In the scorching heat of July, a surging wave of enterprise-driven momentum continues to sweep across the land of Wuxi. The Huaihua Federation of Industry and Commerce's cross-regional investment and business invitation campaigns targeting three major regions—Northwest China, North China, and South China—serve as a vivid microcosm of its solid efforts in implementing the 2026 provincial and municipal "Enterprise Service Year" initiatives.
Since the beginning of this year, the Huaihua Federation of Industry and Commerce has firmly adhered to the theme of promoting the "healthy development of both the non-public sector of the economy and its practitioners." Grounded in Huaihua's strategic positioning as a regional central city at the intersection of five provinces, it has closely targeted the pain points, bottlenecks, and difficulties faced by private enterprises. The federation has taken proactive steps in attracting investment and business, built bridges for government-enterprise communication, set benchmarks through publicity and guidance, and continuously intensified efforts to alleviate enterprise hardships. Through comprehensive and refined services, it has empowered the high-quality development of the private economy, extensively rallied the strength of Huaihua-based entrepreneurs, and gathered the powerful momentum of the private sector to drive the city's overall economic development.
Cross-Regional Investment Expansion Broadens Horizons, Hunan Merchants Return to Huaihua Gathering Momentum
Investment attraction serves as a crucial lever for strengthening the industrial foundation and invigorating economic vitality, and it also stands as an important mission for the Federation of Industry and Commerce in connecting with the private economy and serving the broader development landscape. Since the beginning of 2026, the Huaihua Federation of Industry and Commerce has continued to deepen the two-way strategy of "going global and bringing in," advancing the campaign of "welcoming fellow townsmen back to their hometowns to build their homeland." By leveraging ties of kinship to unite resources from Hunan merchants and attracting project settlements through high-quality services, it has steadily expanded its "circle of friends" for foreign economic and trade cooperation.
At the beginning of the year, a delegation led by the leadership of the Huaihua Federation of Industry and Commerce visited fellow chambers of commerce in the adjacent regions of Hunan, Hubei, Chongqing, Guizhou, and Guangxi, actively reaching out to Hunan merchant resources outside the province. Leveraging the platform of the provincial federation, they organized a meeting of the Five-Province Chamber of Commerce Alliance and held a specialized promotion event for Huaihua's industries, showcasing the city's geographical advantages, industrial prospects, and development opportunities to entrepreneurs from other regions.
During the Spring Festival period, the city's federation system launched a full-scale "Warmth for Hunan Merchants" special campaign. Officials paid home visits to 603 Hunan entrepreneurs and their families, hosted 55 events including investment promotion meetings and hometown reunion gatherings, and invited representatives from eight chamber of commerce presidents to attend the city's Spring Festival symposium for Hunan merchants, Huaihua merchants, alumni, and fellow townspeople. By deepening ties rooted in hometown bonds and personal networks, the federation laid a solid resource foundation for the year's investment attraction efforts.
Seizing the investment opportunity presented by the Global Hunan Merchants Conference, the Huaihua Federation of Industry and Commerce formed special investment attraction teams in July and dispatched them to three major regions—Northwest China, North China, and South China—for targeted business outreach and invitations. The teams visited and engaged with over 300 prominent Hunan merchants and key enterprises in places such as Xinjiang, Beijing, and Guangxi, distributing more than 300 copies of promotional materials on site. Their efforts focused on highlighting Huaihua's distinctive industrial chains, investment policies, and business environment, continuously drawing the attention of Hunan merchants outside the province to Huaihua and encouraging them to invest in the city.
Building a Bridge Between Government and Enterprises, Precisely Empowering Business Growth
A sound mechanism for government-enterprise communication serves as a vital pillar for stabilizing market expectations and boosting corporate confidence. Since the launch of the "Enterprise Service Year," the Huaihua Federation of Industry and Commerce has continuously expanded channels for government-business interaction, enriched platforms for dialogue and exchange, facilitated the precise delivery of pro-enterprise policies, and ensured efficient responses to enterprise demands.
