Part 2 - AHK Greater China
Transcription
Part 2 - AHK Greater China
CHAMBER NEWS CHAMBER NOTICES ALL CHINA Membership Directory 2011 All members have been contacted in May by their local Chamber teams to update their information for the next edition of the annual Membership Directory. Member rates for one of the highly sought-after ad spaces or logo placements range from RMB 1,200 for logo insertion to RMB 22,500 for a branded bookmark or full-page regional divider placement ad. To reserve your space and benefit from one full year of senior-level China wide visibility, please contact your local Chamber’s project manager before 30th June 2010. Beijing: Ms. Wang Miao | [email protected] Shanghai: Ms. Li Yandi | [email protected] South China: Ms. Esther Hu | [email protected] BEIJING&TIANJIN Get Ready for the German Ball Beijing 2010! After the ball is before the ball: Preparations for the 10th German Ball on 13th November 2010 at the Kempinski Hotel Beijing have begun. Get involved now and support the event as a sponsor and partner. For more information please contact Katja Sassi-Bucsit at [email protected] New Roots in Tianjin We are thrilled to announce the ongoing localisation of the German Chamber in Tianjin. Starting in May 2010, Christoph Fazakas will take over the position of Executive Chamber Manager Tianjin. Living and working in Tianjin since 2005 in business consulting and trading, Mr. Fazakas is the perfect match for the next stage of professionalisation and expansion of the Chamber network in Tianjin. Mr. Fazakas is the successor of Claudia Barkowsky, who – starting in January 2007 - spearheaded the localisation of Chamber services, which eventually lead to the opening of the Tianjin office in October 2008 and the official establishment of the Board of the German Chamber in Tianjin in September 2009. After working for the German Chamber for almost five years, Ms. Barkowsky has decided to move back to Germany. The Tianjin and Beijing boards and colleagues wish Ms. Barkowsky a brilliant future in Germany and thank her for her pioneer work in Tianjin and the Northeast. SHANGHAI German Ball 2010 - Save the Date! The 13th German Ball will be held on 27th November 2010 at the Grand Hyatt Shanghai. The theme will be announced shortly and is destined to kick off another race for the most creative gown. Sponsorship packages are already in high demand. Limited slots are still available. For further information please contact Sebastian Zettelmeier: ' 021 5081-2266 ext. 1605 * [email protected] 38 June - July 2010 New Communications Manager for GCC Shanghai Selma Koehn has recently been appointed to lead the PR efforts of the German Chamber of Commerce • S h a n g h a i . S h e h a s a p ro f o u n d background in both PR and Marketing which she has gained in her various experiences within industries like telecommunications, automobile and pharmaceuticals, mainly in the Middle East. For any media inquiries please contact Ms. Koehn at: ' 021 5081-2266 ext. 1637 | * [email protected] Changes in the GC Ticker Editorial In her new role, Ms. Koehn is also taking over the editorial helm of GC Ticker Magazine, continuing to coordinate the content across the three locations and local editors. The Chamber is sad to see outgoing Chief Editor Bernhard Porpaczy leave and thanks him for his outstanding efforts in the relaunch and increased readership of the publication. We wish Mr. Porpaczy all the best for his future in London. Join our XING Group! GCC • Shanghai is paying tribute to web-savvy members and social networking trends. Become a member of the newly founded ‘German Chamber of Commerce in China - Shanghai Group’ to stay tuned on the latest news and happenings in and around Shanghai. Meet and interact with other members and systematically expand your virtual network. All just a click away at www.xing.com/net/gccshanghai/ Speakers Wanted Would you be interested in sharing your expertise with the community? Do you have a topic that you are passionate about and would like to present to business leaders in Shanghai? If so, you are welcome to contact our workshop leaders directly or send your topic suggestions to Jan Höpper at GCC • Shanghai. We are looking forward receiving your suggestions, enabling us to offer even more interesting workshops in 2010. For further information please contact Jan Höpper: ' 021 5081-2266 ext. 1655 * [email protected] SOUTH CHINA New Liaison Manager West China As of 1st April 2010, Astrid Schröter has assumed Oliver Hickfangs’ position as GCC South Chinas Liaison Manager Chengdu. In this role, she will be the contact point for the Chamber activities in West China, primarily Sichuan and Chongqing. Having previously worked in Chengdu, Ms. Schröter knows the area and community well and plans to use this advantage to establish further business contacts on behalf of the GCC • South China. The Chamber warmly welcomes Ms. Schröter to the team and wishes her great success in her new position. For more information, please contact Ms. Schröter at: * [email protected] Changes at the Helm