China Direct

Royal Mail Group launches partnership with ZJS Express

 
[Image courtesy of www.royalmail.com]

 CBI member Royal Mail Group recently announced that GLS, its European parcels business, is forming a partnership with ZJS Express, a leading national Chinese express company.

The partnership will provide a new, fully tracked, business-to-business parcel delivery service from China to Europe, including the U.K.

GLS will provide a gateway to Europe for Chinese exporters with its service delivery platform and logistics technology. ZJS will become a GLS global partner, bringing coverage across China and local knowledge. The association will trade in China as Euro Business Parcel, a GLS established service brand. Parcelforce Worldwide will act as its delivery arm in the U.K.

Mark Thomson, Managing Director International at Royal Mail Group, said, "China is a key trading partner for Europe. The China-to-Europe parcels market is growing rapidly. Last year, China was the biggest exporter of goods to the E.U. This presents us with a great opportunity to link our European operations with ZJS Express' network for the benefit of Chinese businesses exporting to Europe."

Chen Xiaobao, President of ZJS, said, "ZJS Express has a well-established, trusted reputation for providing high-quality next-day and two-day parcel service in China across provinces, cities, counties, and districts from remote outposts such as Huoerguosi Port in Xingjing to great cities such as Shanghai and Xi'an. This cooperation now enables us to meet our customers' demands to extend our high-quality service to major European countries."

Please click here to read the full press release by Royal Mail Group.

2012 UK Now - the UK's largest arts festival in China - dates for your diary

 

[Image courtesy of www.britishcouncil.org.cn]

Dear CBI members,

We are delighted to let you know that UK Now, the biggest British arts festival in China ever, will be held next year between April and November, featuring hundreds of world-class events in 15 cities across China.

Key goals of UK Now include showcasing the quality, diversity, breadth, and innovation of artistic Britain and celebrating China and the UK as consecutive hosts of the Olympic Games.

Please find attached below a bilingual overview of UK Now.

Download UK Now fast facts EN & CN

UK Now's events programme will be wide-ranging and inclusive, covering all the art forms. Events will include exhibitions, concerts, performances, talks, workshops, collaborative projects, online activities, competitions, etc.

UK Now is sponsored by CBI members including British Airways, Burberry, Diageo, HSBC, InterContinental Hotels Group, Norton Rose, Prudential, and Standard Chartered.

For more information about UK Now please contact either Ms. Hannah Douglas or Ms. Sam Christie.

hannah.douglas@britishcouncil.org.cn tel: 00 86 10 65906903 ext 362

sam.christie@britishcouncil.org.cn tel: 00 86 10 65906903 ext 266  

Opportunities for UK businesses in China Regional Cities Report

 

The China-Britain Business Council and the Centre for International Business at CBI member The University of Leeds have prepared an updated research report on 'Opportunities for UK Businesses in China's Regional Cities' on behalf of UK Trade & Investment (UKTI).

The original report, published in September 2008, focused on the market expansion and development of China's regional cities and the relevance of this to British businesses.

However, the last three years have seen major changes to the international economic landscape, with the global financial crisis and UK recession having a deep impact on British businesses and their internationalisation prospects.

The new report presents the findings of research conducted this year.

Please click here to access the latest version of the 'Opportunities for UK Businesses in China's Regional Cities' report.

 

European Business in China - 2011/2 Position Paper launch

 

 
[Image courtesy of www.euccc.com.cn]

Yesterday, the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China (EUCCC) released its 2011/2012 Position Paper, which provides an overview of the views of many European companies doing business in China.

The Position Paper is the product of six months of consultation, which involved hundreds of companies and individuals from European businesses operating across China.

The report includes chapters on a wide range of sectors, including aviation, construction, information and communication technology, logistics, maritime transport, travel, banking & securities, insurance, private equity, etc.

The report also includes chapters on numerous cities and regions across China, including Beijing, Chengdu, Chongqing, Nanjing, the Pearl River Delta, Shanghai, Shenyang and Tianjin.

Highlights from the 2011/2012 Position Paper include:

     • China's strategic importance for global companies is rapidly increasing.
     • Key goals outlined in China's 12th Five-Year Plan (2011-2015) such as upgrading the industrial 
       sector, developing the service sector and encouraging innovation and green development match the 
       strengths of European companies in managerial know-how, the provision of services and green 
       and advanced technology.
     • The Position Paper brings together a significant number of recommendations for both Chinese and 
       European policymakers.

The CBI, together with the China-Britain Business Council (CBBC) , is organising the launch of the Position Paper in London on 22 September, which will be hosted by leading global insurance broker and CBI member Willis Group.

Pleease click here to read the Executive Summary of the Position Paper and here to access the full report.

Standard Chartered expands in Xian

 

 
[Image courtesy of www.standardchartered.com]

Yesterday, CBI member Standard Chartered opened a branch office in Xi'an, the capital of Shaanxi province, which will offer a wide range of financial services to corporate clients, SMEs and individuals. 

Commenting on the launch of the Xi'an branch, Jaspal Bindra, Group Executive Director and Asia CEO for Standard Chartered, said, "The opening of our Xi'an branch is a key step for our expansion in western China and deepens our commitment to customers and clients as well as the community." Standard Chartered now has four branches in western China.

