China Direct

China's Tech Pivot (II): STEM Talent Shortage Stymies Core Innovation?

"Now that China’s tech pivot to enhance the real economy and to master foundational technologies is under way, standing in the way of that pivot is a talent bottleneck. Yet, despite having the world’s most STEM graduates, China surprisingly suffers from talent shortages in areas key to the pivot..."

To read the second part of the Macro Polo team's tech commentary please follow the link here.

Our grateful thanks to the experts at Macro Polo for sharing their expertise and insights into a country that is reshaping the world.

Philips and Alibaba to work on China IT-infrastructure services

CBI member Philips and Alibaba Group announced that both companies had entered into a framework agreement for IT-infrastructure services in China.

Through its Alibaba Cloud Computing (AliCloud) division, Alibaba Group will support Philips with cloud computing services to store and process the data of certain of Philips’ new connected products and solutions in China enabled by Philips’ HealthSuite Digital Platform.

The Smart Air Purifier launched in China in October is Philips’ first connected product supported by Alibaba’s cloud computing services.

The new framework agreement marks an important step in the collaboration between the two companies. Under the terms of the agreement, AliCloud will support Philips with IT-infrastructure services including cloud servers, cloud databases, cloud storage, cloud security, and data processing.

This will help to fulfill Philips’ needs for its cloud-based connected consumer products and solutions in China enabled by Philips’ HealthSuite Digital Platform.

This agreement represents Philips’ first deployment of its HealthSuite Digital Platform into a local cloud outside of Europe and the U.S.

Please read more here.

CBI Monthly Partners Round-Up Sept 2014

 

 

Kindly find our monthly partners round-up for Sept 2014 below for your reference.

There is an executive summary that can be downloaded below.

• Britain to become first Western country to issue bond in China's currency
• British Consulate-General Guangzhou hosts seminar on Ecotourism
• CBBC and Alibaba Group sign MOU to protect third-party intellectual property
• Chinese Ambassador to U.K. hosts reception celebrating People’s Republic of China’s 65^th anniversary
• Chinese Ambassador to U.K. speaks at China Tourism Night 2014
• Duke of Cambridge opens Dickson Poon University of Oxford China Centre
• Education U.K. Alumni Awards 2015 open in China
• European Chamber launches European Business in China Position Paper 2014/2015
• European Commission organises Internet-of-Things China 2014 Conference
• E.U. SME Centre releases report on Chinese outward foreign direct investment
• GREAT British Online Film Festival to be launched in China in October
• Healthcare U.K. leads delegates on digital health mission to China
• ICBC receives authorisation to operate in U.K. as wholesale-only branch
• London Fashion Week 2014 features first-ever Chinese design exhibition
• New Export Health Certificate allows export of U.K. horses to China
• New Scottish government funding provides opportunities for study trips to China
• Talks over E.U.-China cooperation for education, culture, and women’s rights
• Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain to tour China in October 2014
• U.K. government announces £300,000 for museum exchanges with China
• U.K. government supports taking works of Shakespeare to China
• U.K.’s first ever ministerial delegation to China focusing on intellectual property
• U.K.’s super priority 24-hour visa service proves popular in China
• Voting opens for British Business Awards 2014

Download CBI China, Monthly Roundup, September 2014

Thank you.

 

Ren Ren, China's Facebook, lists in the US

  
[Image courtesy of www.search-internetmarketing.com] 

Ren Ren, Chinese social media giant and possibly the Mainland's answer to Facebook, has listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

Shares in Ren Ren began trading at US$14 - at the upper end of its US$12-14 range predicted by analysts. 

The company 's post IPO market value is US$7.5 bn, giving it a value nearly 100 times that of its 2010 revenues of US$76.5 m.

For China Direct's 2011 comments on China's growing online Social Media companies please click here.

Recent commentary on Ren Ren's IPO and company background can be found below:

http://on.ft.com/koapWu

http://tcrn.ch/kZ10Da

http://bbc.in/ln9ILl

 

Baidu - China's Google - searching for legitimacy?

 

 
 [Image courtesy of www.maximumpc.com]

Baidu, China's homegrown version of Google has been facing some strong internal challenges from other web content providers.

For more on this please read the attachment below.

Download Baidu -China's leading Search Engine March 2011

For your reference the CBI's Beijing office will be hosting several member events from April onwards looking at China's web scene with inputs from commentators and member companies.  

 

China's biggest Online shop - bigger than Amazon and growing fast

 

[Image courtesy of www.wobinode.com]

Taobao is China's biggest online shopping platform with more online sales in 2010 than Amazon, 370 million users and an estimated value of US$20 billion should it seek an IPO later this year.

Owned by Alibaba owner and e-commerce visionary Jack Ma, Taobao is revolutionising the way Chinese consumers buy online and could, in less than a decade, be larger than shopping behometh Walmart.

For more on the extraordinary growth of Taobao please read the following:

Download China's Biggest Online Shop - and it's bigger than Amazon