Board Elections and Annual General Meetings across China March and April hosted important events for the German Chamber of Commerce in all of its China locations. New boards of directors were elected in Beijing, Guangzhou and Shanghai for the next two-year period and Tianjin hosted its first Annual General Meeting.The GCC welcomes all its new board members and thanks its departing ones for their commitment in the support of German Industry and Commerce in China. Excitement in Beijing On 24 th March, members of the German Chamber of Commerce in Beijing gathered for the most important date in the Chamber’s calendar - the Annual General Meeting paired with the election of the new Board of Directors. With six Directors being reelected and three new members joining, the Beijing Board now boosts a wealth of experience as well as fresh ideas. Chairman of the Board Dr. Richard Hausmann of Siemens China was first to welcome the members. He pointed out that 2009 was a successful year for both China and the German Chamber, both having enjoyed healthy growth against a backdrop of a globally difficult economic situation. Chamber Executive Director Jutta Ludwig took the opportunity to thank him and the other leaving board member Bill Valentino of Bayer (China) Ltd. for their dedicated work. She presented them special farewell gifts and wished them all the best for their future endeavours. During the following panel discussion the candidates expressed their opinions on ‘China’s economic development in 2010 from a German perspective’ and thereby presented themselves to the voting audience. The candidates were very optimistic about business results in 2010 and expected further growth for their companies in the Chinese market. They also stressed the importance of the German Retiring Chairman Hausmann meets the panel of candidates for the next generation on the Beijing Board. Chamber as the representative of the German business community for their future success. After an animated discussion, the peak of the night had finally arrived and all members were asked to cast their votes. When the election committee had disappeared behind the scenes, Ms. Ludwig presented the annual report for 2009. She summarised the successful expansion of the number and range of services, as well as publications and events for the German community, which was rewarded with an increase in membership count. She then proposed a new membership type for young professionals, which was duly passed by the members. The financial report presented by the Treasurer Andreas Feege of KPMG was also accepted as presented. The election committee then announced The election committee announces the voting outcome in good spirit. the names of the new board members, all of whom accepted their office. Mr. Ulrich Walker of Daimler AG was elected new Chairman of the Board and Mr. Feege will continue to act as its Treasurer. The German Chamber in Beijing once again congratulates all elected Members of the Board and is looking forward to an even more successful 2010 together. Achievements in Tianjin The first Annual General Meeting of the German Chamber in Tianjin was held on 12th April in the presence of German Ambassador Dr. Michael Schaefer. In his keynote speech on ‘China and Germany after the crisis’, he pointed out that China not only has recovered faster from the crisis than any other country, but has also become stronger than it was be- fore. China’s economic development will shift to a more innovation-driven growth, which will challenge foreign companies. To remain ahead, Germany has to face the challenge and 2010 June - July 39 CHAMBER NEWS ALL CHINA PAGES keep up the pace with its two biggest assets, technology and innovation. Germany will hold an important role at the Expo in Shanghai. The Ambassador especially recommended the ‘Chinese-German House’, the only bilateral project at the Expo. It will be the great finale of ‘Germany and China – Moving ahead together’. The German community can look forward to another event, called the ‘Art of Enlightenment’, which is meant to become the largest German art exhibition ever abroad. The exhibition is planned to be displayed at China’s National Museum at Tiananmen Square in Beijing. Having undergone renovation and expansion works for more than two years, the museum is scheduled to be officially open in autumn 2010. The Annual General Meeting is the platform for the Chamber to present its annual report to members, which was done by Executive Director Jutta Ludwig. Since its official opening in 2008, the activities of the chamber office in Tianjin have increased significantly. While in 2008 there were only nine events organised in and around Tianjin, in 2009 this number had risen to 28. Regular events like seminars and networking evenings were complemented by special events with highlights like the election of the first Tianjin board of directors in September, the visit of Parliamentary State Secretary Hartmut Schauerte in June and the factory tour to the Airbus final assembly line in December. A total of 30 companies