On Dec 5, Wuhan Municipal People’s Government held the 8th International Advisory Council meeting. The meeting this year gathered 15 new consultants to offer suggestions towards Wuhan’s international development, and advise the municipal government on opening up Wuhan to enhance its international reputation.

Wuhan has invited 32 professionals to be part of its “international think tank”. This year’s meeting ran on the theme “Enhance comprehensive functions of the city, improve the level of urban internationalization”.

Members on the panel divided up work agendas for promoting industry and to build a gathering of international industries; strengthening the functions of the city, to build an international trade and logistics hub, improving the capabilities for independent innovation, to build an international talent and innovation center, promoting the development and growth of cultural industries, and to build an international city of cultural vitality.

In the afternoon, Tang Liangzhi, the mayor of Wuhan, presented letters of appointment to nine newly hired international consultants, including Alstom Group Executive Vice-President, President of Alstom Thermal Power Business Generation Philippe Cochet, Anheuser-Busch InBev Asia Pacific President Deng Mingxiao, Carrefour Global Vice-President, and Greater China President and CEO Tang Jianian.

In 1998 Wuhan Government invited more than 20 well known overseas experts as municipal international consultants and composed its own International Advisory Council, orientated around the development of Wuhan, its future issues and challenges, offering advice to the municipal government.

The biannual conference has been held seven times . The early sessions mostly concentrated on attracting foreign investment, while in recent years it has been modified to ask for suggestions.

Edited by Nigel Moffy and Le Qin