China Chamber of International Commerce
China Chamber of International Commerce, or CCOIC, was established in 1988 with the approval of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China. Affiliated to China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT), CCOIC is a nationwide chamber of commerce comprised of enterprises, groups and other business organizations that are engaged in international commercial activities in China. CCOIC also represents China in participating in the work of International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) with the name of ICC China.
CCOIC adopts a membership system and its main responsibilities include: promoting economic and trade exchanges and cooperation between China and foreign countries; reflecting interest appeal of enterprises to international organizations and government departments of China and foreign countries on behalf of Chinese business community; participating in constitution and promotion of international trade rules; facilitating enterprises to participate in international competition and cooperation; safeguarding legitimate rights of its members, and actively advocating social responsibility and public welfare among business circles.
By the end of 2021, CCOIC has 301,000 member enterprises, including most central SOEs, national financial institutions, a large number of well-known private enterprises and foreign-funded enterprises. CCOIC has become one of the most influential business associations in China.
With the aim of building a hub-like chamber of commerce, CCOIC has institutional cooperation with other business associations from home and abroad, and provides services for its members and other enterprises including international exchange, industrial cooperation, legal advice, market information, exhibition planning, project investment and training.
China Chamber of International Commerce and International Chamber of Commerce
International Chamber of Commerce, or ICC, was established in 1919 with its headquarter in Paris, France. ICC is an important international business organization with a long history and extensive influence. ICC has set up more than 90 national committees all around the world, with over 45 million members from 130 countries and regions.
Through a unique mix of international commercial rules formulation, trade disputes resolution and advocacy, ICC is committed to promoting the establishment of a free and open international trade and investment system, maintaining a fair and equitable international economic order, and promoting world economic growth. Therefore, it plays an irreplaceable role in liberalization and facilitation of global trade and investment under the rule-based multilateral trade system.
In 1988, CCPIT started to use the name of "China Chamber of International Commerce (CCOIC)" to carry out relevant businesses of ICC with the approval of the State Council. In 1994, CCOIC led the establishment of ICC China, and formally joined the ICC on behalf of Chinese business community.
ICC China is the sole representative of ICC in China, and its secretariat is located in CCOIC.
ICC China
ICC China consists of 12 policy commissions, including Arbitration and ADR Commission, Banking Commission, Intellectual Property Commission, Commercial Law and Practice Commission, Digital Economy Commission, Environment and Energy Commission, Marketing and Advertising Commission, Taxation Commission, Trade and Investment Policy Commission, Corporate Responsibility and Anti-corruption Commission, Competition Commission, Customs and Trade Facilitation Commission, all of which correspond with the 12 policy commissions of ICC. Via these Commissions, Chinese business community is able to participate in international economy and trade rule-making, make policy recommendations to the United Nations and governments of various countries and carry out international cooperation in relative fields through ICC network.
Bilateral and Multilateral Business Cooperation Mechanisms
The bilateral and multilateral business cooperation mechanisms were jointly established, authorized or entrusted by CCPIT and foreign economic and trade organizations, which are operated by CCOIC. The mechanisms are national cooperation platforms for Chinese and foreign business communities to carry out economic and trade exchanges. There are 393 bilateral and multilateral mechanisms, including the APEC China Business Council, the B20 China Business Council, the Silk Road Business Council, the US-China Business Council and Russia-China Business Council etc., whose secretariats are all located in CCOIC. The main responsibilities of bilateral and multilateral business cooperation mechanisms are to organize and promote China and foreign business community to carry out trade, investment and economic and technological cooperation in various forms, to organize or participate in foreign negotiation and public-relations lobbying on behalf of the enterprises, to provide advices toward economic and trade policy-making and foreign trade negotiations, to research trade hotspots, focuses and difficult issues, and to publish reports etc.
By joining the bilateral and multilateral business cooperation mechanisms, Chinese companies will have access to information about markets, law and policy changes in a timely manner, so as to state reasonable policy demands to Chinese and foreign governments. Through those mechanisms, Chinese companies can also conduct public-relations lobbying, industry dialogues and business consultations.
