Win-Win Cooperation to jointly Promote High-Quality Development of China-Argentina Digital Economy: An Interview with Guillermo Freund, Chairman of the Electronics Department, Argentina Association of Electronics and Lighting Industry

Editor’s Note

“You run either for the sake of food or to avoid becoming food. Usually, you can’t tell the right direction but you have to run.”

From individual entities to macro countries, the digital economy is currently becoming a significant driver of global economic development and plays a positive role in promoting international cooperation and exchange. The digital economy faces competition and challenges at any time, ,which forces individuals and countries to run together.

In the face such circumstances, how can individuals, businesses, and countries run better and faster?

As the process of globalization accelerates, challenges and opportunities coexist in the competitions of digital economy. Multi-national cooperation has become a key factor to promote high-quality and sustainable development of the digital economy. Globalization and digitization have turned the entire planet into a large village where only through cooperation can we achieve a win-win situation.

The Chairman of the Electronics Department of the Argentina Association of Electronics and Lighting Industry (CADIEEL), Mr. Guillermo Freund is invited today to share the past and present of CADIEEL’s establishment and development. Focusing on theme of “digital economy development”, he would like to share his views on multi-national cooperation between China and Argentina.

CE MAGAZINE：CADIEEL has become the largest electronics industry association in Argentina with over 400 member companies and business throughout Latin America. Can you share with us how CADIEEL grew and developed over time?

Mr. Guillermo：Cadieel as itself is the result of the merging in 2004 of two traditional industrial associations with more than 50 years of history. Besides the active members we represent 2,200 industries in Argentina for electronics, lighting, electrical and energy infrastructure fields. Our members export to Latin America, Middle East and Europe. The growing of Cadieel is the growing of the Argentina´s  industry supported on the tradition and the high level technological expertise of our people, Argentina has a high  technology development, engineering and research experience. Our R&D institutes allow our Country to lead in the region some industries as Aerospatiale, satellite, medical equipment and nuclear.

CE MAGAZINE：What was the original intention, mission, and vision of CADIEEL when it was founded? Have these ideas been adjusted or changed since then?

Mr. Guillermo：The original idea was to protect and stimulate the local industry in our fields, develop association & cooperation among companies and create programs with authorities to increase production and jobs. These ideas have been maintained and updated according to the changes in the technology and the growing itself of our members.

Our vision now is to help our industry to match new technologies and support its development in our technology center (CETEM) opened in 2020.(www.cetem.org.ar)

CE MAGAZINE：As the President of the electronic division of CADIEEL, what role do you think the organization plays in the Argentine electronics and lighting industry?

Mr. Guillermo：WE have a principal role for our industry in the development, research, protection and promotion. For promotion for example Cadieel has a show every two years called Biel Light and Building which is the biggest event for our fields in Argentina and has a high reputation in Latin America with visitors  from all its countries.

CE MAGAZINE：In recent years, the changing economic environment and market competition in Argentina and globally have had an impact on CADIEEL’s work. How does CADIEEL respond to these challenges and promote the development of Argentina’s electronics and lighting industry in the digital age?

Mr. Guillermo：The economic environment is changing permanently for all fields but specially for ours, we understand that we must support our members to invest in R&D, promote association and open to world market not only for export our goods but stimulate cooperation with different regions. This is an era in which the technology rules to be updated constantly and the only way is the cooperation, China is an opportunity in that field.

CE MAGAZINE：After coming to China, what is your view on the development of China’s electronics industry? Does CADIEEL have any new plans in China? In the future, how will the organization continue to play a role and support local companies’ participation in the global value chain?

Mr. Guillermo：The development of the China industry is amazing, although we have signed our initial Cooperation Agreement in 2019, we came now to re-validated it after Covid 19 in order to understand that is more necessary now than before. Our Country finally signed the Belt and the Road initiative last year so we understood we must go forward.

Our main plan cooperating with China is to create matching between Chinese and Argentinian companies for long term relation not in a traditional way as supplier-customer but creating common projects & solutions  in digital economy projects to be launched in Latin America, China can provide its wonderful high tech industry, components, innovations and we can integrated it according to our region requirements making new solutions for :

– Agritech

– Oil & Gas

– Mining

– Health

– Education

– EV

– Storage

– Smart cities

– IIOT

– Etc.

We understand our local presence, same language  and the capabilities of our electronic industry is the best partner to work together for create and support new solutions for Latin America digital growing market.

For the future we assume our role to support CADIEEL industries looking for new opportunities, scouting new technologies trends and finding new strategic partners as CECC definitively is.