China to ease requirements to British firms entering China

Posted on 19/01/2015 by BCC LinkToChina

According to the Guangdong Economic and Trade Office in the UK, Chinese government has today published a draft (in Chinese) “China Foreign Investment Act” for public consultation.

The new law will streamline and simplify the requirements and procedures of foreign companies investing in China, effectively granting foreign firm the much sought-after ‘domestic status’ except those under clear designated “control measures” — either restricted or prohibited, or on a clearly defined “negative list”. The old practice of seeking government approval before registering a joint-venture or a wholly foreign owned enterprise will be the things of the past once the new law is passed.

Once implemented, the three major existing laws on regulating foreign investment registration and operations will be replaced by this single Act. Detailed annual reporting of business operations will fall within the remit of the Company Act.

This will significantly reduce the complicated procedures for British companies and organisations hoping to set up and have a presence in China, especially for British SMEs.

As reported by BCC LinkToChina twitter this month, Guangdong Province has been proved to set up multi-locations Free Trade Area covering more than 100 km square and including parts of Guangzhou (Canton), Shenzhen and Zhuhai. the FTA will be piloting and testing ground for many newer open door policies designed to speed-heading development of emerging sectors and new growth sectors.

 

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Working with China on Technology, Innovation and R&D through Partnership and IPR protection

Posted on 14/11/2014 by BCC LinkToChina

British SMEs interested in the following areas will benefited from a well supported programme designed to encourage technology and innovation:

  • Looking for a partner in China for R&D and technology cooperation
  • Developing new prototype with support and IPR protection
  • Turning prototype into commercial products
  • Seeking new agent / distributor in China market for existing technologies
  • A UK university team to support product/technology development
  • A Chinese team to support product/technology development and localisation
  • Funding opportunity for new product / technologies development
  • IPR protection / trade mark & patent registration in China

The Lancaster China Catalyst programme will be present and promoted at two of the Thames Valley Chambers free events:

24th Nov 2014 Meet the Chamber (Easthampstead Park Conference Centre, Bracknell Forest)

5th December 2014 Thames Valley Technology Forum (Telefonica O2, Slough)

Registration with Thames Valley Chamber of Commerce website at the links above.

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Chinese telecom industry eyes Thames Valley

Posted on 17/10/2014 by BCC LinkToChina

The Chinese telecommunication sector is one of the key sectors set for further market liberation and expansion in the new phase of China economic reform.

Ruth Bagley, CEO, Slough Borough Council, was invited to present the case of Thames Valley and Slough to the delegation.

Ruth Bagley, CEO, Slough Borough Council, was invited to present the case of Thames Valley and Slough to the delegation.

Senior representatives of The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and senior sector regulators from 20 provinces of China gathered in the head office of BCC LinkToChina today for an one-day workshop about UK and China telecommunication market and sector opportunities. Strategic partners of LinkToChina impressed the delegation about Thames Valley’s as the Silicon Valley of the UK and the hub of telecommunication industries in the extensive exchange.

Posted in China market, Chinese economic reform, Chinese Inward delegations, Telecommunication | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Chinese Financial Industry Delegation visited Thames Valley

Posted on 17/10/2014 by BCC LinkToChina

A large Chinese government and industrial delegation have visited Thames Valley through BCC LinkToChina and sought potential opportunities for cooperation. The Group, consisting of 18 bankers, district financial authorities, investment companies, security traders and pension regulators from the Municipality of Tianjin visited LinkToChina’s head office on Thursday this week in Slough and met its strategic partners.

 

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Hong Kong Seminar: High Tech Opportunities

Posted on 01/10/2014 by BCC LinkToChina

We cordially invite you to attend the “Think Asia, Think Hong Kong: opportunities in a High-Growth Region” business seminar, organized by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council.

The seminar will highlight the latest developments and trends in Hong Kong which will enable your business to establish and strengthen trade and investment links with the rising Asia. You will also hear from local Oxford businesses that have succeeded using the Hong Kong platform.

 

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Innovating with China – the Catalyst Programme

Posted on 22/09/2014 by BCC LinkToChina

Breakfast Seminar:

Innovating with China for the Chinese and Global Markets

TVCOC NEW LOGO Aug 2012

08:00 Wednesday 22nd October 2014 (Registration at 07:30)

Mansion House, Wokefield Park, Goodboys Lane, Reading, RG7 3AH

British companies interested in developing international business partnership with China, especially in commercialising products, services and technologies, can be helped by support such as finding matched Chinese partners, specialist sector expert teams in both UK and China, specially arranged market visits, and a research and post-graduate product development team.

