Witness to Birth of French ‘Silicon Valley’ —— French Prime Minister Édouard Philippe Attends 2017 WEF Angers
The 22nd World Electronics Forum (WEF) was successfully held from October 24th to 28th (local time) in Angers, France. Since 1995, the WEF has been held regularly by electronics industry associations of different countries and regions worldwide. This was the first time that the forum has been held in Angers, France. The China Electronics Chamber of Commerce (CECC) is the main partner in China of the electronics industry associations of countries worldwide, as well as a core member of the WEF. On the invitation of Angers Mayor Christophe Béchu, CECC President Wang Ning attended the current WEF in France leading a Chinese business delegation. Consumer Electronics Magazine has witnessed many WEF sessions over the years, and attended this grand event as the only invited representative of official Chinese media.
Angers Mayor Christophe Béchu and the Chinese delegation engage in close communication
CECC President Wang Ning leads the Chinese delegation to attend the Forum and grabs the headline of the local newspaper
Consumer Electronics attends the 2017 WEF on invitation as the only Chinese press. Pictured here are Angers Mayor Christophe Béchu and Consumer Electronics Executive Director Wang Fushan
On the evening of October 24th, Mayor Béchu and the WEF team met important representatives from electronics associations and enterprises of countries worldwide at Station F, the world’s largest innovation incubator. A total of 150 representatives from over 20 countries got together again after CES Asia in June 2017, making the perfect prelude to the wonderful activities in the following week.
Station F, the world’s largest maker space
Officially opened on June 29th, 2017, Station F is the largest maker space in Europe and even the world. Newly-elected French President Macron attended the opening ceremony, made a keynote speech and showed great expectations for this largest startup incubation platform in France and the settling of global startup elites there. Station F is currently the startup campus with the largest single building area in the world, able to accommodate at least 1,000 emerging enterprises, 3,000 stations and 9,000 people, and gathering world-famous partners including Facebook, Vente-Privee, HEC and the Hollande Foundation. In addition, located in the 13th Arrondissement in downtown Paris, Station F enjoys a good geographical position and adjoins the Seine and National Library, with complete living facilities nearby. Interestingly, Station F was converted from an old railway station, and its reconstruction was directed by French telecoms giant Xavier Niel. This shows the extraordinary innovative spirit of France!
Representatives from different countries arrive at L’abbaye Royale de Fontevraud
On October 25th, representatives from different countries arrived in Angers with the WEF team to start a one-day journey to the mysterious, tranquil and picturesque L’abbaye Royale de Fontevraud, a one-hour drive south of Angers. Built in the early 12th century, L’abbaye Royale de Fontevraud is a UNESCO World Heritage Site with unique architectural and historical value.
The WEF closed-door seminar was held in the afternoon. Angers Mayor Christophe Béchu and CECC President Wang Ning respectively made opening speeches on behalf of the host country and foreign representatives. Representatives from different countries then engaged in close communication and made wonderful speeches on the current and future development trends of the global electronics industry.
Angers Mayor Christophe Béchu makes an opening speech
CECC President Wang Ning makes an opening speech
Representatives from electronics industry associations of countries and regions worldwide make keynote speeches
Consumer Electronics Executive Director Wang Fushan leads a team to inspect the French smart industry
On October 26th, representatives from different countries conducted an all-day field inspection. They visited excellent local enterprises and institutions with such themes as intelligent energy, intelligent agriculture, intelligent security, intelligent travel, intelligent healthcare and intelligent clothing. During the visit and inspection, the representatives were impressed by the far-reaching influence of electronic information technology on sci-tech and life; in particular, the fact that everything will be intelligent in the future, as sensor technology has integrated into all industries and trades. In addition, Consumer Electronics Executive Director Wang Fushan visited France’s largest agri-food enterprise Terrena in the afternoon and conducted in-depth communication with the responsible persons. They expressed interest in certain high-tech products reported by Consumer Electronics, and they hope that Consumer Electronics will recommend more high-tech products to them to promote cooperation between Chinese and French enterprises. The Angers Municipal Government paid close attention to the current WEF; Mayor Béchu accompanied the representatives every day; and there were WEF advertisements everywhere in Angers, a beautiful city that deserves its reputation as France’s most livable city.
