China Direct

Frozen Frontiers - China & The Polar Regions

China’s Great Power Ambitions in the Polar Regions

 

China’s pursuit of great power status is drawing it to the frozen reaches of the world’s polar regions. In both the Arctic and Antarctic, China has undertaken ambitious expeditions and developed world-class research facilities. These investments have elevated China’s voice in polar affairs and afforded it an opportunity to shape the emerging geopolitical landscape.

Its growing physical footprint in the world’s most remote frontiers also serves to advance China’s broader strategic and military interests. To access the Report please click here. Our sincere thanks to the CSIS for kindly sharing this digital report.

 

China Policy Summary - Sept 2022

 

Dear CBI Members and Partners,

Please find a September Summary of the latest China policy from the China Policy team based in Beijing.

Download Download China Policy Summary Sept 2022

Our grateful thanks to CP for kindly sharing these insights. More information and information can be found at China Policy.

Dates for Diaries: Global China: US-China relations through the lens of great power competition: 23 June 22 1430 (DC)

 

 

The Beijing-Moscow Joint Declaration of February 4 declared their relationship knows “no boundaries.” 20 days later, Russia brutally expanded its ongoing war against Ukraine. This sequence of events has sharpened the focus on the conduct and goals that animate the China-Russia relationship. It also has raised questions about how China will respond to Russia’s invasion, and how China’s orientation to the war will impact its relations with the United States, the European Union, and others. Ultimately, what international order will arise from this crisis?

On June 23, the Foreign Policy program at Brookings will host a webinar with Senator Mark Warner to pursue answers to these and other questions. Brookings Vice President of Foreign Policy Suzanne Maloney will kick off the conversation and engage Senator Warner in a moderated discussion before Brookings scholars Ryan Hass, Angela Stent, Jim Goldgeier, and Constanze Stelzenmueller examine China’s ambitions, their implications for the existing international order, and how the U.S. should navigate its relationship with China.

Viewers may submit questions by emailing [email protected] or on Twitter using the hashtag #GlobalChina.

To register free for this event please click here

Our sincere thanks to The Brookings Institute for kindly sharing this event information.

NE Asia Insights - New Knight on the board - the impact of S Korea's presidential election

This week, CSIS Korea Chair Victor Cha returns as a guest on the Asia Chessboard to analyze the most recent South Korean presidential election and how it has impacted the geopolitics of the Korean peninsula. Mike and Victor discuss president-elect Yoon’s foreign and domestic policy agenda, political mandate, and views on various bilateral relationships including with the United States, China, and Japan.

How will Yoon’s “security first” position dictate his foreign policy, especially concerning China and North Korea? Will he be able to work with President Biden and Prime Minister Kishida on strengthening economic and security cooperation?

Our thanks to the CSIS for kindly making this podcast (36 mins) available here.

Asia House Analysis - Philippines-US-China Economic and Political Relations

Dear CBI Members and Partners,

Kindly find some useful analysis of the economic and political dynamics at play between the US, China and The Philippines.

US-China-Philippines Analysis

With our thanks to Asia House for very kindly sharing.

For your diary: China-Russia relations - Alliance, Entente or Collusion? 18.09.21

 

Dear CBI Members and Partners,

Kindly find details to a webinar hosted by the Asia Society exploring the long and complex relationship between China and Russia. 

For more details please visit here.

With grateful thanks to the Asia Society Hong Kong for kindly sharing this information.

 

Stop Press - Update for UK Nationals Seeking to Return to China 10.06.20

Update for UK Nationals Seeking to Return to China 10 June 2020

The information below has been compiled through a coordinated effort between the British chambers of commerce in China, the UK Government in China and the China-Britain Business Council.  Please note that details and guidance are likely to continue to evolve over time and that all available sources should be consulted for the latest information.  We continue to work on this issue for the benefit of our members and the wider British community in China. We will strive to provide additional notifications as required to reflect any further significant changes to the situation.

Process for Arranging Return to China Please note the latest advice from the Foreign & Commonwealth Office on travelling to China: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/china

Please be aware: all stages of the process outlined below are owned and managed by the Chinese government at both national and local levels. Local implementation may differ and there are unlikely to be opportunities for UK Government and partners to influence individual applications. The information outlined below is based on information provided to us by the Chinese authorities in Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangdong, and is our best understanding of the process and information given at that time. Please note that we are making enquiries about the possibility of returning to other localities. Criteria for which category of businesses are allowed to return foreign national staff also differ by jurisdiction and continue to evolve in line with local economic and epidemic control requirements. The process is new and therefore relatively untested. As the situation is uncertain and evolving, there is no guarantee that applications will be accepted as described.   ·    An application does not guarantee that permission to return will be granted - due to a series of necessary approvals and conditions as mentioned above. ·    The possibility to rejoin family members has not so far been tested and cannot be guaranteed. ·    These processes constitute local provincial policies to return foreign workers, and therefore may differ from the advertised “fast-track” process. For more information or if you have specific questions pertinent to your case, you will need to contact the Chinese authorities.

