Hosted by the EU Working Committee of the China Association for the Promotion of Economic and Technical Cooperation, co-organized by the Worldway Wealth Club, and organized by the Worldway Group and Huiyun Capital Group, with sponsorship from Huiyun Real Estate, the 2018 China-Europe Trade and Investment Forum concluded successfully in Beijing on September 8! Ambassadors, ministers, counselors, and other officials from 18 European embassies in China were invited to attend. Over 1,000 political leaders, business magnates, and academic experts from China and abroad participated actively, with numerous renowned media outlets providing full coverage. The venue was packed to capacity, requiring additional seating! This was the first large-scale China-Europe forum organized by a non-governmental institution in China, marking a historic milestone.
As a co-organizer of the forum, the Worldway Wealth Club played a vital role in its successful execution. Following the conference, Mr. Feng Lun, Chairman of the Worldway Wealth Club and a renowned Chinese entrepreneur, accepted an exclusive interview with Sina. He shared valuable overseas investment experience, which serves as a reference for entrepreneurs in the new era looking to "go global." The following is the transcript of the on-site interview (compiled based on Mr. Feng Lun's oral account), which we hope will provide reference and assistance for your personal overseas investments!
Mr. Feng Lun, Chairman of the Worldway Wealth Club and a renowned Chinese entrepreneur, during the interview
Host: Hello, everyone! I am a reporter from Sina. Today, I am honored to interview Mr. Feng Lun, Chairman of the Worldway Wealth Club and a renowned Chinese entrepreneur. Mr. Feng, hello. Through this conference, could you share your insights on European investment opportunities and offer some advice to individual investors and enterprises?
Feng Lun: European investment is a very broad field and is undoubtedly a region of particular interest and focus for Chinese investors. Generally, there are two types of people investing in Europe: institutional investors and individual investors. Starting with institutional investors, since the country promoted the "going global" strategy over the past decade or so, there has been a pattern in how Chinese enterprises, including private ones, invest worldwide. For example, when going to Southeast Asia, Africa, or South America, most investments were aimed at securing resources and selling products. We manufacture consumer goods and need to sell them. For resources, especially natural resources like minerals and energy, companies went to Africa. For resources like copper, gold, and natural gas, they went to South America.
However, investing in Europe is particularly interesting; many brand acquisitions are directed toward Europe. For instance, a friend of mine is working on a vacation brand called Club Med, which leans toward a lifestyle category. People have invested in and acquired it, and have also invested in elderly care technologies, institutions, and products. Of course, there are also investments in medical fields. For example, I saw an institution in Switzerland that provides sheep placenta therapy. I asked people around me, and several groups of Chinese business owners have gone there, all saying they want to invest in it, but it is not for sale. This means that for Chinese investors, Europe is closely related to domestic economic growth and consumption upgrades. The economic structural transformation—from simple, extensive manufacturing to creation—is deeply linked to seeking long-term future competitiveness. From this perspective, investing in Europe is investing in our present and our future.
Host: We have seen various big names, political and business elites at the forum today, all signaling favorable policies from Europe over the past two years. We have even heard terms like "the next decade in Europe will be a golden decade." As a renowned Chinese entrepreneur, Mr. Feng, how do you think we can ensure our own interests while achieving new development and expansion as we "go global"?
Feng Lun: Actually, whether you succeed in a place depends on two things: one is the external environment—is it safe, are the opportunities significant, and is liquidity convenient? The other is yourself. Are you what we call a "professional player"? For example, the difference between a small vendor and an entrepreneur is that an entrepreneur can use an organization and a well-governed company to systematically create products, provide services, and generate profit. That is a "professional player." For instance, Yao Ming was a professional player, while I am an amateur at basketball. How can an amateur compete with him? If I keep losing on the court, I cannot blame the rules; I have to examine myself. So, if we want to succeed in overseas investment, I believe the success rate for "professional players" is higher. This means you must have an international perspective, professional capabilities, and so on. For example, even though Li Dongsheng once encountered difficulties when investing in France, he later learned, adjusted, and is doing very well now, right? That is a professional player; losing one game does not mean losing for life! So, I think the key to doing well when opportunities arise is to turn yourself into a professional player. When you engage in international or cross-border investment, you must understand legal knowledge. You also need to study local culture and be familiar with the rules of the game. You must consider both software and hardware, and your company's financial capabilities must keep up, with professional talent in the company. For example, if you send a team that only speaks a local Chinese dialect and does not understand a word of English, the people you send create an invisible wall between you and local cooperation, making it very difficult to break through. Therefore, in terms of talent, professionalism, and corporate governance, you must follow internationally accepted rules. You cannot bring the rules of your village; if you run fast in the village, you are called "Goudan," but if you run fast at the Olympics, you are called Liu Xiang! In other words, we must use international standards to improve ourselves and use these rules to hold ourselves accountable in order to succeed in other markets.
Host: We are nearing the end of the forum. As you reflect on the forum today, which viewpoint from the guests or scholars on stage left the deepest impression on you?
Feng Lun: I think it was Dr. Xing (Chairman of Worldway Group, Xing Xinli). I pay close attention to the work he is doing. He mentioned that over the past 20 years or so, real estate has been a major area for individual investment immigration in Europe, and it has become a primary investment asset. I had this impression in the past, but I did not have so much data. The data he presented today gave me great inspiration. This means that if we are to invest in Europe, perhaps we should look more closely—for example, can we participate in investments in properties used by fishermen? If we discuss it, we might see opportunities; perhaps a sensitive sense of smell will discover them! Therefore, I think Worldway has been cultivating the field of investment immigration for over 20 years and has been very steady, professional, and honest among immigration agencies. The viewpoints launched by Worldway today are all worthy of close attention by the vast number of investors! Thank you.
Mr. Feng Lun, Chairman of the Worldway Wealth Club and a renowned Chinese entrepreneur, delivering a speech
The successful hosting of the 2018 China-Europe Trade and Investment Forum once again confirms the professional brand strength of the Worldway Group and its status in the European investment immigration industry! Since its establishment over 20 years ago, the Worldway Group has focused on investment immigration, achieving countless industry "firsts." It has built a glorious image as a leader in the investment immigration industry and one of the top 500 Asian brands. In terms of European investment immigration, the Worldway Group possesses a spirit of innovation and dares to be a pioneer in the industry.
• In 2011, Worldway was the first to introduce the Cyprus Permanent Residency and Citizenship by Investment programs to China, marking the inaugural year of European investment immigration;
• In 2013, Worldway partnered with the Embassy of Portugal in China to introduce the Portuguese "Golden Residence Permit Program" to China;
• In 2013, Worldway partnered with the Embassy of Greece in China to hold the launch ceremony for "Greek Property Investment Immigration" in China, introducing the Greek property investment immigration project to China;
• In 2013, Worldway initiated the "Shanghai Declaration," signed by national European developers and lawyers, setting a benchmark for the European property investment immigration industry;
• The "Paphos Night" events in Beijing and Shanghai were the first investment and cultural exchange events themed around European cities held by Worldway in China;
• Worldway has also successively launched investment immigration projects in major European countries such as Spain, Ireland, and Malta, and pioneered the "2013 European Immigration Year," hosting the first large-scale European property exhibition themed around Europe, which sparked a wave of European investment immigration across China.
Currently, the Worldway Group's core European business covers immigration and EU passport projects in countries including Greece, Malta, Cyprus, Portugal, Spain, and Ireland. If you have any questions regarding European investment, please feel free to contact us at any time. Consultation Hotline: 400-138-2929