China Direct

Benoy opens Hong Kong 'Pop Corn' development

 

[Image courtesy of www.benoy.com]

CBI member Benoy recently announced the opening of the 'Pop Corn' development, a new joint venture by Sun Hung Kai and MTR Corporation in Hong Kong.

Pop Corn, short for 'Popular Corner', is a 160,000 square metre mixed-use development, comprised of retail, entertainment, hotel, and residential space, which is designed to create a new central focal point for the heart of East Hong Kong.

Benoy was involved in the design concept to the construction stages of the project.

Please click here to read the full press release by Benoy.

Tesco's green China goals - every little helps

 

[Image courtesy of www.tesco.com]

With the support of China's Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM), CBI member Tesco recently held its second Retail Sustainable Development Forum in China in Suzhou.

Tesco has set the target of becoming a zero carbon business by 2050. To meet that target, the retailer plans to halve the emissions from its stores by 2020 and in its distribution network by 2012/3. Tesco also aims to work with its suppliers to reduce the emissions in its supply chain by 30% by 2020.

In China, Tesco is actively supporting retailers in their efforts to go green, developing green and low carbon distribution networks, and advocating the concept of green consumption among customers.

As part of its sustainability efforts in the country, Tesco launched its first green logistics centre in China last year. Located in Jiashan in Zhejiang province, the 55,000 square metre facility features an integrated energy-efficient design, which incorporates an extensive range of green technologies that use renewable energy sources and reduce energy and water usage.

Employing over 26,000 people and serving over four million customers per week in China, Tesco currently has 110 hypermarkets across 11 provinces and 14 small trial express stores in Shanghai.

Please click here to read the speech delivered by Lucy Neville-Rolfe, CMG, Executive Director, Corporate and Legal Affairs at Tesco, at Tesco's Retail Sustainable Development Forum in China.  

ABB's 'In China for China' strategy sees good results for 2011

 

[Image courtesy of www.abb.com]

 

CBI member ABB recently announced record results for its performance in China in 2011, reporting record revenue growth of 21%, reaching US$5.1 billion, and record high investment of US$230 million.

ABB enjoyed particular success in areas of its business such as robotics R&D and manufacturing, integrated analytical systems, motors and drives, environmental protection, and renewable energy development. 

In addition, ABB established a joint venture with Guodian Nanjing Automation Co. Ltd. in 2011, marking a milestone for the company's partnership with a key local player. With a total investment of 1.75 billion yuan by the two firms, the new joint venture expands offerings in power grid for the utility, power plant, and industry infrastructure markets.

Commenting on ABB's record results, Claudio Facchin, ABB North Asia and China President, said, "ABB achieves continued solid growth in China despite the economic slowdown in 2011, thanks to the strong market demand for automation and grid reliability.

"Industries demand a higher level of automation to improve energy efficiency, quality, productivity, and operational health and safety. China's 12th Five-Year Plan to migrate from a resource intensive economy to a low carbon and knowledge based economy was taking off.

"ABB was able to support this positive change due to its consistent investment in technology and capacity in China under its 'in China for China' strategy. In the past six years, ABB's average annual investment was more than US$100 million, and the figure rose to a record high last year due to our strategic initiatives to expand presence through partnership with leading local players."

Please click here to read the full press release by ABB.

CBI Member Fuji Xerox wins China green award

 

[Image courtesy of www.fujixerox.com]

CBI member Fuji Xerox recently won the "Outstanding Contribution Company to China IT Industry Green Development Award" from China Information World, an IT newspaper run by the China Electronic Information Industry Development Research Institute, as well as the China CSR Award, which was evaluated by more than 100 public organisations, media outlets, and specialists.

The Green Development Award was established in 2011, and Fuji Xerox (China) Ltd. was the only winner in the green development category, receiving recognition for its energy-saving products, recycling system for used products and cartridges, and "Print Green" campaign.

Also launched in 2011, the China CSR Award evaluated Fuji Xerox's environmental and educational initiatives in China, and Fuji Xerox was the only office equipment manufacturer among the 35 award-winning companies.

Please click here to read the full press release by Fuji Xerox.

National People's Congress 2012 - an analysis

 

[Image courtesy of www.apcoworldwide.com/china]

China Direct would like to thank CBI member APCO for kindly providing the following analysis of the recently convened annual National People's Congress in Beijing.

For more information and analysis please download below.

Download NPC_2012

Thank you.

11th National People's Congress (NPC) Policy Highlights

[Image courtesy of www.news.cn] 

On Monday, China opened the Fifth Session of the 11th National People's Congress (NPC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.

Nearly 3,000 NPC deputies from across the country attended the opening meeting together with top Party and state leaders.

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao delivered a government work report at the opening meeting covering major targets for 2012, fiscal and monetary policies, price control, agriculture, economic restructuring, nuclear power, marine development, people's wellbeing, spending on education, cultural development, etc.

Highlights included:

• Major targets set for 2012 included GDP growth of 7.5%, the creation of nine million new jobs in towns
and cities, growth of the volume of total exports and imports by about 10%, etc.

• The broad money supply is projected to increase by 14%.

• RMB 1.23 trillion will be allocated for agriculture, rural areas, and farmers, RMB 186.8 billion more
than last year.

• China will formulate and implement a strategy for marine development.

• Spending on education will account for 4% of GDP.

• The government will complete five million units of low-income housing and start construction on more
than seven million units.