Who can apply: 1.  UK nationals - with existing employment visa and a valid residence permit in Beijing, Shanghai or Guangdong - who need to return to working and living in China, and whose return can be justified by their employer as ‘urgent’ or ‘essential’. 2.  Immediate family members of the above mentioned UK nationals (with a valid residence permit) who wish to accompany them on their return. 3.  Possibly - and in exceptional cases - family members (of UK nationals still in China) with a valid residence permit who were displaced to third countries due to the effects of COVID-19, and who now wish to return to China to reunite with their families.

How to apply: 1.  In the first instance, the employer (company/school) of potential applicants will need to approach their local district Foreign Affairs Office (FAO 区外事办) or district Epidemic Control Office (区疫情防空办 - for Guangdong) to request permission to return home to their district.  2.  Applications approved at the district level will then be referred to the Foreign Affairs Office of the relevant Municipal People’s Government（市外事办）or Provincial People’s Government (省外事办) for their review and further approval. 3.  If agreed, Municipal/Provincial FAO will then issue a visa invitation letter, copied to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Chinese Embassy in London. The individual employee should use this to arrange an appointment the Chinese Embassy, where – subject to the Embassy’s final approval - they will be able to obtain a new, one off, time limited, single-entry visa to travel. 4.  Upon successful entry into China using the new single-entry visa, returnees will be able to stay for a maximum 180 days. The employer will be required to liaise with district FAO and Epidemic Control Offices to ensure relevant quarantine procedures and pandemic movement regulations are followed. 5.  During the 180 day period, individuals with previous long-term residence permits or visas that had been temporarily frozen will need to go to their local PSB immigration office to re-activate their frozen permit. The local PSB office will have ultimate decision making authority on whether or not to grant each individual request to remain on a long term basis.

What to expect from the process: All applicants will be required to: ·    Allow approximately three weeks to complete the application process. ·    Ensure that they are able to identify a suitable commercial flight to return within the ‘use before date’ specified on the single entry visa, or risk having to reapply. ·    Potentially be expected to arrange for a nucleic acid test (NAT) in the UK within 48 hours of departure. ·    On arrival in China, undergo screening by customs officials before disembarking the plane. ·    Immediately after disembarking, take a nucleic acid test (NAT) test at the airport. ·    After completing the test, be met at the airport with representatives of the district of the company that made the original application on their behalf. ·    Subsequently be taken to a designated facility to wait for the results of the nucleic acid test - which can take up to 24 hours. ·    Assuming that the test is negative, to then quarantine for 14 days in a centrally supervised facility (designated hotel – for which the cost will be borne by the company or individual) before being able to return to home and work. In Beijing, after the 14 days you will need to complete an additional 7 days quarantine at home.

