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China's Greater Bay Area - Business Opportunities for Danish Companies

Date: June 26, 2024

Event: Webinar

The economic potential in China's Greater Bay Area (GBA) is immense, with its rapidly growing GDP surpassing 13 trillion yuan, a dynamic consumer market of 86 million people, and strategic infrastructure enhancements fostering a conducive environment for foreign companies.

Join us at this webinar, where we in collaboration with experts with extensive experience from the region, explore how financial sector openness and simplified market access in China's Greater Bay Area unlock business opportunities - Featuring insights from the case company: Lundbeck.

Click here to register (for DCBF, DCCC and DCCHK members only).

The Business Environment in the Greater Bay Area 
The Guangdong - Hong Kong - Macao Greater Bay Area, also simply known as the Greater Bay Area (GBA), is a megalopolis with the largest and most populated urban area among the four largest bay areas in the world. It consists of nine cities in China's Guangdong Province, being Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Dongguan, Foshan, Zhongshan, Zhuhai, Huizhou, Jiangmen & Zhaoqing, as well as the two special administrative regions, Hong Kong and Macao. The total population is 86 million people, or 5% of China's total, and is expected to rach 100 million by 2030. Since the announcement of the outline GBA development plan in 2019, the total GDP of the area has surpassed 13 trillion yuan. Already today, GBA is not only a huge and dynamic consumer market, but also a critical export hub accounting 37 % of China's exports. The GBA infrastructure includes five international airports, advanced high-speed railway connections, and three of the World's top ten container ports.

In December 2023, China revealed a three-year action plan for the GBA focusing on increasing openness in Mainland China's financial sector with the intention of enhancing the market environment in the GBA. The plan envisions simplified market entry procedures and institutional barrier elimination in order to reduce costs and promote a sound ecosystem for business and intends to ease regulatory standards potentially boosting the attractiveness of the GBA for foreign enterprises.

While the regulations and integration of the area are only starting to take shape these years, the GBA is envisioned by Chinese Government planners to become an integrated economic area by 2035.

Agenda:

• 09:00-09:05 - Welcome Remarks & Introduction
  by Hans Henrik Pontoppidan, Secretary General of DCBF
   
• 09:05-09:20 - Welcome Remarks on Danish Business in the Greater Bay Area
  by Søren Bindesbøll, Consul General at the Royal Danish Consulate in Guangzhou
   
• 09:20-09:35 - Overview of China’s Greater Bay Area
  by Professor XU Lihe, Associate Dean of GBA Institute, Guangdong University of Foreign Studies (GDUFS)
   
• 09:35-09:50 - China’s Global Rise: Trajectories, Opportunities and Challenges
  by Professor LI Xing, Adjunct Professor, Aalborg University, Guangdong Institute for International Strategies (GIIS)
   
• 09:50-10:05 - Company Case: How Lundbeck makes use of the GBA Opportunities
  by Minglei Zhu, Vice President for Government Affairs & Market Access, Lundbeck China
   
• 10:05-10:30 - Q&A and Closing Remarks

Speakers

• Søren Bindesbøll, Consul General of the Royal Danish Consulate in Guangzhou,
• Professor XU Lihe, associate dean of GBA Institute, Guangdong University of Foreign Studies (GDUFS)
• Professor LI Xing, Adjunct Professor, Aalborg University, Guangdong Institute for International Strategies (GIIS)
• Minglei Zhu, Vice President for Government Affairs & Market Access, Lundbeck China

Click here to register (for DCBF, DCCC and DCCHK members only).

Please contact info@dcbf.dk if you have any questions.

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Economic Security

Date: June 19, 2024

Event: Supported Webinar

This webinar is part of the webinar series 'Staying in Dialogue with China'. The series will bring you six webinars with distinguished China-based experts, concentrated between April and October 2024.

'Staying in Dialogue with China' is organized and hosted by China Macro Group (CMG), with Caixin Global as Anchor Partner, in cooperation with the China Europe International Business School (CEIBS), Chinaforum Bayern, Swissmem, the Swiss Chinese Chamber of Commerce (SCCC), the Danish-Chinese Business Forum (DCBF), SwissCham China, the Stein  am Rhein Symposium (stars), and the Sweden-China Trade Council (SCTC).

