General

New Forces in International Trade! The 2022 ENR "Global Top 250 International Contractors" list released last year showed that 79 companies from mainland China were shortlisted, with the highest number. However, the ongoing turmoil in the global political and economic situation has brought new challenges to Chinese construction companies, which are experiencing a growing number of overseas projects. At the 3rd International Engineering Excellent Project Construction Forum held recently, Yu Xiaohong, Vice President of the China Chamber of Commerce for Foreign Contractors, stated that the consensus among countries on improving infrastructure to drive economic development has not changed. This year, the international infrastructure sector is expected to achieve restorative growth, and Chinese enterprises still face rare development opportunities.

How to seize development opportunities? Zhou Mi, Deputy Director of the Americas and Oceania Research Institute of the International Trade and Economic Cooperation Research Institute of the Ministry of Commerce, gave a detailed explanation to the participating enterprises on the ESG (natural environment, social responsibility, corporate governance) of China's foreign contracting projects in the digital era. Combined with practical cases, he analyzed how to improve the reputation and brand value of enterprises, reduce risks, attract investors and customers, and achieve sustainable development.

In the eyes of Zhou Mi, the development of China's overseas engineering has gone through the stage of looking at "quantity", and now we need to pay more attention to the change in "quality" and enhance our comprehensive influence in international trade overseas markets. China's overseas projects should pay special attention to the protection of the local environment and actively assume social responsibility. This is crucial for Chinese enterprises to win the trust of local governments and residents.

Zhang Wenjin, Deputy General Manager of China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation, shared the momentum of the construction of high-quality compliance system in the international trade overseas market of enterprises. He explained the current internal and external compliance regulatory situation and requirements faced by Chinese enterprises from three parts: international trade situation, policy regulation, and internal management. Foreign contracting engineering enterprises should make full use of digital means to improve the timeliness of their compliance systems, penetrate management through compliance, strengthen the driving force of in-depth risk management, and persistently build an enterprise compliance system for international trade development.

Specifically, by updating contract management methods, we can effectively support the normal operation of contracted business. We should clarify the main responsible units for each link of the contract management process, divide contract management levels, distinguish contract types, and highlight the entire process management. For the contracting of major projects, we can organize contract review meetings, invite internal and external experts to participate, conduct risk identification on project contracts face-to-face, and develop adjustment measures based on analyzing the reasons To provide a basis for contract negotiations and avoid the gradual accumulation of contract deviations that may lead to project implementation deviating from goals. Zhang Wenjin stated that based on the inability to reach an agreement with the owner in contract risk assessment, contract deviation analysis was adopted, and the project implementation related parties were comprehensively considered. Through technical solutions, construction organization, project management, subcontracting cooperation and other work analysis, risk resolution was carried out to achieve responsibility allocation, achieve the implementation of prevention and control plans, and establish the final line of defense for contract risk control.