizing overseas expansion; third, government agencies and industry associations should intensify their guidance to enterprises by organizing regular and ad hoc training sessions and seminars on relevant business matters, thereby providing professional advice and guidance to foreign economic enterprises as they encounter difficulties and challenges in going global; and fourth, platforms for exchange and collaboration should be established to strengthen interaction and cooperation between central state-owned enterprises and local enterprises, fully leveraging the strengths of local firms in project implementation to achieve complementary advantages and mutually beneficial cooperation between central and local enterprises.

　　During the research visit, the project team led by Associate Professor Li Yulong of the Central University of Finance and Economics and Professor Deng Xiaopeng of Southeast University commended the Group for its achievements in developing overseas markets over the years. The team also raised pertinent questions regarding how to better manage corporate relationships, accelerate transformation and upgrading, strengthen risk management and control, and enhance talent development, with a particular focus on the Group’s strategic approach for the next phase of overseas market expansion.

　　Chen Guoli, Deputy General Manager of the Group and General Manager of its overseas subsidiaries, provided a detailed response and elaboration based on his many years of practical experience in overseas operations and management. He also pointed out that, going forward, Nantong Construction Engineering will seize the opportunities presented by the Belt and Road Initiative’s strategic deployment, adopt a completely new positioning, conduct rigorous and evidence-based assessments, take proactive measures, and continuously intensify its efforts to develop and expand into overseas markets: First, we must capitalize on this historic opportunity to achieve transformation and upgrading. Through the transformation and upgrading of our specialized contracting business, we should swiftly shift from our traditional focus on building construction contracting to these specialized fields, making thorough preparations in areas such as building a pool of specialized talent, equipping ourselves with specialized machinery and equipment, and conducting in-depth research on the operation of specialized markets. At the same time, leveraging our existing strengths in building construction, we should actively seek opportunities to provide supporting construction services for specialized infrastructure projects, thereby entering specialized market segments and target countries and, through participation in such projects, further expanding our business footprint. Second, we must align with the infrastructure development initiatives under the Belt and Road Initiative. We need to step up our engagement in remote regions, identify and capture business opportunities, and strive to further increase our market share relative to our current level. In addition, we should build on our existing market advantages in border provinces and western regions—such as the Northwest Branch, the Xinjiang Branch, and the Guangxi Branch—to extend our reach into neighboring areas and, directly through these domestic branches, venture abroad to tap into markets in countries along the Belt and Road. Third, we must conduct comprehensive country-specific analyses and further intensify our “going global” efforts. Based on scientific analysis and meticulous research tailored to our company’s actual conditions, we should pursue market development strategies that are well-suited to our own growth trajectory. Building on our established presence in African and Middle Eastern markets, we should place particular emphasis on engaging with the ASEAN market and the Central and West Asian markets. Fourth, we must collaborate with large domestic enterprises to leverage their resources and capabilities to expand our international footprint. In connection with major Belt and Road projects, China’s leading state-owned enterprises possess distinct advantages in terms of extensive networks and relationships, robust social channels, access to critical information, expertise in project integration, and fundraising capacity. By drawing on our already strong ties with these partners and fully capitalizing on our own strengths in project execution, we can establish synergistic partnerships that deliver mutual benefits and win-win outcomes. Fifth, we must engage with financial institutions such as the Export-Import Bank of China, the China Development Bank, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, the New Development Bank of BRICS, and the Silk Road Fund to address financing challenges through multiple channels. We should proactively establish connections with both domestic and international financial institutions, thoroughly understand the procedures and requirements for relevant financial products and financing services, and, in light of the specific characteristics and practical circumstances of our overseas projects, carefully select appropriate financing platforms and instruments to ensure reliable funding for project implementation. At the same time, we should closely monitor tender announcements from international financial institutions, familiarize ourselves with international project bidding rules, and actively participate in infrastructure development initiatives led by these institutions.

　　Finally, Ni Ke, Deputy Director of the Planning, Finance and Foreign Affairs Department of the Ministry of Housing and Urban–Rural Development, stated that Nantong Construction, as a leading enterprise in Nantong’s construction industry in its overseas expansion, is expected to continue to play a pioneering role, seize the opportunities presented by the Belt and Road Initiative, guide more Nantong construction firms to enter international markets, and further expand the overseas market share of Nantong’s construction sector.

Leaders of the research team and leaders of the group company posed for a group photo in front of the headquarters building.