China Direct

CBI Sterling Assets Report on China Roadshow

 

  

The inaugural Sterling Assets Report has been on a pan-China Roadshow since its launch on Thursday 02 November in Beijing.

The objective of the Roadshow was to circulate the Report's key findings to the diverse and dynamic UK business network in China and encourage policymakers and local officials to use the Report to promote greater UK-China business investment. 

Additionally the Report was received by business stakeholders the CBBC, British Chambers, Department of International Trade (DIT) and a visiting delegation of the All Party Parliamentary China Group in Guangzhou.

China Direct would like to sincerely thank HM Consuls Cecile Elbeleidi in Chongqing, HM Consul Karen Maddocks in Guangzhou, HM Consul John Edwards in Shanghai and HM Consul Nick Whittingham in Wuhan for their support.

 

    

Please note that China Direct will have the Chinese language version of the Report available for review and download by mid-November.

Kindly find the original Report and Executive Summary attached below for your reference.

Download CBI China Sterling Assets Report

Download Sterling Assets China Executive Summary

Thank you. 

  

DHL opens China Rail Competence Centre in Stuttgart

 

CBI Member DHL Global Forwarding, the air and ocean freight specialist of Deutsche Post DHL Group, has opened a central China Rail Competence Center in Stuttgart, Germany to ensure the more efficient and customer-friendly coordination of ever-growing freight volumes transported between Germany and Asia by the rail freight service.

“Rail freight volumes between Germany and Asia have increased 10-fold in just one year. In order to meet ever-increasing demand, the onus is on us to grow, optimize processes and create synergies. It is for this very reason that we decided to establish a central China Rail Competence Center,” states Volker Oesau, CEO DHL Global Forwarding Germany and Central Europe, explaining the strategic rationale behind the decision.

Please read more here.

Financial stability a critical challenge for Asia in next five years: former IMF expert

 

Shanghai, China – Speaking at the World Built Environment Forum’s second Annual Summit in Shanghai next week, Dr. Zhu Min, former Deputy Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and President of the National Institute of Financial Research at Tsinghua University, will identify key emerging concerns in global financial markets and their implications for China’s ambitious ‘One Belt, One Road’ initiative.

In his Summit Address, Dr. Zhu Min will stress the urgency for decision-makers, businesses and investors to help ensure financial stability in a low-growth environment through investment in infrastructure as a key driver for sustainable growth in the Asia-Pacific region. 

Prof. Wang Wen, Executive Dean, Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies, Renmin University of China, will also address the Summit, speaking about the geopolitical aspects of ‘One Belt, One Road’ and its implications for the built environment in particular.

The region needs to invest between USD 700 billion and USD 800 billion annually in infrastructure over the next decade[1]. At a time of relative protectionism, ‘One Belt, One Road’ will create new opportunities for trade and investment, benefitting some 4.4 billion people, with a collective GDP of USD 2 trillion.

CBI Member RICS CEO Sean Tompkins commented “The ‘One Belt, One Road’ initiative may prove to be the most significant catalyst for trade growth in our times. The built environment sector can make a unique contribution by delivering infrastructure and real estate projects on schedule and within cost. Skills supply, professional and technical standards, together with appropriate regulation will be the critical ingredients for success”.

Dr Zhu Min leads a distinguished field of thought leaders from the Chinese government, the financial and property sectors as well as regulatory and investment bodies that will headline this year’s summit.

These include: Sir Danny Alexander, Vice-president, Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB); Liu Hungchih, Senior Vice President, Strategy & Development, Greater China, AECOM and Kyle Barker, Head of International Development, WeWork.

The World Built Environment Forum is a leading platform for bringing together governments, industry and civil society stakeholders to work collaboratively and ultimately find solutions to issues affecting   construction, infrastructure and real estate.

The second Annual Summit in Shanghai follows the successful inaugural Summit in Washington DC last year, at which former US Treasury secretary, Dr. Larry Summers, delivered the keynote address.  

For more on the Summit see: https://www.wbefshanghai2017.com or Download the full programme here

  Download RICS-WBEF-Shanghai-PR-Zhu_Min_21Jan17_Final_GCN_amended

Chinese Investment into E Europe increasing - CMS Emerging Europe Report

According to the “Emerging Europe M&A report 2016/2017” published by CMS in cooperation with EMIS, M&A deals in Central-Eastern Europe peaked in value in 2016 at €86.7bn.

Radivoje Petrikic, Partner, CEE Corporate Practice, CMS: The outstanding feature of 2016 in CEE was also the rapidly growing influence of Asian investment, most notably from China. The strong Chinese interest in the region is a relatively recent development, laying the foundations for a wave of investment into the future.

Nick Beckett, Managing Partner of the Beijing Office of CMS, China: The increase by Chinese investors in CEE is a result of China’s ‘One Belt One Road’ initiative.  Chinese investors are aware that the business opportunities available to them in Europe are particularly strong in CEE and the sectors of energy, infrastructure and real estate.  We expect the level of investment from China to increase even more in 2017 with clients already making enquires on potential projects.

Download CMS & EMIS - Emerging Europe M&A Report 2016-17 25.01

CBI Member News - Alstom in Xian & Clifford Chance

The Xi’an metro line 3 phase one for which CBI member Alstom supplied traction system for the metros started today. The contract was signed in 2013 between Alstom and Xi’an Metro Company to equip 246 metro cars with the OptONIX traction system. That was the first transport contract for Alstom in Xi’an city.