Please read more here.  

Boeing and AVIC to set up new maunfacturing and innovation centre in China

 

 
[Image courtesy of www.boeing.com]

Earlier last week, CBI member Boeing and Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC), China's largest state-owned aviation company, signed an agreement to launch the AVIC-Boeing Manufacturing Innovation Centre in Xi’an, the capital of Shaanxi Province in central China. 

The new centre, scheduled to open in early 2012, will provide classroom training for AVIC employees as well as hands-on training for workers in AVIC factories.

 Increasing AVIC's efficiency and capacity to supply high-quality components for Boeing airplanes will in turn improve Boeing's production system. In addition, the centre will also help AVIC move closer towards achieving its objective of improving its manufacturing and technological capabilities to achieve global Tier-1 supplier status.

As the initial work statement of the new centre, Boeing also announced that it had awarded a contract to manufacture 737 rudders to Chengfei Commercial Aircraft Co. (CCAC), an AVIC company located in Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan Province in southwestern China.

Commenting on the new agreement, Boeing Commercial Airplanes President and CEO Jim Albaugh said, "As a company in a global market poised for tremendous growth, we need to increase both the capacity and capabilities of our supply chain. The AVIC-Boeing Manufacturing Innovation Centre is consistent with our approach of partnering with suppliers to enhance their quality and productivity. AVIC has been a valuable supplier partner to Boeing for many years. This agreement is an opportunity to advance their capabilities and add value for Boeing and our customers."

Please click here to read Boeing's official press release.

Bentley driving ahead in China

 

 

[Image courtesy of www.bentleymotors.com]

Leading luxury automaker and CBI member Bentley sold 396 vehicles in China in the first quarter of 2011, up two-thirds from one year earlier.

The new sales results mean that China is now officially Bentley's second-largest market in the world, surpassing the UK and accounting for a quarter of the British automaker’s global sales. 

Bentley's sales in China have soared in recent years as the country's pool of extremely wealthy people continues to expand rapidly on the back of China's torrid economic growth.

In 2010, Bentley's China sales nearly doubled, reaching almost 1,000 units.

According to a survey of nearly 400 mainland Chinese millionaires conducted by Hurun magazine earlier this year, respondents identified the Bentley Continental Flying Spur as their favorite luxury car (self-drive), indicating the tremendous popularity of the Bentley brand in China.

Last week, Bentley held its global dealer conference in Beijing, marking the first time that the company had held such an important global event in China and signaling the top priority it attaches to the Chinese market.

Commenting on Bentley's outlook for China, Geoff Dowding, Bentley's Regional Director for Asia and the Middle East, said during the conference that, "We expect a significant growth in China in 2011, and China will be our biggest market in the foreseeable future."

To meet surging Chinese demand, Bentley plans to significantly expand its distribution capabilities in the country and aims to open new dealerships in the cities of Wenzhou, Zhengzhou, Ordos, Xi'an and Taiyuan this year. Bentley already has 13 dealerships across China.

Please read more here and here.

China Direct would like to thank Ben Cooper of the CBI's Beijing office for providing this briefing.

 

Manpower's China Employment Outlook Survey 2011 Q1 - Key Facts

 

  
[Image courtesy of www.manpower.com.cn]

CBI member company Manpower has very kindly shared with China Direct its 2011 quarterly China Employment Outlook Survey.

This useful survey is essential reading for employers and employees active in China. It analyses 16 regional cities and provides helpful sectoral comparisons in addition to an assessment of global employment trends.

Please download below:

Download 2011Q1 MEOS_EN

China Direct will also provide Manpower's Q2 Survey results later this week.

For more information please contact Manpower on 00 86 21 58782618 or apple.xu@manpower.com.cn     

Stop Press: China's 2010 Census - making sense of the results

 

Today saw the release of population statistics collated during Nov 2010's China census.

Headlines:

Population (2010): 1.34 billion

Population (1953): 594 million

Urban: 49.7% (+13.7% 2000 Census)

Aged 60+: 13.3% (+3%)

Aged <14: 16.6% (-6.29% )

Av size of household: 3.1 (-0.34%)

To read the NBS Press Release please click here.

Please refer to China Direct's original article on the 2010 Census on 04 November 2010.

Kindly select 'archives' from the menu above and month/year to access.

China's new cities - economic powerhouses of the future?

 

 
[Image courtesy of McKinsey & Company]

Leading management consulting firm and CBI member McKinsey & Company has issued a report titled, "Urban world: Mapping the economic power of cities," which projects a shift in the centre of gravity of the urban world to emerging markets in the south and the east.

According to McKinsey, 600 urban centres account for roughly 60% of global GDP today.

In 2007, half of global GDP came from 380 cities in developed regions.

However, McKinsey forecasts that one-third of these developed market cities will fall out of the top 600 ranking by 2025, with 136 new cities from developing markets entering the top 600.

China will account for the overwhelming majority of these new economic centres, contributing 100 cities.

Click here to access the full McKinsey report and here to read additional media coverage.

China Direct would like to thank Ben Cooper, Policy Analyst, CBI Beijing, for this contribution