In the third webinar of this year’s “Staying in Dialogue with China” webinar series, Co-founder and Managing Director of CMG, Markus Hermann, will talk to Prof. WANG Zhengxu, Professor at the Department of Political Science, School of Public Affairs at Zhejiang University about China’s “economic security” as a third structural transition as per CMG’s conceptual framework of China’s political economy.

From adopting the two policy concepts “holistic view of national security” (总体国家安全观) at the 19th Party Congress in 2017 and “coordinating development and security” (统筹发展和安全) with the 14th Five-Year-Plan in March 2021 respectively, Chinese policymakers have visibly made ‘risk management”, or in EU terms “de-risking”, a strategic priority in China’s policymaking in recent years. Even though economic security is only one of sixteen security concepts of China’s broad national security notion, we use it as the main term to discuss security interests of Chinese government with highest relevance for foreign business engaging in the Chinese market.

This development was driven by a confluence of factors at play in 2020, the main year of the drafting of the 14th FYP, including China’s hardened perception of the US’ intent to contain its further rise, persisting development challenges, previously introduced ideological reframing such as the “new era” and “high-quality development” and then, importantly, President Xi’s personal reflections in the form of a pivotal speech following the initial containment of the Covid pandemic in April 2020. Since the Central Economic Work Conference held at the end of 2023, however, a recalibration of security needs can be observed through policy articulations and new concepts such as the need for a “positive interaction” between “high-quality development” and “high-level security”.

Against this dynamic backdrop, this webinar discusses evolving security needs and risk perceptions of the Chinese government, the implementation of ‘economic security’ in China’s policymaking today – for instance through concepts and policies such as “self-reliance”, “bottleneck technologies”, “manufacturing champions”, “local supply chain ecosystems” or the “new system for mobilizing resources nationwide” – as well as what this means for foreign business.

Members of DCBF can register for free - Click here to read more and sign up!

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Hummel - Creating a Sustainable Brand Succes in the Ultra-Competitive Chinese Market

Date: June 18, 2024

Event: Webinar

Join us at this webinar to experience the fascinating story of how Hummel, one of the most iconic Danish fashion brands, managed to break through in the Chinese market and achieve strong growth while being true to its original brand DNA. Bjørn Karlsen, Brand Director at Leaf Digital and one of the main driving forces behind hummel’s success, will take you along on the journey from wrestling with distributor management, creating a relatable and authentic local brand image, running social and e-com channels to the all-important localized content production.

The webinar will also dig into the crucial question of how to create and support a long-lasting brand cycle in China, which is proving elusive for so many brands.

Click here to register (for DCBF, DCCC and DCCHK members only).

Speaker

Bjørn Ingwar Karlsen, Brand lead & partner at Leaf Digital

Bjørn Ingwar Karlsen has lived and worked in China for 15 years driving commercial success for Danish brands in the market. With a background that stretches across most aspects of working with branding in China, Bjørn has unique insights on how to run a foreign brand in China and avoid the many potential pitfalls. Currently, Bjørn is a partner at the Shanghai-Aarhus based digital agency Leaf Digital, where he is making sure clients are always on top of the developments in China’s fast-changing SoMe and e-commerce landscapes.

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Launch Event: “Survey of Danish Companies in China 2024”

Date: June 12, 2024

Event: Webinar

DCBF hereby invites our members to the launch event of the ‘Survey of Danish Companies in China 2024’, where the main findings of the survey will be presented, followed by a presentation of the current environment for Danish companies in China. The event takes place in Beijing, but members based in Denmark have the option to participate online.

• Keynote speech. The Danish Ambassador to China, Thomas Østrup Møller, will deliver a keynote address, offering a comprehensive analysis of the current state of Danish companies in China. He will discuss the key findings of the survey, highlighting the challenges and opportunities faced by Danish businesses operating in the Chinese market.
• Panel Discussion. A diverse panel of experts from various sectors will share their perspectives and experiences. The discussion will delve into the primary challenges, such as global geopolitical tensions and economic uncertainties, and explore the opportunities arising from increased Chinese competitiveness and the favourable R&D environment.

Join us online for this hybrid event to keep yourself informed about the latest developments in China and to gain a deeper understanding of the business landscape for Danish companies in China.

Members of DCBF can register for free - Click here to read more and sign up!

