Attendees at the 2025 UN China Procurement Seminar in Shanghai's Qingpu district pose for a group photo on Sept 23, 2025. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
The 2025 UN China Procurement Seminar, centered on fostering multilateral collaboration for joint development, took place in Shanghai's Qingpu district on Sept 23, seeking to connect Chinese businesses with the international public procurement market.
The seminar, jointly organized by the United Nations Development Programme, United Nations Office for Project Services and Qingpu District People's Government, brought together more than 100 representatives from government, business, academia, and international organizations, underlining a concerted effort to integrate Chinese enterprises into global supply chains.
Li Shuyin, deputy director of the China International Center for Economic and Technical Exchanges, said that the collaborative procurement project has become well-established in Shanghai's Qingpu district, assisting Chinese companies in integrating with the United Nations procurement system.
It also intends to give the UN better quality, environmentally friendly, and compliant goods and services, hence improving the organization's procurement operations' efficiency and effectiveness, she added.
China is uniquely positioned to contribute to global sustainable development due to its accounting for about one-third of global manufacturing output and its rapid growth as a hub for innovation in green technology, according to James George, deputy resident representative of UNDP China.
He emphasized the importance of enabling small and medium-sized enterprises and women-owned businesses to access global markets for economic growth and to accelerate the shift to sustainable production models.
The 2024 Annual Statistical Report on UN Procurement indicates the increasing role of Chinese enterprises in UN procurement, especially in the energy and healthcare sectors, said Anne-Claire Howard, director of procurement at UNOPS, who offered an in-depth study of the report.
The seminar also saw the launch of the first Mapping of China's Innovative Solutions for Sustainable Development, which features ten chosen companies. This catalog is designed to link international market demand with high-quality Chinese businesses, providing a "key" for them to access UN procurement opportunities.
A panel discussion, moderated by Carsten Hansen, formerly head of Global Procurement and Supply at UNDP, explored ways to build sustainable supply chains and empower businesses, featuring representatives from the United Nations Children's Fund, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, and the China Chamber of Commerce for Import & Export of Medicines & Health Products.
Zhang Xiaohui, deputy director of the Department of International Cooperation of the China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Medicines and Health Products, delivered a market analysis of the pharmaceutical industry and ways to improve capabilities.
Other participants shared insights, including Torben Soll, deputy director of the Office of Procurement of UNDP, who talked about innovative procurement technologies, and Senthil Subramani, procurement senior manager at UNOPS, who discussed instances of after-sales support for women-owned and small and medium-sized businesses.
The seminar continued on Sept 24 with meetings with businesses and UN officials. Representatives from the ten companies featured in the Mapping of China's Innovative Solutions for Sustainable Development engaged in discussions with UNDP and UNOPS officials to explore potential partnerships.
Representatives from international organizations also visited Chinese enterprises to get firsthand insights into their innovation skills and sustainable practices.