Ideological Guidance Strengthens Foundations, Training Empowers Consensus Building
In June, the annual ideal-and-belief education training session for non-public economic figures was held as scheduled, bringing together over 70 private entrepreneurs to exchange ideas and offer suggestions on the transformation, upgrading, and high-quality development of the private economy. In July, the federation actively assisted in organizing specialized training sessions, inviting experts from the provincial federation to deliver lectures and provide in-depth interpretations of the "Enterprise Service Year" action plan and the requirements of united front work concerning the private economy in the new era. Meanwhile, nine outstanding private entrepreneurs were selected and recommended to participate in provincial-level thematic research and training programs, and over 20 entrepreneurs were invited to attend or observe key municipal and provincial meetings, effectively ensuring unimpeded channels for private economic figures to participate in political affairs and offer their insights and suggestions.
On-Site Visits to Assess Real Conditions, Frontline Inquiries to Solve Problems
Taking the lead in implementing the working mechanism for municipal leaders to maintain contact with chambers of commerce and industry associations, the federation formulated a dedicated liaison plan. Under this arrangement, 35 municipal leaders were paired with 38 chambers of commerce and industry associations, conducting regular research visits and inspections to these organizations and their member enterprises. By confronting actual difficulties head-on and coordinating resources from all sides, they worked to resolve development challenges at their root.
Direct Policy Access at Zero Distance, Swift Delivery of Dividend Benefits
In collaboration with financial institutions, the federation launched the 2026 "Zheng Hao Yu Jian Ni" (Just Meets You) Policy Express Campaign. To date, two sessions have been held, providing over 200 private enterprises with one-stop services encompassing policy briefings and bank-enterprise financing matchmaking. Leveraging various platforms such as Spring Festival symposiums and thematic training classes, the federation has carried out five policy-awareness activities targeting chambers of commerce and enterprises. Notably, in July, through a "Banks Enter Chambers of Commerce" pairing service initiative, a new model was further established—one where banks empower chambers of commerce, chambers connect enterprises, and financial services support the real economy. Through these series of activities, pro-enterprise policies covering tax and fee support, industrial incentives, and factor guarantees have been delivered directly into the hands of entrepreneurs.
Cultivating Publicity to Set Benchmarks, Fostering an Atmosphere of Respect and Support for Businesses
To showcase the stories of Huaihua entrepreneurs and polish the signature "Fudi Huaihua Merchants" brand, the Huaihua Federation of Industry and Commerce has continuously strengthened its publicity matrix, highlighted advanced models among private entrepreneurs, and actively cultivated a strong social atmosphere of respecting, valuing, securing, and enriching businesses.
Focusing on building its proprietary "Fudi Huaihua Merchants" publicity brand, the federation has partnered with mainstream media outlets such as the Huaihua Daily and Huaihua Television. Together, they have delved deep to uncover compelling stories of local entrepreneurs who are rooted in industry, returning to start businesses in their hometowns, and driving innovative development. To date, featured programs on 14 outstanding entrepreneurs—including Li Xiaohong, Wu Feichi, and Mu Xiaofeng—have been broadcast and published successively, generating over 50,000 online interactions. Fourteen episodes of entrepreneur interview features have been released, amassing a cumulative readership exceeding 200,000. The image of generations of Huaihua merchants striving with dedication to industry while cherishing deep love for the nation has resonated widely throughout society.
In June, the 2026 New Huaihua Contribution Award Commendation Conference for Outstanding Private Entrepreneurs was successfully held. At the event, 30 entrepreneurs were honored with the "New Huaihua Contribution Award" for outstanding private entrepreneurs, five were commended at the provincial level, and 85 recipients were granted the fifth batch of "Entrepreneur Green Cards." By using commendations to encourage practical action and offering privileged treatment to boost confidence, the event set a clear direction that values innovation, entrepreneurship, and excellence, further igniting the passion of private entrepreneurs to strive for success.