have also joined the chamber in Tianjin by the end of 2009. Currently, there are already 36 member companies. For the whole report, please visit the Tianjin section of the German Chamber website. Jutta Ludwig and Tianjin Board Chairman Uwe Birnbaum F inally Dr. Florian Kessler, Head of Department Law & Business, German Industry & Commerce Co. Ltd. Beijing gave an update on the latest legal developments in China. Especially the new regulations on product liability and liability for environmental pollution aroused the interest of the audience. Changes in Shanghai 160 principal members of the German Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai gathered on 29th April to attend the Chamber’s Annual General Meeting and cast their votes at the biannual board elections. An almost equivalent Mr. Manfred Rothgänger reviewing the Chamber’s achievements in spite of strenuous times Hands up for a new Young Professionals membership The newly elected Shanghai Board of Directors 40 June - July 2010 number of members had submitted their ballot papers by postal vote earlier, thus equally deciding the election among the record number of 21 candidates. Over the past two years the GCC l Shanghai had hosted more than 100 events with a total of 10,000 attendees. Chairman of the Board Arved von zur Mühlen attributed the slightly smaller number of events but higher attendance levels to a more timely and relevant selection of topics and event formats. His special thanks went to the Chamber team for the organising of such highlights as the Greater China Day in Hanover last year and the vocational training centres in Taicang and Wuxi. He encouraged members to continue actively partaking in the Chamber work through presence and continuous constructive feedback. Executive Director Manfred Rothgänger concluded in his annual summary that the German Chamber is in a strong position to further expand and deepen its footprint. The growth trend in members continued for the fifth consecutive year in spite of the crisis and counted 1,137 members by the end of December 2009. The Delegation of German Industry and Commerce in Shanghai was furthermore able to reach the global top ranking in a 2008 quality survey conducted by the DIHK, followed by the AHK offices in Zurich/Switzerland and Atlanta/USA. Through large donations to the Chinese Red Cross for post-earthquake relief effort in Sichuan and the lead sponsorship of the Qingchuan School rebuilding project, the German Chamber l Shanghai has also demonstrated its commitment and responsibility to local communities and the people in its host country. To further widen the outreach of the Chamber and allow the increasing number of young expats and foreign local hires to join the chamber family, a new membership type for young professionals was introduced to the audience for referendum and accepted by a large majority. Following a positive financial balance report of Treasurer Thomas Dorn and the approval by the Chamber ’s financial auditors, the Board of Directors was unanimously released from its obligations. The large number of 15 new candidates in addition to the six incumbent board members applying for reelection guaranteed healthy competition. Each candidate was given exactly three minutes to introduce themselves to the audience before the ballot opened. The new Board of Directors of the German Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai was presented by its incumbent Executive Director Mr. Rothgänger in the evening’s grand finale. With an equal balance of remaining and new board members under Chairman Arved von zur Mühlen, the Chamber is looking forward to another two years of increasing its scope of members, depth in topics and service to the German and local communities. www.china.ahk.de Premieres in South China On 15th April, the GCC • South China invited its members to the Annual General Meeting at the Garden Hotel Guangzhou. For the kickoff, participants had a chance to mingle and get to know each other before the official part began with an elegant dinner. For the first time in the history of the GCC • South China, a proper election with more candidates than positions to be filled was held. Seven candidates from member companies all across the Pearl River Delta were running for office for five positions. Over dinner the candidates had the chance to briefly introduce themselves and lay down the motives for their candidacy. Coming from different backgrounds and cities in the PRD, each of them pointed out their specific priorities and interest in shaping the future of the Chamber. During the counting of the votes, Executive Director Alexandra Voss, thanked the previous Board of Directors for their dedicated support and gave an overview of the Chambers activities and development during the past two years. Afterwards, members took the chance to raise questions. At the end of the night, Ms. Voss proudly announced the election results of the new Board of Directors and wished them good luck for their appointment. The first Board Meeting was held one week later on 