About the survey

The Embassy of the Kingdom of Denmark in China, Beijing, Danish-Chinese Business Forum (DCBF), Sino-Danish Center for Education and Research (SDC), Danich Chamber of Commerce in China (DCCC) and Danish Export Association in China (DEA) have jointly produced the third edition of the Survey of Danish Companies in China. The first report was published in 2020 and the second in 2022. Based on comprehensive data from 91 companies, the survey provides an updated snapshot of Danish companies’ perceptions of their activities in China in 2024, in comparison to previous years.

The survey estimates the importance of China to the Danish business community, covering themes such as; their expectations on growth perspectives, challenges faced, local innovation and R&D levels, expectations concerning staffing and future investments, and the interesting question of the actual/planned level of decoupling, de-risking and China+1 issues.

Please contact info@dcbf.dk if you have any questions.

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Navigating Cross-Border Data Rules: A Practical Guide for EU SMEs

Date: May 16, 2024

Event: Supported Webinar

How do the new regulations on cross-border data flows released by China change the compliance requirements for your business?

The implications of the Chinese restrictions on cross-border data transfers are a major cause for concern for foreign companies operating in China. DCBF recently conducted a webinar about the significant implications for businesses. However, given its current relevance and to ensure inclusivity for those who may have missed it, we cordially extend an invitation to you for this upcoming webinar hosted by the EU SME Centre and European Union Chamber of Commerce in China.

About the webinar:

The Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) has recently introduced the “Regulations on Promoting and Regulating Cross-Border Data Flows”, which came into effect on 22 March 2024, replacing previous regulations from 2022. These new regulations bring about significant changes, such as relaxed timelines, reduced documentation requirements, and exemptions for data transfer, especially concerning employee data.

Despite the perceived relaxation and clarity brought by the new regulations, it is crucial to emphasize that stringent compliance requirements persist. Factors like cybersecurity, data security, and the Personal Information Protection Law (PIPL) are still strictly enforced, necessitating compliance efforts like data mapping, legal documentation, and privacy policies.

Join this workshop on May 16th, in Beijing and online, where industry experts will further explain the changes brought by the new regulations and offer practical guidance on the steps businesses should take to adhere to the new regulations.

You can read much more and register here.

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Market-Oriented Reforms

Date: May 15, 2024

Event: Supported Webinar

In the second webinar of the “Staying in Dialogue with China” webinar series, Co-founder and Managing Director of CMG, Markus Hermann, will talk to Prof. LU Feng, Emeritus Professor of Economics at the National School of Development (NSD) at Peking University, about China’s "Market-Oriented Reforms".

China kicked off its institutional reform from a centrally planned to a more market-oriented economy in the early 1980s under Deng Xiaoping, but – unlike the “shock therapy”-type liberalization of the Soviet Union – Chinese policymakers have been careful in introducing market forces in a gradual and dual-track fashion, essentially letting the market grow out of the plan. So, after 45 years, the state still plays a prominent role in China’s economy, even given the official policy goal that the market shall play a “decisive role” in allocating resources.

What are the roles of the “visible” and “invisible” hands in the market based on CCP ideology? How are factors of production (labor, capital, land, data) liberalized today? What are policy factors preventing more rapid liberalization in general? How to balance market forces and government interventions in view of China’s innovation and security needs? What is the link of ‘market-oriented reforms’ and ‘industrial upgrading’ as two structural transitions? What are policy trends regarding capital (state, private and foreign), e.g. the ‘mixed-ownership reform’? What is the reform logic for China’s financial system? How are anti-monopoly and IP protection evolving under the 14th Five-Year-Plan?

Members of DCBF can register for free - Click here to read more and sign up!

This webinar is part of the webinar series 'Staying in Dialogue with China'. The series will bring you six webinars with distinguished China-based experts, concentrated between April and October 2024.

'Staying in Dialogue with China' is organized and hosted by China Macro Group (CMG), with Caixin Global as Anchor Partner, in cooperation with the China Europe International Business School (CEIBS), Chinaforum Bayern, Swissmem, the Swiss Chinese Chamber of Commerce (SCCC), the Danish-Chinese Business Forum (DCBF), SwissCham China, the Stein  am Rhein Symposium (stars), and the Sweden-China Trade Council (SCTC).