Please click here to read further highlights of the government work report and here for additional media coverage.

CBI member success stories in China Feb 2012

 

[Image courtesy of www.cbi.org.uk]

February 2012 was a bumper month for CBI members in China with at least 29 (matching the leap day!) confirmed successes that China Direct is aware of.

Member contributions came from:

• ABB
• Accenture
• Alstom
• Arup
• BAA
• BBC
• Benoy
• BMW
• BP
• Burberry
• Clifford Chance
• Devro
• Ernst & Young
• Eversheds
• Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer
• Herbert Smith
• HSBC
• IHG
• INEOS
• J.P. Morgan
• Pfizer
• McKinsey
• Nike
• RBS
• Standard Chartered
• Thales
• University of Edinburgh
• University of Leeds
• WPP

China Direct would like to say a huge thank you to all of our members for their contributions and also to Ben Cooper at the CBI's Beijing office for patiently collating the information.

Please find our Feb 2012 summary below:

Download CBI China, Celebrating member success in China, February 2012

UK CBI Member Notts University wins green funding from Ningbo City

 

[Image courtesy of www.nottingham.ac.uk]

CBI member The University of Nottingham's Ningbo campus in China recently received nine million RMB (about £1 million) in funding from the City of Ningbo for an ambitious project to produce at least 25 manufacturing research engineers and 25 patents for new technologies over the next five years.

The funding represents the highest amount ever awarded to The University of Nottingham Ningbo China (UNNC). The University's innovation team will work with at least 50 companies in Ningbo to invent low-carbon technologies. Much of the team's focus will be on the automotive industry in Ningbo.

Professor Sam Shen, Registrar at UNNC, said, "This project is vitally important for the economy of Ningbo and China in general. The government has prioritised green technologies in its latest five-year plan.

"The city of Ningbo, which is a key industrial area in China, wants to take the lead in scientific and technological innovation that helps deliver on national goals to reduce carbon emissions and at the same time generate further economic growth.

"The project's funders and leaders also have international aspirations. Our innovation team will play an important role in developing scientists in China who can create world-leading technologies and make valuable contributions to international scholarly research."

Professor Nabil Gindy, UNNC's Vice-Provost for Research and its Graduate School dean, said, "This project isn't just about research; it is about talent-building. The concept is to create a number of researchers with critical mass to work in areas that the Chinese government considers important. The emphasis will be on nurturing young scientists."

Professor Gindy also noted, "We will be working closely with businesses to look at how companies can make money, and quite possibly even more money than ever, but reduce the environmental impact of what they do.

"This project is about job creation and improved productivity as much as it is about advances in science and technology."

Please click here to read the full press release by The University of Nottingham.

 

Date for UK exporters diaries - 29 March 2012 Kunshan Expo

[Image courtesy of www.ukti.gov.uk]

The China Chamber of International Commerce and the Jiangsu Provincial People's Government will host the China International Import Expo on 29-31 March at the Kunshan Convention & Exhibition Centre in Jiangsu province.

The Expo will feature approximately 50,000 square metres of exhibition space. Conferences during the Expo will include an international summit forum, seminars and lectures, and new product recommendation which will give exhibitors the opportunity to introduce their products and services to Chinese importers and end users.

The Expo will primarily exhibit products and technologies in the following sectors: machinery & equipment, information technology, environmentally-friendly products, new materials, & other high-tech products, and brand consumer goods.

Please click here for full details on the Expo. If you have any other queries please contact the UKTI team in Shanghai here.

UK Company Rolls Royce sails ahead with new marine service centre in Hong Kong

 

[Image courtesy of: www.rolls-royce.com.cn]

CBI member Rolls-Royce and China's Bestway Engineering recently unveiled a range of energy efficient ship designs, which have been produced to meet the future requirements of the global merchant shipping industry.

The new highly efficient ship designs have been produced using the combined expertise of both companies, and will feature advanced Rolls-Royce propulsion systems. Rolls-Royce and Bestway Engineering first announced their collaboration a year ago, and the new designs are the first to emerge from the two companies' Joint Project Team.

Oddbjørn Eliassen, Rolls-Royce, President—Merchant, said, "As international emissions controls are progressively introduced, the marine industry is increasingly collaborating to create highly efficient vessels that reduce operating costs and environmental impacts. Through our partnership with Bestway, we are well positioned to lead the development of ship designs that will meet the future demands of merchant operators."

Click here to read the  full press release on the new energy efficient ship designs Rolls-Royce has produced with Bestway Engineering.

Rolls-Royce also recently announced that it will expand its presence in Greater China with the development of a new Marine Service Centre in Hong Kong on Tsing Yi Island. Scheduled to open in 2012, the new centre will offer specialist support services and engineering expertise to customers in Hong Kong, and form an important part of the Rolls-Royce marine service network that covers the entire east coast of China. The facility will provide support for a wide variety of vessel types, and will be capable of undertaking repair, overhaul, and upgrades for a wide range of Rolls-Royce products.

P.T. Hong, Rolls-Royce, Branch Manager—Hong Kong, said, "This investment recognises the importance of the Chinese market to Rolls-Royce. With a growing customer base in Greater China, coupled with an increased number of customer operations within the region, we are expanding our facilities to provide industry leading services close to where our customers operate."

Please click here to read the full press release by Rolls-Royce on its planned new Marine Service Centre in Hong Kong.