NANJING, Sept. 18 (Xinhua) -- An executive of the European Union (EU) Chamber of Commerce in China called China a "golden market," as the country's ability to maintain stable growth makes it ideal for "companies looking to maximize returns on innovation," at an event aimed at fostering business between China and the EU.

"China remains a dynamic, high-value hub for innovation and collaboration," Carlo D'Andrea, national vice president of the EU Chamber of Commerce in China and chairman of the Board of the Shanghai Chapter, told Xinhua, referring to his organization as "a voice for European businesses operating in China."

His remarks came during the two-day 2025 5th Innovation Fair Sino-European Business Development Conference in Nanjing, east China's Jiangsu Province, which concluded on Thursday. The event attracted over 150 representatives from around 14 European countries, including Germany, the United Kingdom and Italy.

Chinese and European attendees at the conference conducted trade matchmaking in key sectors -- including cross-border trade and investment, intelligent manufacturing, software and information technology, and artificial intelligence.

"Most European companies operating in China see tangible value in its innovation ecosystem," D'Andrea noted. He attributed this to three "unbeatable advantages" found in China -- a vibrant, fast-moving market, deep integration into global strategies and abundant collaboration opportunities.

"China's start-up culture, pool of entrepreneurial scientists, and even its digital champions, make collaboration here not just easy but rewarding," D'Andrea added.

Even amid global uncertainties, D'Andrea confirmed that European businesses are making long-term investments in China. D'Andrea also pointed out that: "European companies are not just staying in China, but are growing here and turning China's strengths into their own global competitive edge."

Another European speaker at the conference highlighted the importance of leveraging opportunities in China.

Addressing the opening ceremony of the conference in Nanjing, Koen Sizoo, consul general of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Shanghai, said the country had brought a strong cluster of companies to the event. "The aim is to connect the unique strength of the Dutch high-tech ecosystem with opportunities in China."

Recognizing that the conference provided opportunities for innovative companies to showcase their products and solutions, Sizoo expected that Dutch representatives would seize such opportunities -- leveraging the combined expertise of China and the Netherlands to drive further advancements.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the EU, and the two sides have already formed a strong economic symbiotic relationship in the course of several decades.

The past half century has witnessed remarkable developments in terms of China-EU cooperation. Notably, their bilateral goods trade volume had increased from 2.4 billion U.S. dollars in 1975 to 785.8 billion dollars in 2024. Also, China and the EU are each other's second-largest trading partners, with economic complementarity being a key feature of their cooperation.

Talking about the mission of his organization, D'Andrea expressed his hope to create more bridges for cultural and trade cooperation -- thereby injecting sustained momentum into the development of both China and the EU. ■