A heart ceased to beat, a giant star fell from the heavens, and a great leader passed away... Forty-six years have passed in the blink of an eye.

All that is past; when we look for outstanding figures, we must look to the present. In commemorating Chairman Mao, what remains etched in our hearts is not merely his “glorious deeds,” but his “spiritual legacy.”

"Sitting on the ground, I travel eighty thousand li a day; gazing at the heavens, I survey a thousand rivers." Chairman Mao’s poetry illuminates the reality of industrial development that reaches “to the heavens and into the seas.” Investment promotion is no different, driven by the ambition to “pluck the moon from the ninth heaven and catch a turtle from the five oceans.”

Nothing in this world is impossible for those who are willing to climb. The path of investment promotion requires three essential qualities: staying grounded, tempering one’s spirit, and embracing talent. By working with humility and putting people first, we can build a “golden brand” that shines brightly.

A Clear-Eyed Approach: Staying Grounded

Investment promotion is a “tough task” nationwide; countless people “run from place to place” to efficiently meet core targets. To be honest, investment promotion is difficult, and targeted investment promotion is even harder—after all, how often do we truly “click” with others?

Let’s put it this way: when rolling up our sleeves to get to work, we must first stay grounded and then build momentum.

I’ve had the privilege of attending promotional events hosted by various local governments in Shanghai on multiple occasions. What’s heartening is that these events are far from the usual repetitive routine; instead, they’re infused with a sense of hope.

In terms of presentation logic, each event feels like a fresh encounter—well-organized and refreshingly new. The opening music conveys an open philosophy of “focusing on the two ends while allowing flexibility in the middle,” directly shattering the “shackles” of short-term thinking.

My immediate impression is this: come with confidence—the government will resolve any lingering concerns. Undoubtedly, Shanghai’s “meticulous” service is a strategy tailored specifically for the business environment.

Credibility and effective communication are among the key factors that attract businesses to Shanghai. Plans discussed last year will be followed up with progress updates this year. And this year’s plans will be presented with complete transparency.

In short, they review past commitments to address current challenges. Entrepreneurs essentially don’t need to ask, guess, or worry—they can focus more on running their businesses. Who wouldn’t “prefer” such a government-business environment?

There’s nothing particularly unique about investment promotion efforts in any given region. However, there are plenty of “down-to-earth” elements involved: sincere visits to companies, meticulous hospitality, traveling great distances for site inspections, and bending down to listen…

The innovations and philosophies of different regions vary greatly. During this year’s graduation season, Suzhou boldly declared, “All you need is a backpack; Suzhou will take care of the rest.”

You might think they’re just offering free short-term housing? No—they’ll even cover your travel expenses to come for an interview: 500 yuan for candidates from Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Shanghai, and 1,000 yuan for those from outside the Yangtze River Delta, all with first-class high-speed rail treatment.

It must be said—it’s down-to-earth, bold, and brimming with sincerity…

Suzhou’s “move-in-ready” and “all-in-one” approach has shifted from merely “opening the door a crack” to “solving real problems.” It addresses the most critical issues of housing and information access, proactively delivering benefits directly to talent.

Addressing the “fear of the unknown”—that’s what it means to be down-to-earth.

A Kind of Hardship That Hones One’s Spirit

On the path of investment promotion, years of honing have forged a “strong” team—and this is indeed the case. At the beginning, we were completely in the dark about where to look and how to recruit.

At first, with no established channels, we relied on “old-school, trial-and-error methods.” We scoured phone books for contacts, researched local business associations, and even mustered the courage to reach out to old classmates—all to visit as many entrepreneurs as possible.

However, there were very few enterprises with whom we could actually engage in meaningful dialogue. Even when conversations went well, they often came to nothing when it came to implementing projects. While we could accept geographical distance, we were at a loss when faced with psychological distance—it truly felt like “a mountain too high to climb.”

Attending various investment promotion conferences, we heard about new ideas, new measures, and new approaches. In particular, we assumed that the experiences of coastal regions could be directly applied, only to discover they weren’t suitable for every locality.

Consequently, many regions are adopting a dual approach of combining new methods with old practices. Investment banking thinking is a new method, while industry-specific investment promotion remains a traditional approach; provincial-wide coordination is a new concept, whereas attracting talent and expertise is a time-tested strategy… In reality, the key to innovative thinking lies in its practical applicability.

In the past, the focus was on “attracting major investors and high-quality businesses,” with the prevailing view being: “Investment doesn’t cross the Shanhai Pass, doesn’t go to Yunnan, Guizhou, or Sichuan, doesn’t reach the Taihang Mountains, and doesn’t extend to Ningxia, Tibet, or Gansu.” Ultimately, the investors we sought didn’t come, and those who did come weren’t what we wanted—yet our ambitions only grew higher.

Looking at it now, competition between regions is essentially competition among industrial chains, and at the core of these chains, “specialized, refined, distinctive, and innovative” enterprises are indispensable. Investment promotion should not focus solely on Fortune 500 companies; both the leading enterprises and the supporting businesses in the chain are equally essential.

Furthermore, not every region can “handle” large-scale projects. For instance, limited land resources, inherent geographical constraints, or a scarcity of certain resources may render a region unsuitable for the survival and development of large enterprises.

Today, as the times evolve, corporate turnover is becoming increasingly frequent; today’s industry leaders may face the risk of being “knocked out” tomorrow.

We no longer adhere to the "bigger is better" philosophy; this is a test of resolve.

A Spirit of Striving, Fueled by Talent

From “nationwide investment promotion” to “all-staff investment promotion,” and from “team-based” to “professional” approaches, local governments are dedicating their best resources, strongest personnel, and greatest energy to investment promotion efforts.

Investment promotion takes many forms, and success depends on human effort. It spans dozens of major industrial categories, which break down into five or six hundred subcategories. With the accelerating pace of industrial restructuring both domestically and internationally, a “layperson” will often find themselves at a disadvantage when communicating with enterprises.

Industrial layout, project registration, land use approval, labor costs… these are standard procedures. What truly matters is having a thorough understanding of the industry’s upstream and downstream sectors and being well-versed in specialized terminology. Otherwise, if you’re clueless when a company asks a question, they’ll lose patience with the conversation.

In actual investment promotion, companies prefer concise, to-the-point explanations rather than rote recitations. While each company has different priorities—such as factory prices, land costs, or labor expenses—most dislike lengthy, tedious presentations.

"With a pen, one can pacify the realm; on horseback, one can settle the world."

In practice, investment promotion professionals must, on the one hand, be able to effortlessly articulate local investment advantages, preferential policies, supporting infrastructure, and operational plans; on the other hand, they must conduct in-depth research on prospective investors, provide comprehensive services, and ensure that every inquiry is answered and every request is met.

They must not only possess high emotional intelligence but also financial acumen and negotiation skills, along with a range of advanced “cross-disciplinary” abilities to adapt to the ever-changing landscape of economic development.

Investment promotion professionals who excel in both diplomacy and action—this is true talent.

Conclusion

Nothing in this world is impossible

As long as one is willing to climb

We, the investment promotion team, will always remember the great leader

Living up to expectations, we forge ahead with determination