Chinese entrepreneurs find new role -- in diplomacy

Chineseentrepreneurshaveaccompaniedstateleadersonmanyofficialvisitsinthepastyear,promotingtheirbusinessesandChina'simageaswell.

WhenPresidentXiJinpingvisitedtheUnitedStatesinSeptember,hisdelegationincluded15businessexecutives,manyfromtheInternetsector.

SelfiestakenbytheentrepreneurswiththeirAmericanpeerswentviralwhentheywerepostedonthesocialmedia,addingalighttonetothehighandcolddiplomacy,andsparkingconfidenceamongChinesenetizensofthecountry'srisingeconomicpower.

EntrepreneurswerealsoamongXi'sentouragewhenhevisitedBritaininOctober.

AmongthemwasWangHongzhang,chairmanofChinaConstructionBank(CCB).HewitnessedtheopeningofaCCBbranchinLondon.

FinanceisakeypartofSino-Britishcooperation.ChinahassetupanRMBclearingbankinLondon.BritainbecamethefirstcountryoutsideAsiatoobtaintheRQFIIinitialinvestmentquota,thefirstWesterncountrytoissueRMB-denominatedsovereignbondandthefirstmajordevelopedcountrytoincludeRMBintoitsforeignexchangereserves.

SunTaoran,thefounderofChina'se-paymentservicecompanyLakala,inkedanagreementwithBritain'slargestbillpaymentservicecompanyAllpayLimitedduringXi'svisit.Theywillworktogethertoestablishacross-borderfinancialserviceplatform.

Otherentrepreneurshavetheirshiningmomentsaswell.

WangChuanfu,chairofChineseelectricvehiclemanufacturerBYDwitnessedhiscompanysigninga660-million-pound(about1billionU.S.dollars)dealwithBritishbusbuilderAlexanderDennisLimited(ADL)tointroduceelectricbusestotheroadsofBritain.

ChinaGeneralNuclear(CGN)andElectricitedeFrance(EDF)signedanagreementtojointlyconstructandoperatenuclearpowerplantsinBritain.HeYu,chairofCGN,toldXinhuathatthedealwouldpromotetheexportationofChinesenuclearfacilitiestohigh-endmarketsinEuropeandprovideopportunitiesforChinesefirmstogetfullyinvolvedinthedevelopmentofBritain'snuclearpowerindustry.

Asidefrominkinghugedealswithforeigncompanies,theseentrepreneurswerealsobusylettingtheirvoicesbeheardontheworld'sdiplomaticstage.

AttheeighthU.S.-ChinaInternetIndustryForumwherePresidentXiJinpingmetaround30ChineseandAmericanInternetentrepreneursinSeattle,JackMa,chairofAlibaba,wasinvitedtospeakfirst.Matooktheopportunitytospeakasan"imageambassador"forChina.

Hisspeechcoveredtwoimportantpoints:WhyChina'seconomyistrustworthy,andwhatroleenterprisescanplayinexchangesbetweenChinaandtheUnitedStates.

DuringXi'svisittoBritain,MawasappointedbyBritishPrimeMinisterDavidCameronasabusinessadvisor.ThelaterwasimpressedbyMa'saltruisticapproachtobusiness.Mabelievesthatinthedataage,anenterprisecanbecomestrongerbyhelpingotherstobestronger.

CameronquotedMainhisspeechataBritain-Chinabusinessforum,sayingtherelationshipbetweenChinaandBritainshouldalsofollowthealtruisticmodel.

WangZhile,headoftheBeijingNewCenturyAcademyonTransnationalCorporations,saidwhileitwasnotrareforentrepreneurstojoinstatevisits,"moreprivateentrepreneurswereinvitedin2015year."

"Thisindicatesthatthegovernmentfullyrecognizesthecontributionmadebytheprivateenterprisestoeconomicdevelopment,"Wangsaid.

"Justlikemultinationalcompaniestheworldover,Chineseenterprisesarealsoexploringglobaldistribution,theglobalvaluechain,andtheintegrationofglobalresources,"hesaid.

"Theentrepreneurs'visitswillgiveenterprisesexposuretothemostupdatedmethodsandpatternsoftheircompetitors,"Wangsaid.

ZhaoYumin,deputydirectoroftheInstituteofCommodityResearchoftheChineseAcademyofInternationalTradeandEconomicCooperationundertheMinistryofCommerce,saidthattheentrepreneursrepresentedmoresectorsthisyear.

"Theentrepreneurshaveadesiretogoabroadsincetheyhavebeenequippedwithsoundglobaloperationabilityandinternationalcompetitiveness,"Zhaosaid.

"Theyhopetoensurefavorablebusinessenvironmentsthankstothehigh-levelvisits,"Zhaosaid.

"Andforthecountry'seconomicdiplomacy,Chinaisdevelopingthestrategyfromforeignaidtobusinesscooperation,"shesaid."Thus,theentrepreneurs'visitswillbenefitChina'sdiplomacy."