Establishing a Gateway and Platform for Industrial Cooperation between China and other Developing Countries

Supporting UNIDO Centre for South-South Industrial Cooperation (UCSSIC) in China (2nd Phase & 3rd Phase)

Towards a Solution

In 2008, UNIDO Centre for South-South Industrial Cooperation (UCSSIC) was officially established in Beijing, as a joint collaboration between China’s Ministry of Commerce, UNIDO and China International Center for Economic and Technical Exchanges (CICETE). The objective of the project is to foster inclusive and sustainable industrial development of developing countries by identifying and mobilizing technical, financial, managerial, and other resources required for projects and programmes within the framework of South-South cooperation in partnership with relevant institutions, counterparts and stakeholders, both in and outside of China. UCSSIC has successfully implemented two phases of the project and the third phase is still on-going today.

During the completed 2nd and the on-going 3rd phases, UCSSIC has created and capitalized a practical, institutional, and operational framework for South-South and Triangular Industrial Development (SSTIC).

UCSSIC project works:

• To promote new industrial policies and the exchange of experiences during implementation'
• To protect the environment and to foster the establishment of green industrial parks;
• To support the formulation of new industrial standards and guidelines;
• To build up the capacities of developing nations via South-South industrial cooperation;
• To facilitate technology transfers and the sharing of experiences among developing countries;
• To advance innovative mechanisms of trade, investment and interaction among enterprises;
• To further the development of regional trade, investment and economic integration through partnership building.

Over the past decade, UCSSIC has effectively utilized its resources to support activities in the fields of investment promotion, entrepreneurship training, food safety, sustainable industrial park development and technology transfers. Key achievements include the following:

1. Building Up the Capacities of Partners from Developing Countries

UCSSIC has been actively promoting technology transfers and the sharing of experiences to support SSTIC between China and other developing countries. In the second and third phases of the project, more than 3,000 people received technical and managerial training with support from UCSSIC in cooperation with its partners. Furthermore, UCSSIC hosted visiting delegations from other developing countries, such as Nigeria, India and Thailand, to enable them to meet with relevant government agencies, business associations and enterprises in China for sharing industrial development experience. Additionally, UCSSIC regularly conducted outreach and promotional activities to improve private-sector awareness of available technologies and business opportunities, and assisted developing countries in the transfer and application of best practices for technological upgrading.

2. Advancing Development of Sustainable Industrial Parks

UCSSIC supported a wide range of workshops, conferences and forums focusing on sustainable industrial park development, in particular, the development of the “Green Silk Road” through the integration of a green initiative for industrial parks along the “Belt and Road”. In 2019, UCSSIC supported UNIDO in the organization of a side-event of “Industrial Parks for Inclusive and Sustainable Industrial Development” during an international conference held in Peru, which was well received by representatives from round the world. In 2020, after the release of UNIDO “International Guidelines for Industrial Parks”, UCSSIC organized experts for the study of Comparative Research on Localized Indicators for the Application of UNIDO’s Guidelines for promoting the Guidelines in industrial parks of China. The report has been published by UNIDO in early 2022. In the future, UCSSIC will carry out a series of South-South cooperation activities with domestic and overseas industrial parks and relevant administrations based on the research findings and trial use in selected industrial parks of China.

3. Promoting Cooperation Between Various Partners in China and Other Countries

Under the framework of UNIDO’s PCP program, UCSSIC has established cooperating ties with countries including Cambodia, Ethiopia, Morocco, Peru, Egypt and Zambia, and strengthened coordination with UNIDO field offices, local government ministries and national centres of excellence for future cooperation. Furthermore, UCSSIC has promoted sistership relations among cities along the Belt and Road for urban development. Through all these initiatives, UCSSIC has expanded its South-South cooperation network in the field of SSTIC.

4. Supporting Various International Forums and Events

UCSSIC has been regularly providing support to various international forums and events related to SSTIC in and outside of China, including trade and investment fairs, Expos, special-themed conferences, industrial forums and exhibitions. The participation in these events has greatly increased the visibility of the project, thus promoting SSTIC practices on a much larger scale globally.

In the near future, UCSSIC will further strengthen SSTIC focusing on experience sharing, TC and advisory services in the fields of Renewable Energy, Agribusiness, Technology Transfers and Sustainable Industrial Parks. Moreover, UCSSIC will continue to carry out activities such as technical trainings, seminars, forums and SME matchmaking events, further promoting SSC between China, UN agencies anddeveloping countries in Asia-Pacific, Africa and Latin America.