The Lancaster China Catalyst Programme – www.lancaster.ac.uk/china-catalyst – is an exciting programme of such assistance. With funding from the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE), Lancashire County Council and participating businesses, the programme will provide a wide range of bespoke support worth over £70K aimed at helping each participating British company develop an international collaborative R&D and commercialisation project with a Chinese partner.

It seeks to enhance international innovation capacity, and potentially unlock significant amounts of grant funding from the Guangdong Provincial Department of Science and Technology (GDST).

Over the course of this exciting journey, UK companies will work on commercialisation and business plans to adapt both existing, as well as developing new products, processes and services for the Chinese and/or global markets.

A programme brochure is available for download here: 1410 Innovating with China – China_Catalyst project brochure

Such is the popularity of the programme, the Lancaster China Catalyst Programme already has 16 UK technology companies signed up and, having visited Guangdong to meet potential partners in early September, they are now part way through their innovation journey with China – http://www.lancaster.ac.uk/china-catalyst/projects/uk-projects-2014/

Speakers at the seminar will include senior programme managers and a China (Guangdong) market specialist:

0730 Registration and coffee

0800 Breakfast

0830 Presentations

“Chinese Reverse Innovation” by Dr. Simone Corsi, Lancaster China Catalyst Programme Manager

“The Lancaster China Catalyst Programme: Benefits for UK Companies” by Mark Beresford, UK China Project Manager, Lancaster University

“Doing Business in Guangdong and China” by Dr Kegang Wu, Chief Representative, Guangdong Economic and Trade Office in the UK

0930 Q&A

1000 Networking and One-to-one with the Lancaster China Catalyst project team

Speaker profiles can be found in the BCC LinkToChina website –Speaker profiles

Strong interest has already come from UK companies so far signed up in environmental, low carbon/energy, health & well-being, advanced/high value manufacturing, transport, ICT, Semiconductor Lighting (LED), New Energy Vehicles, Biotechnology, High Tech Equipment Manufacturing, New and Advanced Materials, digital and creative sectors which aligns well with Lancaster University’s specific area expertise.

The Lancaster China Catalyst Programme is interested in companies in a broad range of sectors.

The seminar is free and places are limited. Criteria applied.

Free parking available. Click the link for a location map and directions to the Mansion House, Wokefield Park

For registration please complete the online contact form. For further information please contact Thames Valley Chamber of Commerce on 01753 870500 or BCC LinkToChina on 01753 870571

Companies interested in having an one-to-one with the speakers and the project team are invited to complete an Expression of Interest form which can be obtained and returned to Thames Valley Chamber of Commerce or BCC LinkToChina – info@linktochina.org.uk

 

 

Posted in British Export, Business matchmaking opportunities, China market, Guangdong, Visit China, 广东 | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

China simplifies rules to spur investment overseas

Posted on 12/09/2014 by BCC LinkToChina

From October, most Chinese firms will no longer need government approval prior to their overseas investment, but they must register their investment with the authorities, under revised rules published by the Ministry of Commerce, as reported by Reuters.

China has simplified rules to make it easier for domestic companies to invest overseas, which will help local firms climb up the global value chain.

For state-own companies, the Ministry of Commerce, which reviews outbound investment applications from companies owned by the central government, will make decisions within 20 working days. The approval time limit for provincial commerce departments, which review applications from local firms, will be 15 working days.

The latest step is in line with the government’s recent reforms to cut red-tape to reduce the government’s administrative powers, the ministry said in a statement.

With the revised rules, deals larger than $1 billion must also be approved by the National Development and Reform Commission, Xinhua said last week.

The government has been encouraging outbound direct investment by local firms to help slow down the rapid build-up of the country’s foreign exchange reserves and help improve local firms’ competitiveness in the global market.

China’s outbound direct investment by non-financial firms hit $90.2 billion in 2013, up 16.8 percent from the previous year. Meanwhile, China attracted $117.6 billion in foreign direct investment (FDI) last year, up 5.3 percent from 2012.

Commerce ministry officials have predicted that China’s outbound investment could exceed foreign direct investment sometime in the near future.

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Guangdong Economic and Trade Office in the UK Unveiled

Posted on 04/07/2014 by BCC LinkToChina

Guangdong Province, the power house of Chinese economy in South China, has officially launched its Economic and Trade Office in Great Britain in an event on Friday, 27th June 2014.