23 rd April at the German Cham- The newly elected South China Board of Directors ber ’s offices in Guangzhou. Mr. Holger Sindemann, President and CEO of MTU Maintenance Zhuhai Co. Ltd. was appointed new chairman of the Chamber. Moreover the GCC • South China is glad to announce the first treasurer in its history: Mr. Stefan Rosenbohm, Managing Director of Häfele GmbH & Co Kg Rep. Office Shenzhen, will supervise the Chambers financial accounts jointly with the Executive Director. Rüdiger Kümmerle is presenting himself as a candidate The South China Chamber Team warmly welcomes the new Board of Directors and is looking forward to a fruitful cooperation. Members had the chance to meet and exchange views on the Chamber work The newly elected Boards of Directors of the German Chamber of Commerce in China, as of 5th May 2010 Beijing Tianjin Shanghai Suzhou South China Chairman Ulrich Walker* Executive Vice President | Daimler AG Chairman & CEO Daimler Northeast Asia Uwe Birnbaum General Manager | Jean Müller Electrical Systems (Tianjin) Co., Ltd. Arved von zur Mühlen* Managing Director Greater China Lufthansa German Airlines Bettina Schön-Behanzin Managing Director | Wittur Elevator Components (Suzhou) Co., Ltd. Holger Sindemann* President & CEO MTU Maintenance Zhuhai Co., Ltd. Vice Chairman NA NA Dr. Günter Hermann Managing Director SGL Carbon Far East Ltd. NA NA Treasurer Andreas Feege German National Representative to the EUCCC Supervisory Board | Partner Audit | KPMG Huazhen Certified Public Accountants NA Andreas Odrian Director – Head of Corporate Banking and NA Coverage, MNC Deutsche Bank (China) Co., Ltd. Stefan Rosenbohm Managing Director Häfele GmbH & Co Kg, Rep. Office Shenzhen Executive Directoror Jutta Ludwig* Delegate and Chief Representative Delegation of German Industry & Commerce Beijing Jutta Ludwig Delegate and Chief Representative Delegation of German Industry & Commerce Beijing Manfred Rothgänger* Delegate and Chief Representative Delegation of German Industry & Commerce Shanghai Manfred Rothgänger Delegate and Chief Representative Delegation of German Industry & Commerce Shanghai Alexandra Voss* Delegate and Chief Representative Delegation of German Industry & Commerce Guangzhou Member Martina Grönegres Christoph Kaiser General Manager Beijing Chief Representative General Manager Deutsche Lufthansa Turck (Tianjin) Technology Co., Ltd. Titus Freiherr von dem Bongart Partner and Head of GBC China Ernst & Young (China) Advisory Ltd. Manfred Bentz General Manager Bosch Automotive Products (Suzhou) Co., Ltd Rüdiger W. Kümmerle Managing Director | EWIKON Hotrunner Systems (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd. Eddy Henning Director, Head of Corporate Banking Coverage, China Deutsche Bank AG, Beijing Branch Martin Miller General Manager Commerzbank AG, Tianjin Branch Thomas Dorn CEO Vossloh Fastening Systems (China) Co., Ltd. Georg Hofäcker General Manager PWO High Tech Metal Components (Suzhou) Ltd. Nong Keqiang Senior Vice President and General Manager of RG South Siemens Ltd. China Dr. Jörg Mull Executive Vice President, Finance Department Volkswagen (China) Investment Co. Zhong Wanli Dr. Fan Zhijian General Manager Würth (Tianjin) International President & CEO Trading Co., Ltd. Nokia Siemens Networks (Shanghai) Ltd. Thomas Koller Executive Vice President Voith Paper System Business Asia Renate Tietjen Chief Representative Guangzhou & Chongqing C. Melchers GmbH & Co. KG Dr. Roland Savoy Managing Director Giesecke & Devrient (China) Information Technologies Co., Ltd. Ulrich Mäder Chairman of the Board POLYMAX (Shanghai) Trading Co., Ltd. Marcel Schneider CEO TUI China Travel Co. Ltd Brigitte Wolff Managing Director Management Engineers China Ltd. Jöran F. Treppschuh Chief Representative GMH – Holding China * All-China Board Members 2010 June - July 41 CHAMBER NEWS BEIJING PAGES GCC BOARD Daimler AG Executive Vice President Daimler Northeast Asia Ltd. Chairman & CEO Mr. Ulrich Walker German Chamber Beijing Executive Director Delegation of German Industry & Commerce Beijing Delegate & Chief Representative Ms. Jutta Ludwig* KPMG Huazhen Certified Public Accountants Partner Audit Mr. Andreas Feege Treasurer Lufthansa German Airlines General Manager Beijing, Chief Representative Ms. Martina Grönegres Deutsche Bank (China) Co. Ltd. Director, Head of Corporate Banking Coverage, China Mr. Eddy Henning Volkswagen (China) Investment Co. Ltd. Executive Vice President, Finance Department Dr. Jörg Mull Giesecke & Devrient (China) Information Technologies Co. Ltd. Managing Director Dr. Roland Savoy TUI China Travel Co. Ltd. CEO BEIJING Mr. Marcel Schneider GMH – Holding China Chief Representative Mr. Jöran F. Treppschuh * All-China Board member 42 June - July 2010 Innovation as a Factor for Success Chamber Dinner with Horst Seehofer, Minister-President of Bavaria There are many examples of German companies successfully operating in a sometimes fiercely competitive Chinese market. A question often raised is thus, what exactly makes German companies rise above the competition? An important