In the midst of change, observing "going overseas": How Zhejiang merchants seek opportunities steadily

China News Service, Hangzhou, April 3 — ( Qian Chenfei) According to incomplete statistics, there are already more than 2 million Zhejiang businesspeople worldwide, with their footprints covering more than 180 countries and regions. Zhejiang entrepreneurs have become a mainstay force for Chinese companies to go global.

Recently, the second session of the Private Economy Lecture Hall was held in Hangzhou, Zhejiang. Several Zhejiang entrepreneurs who have deeply participated in overseas expansion shared their experiences on the same stage—from representatives of large manufacturing enterprises to those from small and medium-sized businesses. Behind different practical paths, there is a shared concern: under the new situation, how to seize opportunities amid uncertainty and move forward steadily amid risks.

Event site. Photo by Wang Gang

From “riding the trend” to “proactive layout”

“For companies, going overseas used to not be a priority option; now it needs to be planned more proactively.” Pan Zhengqiang, Vice Chairman and President of Tiantong Holdings Co., Ltd., said his feelings in a way that is representative of many Zhejiang enterprises.

In his view, affected by changes in the international environment, the market demand and cooperation methods that companies face are undergoing adjustments. Relying on the original single model can no longer cope with new uncertainties; companies must move closer to the market and enhance their ability to respond.

Based on this judgment, Tiantong Co., Ltd. has accelerated its global layout in the past two years: establishing the Tiantong( Hong Kong) company, building an energy storage factory in Spain, and gradually exploring more resilient business approaches.

From “going out” to “going in” is not something that happens overnight. Issues such as overseas team building, business compliance, and fluctuations in funds and exchange rates have all become realistic problems that enterprises need to face directly.

In the remarks of multiple entrepreneurs, a consensus is becoming increasingly clear: in the face of a complex and changing environment, enterprises need to continuously improve their own capabilities in order to go overseas more calmly.

From “competing on advantages” to “competing on judgment”

Alongside risks, new development space is also emerging.

Wang Changshuai, General Manager of Hangzhou Bairi Technology Co., Ltd., believes that the core of enterprises going overseas lies in their judgment of the market. He thinks that choosing regions and tracks that are suitable for their own development is more important than simply expanding.

In his observation, Chinese enterprises currently have certain foundational advantages in areas such as product supply and technology application; the key lies in how to convert these advantages into real competitive strength.

“It’s not that the technology is how advanced it is—it’s whether it can be used well and used steadily.” He said.

As one of the earlier companies that “went out,” the practices of Juxing Holdings Group are also quite representative. When talking about how to deal with uncertainty, Sheng Leijia, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee and Vice President, said that companies need to both expand outward for space and strengthen capabilities internally. Only with “two legs walking at once” can a company move steadily and go far.

In recent years, the company has accelerated overseas layout and proactively entered different markets; at the same time, it has advanced digital transformation and increased R&D investment, making its products and supply chains more resilient. Today, overseas business has gradually become an important support for the company’s performance growth.

From “solo fighting” to “going overseas in a group”

Facing a more diversified external environment, different companies are also exploring their own ways of going overseas.

“We want to rely on Zhejiang entrepreneurs’ traditional culture of collective collaboration, seize new opportunities for ‘collaborative overseas expansion,’ and enhance our global ability to withstand risks. Zhejiang’s private economy is mainly composed of small and micro enterprises, and Zhejiang entrepreneurs have long had the fine tradition of ‘group development,’” said Ding Junyuan, General Manager of Ningbo Yongyang Information Technology Co., Ltd.

He mentioned that the uncertainty faced by individual companies going abroad independently is increasing. With the help of chambers of commerce, industry platforms, and the like, achieving resource sharing and information exchange has become a practical choice for many small and medium-sized enterprises.

Li Dа, General Manager of Zhejiang Jinwu Industry and Trading Co., Ltd., shared her own entrepreneurial experience on site. From early on obtaining orders through the internet, to gradually entering international hotel chains, and then participating in the construction of projects in the Middle East and Africa, she has come to understand through practice that: going overseas for an enterprise is not only about selling products—it is also about realizing the transformation from “selling products” to “delivering capabilities.”

“Customers care more about standards, experience, and service capability.” In her view, only by continuously improving professional capability, accumulating project experience, and going overseas in a group with cooperation for mutual benefit can enterprises stand firm in higher-level market competition.

From entrepreneurs’ practices and reflections, it can be seen that Zhejiang entrepreneurs’ “going out” is becoming more rational and steady. It is no longer an extension of scale; instead, through repeated attempts and adjustments, they gradually find a development pace that suits them—seizing opportunities amid change, and seeking development with steady progress. ( End)