WEF advertisements and cityscape in Angers
French Prime Minister Édouard Philippe visits the site in person
French Prime Minister Édouard Philippe makes a keynote speech
Angers Mayor Christophe Béchu (left) and US CTA President Gary Shapiro (right)
On November 27th, the World Electronics Forum in Angers reached the largest climax since it was first held. French Prime Minister Édouard Philippe came to the venue to make a keynote speech, expressed his support for Angers’ scientific and technological innovation, and warmly welcomed guests from all over the world. Angers Mayor Christophe Béchu and USA CTA Chairman Gary Shapiro coolly came out in a new way, walking in bright white shoes featuring the latest technology. When Mayor Béchu introduced the Prime Minister, he said, “You may not have dreamed that the Prime Minister would be at the same venue as us!” The venue was instantly seething with excitement. This time, the delegation of the China Electronics Chamber of Commerce led by Chairman Wang Ning was highly valued by France, and its representatives were arranged to sit in seats almost directly behind the Prime Minister. Multiple ministers and senators of the French government and the senior management of large enterprises and associations were also invited to the Forum. By virtue of his extraordinary coordination ability, speech level and affinity, the host Mayor Béchu not only harvested many fans at home and abroad, but showed the beauty of Angers to the world through this Forum!
Consumer Electronics Executive Director Wang Fushan holds business exchanges with French high-tech companies
Finally, Mayor Béchu said that the 22nd World Electronics Forum in Angers was a sign of the beginning, heralding the start of Angers’ dream of science and technology. This place will be the most fertile land for scientific and technological innovation. Mayor Béchu added that his greatest hope is that people will think of Angers in the west of France instead of Silicon Valley in the USA when talking about the ‘west bank’ in the future! There is no doubt that this was the most innovative World Electronics Forum since its foundation. Mayor Béchu’s personal ability and efforts, as well as the strength of Angers’ scientific and technological innovations, make us believe that this will become the ‘Silicon Valley’ of the future!
Consumer Electronics European Office to be Established
Consumer Electronics Executive Director Wang Fushan and GASME Chairwoman Jiang Bing
It is worthy of congratulations that through deep communication at this Forum, Consumer Electronics Executive Director Wang Fushan and GASME Chairwoman Jiang Bing have jointly agreed to establish a European office of Consumer Electronics. This is another relationship established after cooperation with such countries and regions as Hong Kong, India, USA and ASEAN. In the future, Consumer Electronics will lead more Chinese enterprises to go out and introduce more advanced technologies and products from abroad, contributing its own strength to the industry’s development.
Consumer Electronics Executive Director Wang Fushan and USA CTA Chairman Gary Shapiro
Angers Mayor Christophe Béchu
GASME Chairwoman Jiang Bing
China Electronics Chamber of Commerce Chairman Wang Ning
Chairman of the Vietnam Electronics Chamber of Commerce
Chairman of the Japan Communication Information Network Industry Association
Chairman of the Hong Kong Electronic Industries Association
Chairman of the Philippines Semiconductor and Electronics Association
Chairman of the Romania Electronics and Software Industry Association
Chairman of the Cameroon Electronics Chamber of Commerce
Standing Vice-Chairwoman of the Shenzhen Electronics Industries Association
Secretary-General of the Shenzhen Electronics Chamber of Commerce
Consumer Electronics is enjoyed and supported by the leaderships of governments, enterprises and associations in various countries and regions. The Mayor of Angers, Chairman of GASME and other leaders and chairpersons of electronics industry associations of China, Vietnam, Japan, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Romania, Cameroon, etc. have expressed support for the magazine.