Solving Practical Problems to Relieve Burdens, Precisely Addressing Enterprise Difficulties
The Huaihua Federation of Industry and Commerce has always kept the urgent concerns and pressing needs of enterprises close at heart. It has continuously deepened special campaigns such as "Walking, Finding, Thinking, Promoting" and "Sending Solutions and Relief," proactively engaging at the grassroots level and dedicating genuine effort to reducing burdens and alleviating difficulties for market entities.
Since the beginning of this year, the federation's leadership has led teams to conduct research visits to 26 directly affiliated chambers of commerce and industry associations, as well as over 150 private enterprises. Through comprehensive investigations into operational bottlenecks, they have coordinated the resolution of more than 30 issues spanning dispute mediation, brand promotion, supporting guarantees, and business assistance, continuously enhancing the sense of belonging and fulfillment among private enterprises.
The federation has also actively contributed to the ongoing optimization of the business environment. It participated in the implementation of the Law of the People's Republic of China on Promoting the Private Economy, as well as special law enforcement inspections related to punishing acts that harm the business environment. Delegations were sent to districts and counties such as Zhijiang and Hecheng, visiting 18 enterprises and organizing five enterprise symposiums. A total of 15 enterprise development appeals were collected, compiled, and reported upward, providing detailed references for the municipal party committee and government to refine pro-enterprise policies and further optimize the business climate.
Furthermore, the federation has improved the regular liaison mechanism for private enterprises. By leveraging the private economy rights protection hotline and the city- and county-level private enterprise service centers, it has established a workflow system encompassing appeal registration, time-limited handling, and closed-loop feedback. This ensures that every enterprise demand receives a response and every matter is properly addressed. To date, a total of 116 enterprise appeals have been processed and resolved, effectively bridging the "last mile" of enterprise rights protection services.
A Successful Leadership Transition Consolidates Collective Strength, a Solid Organizational Foundation Ensures Robust Service Delivery
A strong organizational framework is the bedrock upon which the Federation of Industry and Commerce fulfills its duties and delivers services. Since launching the preparatory work for the leadership transition in February this year, the Huaihua Federation of Industry and Commerce formed six specialized task forces. These teams went deep into industrial parks and all major directly affiliated chambers of commerce, conducting research visits and discussions with 150 private enterprises. They listened extensively to the opinions and suggestions of entrepreneurs and gained a thorough understanding of the current state of industry development and the specific needs of enterprises.
On May 27, the Seventh Congress of the Huaihua Federation of Industry and Commerce (Huaihua General Chamber of Commerce) was successfully held. Representatives of the private economy from all walks of life across the city gathered together to deliberate on major strategies for the development of the private sector. The congress systematically reviewed the achievements of the federation over the past five years, scientifically mapped out key priorities for the next five years, and elected the Seventh Executive Committee and a new term of leadership. The newly elected team spans key industries and emerging sectors, including modern agriculture, biomedicine, new materials, cultural tourism integration, and commercial distribution. The team comprises not only seasoned entrepreneurial leaders with years of deep engagement in their respective industries, but also visionary young entrepreneurs and returnees with overseas experience. The team is characterized by a younger profile, higher specialization, and greater diversity, fully unleashing organizational dynamism and laying a solid institutional foundation for sustaining enterprise services and driving the growth of the private economy.
The road ahead is long and arduous, but only through unremitting endeavor can we press forward. In the next stage, the Huaihua Federation of Industry and Commerce will continue to leverage the "Enterprise Service Year" as a key driver, constantly refining service measures and innovating service platforms. It will faithfully serve as a "service provider, liaison officer, and advocate" for private entrepreneurs, guiding Huaihua merchants to firm up their confidence in development and seize emerging opportunities. Through these efforts, it aims to channel greater strength from the private sector into accelerating the construction of Huaihua as a regional central city at the intersection of five provinces.
(Translated by Feng Tao)