FDI and Foreign Trade

China’s Provincial GDP Figures in 2011

Two-thirds of China’s provinces report GDP figures over RMB1 trillion (US$158 billion) in 2011

By Julia Gu

Jan. 27 – Preliminary statistics show that China’s GDP grew at a robust 9.2 percent in 2011 to RMB47.16 trillion (US$7.26 trillion), the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said last week at a press conference.

While this rate represents a drop of 1.2 percent compared to the 10.4 percent GDP growth experienced in 2010, last year’s growth rate was still 1.2 percent above the 8 percent year-on-year growth target set at the beginning of 2011. Continue reading →

China-India Business Update: Jan. 25

Jan. 25 – Welcome to our China-India round up in which we examine the latest bilateral news and commentary affecting foreign investment in the two countries.

Here we provide a list of recent India news of interest to China-based business individuals who may be considering doing business in, or with, India.

New Issue of India Briefing: FDI and Manufacturing Electronics in India
In this issue of India Briefing Magazine, we walk you through the National Manufacturing Policy, the draft National Policy Electronics, and other related policies and schemes key to foreign investment in the sector.

India’s Top Six Cities – Complimentary City Guides!
Asia Briefing takes a closer look at India’s top six cities (by GDP) in the newly released Indian city guides for Mumbai, New Delhi, Kolkata, Bangalore, Chennai and Hyderabad. Continue reading →

Posted in Business, FDI and Foreign Trade, Markets | Tagged China Alternative, China FDI, China-India Business Update, India FDI | Leave a comment

U.S. to Investigate Wind Tower Imports from China, Vietnam

Jan. 24 – The U.S. Department of Commerce (USDoC) announced last Thursday that it was launching a probe into the country’s wind tower imports from China and Vietnam, a move that could lead to an escalation of the clean energy trade disputes between the world’s two largest economies. The Chinese and Vietnamese wind tower producers may face steep anti-dumping duties if they lose the case.

The Wind Tower Trade Coalition – a group of U.S. wind tower companies including Broadwind Energy Inc. and DMI Industries – filed a petition last month and said it was seeking anti-dumping duties of 64 percent on imports from China and 59 percent from Vietnam. Continue reading →

Posted in Business, FDI and Foreign Trade | Tagged China U.S. Trade War, Renewable Energy, Trade Disputes, Wind Power, Wind Towers | Leave a comment

The China Ripples – Emerging Asia Beckons

China’s 2012 growth rates compared with other emerging Asian economies

Op-Ed Commentary: Chris Devonshire-Ellis

Jan. 23 – The development of China over the past 30 years has changed global trade dynamics beyond imagination. That it is also kick-starting a previously laid back Asia is also beyond doubt, and of huge strategic importance to multinationals keen to maintain growth rates and sustainable profits.

As much of the West continues to struggle with the lingering fallout of the Global Financial Crisis, and with low growth rates expected everywhere across the United States and most of Europe, getting growth back into multinational companies not already expanding in Asia is a task that unites the entire Eurozone and the United States. With GDP growth in all these areas either minimal, static or at worst, entering recession, emerging Asia offers a way out. Growth in China has been slowing, but it is still buoyant at an expected 7 percent to 8 percent for 2012; and India has recently overtaken China in terms of the highest GDP growth of a major global economy. India’s GDP is expected to grow by 8.5 percent to 9 percent this year. Continue reading →

Posted in Business, Economy and Politics, FDI and Foreign Trade | Tagged ASEAN Investment, China Alternative, Emerging Asia, Singapore Holding Company | 2 Comments

China, UK Announce Joint Scientific Research Projects

Joint investments will flow smart grid and stem cell projects

Jan. 20 – During his two-day visit to Beijing this week, the U.K. Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne said that the United Kingdom had signed deals with China to conduct joint research on stem cells and smart grids. A total of GBP6.8 million (US$10.52 million) will be injected into these projects.

Both the UK and Chinese sides plan to invest around GBP3 million to support the research work on smart grids being carried out by the Research Council’s UK Energy Program and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC). Continue reading →

Posted in FDI and Foreign Trade, Science and Tech | Tagged China UK Investment, China UK Investment on Smart Grids, China UK Investment on Stem Cells, George Osborne Asia Visit, London Offshore RMB Center, UK Chancellor of Exchequer George Osborne | Leave a comment

Zhejiang to Invest RMB2 Billion into Oceanic Economy

Jan. 17 – In order to exploit its massive “oceanic productivity potential,” the Chinese eastern coastal province of Zhejiang is looking to establish a special RMB1 billion fund for the development of its oceanic economy, and another separate RMB1 billion fund for the promotion of its oceanic industries.

The RMB2 billion investment will mainly focus on the advancement of emerging oceanic industries, the development as well as protection of important islands, the expansion of bulk commodity exchange centers, and the improvement of port logistics information interconnection as well as interchange throughout Northeast Asia. Continue reading →

Posted in East China, FDI and Foreign Trade, Shipping & Logistics | Tagged China Bulk Commodity Exchange, China Logistics, China Oceanic Industries, China Shipping, China Uninhabited Island Development, China Zhejiang Oceanic Economy, Northeast Asia Port Logistics, Zhejiang Zhoushan Archipelago | Leave a comment

Dezan Shira & Associates Hits 20 Years in China

Dezan Shira & Associates' China partners, directors and senior managers. Responsible for several hundred employees, over 3,500 MNC clients in China and 12 China offices.

Interview with Chris Devonshire-Ellis

Jan. 9 – Dezan Shira & Associates celebrates its 20th birthday in China during 2012, making it one of the earliest foreign investment practices operating in China.

“I recall setting up in Shenzhen,” says the firm’s founder Chris Devonshire-Ellis. “It was during the very early days, and only a handful of professional services firms were in China at the time. Coudert Brothers and Freshfields were the big blue chip law firms, and I don’t think all of the Big Four had arrived in 1992 either. Most firms were in Beijing and a few in Shanghai, and the majority of these were Hong Kong-based practices. China hadn’t even liberalized their domestic legal and accounting industry at the time. Nearly all Chinese lawyers, accountants and auditors worked for the government; there was very little private enterprise in professional services back then.” Continue reading →

Posted in Business, Economy and Politics, FDI and Foreign Trade, Featured | Tagged China Alternatives, China Expansion, Chris Devonshire-Ellis, Dezan Shira & Associates, Interview | Leave a comment

2012 Foreign Investment Catalog – English Version

Jan. 9 – As we reported earlier, the new edition of China’s Foreign Investment Catalog has been released for the first time since 2007. It contains details of FDI policies in China, and again we summarized these in our previous article.

We have now translated the catalog; please find it available for complimentary PDF download here. Continue reading →