China Direct

BBC Worldwide and CCTV-9 sign two China co-production deals

 

[Image courtesy www.bbc.co.uk]

BBC Worldwide, the commercial arm of CBI member BBC, and CCTV-9, the documentary channel of Chinese state broadcaster CCTV, recently signed two co-production deals for the new science series Generation Earth and Wonders of Life.

The deals marked the first co-production arrangement between CCTV-9 and BBC Worldwide.

CCTV-9 will broadcast the new Brian Cox series Wonders of Life, which examines the story of life through physics, in winter 2012, while Generation Earth, a study of the most ambitious engineering projects on earth, will air on CCTV-9 in spring 2013.

Steve Macallister, President and Managing Director, Sales & Distribution, BBC Worldwide, said, "BBC Worldwide has been doing business in China for over 20 years, and has established a strong relationship with CCTV. We're proud to bring the U.K. and Chinese creative sectors together on these educational and enlightening series."

Liu Wen, Channel Director, CCTV-9, said, "The BBC is world-renowned for its factual programming, and we've had great success with titles such as Human Planet and Frozen Planet, so we're very pleased to be partnering with them on two groundbreaking new series."

Kim Shillinglaw, the BBC's Commissioning Editor for Science and Natural History, said, "With the support of international partners like CCTV-9, our creative talent have the freedom to push themselves even further in producing outstanding programmes. We're excited to see the results in the finished series, which are large-scale, ambitious, and informative."

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

 

 

City of London launches RMB Centre initiative

 

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

Yesterday, CBI member The City of London launched a new initiative aimed at strengthening London’s position as the leading western hub for international renminbi (RMB) business.

The initiative will help deliver a private and public sector strategy for London to become a centre for RMB products and services, complementing Hong Kong and other financial centres.

Current members of the initiative are Bank of China, Barclays, Deutsche Bank, HSBC, and Standard Chartered, with observers from HM Treasury, the Bank of England, and the Financial Services Authority.

The initiative seeks to provide leadership to the wider financial markets on technical, infrastructure, and regulatory issues relating to the RMB product and services in London. In addition, it advises HM Treasury on maximising London's capacity to trade, clear, and settle RMB, and articulates practical next steps and long-term aims for the further development of the RMB market in London. The group also advises HM Treasury and other U.K. authorities on any financial stability concerns that members may perceive.

The first report published by the initiative highlights the RMB products and services currently available in London and the volume of business transacted in London in 2011.

George Osborne, Chancellor of the Exchequer, said, "I welcome this initiative, which will further strengthen London's development as the leading western hub for the international renminbi market. As the world's leading financial centre, London is uniquely well placed to assist China in its goal of further expanding the international use of the RMB.

"Today's report also provides some clear pointers for the market's future development, and, with the strong support of the Government, I am confident that London's private sector will rise to tomorrow's challenges."

Stuart Fraser, Chairman of the initiative's Steering Committee and Policy Chairman of the City of London Corporation, said, "As the world's leading global financial centre, London is perfectly positioned to act as the western hub for RMB as exchange controls are gradually relaxed. London has many natural advantages, including: time-zone, a trusted legal system, a respected regulatory framework, deep pools of liquidity, and a strong track record of innovation. We are also home to global institutions that have expertise in utilising RMB-denominated products and services to benefit clients by facilitating trade with China. This will increase exports and help deliver jobs and growth in the U.K. and Europe."

Please click here to read the full press release by the City of London and to access the initiative's first report.  

2012 British Business Awards in China - celebrating the best of British

We are looking for the Best of British, is that you?

The British Chamber of Commerce Shanghai takes great pleasure in announcing the official launch of the British Business Awards 2012 and invites applications.

The British Business Awards are an awards programme organised by the British Chambers of Commerce in China to recognise and promote excellence in innovation enterprise and endeavour, in the British business community in China. Established in 2008, the awards programme is now held every two years.

Through eight categories, the Awards will showcase organisations and individuals who are achieving outstanding results and who demonstrate the highest level of commitment to Sino-British trade and investment relations in a variety of disciplines in China. The Awards will also recognise the excellent accomplishments of Chinese businesses operating in the UK.

The British Business Awards are open to all majority British Owned companies or organisations operating in China*, Chinese* Alumni of a British Higher Education Institution as well as Chinese* companies or organisations with a presence in the UK.

*mainland China/ Chinese nationals only

Applications are now open and the British Business Awards invites all eligible individuals and organisations to enter. Five finalists in each of the eight categories will be chosen by an independent panel of judges and announced at a Finalists Event in late June. The highlight event of the Awards, a Gala Awards Dinner will take place on the 8th November, when the winners will be announced.

Application deadline is 18th May 2012.