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China Proposes to Lighten Up Requirements for Cross-Border Data Transfers

Date: May 07, 2024

Event: Webinar

Click here to register (for DCBF, DCCC and DCCHK members only).

Restrictions on cross-border data transfer have long been a cause for concern for foreign companies operating in China, and the Chinese regulators are seeking to address these concerns by lightening up the onerous requirements for cross-border data transfers.

On 28 September 2023, the Cyber Administration of China ("CAC") issued the Regulations for Standardizing and Promoting Cross-Border Data Flow ("Draft Regulations") to solicit public comments. The Draft Regulations appear to overturn some of their previous requirements in relation to cross-border data transfers. If adopted into law in its current form, the Draft Regulations would:

• Create exemptions for many companies that export data or personal information from China in certain common business scenarios from otherwise mandatory data export approval procedures.

• Raise the data transfer volume thresholds for the CAC's Security Assessment (a more onerous legal mechanism), and leave transfers of low-volume data to less onerous legal mechanisms. 

• Allow free trade zones to create "Negative Lists" for cross-border data transfers that are subject to mandatory data export procedures.

Almost half a year has lapsed from the day that the Draft Regulations were publicized, many foreign companies are still waiting for the Draft Regulations to be formally issued. In an official press conference on 5 February 2024, the director of the Department of Foregin Investment Management under the Ministry of Commerce said that the Cyberspace Administration of China is contemplating and improving the Draft Regulations and preparing for its promulgation. 

In this webinar, Samuel Yang, Partner at Anjie Broad, will introduce all that you need to know about the Draft Regulations, their implications on your business, as well as observations of how multiple national companies are dealing with a time of uncertainty and their practical considerations. 

Please contact info@dcbf.dk if you have any questions.

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Annual General Meeting 2024

Date: April 19, 2024

Event: Annual General Meeting

Venue: LEGO Campus

About the Event

Danish-Chinese Business Forum is pleased to annouce this year's Annual General Meeting (AGM), which will take place 19th of April 2024. The AGM will be hosted by The LEGO Group at their LEGO Campus in Billund. 

We are pleased to annouce our distinguished keynote speakers:

• Mr. Jeppe Tranholm-Mikkelsen, Permanent Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs at Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs
• Mr. Qin Jie, Minister Counselor and Deputy Chief of the People's Republic of China to Denmark

Edward Lewin, VP Government & Public Affairs at the LEGO Group, and Tom Behrens-Sørensen, Chairman of Danish-Chinese Business Forum will provide the welcome speech.

The focus of our AGM this year is the EU-China relationship and its implications for Danish companies working with and in China. We have invited several distinguished speakers to provide updates on these topics, which will be annouced in the weeks to come.

Click Here to Register (Only for Members of DCBF) 

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Economic Transition and Industrial Upgrading

Date: April 05, 2024

Event: Supported Webinar

This webinar is part of the webinar series 'Staying in Dialogue with China'. The series will bring you six webinars with distinguished China-based experts, concentrated between April and October 2024.

'Staying in Dialogue with China' is organized and hosted by China Macro Group (CMG), with Caixin Global as Anchor Partner, in cooperation with the China Europe International Business School (CEIBS), Chinaforum Bayern, Swissmem, the Swiss Chinese Chamber of Commerce (SCCC), the Danish-Chinese Business Forum (DCBF), SwissCham China, the Stein  am Rhein Symposium (stars), and the Sweden-China Trade Council (SCTC).

To kick this series off, Co-founder and Managing Director of CMG, Markus Hermann, will talk to Prof. Wang Yong, Academic Deputy Dean of the Institute of New Structural Economics at Peking Univarsity (PKU) about the first of the six transitions - economic transition and industrial upgrading, or the transition from a largely agrarian to an industrialized and then post-industrial society, increasingly driven by innovation. 

What are the key success factors for China's transition to successfully overcome the so-called "middle-income trap"? Why is the focus for Chinese policymakers so much on manufacturing today? How to ensure industrial upgrading in times of geopolitics and geoeconomic factors? How does China's industrial policymaking differentiate by sectors, mature and emerging technologies and differing strategic goals? Is overcapacity unavoidable? And: what role does the new concept of "new-quality productive forces" (新质生产力) add to policymaking?

Members of DCBF can register for free - Click here to read more and sign up!