The Cyprus Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Keve) recently completed a high-level business mission to Beijing, according to an announcement released on Tuesday.

The chamber said that the event highlighted Cyprus’ role “as a strategic bridge between China and the European Union in technology, innovation, healthcare, services and shipping”.

The mission opened on November 9 with a welcome dinner that brought Cypriot delegates together with Chinese representatives in an informal setting and created an early opportunity for networking ahead of the main forum and site visits.

At the centre of the visit was the 2nd Belt and Road Economic Development Forum and EU–Cyprus–China Project Exchange and Matchmaking Meeting, held on November 10, at the Pan Pacific Hotel.

The event was co-organised by Keve and the International Exchange Working Committee of the China Association of Trade in Services and operated under the theme technology leading development, cooperation creating the future.

The forum gathered government officials, business leaders and experts from both countries, with discussions focusing on information technology, artificial intelligence, industrial and medical technology, services and shipping.

A total of 123 registered Chinese companies attended, strengthening the forum’s role as a platform for positioning Cyprus as a reliable partner and an investment hub for firms seeking access to the EU market.

Cyprus was represented by ambassador Koula Sophianou, Director General of the Cyprus Research and Innovation Foundation (RIF) Theodoros Loukaidis, and Keve president Stavros Stavrou.

Chinese participation included Yu Guodong of the National Development and Reform Commission, Wu Wensheng of the Zhongguancun Smart City Industrial Technology Innovation Strategic Alliance, and officials from relevant ministries and leading enterprises.

The forum was moderated by Amanda Huang, who emphasised the objective of establishing a practical bridge for project exchange and industrial cooperation between Cyprus, China and the wider European market, especially in technology and medical health.

According to the announcement, Sophianou highlighted the significance of the Belt and Road Initiative “as a platform for Cyprus-China cooperation” and “underlined Cyprus’ strategic location, EU membership and strong services sector”.

Loukaidis presented Cyprus’ research and innovation ecosystem and encouraged Chinese companies to consider the country as a base for investment, research partnerships and European market entry.

Moreover, Keve president Stavrou reaffirmed the chamber’s commitment to backing the implementation of concrete bilateral projects.

Stavrou also “stressed the readiness of Cypriot enterprises to develop long-term, mutually beneficial partnerships in areas such as digital technologies, health, shipping, logistics and professional services”.

From the Chinese side, Yu outlined ongoing efforts to improve the environment for foreign investment and noted policy developments in high-tech and healthcare that support pilot projects in areas such as genetic diagnostics and foreign-owned hospitals.

Wu discussed global development strategies of technology enterprises and identified Cyprus as a potential strategic platform for Chinese companies pursuing EU expansion, particularly in smart city solutions, digital infrastructure and innovation-driven cooperation.

Corporate presentations from Cypriot and international firms included KITESERVE Ltd, The Grey Arrow, Tekserv Ltd, KT Corporate Service Limited, Columbia Shipmanagement, Prevention At Sea and Leptos Estates.

These presentations showcased the breadth and competitiveness of Cypriot businesses and opened tangible channels for collaboration.

One-on-one business-to-business (B2B) meetings followed in the afternoon, creating a focused environment for discussing specific projects, exploring investment prospects and determining immediate follow-up actions.

Between November 11, 2025 and November 13, 2025, the delegation conducted site visits and technical meetings in Beijing, including Minsheng Bank, iSoftStone, Bopin Biopharma, the National Traditional Chinese Medicine Master Hall and Bamboocloud.

These visits addressed fintech, cloud computing, digital platforms, biomedical research, traditional Chinese medicine and cybersecurity.

During the mission, Stavrou also met the China Association of Trade in Services and the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, where agreements were reached to deepen trade and investment cooperation, promote business missions and advance a memorandum of understanding between Keve and CATIS.

“Throughout the mission, the Cypriot delegation engaged in detailed discussions on potential cooperation models, including joint research and development, technology transfer, pilot projects and investment partnerships,” Keve stated.

“Both sides expressed a strong commitment to transforming the exchanges in Beijing into concrete, mutually beneficial initiatives,” it added.

“Following this successful mission, Keve will work closely with Cypriot and Chinese companies and institutional partners to ensure that the opportunities generated evolve into tangible projects, new investments and long-term collaboration, further strengthening economic relations between Cyprus and China,” the chamber concluded.