For more information: www.britishbusinessawards.cn or contact admin@britishbusinessawards.cn

The British Business Awards 2012 Awards Categories and sponsors:

• Sustainability Award Sponsored by BP
• Chinese UK Alumnus Award Sponsored by the British Council
• Entrepreneur of the Year Award Sponsored by COSTA
• Innovation Award Sponsored by GKN
• Chinese Investor of the Year Award Sponsored by Hogan Lovells
• Creativity Award Sponsored by Jaguar Land Rover
• Financial & Professional Services Award Sponsored by Manchester Business School
• British Company of the Year Award Sponsored by UK Trade and Investment

    Photos of the launch event can be viewed here.

China Economic Focus - March 2012 Summary

 

Dear CBI Members, kindly find the latest economic summary from the British Embassy attached with highlights below.

China Direct would like to thank Henry Bell and Huang Zhenqian for sharing this with our members.

China Economic Focus Summary March 2012

• Premier Wen Jiabao set out a yearly growth target of 7.5 percent at the National People’s Congress, the lowest target since 2005. But most analysts believe that the growth will remain above 8 percent, consistent with a 'soft landing'.
• Macroeconomic data for the first two months of 2012 has been mixed, but the distortions caused by Chinese New Year make it hard to draw robust conclusions.
• Industrial production growth declined to 11.4 percent in January and February combined (on a year earlier), reaching a 29 month low. Fixed asset investment growth has slowed since mid 2011, reaching 21.5 percent in January and February. Growth of retail sales, a proxy for consumption, dropped to 14.7 percent in the first two months, compared with 18.1 percent in December. On the other hand, at 53.1, the official purchasing manager’s index was significantly stronger than expected.
• Inflation fell to 3.2 percent, well below the official target for 2012 of 4 percent. The slowdown was mainly driven by the food prices falling after the Chinese New Year. With inflation now under control and most economic data weaker than expected, the authorities have scope and incentive to introduce policies to support growth. Further cuts to the required reserve ratio are expected.
• Property prices remain flat or on downward trend. But the price falls so far have been moderate and the central authorities remain determined to bring prices down to 'a more reasonable level'.
• Both exports and imports rebounded in February but much of this can be explained by the effect of Chinese New Year in January. Overall, the trade picture in 2012 so far has been weak.
• The RMB remained stable in March. The authorities have recently indicated an appetite for currency reform. In the first instance, reform is likely to entail a widening of the daily trading band.
• There were not many surprises from the annual National People’s Congress meeting in March. The authorities emphasised expanding domestic (consumption) demand but there was little discussion of the structural reforms necessary to achieve this.

Download CEF-Mar2012

 

 

   

Important UK Visa Update *Stop Press*

 

[Image courtesy of the UK Border Agency]

 

Dear CBI members,

Kindly find the latest important update re: UK Visa applications.

For further online information please refer to page 9 of the 10 page summary document below.

Download UK_Visa_Brochure_2012_final  

UK and China celebrate 40 years of diplomatic relations 1972-2012

 

 


On 13 March 2012, China and the U.K. celebrated 40 years of diplomatic relations at the Ambassadorial level. 

Over the past four decades, cooperation between the two countries has flourished in many areas, including trade and investment, education, culture, science and technology, sports, tourism, and sustainable development.

Impressive figures include:

     • In 1972, the UK received only 200 Chinese students while China received 100 British students. 
       Today, there are over 100,000 Chinese students in the U.K., more than any other foreign student 
       group, and there are 3,300 British students in China.

     • There are now 19 Confucius Institutes and 60 Confucius classrooms in the U.K.

     • In 2010, more than 575,000 British nationals visited China, and nearly 130,000 Chinese tourists 
       visited the U.K.

     • The U.K. ranked as China's top source of foreign direct investment (FDI) among E.U. countries in 
       2010 and between January and August in 2011. China's investment in the U.K. has grown from 
       almost none in 1972 to more than $2.3 billion now.

     • Bilateral trade has increased from $300 million in 1972 to $58.7 billion today.

     • China co-authors more scientific research papers with the U.K. than with any other country other 
       than the U.S. and Japan.

The 40th anniversary is one of a number of landmark events in 2012, which highlight the strengthening relationship between China and the U.K. Following the spectacular Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, London will host the Olympic Games this year between July and September. The U.K. looks forward to welcoming the Chinese delegation, the largest of any competing nation. 

In addition, U.K. Now, the largest British arts festival in China ever, will be held between April and November this year, bringing more than 100 U.K. cultural events to 17 cities across China.

In an interview with Xinhua, Liu Xiaoming, China's Ambassador to the U.K., said, "I am glad to note that the 40th anniversary of China-U.K. full diplomatic relations has coincided with the 60 years of the British Queen's reign and the London Olympics. I am confident about the future of China-U.K. relations."

