Overseas Chinese businessmen help Shenzhen enterprises clear the "three hurdles" on their way to sea

China News Service, Shenzhen, November 8 (Reporter Wang Hua) The member economies of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) are important trade and investment areas for Shenzhen enterprises. On the way to the sea, the resources and wisdom of "overseas Chinese" have filled in the "three hurdles" of enterprises such as information gap, trust gap, and cognitive gap, and have become a "supporting force" for enterprises.

On the 8th, data from the Shenzhen Overseas Chinese Business Think Tank Research Institute showed that in the first three quarters of 2026, Shenzhen’s import and export volume to other APEC member economies was 3.23 trillion yuan; in the first half of the year, the actual investment amount invested in these economies accounted for nearly 60% of the city’s external investment.

"According to our observations, overseas companies are not only looking for buyers, but also local channels, production and service partners, involving local legal, compliance, cultural and other issues." Zheng Yongshi, executive director of the Shenzhen Overseas Chinese Business Think Tank Research Institute, told reporters that APEC members have The regulatory systems, business models and community customs of the economies are quite different. Even if companies are prepared to go overseas, they can easily fall into pitfalls. The network built through overseas Chinese affairs resources can bridge the "three hurdles": information gap, trust gap and awareness gap, and connect to the local professional service network.

Zheng Yongshi believes that the information alignment and trust endorsement of overseas Chinese affairs resources are of great value. “This ‘backup’ function allows overseas companies to avoid risks, find markets, and quickly establish trust and communication channels with local business partners.”

Shenzhen Xinguodu Co., Ltd. (referred to as: Xinguodu) is the world's leading digital payment technology company, with operations in more than 100 countries and regions. Jiang Han, the company's vice chairman, told a reporter from China News Service that overseas Chinese resources have played a very important role in the new capital's overseas expansion. "Usually when we develop international markets, our first choice is to cooperate with local overseas Chinese resources, such as chambers of commerce, overseas Chinese leaders, overseas Chinese businessmen, etc. They have a thorough understanding of local politics, economy, culture and even financial regulatory rules. More importantly, they can find the business resources we need."

Jiang Han also mentioned: "In some areas, we do not directly develop business, but cooperate with local overseas Chinese to set up factories, jointly open companies or authorized agents, and adopt different cooperation methods according to the characteristics of each country and region."

As Shenzhen is about to enter the APEC period, Zheng Yongshi envisions taking advantage of APEC opportunities to serve as a "ferryman" for two-way opening up: using the wisdom and strength of overseas Chinese to not only help Shenzhen enterprises go overseas, but also bring in overseas resources.

Zheng Yongshi said that as a member of the Chaoshan people with a large overseas community and a "returnee", a series of activities will be organized in the future to invite overseas Chinese businessmen to Shenzhen for exchanges. "In particular, the second and third generations of overseas Chinese businessmen can have a correct understanding of China and realize that they can achieve the transformation and improvement of their own careers by leveraging China's development."