Madam Zhao Yufang (Vice-Governor of Guangdong People’s Government) announced the office

Madam Zhao Yufang (Vice-Governor of Guangdong People’s Government) announced the office opening

Guangdong Economic and Trade Office is setup to represent the Guangdong Province in the UK and to promote, encourage and support the economic and trade exchange and cooperation between Guangdong and the UK. It will proactively support Guangdong companies doing business in the UK & Europe and British companies doing business in Guangdong and China.

Guangdong is the economic centre of Southern China. With its population at 104 million and GDP of $1 trillion, Guangdong leads Chinese regions  in successive decades not only in market size and economic scale but also in manufacturing, technology and international trade & investment.

In 2013 Guangdong reached a significant milestone: $1 trillion in GDP which makes up one-ninth of China’s total and $1 trillion in import and export, which accounts for one in four pounds of Chinese. Guangdong is the undisputed gateway of trading with China with its export amount to one in four pounds of Chinese export. A quarter of current British trade with China goes through Guangdong.

More and more Chinese companies from Guangdong are investing in the UK market. Leading technology companies like Huawei, ZTE, TPLink and Hytera have made Thames Valley and the areas around Heathrow — the Silicon Valley of Europe – home for their European HQ.

Establishment of official representation of Guangdong Province in the UK is to boost the ever expansion of trade and investment between the UK and Guangdong and South China. Guangdong is the economic driving force of Greater Pearl River Delta Region, which include Hong Kong and Macao.

In June 2014, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang led a large business delegation visiting the UK and signed a historic £18 billion worth of agreements.

Days after the visit of Li Keqiang, the Guangdong Economic and Trade Office was unveiled in Europe by Vice-governor of Guangdong People’s Government, Madam Zhao Yufang and a senior delegation from the Guangdong Government The announcement was made on 27th June 2014 at a seminar participated by more than 200 Guangdong and European businesses.

Madam Zhao Yufang (Vice-Governor of Guangdong People’s Government, front) announced the office together with a high level delegation which includes Guo Yuanqiang (Commissioner for Commerce, fifth from left), Chen Yanqiu (Chairman of Guangdong CCPIT, second from left), Su Caifang (Deputy Commissioner for Foreign Affair, first right), and Yang Rongsen (Commissioner for Tourism, fourth left)

Madam Zhao Yufang (Vice-Governor of Guangdong People’s Government, front) announced the office together with a high level delegation which includes Guo Yuanqiang (Commissioner for Commerce, fifth from left), Chen Yanqiu (Chairman of Guangdong CCPIT, second from left), Su Caifang (Deputy Commissioner for Foreign Affair, first right), and Yang Rongsen (Commissioner for Tourism, fourth left)

Witnessing the unveiling event are more than two hundreds European and Chinese officials and companies from a wide range of business sectors including environment, power engineering, lighting, energy, consumer goods and leather manufacturing, porcelain, digital technologies, machinery, etc.

Guangdong Delegations and EU companies at the launch event

Guangdong Delegations and EU companies at the launch event

Dr Kegang Wu, Executive Director of BCC LinkToChina, will head the office as its Chief Representative.

The Guangdong Office is collocated with BCC LinkToChina based at offices of Thames Valley Chamber of Commerce.

Paul Briggs, Chief Executive of the Chamber welcomes the arrival of Guangdong Office in the UK, “Thames Valley Chamber is delighted to be hosting the UK representative office for the province of Guangdong. We are keen to establish strong and meaningful commercial relationships with this exciting opportunity, which is set to benefit both the South East region and the UK as a whole.”

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Guangdong Shenzhen Promotion Seminar

Posted on 01/07/2014 by BCC LinkToChina

BCC LinkToChina has been informed that a delegation from the City of Shenzhen, Guangdong Province will promote its business opportunity in a free seminar to be held in London.

Speakers will include Head of Invest Shenzhen, Ms Zhang Feimeng.

For further details please contact the event organiser.

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Chinese Entrepreneurs Scoops Business Award

Posted on 19/05/2014 by BCC LinkToChina

A Chinese student-entrepreneur-led proposal Evercise won a £110,000 award at the UK CTC Entrepreneurship Award on 11th May in London.

Chinese investment in the UK is heating up and investing in UK is no longer the exclusive territory for the seasonal businessmen or large corporates. Five Chinese young entrepreneur groups battled it out in a tense final after winning through two previous rounds against hundreds of competitors in the last two months.

Dr Kegang Wu, who represents BCC LinkToChina, was among the judges in the final, encouraged more young Chinese entrepreneurs to set up businesses in the UK and offered support. The final and his post-award comments can be viewed on Youtube and PropellerTV which is a Chinese invested company and free on Skye 189.

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