Huawei opens largest European exhibition centre in the Netherlands

Want China Times, Xinhua 2013-09-19

Performers at a Huawei smartphone launch event in Bangkok on Jul. 30.
(Photo/Xinhua)

Chinese telecommunications company Huawei officially opened its largest European Huawei Enterprise Office and Exhibition centre in the Netherlands on Wednesday.

The 250 square-meter exhibition space shows the company's consumer electronics innovations specifically developed for the European market.

According to Huawei, the opening of the centre based in Amstelveen marked an important milestone in its recent European and Benelux expansion and growth. Benelux comprises Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg.

Frans Weekers, Dutch State Secretary of Finance, along with CEO of Huawei Benelux, Simon Xin, the mayor of Amstelveen, Mr van Zanen, and the economic counselor of the Chinese Embassy, Li Fei, officially opened the exhibition centre.

"By opening this new exhibition centre I think Huawei has demonstrated its commitment to long-term development in the Netherlands. It also shows the favorable investment environment of the Netherlands," Li Fei said in a speech.

In his speech, CEO of Huawei Benelux, Simon Xin stressed that the company has expanded rapidly since its establishment in 1987. "Now we have more than 150,000 employees in more than 140 countries. In Europe alone we employ more than 7,000 staff members. In the Benelux, we have over 650 employees, from which local staff is 73% and we aim for more," he said.

According to the Foreign Investment Agency, the Netherlands is a strategic location to serve markets within Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

"Already 360 Chinese companies are now active in our country, boosting the economy with investments and jobs," Frans Weekers said.