Showing posts with label European Union. Show all posts
Showing posts with label European Union. Show all posts

Tuesday, March 30, 2021

Why China hits back at H&M and other European companies – Shaun Rein

 

Shaun Rein at the BBC

European sanctions against China triggered off a backlash against fashion brand H&M and business analyst Shaun Rein explains at the BBC why China’s consumers are starting boycotts against European companies like H&M.

Shaun Rein is a speaker at the China Speakers Bureau. Do you need him at your (online) meeting or conference? Do get in touch or fill in our speakers’ request form.

Are you looking for more strategic experts at the China Speakers Bureau? Do check out this list.


Friday, January 08, 2021

Winners of the China-EU investment agreement – Mark Schaub

Mark Schaub

The finalization of the China-EU investment agreement – after seven years of negotiations – on December 30, 2020, is a big deal, says London-based China lawyer Mark Schaub in an overview of the fallout of the deal for the China Law Insight. “Is it a Big Deal? – Yes. China is the EU’s second-largest trading partner and the EU is China’s largest trading partner. Over Euro1 billion per day of trade flows between these two giants.”

Mark Schaub:

Living in London for the last year and being subjected to Brexit 24/7 made one feel as if the approval of the Brexit deal by the UK parliament was less news but rather the season finale of a reality TV show. However, as luck would have it 30 December had 2 not 1 big trade stories with China and the EU agreement major terms in principle of the EU-China Comprehensive Investment Agreement (“the EU-China Agreement”).

Like Brexit the EU-China Agreement still needs to go through an approval process. Although, ultimate approval seems likely it is less certain than the approval of the Brexit deal. Indeed, when one remembers that in 2016 the Wallonia region was able to hold up the EU’s free trade deal with an innocuous Canada – the risk of derailment cannot be fully excluded.

Is it a Big Deal? – Yes. China is the EU’s second-largest trading partner and the EU is China’s largest trading partner. Over Euro1 billion per day of trade flows between these two giants. In a world of increasing friction in cross border trade and investment the EU-China Agreement is a welcome signal that the large trading blocs (or at least two of them) see benefit in aligning and opening their markets as well as providing business with greater certainty and predictability. 2020 has not been great for predictability or certainty.

What Does it Cover? The main pillars of the EU-China Agreement are: (1) market access, (2) level playing field and (3) sustainable development.

A very brief overview is as follows:

Market Access – China will provide greater market access for European investors in China – this will be in some ways a concept similar to how Hong Kong SAR has been provided greater access under CETA. From China’s perspective the EU-China Agreement guarantees existing market access rights to EU markets in sectors like agriculture and fisheries (there they are again I never knew until recently the core importance of fishing to the world economy!). Chinese companies will also have greater access to sectors such as manufacturing, retail, wholesale and renewable energy. For EU business China has committed to an unprecedented increase in market access for EU investors by removing protectionist restrictions[1]

Which Sectors are the Winners?

Sectors that will benefit include:

Manufacturing – especially automotive, transport vehicles, medical devices and chemicals. However, China will still be able to block foreign investment in some sectors, especially those with significant overcapacity or particularly sensitive sectors[2] – but they do this also to domestic companies. The NDRC has clamped down on damaging overcapacity for decades. One example is that it will not be possible to establish or expand capacity in respect of traditional petrol-powered automobiles unless the existing factory’s productivity exceeds the industry average. Similar restrictions have applied to Chinese domestic enterprises for decades.

Services – in particular financial, international maritime, environmental, construction, computing, auxiliary air transport services, cloud services, and private health services. However, in some areas restrictions will remain and in others EU investment will be off-limits such as China’s internet services market (except for end user internet access services) and some fund management services.[3]

More at the China Law Insight.

Mark Schaub is a speaker at the China Speakers Bureau. Do you need him at your (online) meeting or conference? Do get in touch or fill in our speakers’ request form.

Are you looking for more stories by Mark Schaub? Do check out this list.

Thursday, June 18, 2020

EU has no choice but work with China - Shirley Ze Yu

Shirley Ze Yu
The European Union needs to cooperate with China, argues Harvard scholar Shirley Ze Yu at Bloomberg. While the EU is contracting because of the coronavirus pandemic, China is still showing positive predictions, although at a lower level than in the past. China is eager to expand it's Belt&Road Initiative, and Europe can make good use of it, she tells.

Shirley Ze Yu is a speaker at the China Speakers Bureau. Do you need her at your (online) meeting or conference? Do get in touch or fill in our speakers' request form.

At the China Speakers Bureau, we start to organize online seminars. Are you interested in our plans? Do get in touch.

Are you looking for more experts on the Belt&Road initiative? Do check out this list.

Friday, June 22, 2012

Taiwan turns to Europe for heli's - Wendell Minnick

Wendell Minnick
As a first sign Europe might be turning away from its weapon embargo against Taiwan by deploying  three Eurocopter EC225 helicopters, sending a message to Washington, writes defense analyst Wendell Minnick in Defense News.

Wendell Minnick:
The three SAR helicopters will go into service in July during a ceremony presided over by Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou. The procurement is the first European defense sale to Taiwan in two decades and sources in the MND complain that procuring the EC225 sends the wrong message to Washington, which has continued to provide arms to Taiwan despite threats by Beijing. 
Europe has declined to sell weaponized platforms to Taiwan due to pressure from China. The EC225 SAR falls outside that restriction and Europe has shunned defense deals to Taiwan for fear of angering China, a far more potent market for European aerospace and non-offensive defense systems. 
Savaged by economic problems, the European Union appears ready to lift the arms embargo placed on China after the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre.
More in Defense News.

Wendell Minnick is a speaker at the China Speakers Bureau. Do yo need him at your meeting or conference? Do get in touch or fill in our speakers' request form.
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