In a speech at the Chinese Embassy in the U.K., Ambassador Liu also said, "We have every reason to be confident because of the huge potential for cooperation in all fields. Our economies are highly complementary. We are both engaged in restructuring our economies. This has created enormous opportunities for bilateral trade and investment. Our commitment to expanding people-to-people links will also boost our cooperation in education, culture, science, and technology."

Sebastian Wood, Britain's Ambassador to China, said, "The U.K.-China relationship continues to become both stronger and deeper with every passing year. In our anniversary year, I express my warmest wishes to the Chinese people. The British Government is determined to further develop the extensive political, business, cultural, and educational links between our two nations."

Please click here, here, and here for additional media coverage on China and the U.K. celebrating 40 years of full diplomatic relations and here to access the full speech by Ambassador Liu.  

Book Now - UKTI China Regional Cities Programme Q1 2012

 

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

Dear CBI members,

You may have read about the Regional Cities Trade Missions last month on our website however if not please find a summary of China-wide missions for Q1 below.

If you are interested in the Wuhan-Zhengzhou mission scheduled for 20-22 Feb please contact: Zheng.Weiwei@fco.gov.uk Tel: 0086 10 51924406

For your reference the CBI's China office will be attending the Zhengzhou section of the Mission.

UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) recently released the dates for the next phase of its Regional Cities Programme in China.

The schedule of the missions is as follows: Zhengzhou and Wuhan (20-22 February 2012), Nantong and Yancheng (27-29 February 2012), Kunming (23-24 February 2012), Chongqing (05-06 March 2012), Hangzhou and Ningbo (07-09 March 2012), and Foshan and Shunde (28-29 March 2012).

These missions will offer an excellent introduction to these cities and the opportunities that they offer.

Participants in the missions will enjoy:

     • Access to high-level officials
     • Business workshops
     • Knowledge about specific opportunities

Please click here for full details on the mission to Nantong and Yancheng and here for the mission to Hangzhou and Ningbo.

CBI Members - date for diaries - RICS Beijing Conference 28-29 March

 

[Image courtesy of www.rics.org]

CBI member The Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) will host a conference in Beijing titled "Fit for the Future: A grand transformation for property, land, and construction" on 28-29 March 2012 at the JW Marriott.

The international conference will study the major emerging themes in the land, property, and construction industry.

Speakers will include:

     • His Excellency Mr. Sebastian Wood, British Ambassador to the People's Republic of China
     • Douglas Brooks, Assistant Chief Economist, Asia Development Bank
     • Mao Da Qing, Executive Vice President, Vanke
     • Rong Ren, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Harvest Capital
     • Martin Ecknig, Senior Vice President, Siemens Ltd. and General Manager, Siemens Real Estate

Click here for the full event details.

University of Nottingham launches Sino-UK Geospatial Engineering Centre in Beijing

 

 

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

CBI member The University of Nottingham and the Chinese Academy of Survey and Mapping (CASM), the academic arm of China's National Administration for Survey, Mapping, and Geoinformation (NASG), launched the Sino-UK Geospatial Engineering Centre in Beijing.

With its main site located at the China Surveying and Mapping Innovation Base in Beijing, the centre will develop geospatial information to solve key scientific issues for both countries. The centre will also have a presence at the Nottingham Geospatial Building in the UK.

The centre will promote innovation and technology transfer, leadership training, and staff and student exchange. In addition, it will explore funding opportunities and new project work, and act as a global incubation centre to realise beneficial combinations of R&D, production, and commercialisation.

Professor Chris Rudd, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Business Engagement and Knowledge Transfer at The University of Nottingham, said, "The University's relationship with the Chinese Academy of Survey and Mapping (CASM) and the recently re-named National Administration for Survey, Mapping, and Geoinformation (NASG) dates back eight years.

"We have a shared ambition—to create a Sino-UK centre of excellence that will accelerate the delivery of our vision. It represents the collaboration between China and UK in areas of leading research and development. We aim to benefit both parties and strengthen the ties between UK and China's high technology industries."

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

2012 China Regional Cities Programme Q1

 

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

UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) recently released the dates for the next phase of its Regional Cities Programme in China.

The schedule of the missions is as follows: Zhengzhou and Wuhan (20-22 February 2012), Nantong and Yancheng (27-29 February 2012), Kunming (23-24 February 2012), Chongqing (05-06 March 2012), Hangzhou and Ningbo (07-09 March 2012), and Foshan and Shunde (28-29 March 2012).

These missions will offer an excellent introduction to these cities and the opportunities that they offer.

Participants in the missions will enjoy:

     • Access to high-level officials
     • Business workshops
     • Knowledge about specific opportunities

Please click here for full details on the mission to Nantong and Yancheng and here for the mission to Hangzhou and Ningbo.