Frequently Asked Questions 1.  Are all UK nationals who need to return to working/living in China able to apply or just those who work in certain industries? We understand that this route is designed for those with existing employment visa and a valid residence permit in Beijing, Shanghai or Guangdong, that are deemed business critical to their respective companies. Applications will be judged by the Chinese government on the basis of each individual application. 2.  What if my visa/resident permit expired during the time I was out of China and when the border controls began? Your employer will need to contact the local FAO in the first instance for guidance on local requirements. Some of the material needed for the application will need to be prepared before you depart from the UK. After you enter China, your employer will be able to help you to apply for a work permit and then get a resident permit from the PSB (police). If the work permit is close to expiring but still valid, the local FAO will allow your employer to renew it online on your behalf before you physically return to China. 3.   If my family member is already in China and I also have a residency permit, why will I only be allowed back in in exceptional circumstances? We understand that this service is designed for and focussed on those that are deemed business critical to their respective companies – rather than on reconnecting families. Therefore we think it likely that applications through this route based on family circumstances will only be successful in exceptional circumstances. 4.   Why do I have to go through my employer rather than be able to apply for this on my own? As mentioned, we understand that this route is designed for those that are deemed business critical to their respective companies. Therefore the focus and onus is on those companies to make necessary arrangements through this route. 5.  What if I am self-employed through my own WFOE? Application should be submitted by the employer/company (though the FAO may give priority to bigger companies.) 6.   Do I have to get a COVID test done in the UK before applying for this? Our understanding is that applications under this service may require individuals to take a COVID-19 test in the UK at the discretion of the Chinese Embassy, and you should be prepared to make necessary arrangements if requested. 7.  If approved by the Chinese embassy, how long will the one-off, single entry, time-limited visa be valid for? We understand from conversations with district FAOs that recent applicants have been issued a single entry visa that requires them to arrive in China within thirty days of the application being approved. On arrival in China, we understand that the single entry visa remains valid for 180 days, during which time individuals with previous long-term residence permits or visas that had been temporarily frozen will need to go to their local PSB immigration office to re-activate their frozen permit. The local PSB office will have ultimate decision making authority on whether or not to grant each individual request to remain on a long term basis. 8.   What if I cannot get a flight in time before the approved visa expires? We understand that you would be able to apply again. 9.  What if my application gets rejected? We understand that you would be able to apply again, if you wish. 10.                 Given the lack of commercial flights available, will the British Embassy/Consulates be organising charter flights from the UK to China to support Brits in returning? If not, why not? Her Majesty’s Government currently has no plans to arrange charter flights for businesspeople to return to China. The British Chamber of Commerce in China and the China-Britain Business Council are in touch with the business community to scope the demand for this and to explore possible solutions.

EY navigates Belt & Road Opportunities with 3rd global Report

 

CBI member, EY has launched the third issue of its Belt & Road report, titled Navigator. The report focusses on the opportunities for foreign companies to partner with Chinese counterparts for ‘third-party market cooperation.’ Navigator homes in on the geo-political issues inhibiting the development of existing BRI projects, as well as the imbalance in sophistication between British, European and American firms and their Chinese counterparts.

The report features a case study examining the success of UK and Chinese businesses collaborating along the BRI. EY have identified infrastructure construction and financial cooperation between the UK and China as the two areas where the UK and China are highly complementary. According to EY, in the field of infrastructure construction, the UK has advantages in engineering design, law, consulting and management, while China is strong at construction efficiency, engineering technology innovation, cost control, supply chain management and cost performance. In financial services, Navigator identifies the UK’s tradition as an international financial centre and its long-standing trading history with many of the 3^rd markets China wishes to engage along the BRI. Moreover, the UK was the first Western applicant to join the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, and the first to sign the Guiding Principles on Financing the Development of the Belt and Road.

Navigator also features updates on the progress of wider multilateral BRI initiatives, such as achieving stronger policy coordination between China and BRI partners, facilities connectivity, financial integration, unimpeded trade and people-to-people exchange.

The findings of the report corroborate what the CBI Beijing office has heard from members regarding the pros and cons of cooperating with Chinese partners in 3^rd markets. That is, that niche opportunities exist for UK companies who are able to assist Chinese SOEs by underwriting projects along the BRI, as well as ensuring adequate legal frameworks are in place to reduce risk when foreign and Chinese companies cooperate in 3^rd markets.

To read the report in full, please follow the link.

Control Risks publish guide to ‘future-proofing’ your business & 2019 China outlook

Control Risks publish guide to ‘future-proofing’ your business & 2019 China outlook

Global risk and strategic consultancy firm, Control Risks have published a guide to help businesses ‘future-proof’ their activities in China. The guide provides steps on how companies should seek to adapt to the on-going US-China trade war and Made in China 2025 policy. There are additional chapters on how to manage the government relations, risk management and market nexus, as well as ensuring that your company is protected under China’s cyber-security laws.

Control Risks has also released a ‘risk-map’ associated with the Made in China 2025 policy, which charts the potential challenges foreign companies with interests in China may face in 2019. The map is accompanied by a comprehensive list of sectors whose operations could be at risk as a result of the policy.

Please find links to both the guide and the risk-map here.

China Direct would like to thank Control Risks for sharing this information in support of British and international business.

China Outlook 2018 - KPMG Report - Future opportunities & BRI

 

Dear Members and partners,

Please find information relating to CBI member KPMG's recent China Outlook 2018 Report below.

The interactive dialogue covered future investment opportunities in China and with China (including across the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI)) alongside expert analysis of the economic transformation and industrial upgrading during the period of China’s 13th Five-Year Plan and beyond.

All of which can be studied in detail within the China Outlook 2018 report, with a summary of the key messages available on KPMG's website.

With our thanks to CBI member KPMG for sharing this important report.