Phase one - which is 39.1 km long and includes 26 stations – connects the city from southwest to northeast, passing through important landmarks including Xi’an International University, Qinglong Temple, Chanba Ecological District, Xi’an International Habour Affairs Area, Xi’an Economic & Technological Development Zone and Xi’an Free Trade Zone. A further extension of the metro line toward the south is planned.

Please read more here.

 

CLIFFORD CHANCE ADVISES ICBC ON CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPEAN FOCUSED INVESTMENT FUND TARGETING €10 BILLION

Leading international law firm and CBI member Clifford Chance is advising the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) on the establishment of a European investment fund that is focused on projects in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE).

The fund is part of China's major initiative to develop a modern silk road – 'One Belt One Road', and was formally announced at the China and CEE Countries Summit in Riga, Latvia on 5 November 2016. The fund will focus on developing the infrastructure, high-tech manufacturing and consumer goods industries in the CEE countries with the intention of promoting more economic interaction between the Chinese and the European markets.

The size of the fund is expected to reach €10 billion and expected investors include governmental investors from of CEE countries, as well as Asian institutional investors.

Please read more here.

Celebrating CBI Member Success in China April 2016

We are delighted to share with you our latest China member success briefing and UK-China monthly roundup. Please feel free to share this with your members and colleagues.

In total, our April briefing has highlighted the successes of 25 CBI members in China:

• Arup
• Atkins
• AVEVA
• Benoy
• Boeing
• BP
• British Airways
• Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business
• Deloitte
• Deutsche Bank
• Gatwick Airport
• GKN
• Heathrow Airport Limited
• HSBC
• Huawei
• Hytera
• Jaguar Land Rover
• P. Morgan
• King’s College London
• Middlesex University
• Mott MacDonald
• Rolls-Royce
• Uber
• University of Birmingham
• University of Nottingham

Download CBI China, Celebrating CBI member success in China, April 2016

British Ambassadors to ASEAN visit Yunnan to promote cross-border collaboration

On 07-08 March, the first ever delegation of British Ambassadors to Southeast Asian countries visited Kunming in Yunnan province to promote cross-border collaboration between the U.K., China, and its Southeast Asian neighbours.

The visit was organised by the British Consulate-General in Chongqing. Invited by Tina Redshaw, British Consul-General in Chongqing, British Ambassadors and senior diplomats from Burma, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam, with Philip Malone, Deputy Director of the Southeast Asia Department of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) in London, visited Kunming, which plays a strategic role in China’s One Belt, One Road initiative.

The delegation’s aim was to understand how Yunnan’s government is positioning the province as a gateway to Southeast Asia and to explore the prospect of deepening U.K.-Yunnan-Southeast Asia economic and trade co-operation.

In Kunming, the delegation held a roundtable with Yunnan government authorities to understand Yunnan’s development and its engagement with Southeast Asia and its history of cross-border collaboration. They also met business representatives in Kunming to understand their investment plans in Southeast Asia, the challenges and opportunities they face, and how the British embassies in the region might play a bigger role in facilitating cross-border collaboration.

The delegation also visited Shilin Experimental Solar Power Plant to learn about the state of renewable energy development in Yunnan and its collaboration with Southeast Asia in this sector.

Together with partners in Southwest China, the Consulate General in Chongqing is keen to deepen relationships as part of the “golden era” of China and U.K. relations following Chinese President Xi Jinping’s state visit last year.

The latest symbol of that is a friendship partnership agreement signed in February between Kunming and Liverpool. The cities will forge closer collaboration in healthcare, life sciences, green energy, and the creative industries.

Tina Redshaw, Consul-General said, “We hope to increase multilateral understanding in the region through the visit and to encourage more regional co-operation.” Please read more here.

Myanmar - PwC Doing Business Guide & CBI Myanmar Summary

 

China Direct will be focusing on the ASEAN region through 2016 in order to provide additional business intelligence and support to its China and regionally based CBI members. This exciting new initiative has already begun to build links with CBI members in Thailand and will be linking in to other markets shortly.

Please find PwC's Myanmar Business Guide and the CBI Beijing office's Myanmar Business Overview below for your reference.

Download PwC, Myanmar Business Guide, July 2015

Download CBI China, Myanmar Briefing, December 2015.docx

 

Focus On Chongqing - China's Regional City Series

 

Following President Xi's recent visit to Chongqing last week China Direct's Beijing team has prepared a short summary of Chongqing with key facts on the municipality, the One Belt One Road initiative and UK member engagement in the city.

For more information on opportunities in Chongqing and SW China please contact the British Consulate in Chongqing directly here.

Download Chongqing highlights

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UK-China Monthly Roundup: December 2015

 

Dear CBI members & partners,

 

Please find below the final UK-China Monthly Partners Round Up for 2015.

Highlights include:

• British Consulate-General in Chongqing hosts Green is GREAT Day
• CBBC’s China roadshow for its One Belt, One Road report and plans for 2016
• CBBC’s third annual Great British Brands Festival series
• Chinese Ambassador to U.K. attends Huawei Winter Concert in London
• China Chamber of Commerce in U.K. holds first New Year reception
• EBRD approves China membership application
• U.K. and Hong Kong sign MOU on health co-operation
• U.K. IPO Chief Executive John Alty visits China
• U.K. ratifies Articles of Agreement of Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB)
• U.K. and China agree to promote cooperation on climate change risk assessment

The China Direct team would like to wish you and your loved ones a very happy Christmas and New Year.

Download CBI China, U.K.-China Monthly Roundup, December 2015