part of the success is surely Germany’s reputation for cutting-edge technology and sound technological know-how. In the light of the Chinese government supporting local innovation by Chinese firms ever more actively, the German Chamber deemed it timely to take a step back and reassess the importance of Research & Development (R&D) and Innovation from a broader angle. And who would be better suited to speak on the topic than Mr. Horst Seehofer in his role as the Minister-President of Bavaria, the state with the highest R&D investment figures in Germany. On a recent visit to Beijing and Bavaria’s partner region Qingdao, Mr. Seehofer and a high profile business delegation graced the Chamber Dinner on the topic of ‘Innovation as a Factor for Success’. Using Bavaria’s own history as an example, Mr. Seehofer aptly illustrated the eminent role of innovation for sustained economic development. He reminded the audience of Bavaria’s rise from its humble beginnings as an agrarian state in the 1980s to its present position as a powerhouse of the German economy. He cited Bavaria’s and China’s similarity as places firmly grounded in traditions while willing to open themselves up to new ideas and technological progress. Taking these similarities as a solid foundation, he reaffirmed Bavaria’s commitment to further intensify ties between the partner regions and support German companies operating in China. Moving from general introduction to the ramifications of the topic, the evening proceeded with a panel discussion by four experts representing German companies under the auspices of Jutta Ludwig, Executive Director of the German Chamber of Commerce in China, Beijing. Several main reasons for German companies to establish research and development facilities in China became obvious during the animated discussion. The initial motivation often seems to be the basic need to adjust a company’s products to the requirements of the local Chinese market in a timely and cost-efficient manner. Another main reason is to attract local top talent to the company, which in turn makes it necessary to offer independent and cutting edge research opportunities in China. As an overall trend, companies seem to slowly advance their research and development activities in China until they become an integral part of a truly internationalised R&D strategy of their mother companies. Even after Mr. Seehofer’s detailed account and the expert panel, the topic was far from exhausted and the members, delegates and German Ambassador Dr. Michael Schaefer carried on their animated discussion over a late dinner. Minister-President Horst Seehofer delivering his innovative keynote. On the panel (from left): Dr. Roland Savoy (Giesecke&Devrient) and Dr. Jörg Mull (Volkswagen) Jutta Ludwig (GCC • Beijing) and fellow panelist Dr. Reinhold Achatz (Siemens AG) Event: Chamber Dinner Date: 27th April 2010 Speakers: Mr. Horst Seehofer | MinisterPresident of Bavaria; Ms. Jutta Ludwig | Executive Director German Chamber of Commerce in China, Beijing; Dr. Jörg Mull | Executive Vice President, Finance Department, Volkswagen (China) Investment Co.; Dr. Roland Savoy | Managing Director, Giesecke & Devrient (China) Information Technologies Co. Ltd.; Dr. He Hong | Head of Beijing Office, Helmholtz Association; Dr. Reinhold Achatz | Corporate Research and Technologies, Siemens AG www.china.ahk.de Joining Forces in New Logistics Platform Founding of BVL Regional Group in Cooperation with GCC l Beijing March 4 th saw the foundation of the second only international BVL Regional Group in Beijing. Experiencing logistics on site, exchanging ideas and know-how between sectors, and learning from each Panellists (from left): Prof. Cai, J. Schebera, Dr. Fang, J. Ludwig, U. Peters, S. Lindenau other are the stimuli that drive the work of the regional groups of The newly appointed executive team of the BVL Regional Group consists of Jean Junjing Wang, BVL, the German Logistics Association. CEO of CWT China Logistics, Patrick Lindig, Hosts Jutta Ludwig and Uwe Peters warmly Vice General Manager of Fablog Logistics Conwelcomed members of the German Cham- sulting (Beijing) Ltd, and Timm Rohweder, Head ber of Commerce Beijing and the BVL to the of the Market Entry Department at the German inaugural event. This cooperation had been Chamber of Commerce in China, Beijing. in the making for over a year and everyone involved was excited and proud to finally BVL is a non-profit, neutral and primarily kick off the event series. For BVL, this new honourary organisation. The BVL regional cooperation means an extension of their group Beijing in cooperation with the Gernational regional groups, and for the Ger- man Chamber of Commerce in China, Beiman Chamber, this cooperation is an effort jing, acts as a forum for representatives of to further professionalise the existing Logis- German companies in China, employees of tics Roundtable event format. After a brief economic representative offices and interintroduction about BVL member services ested groups based in China and Chinese and benefits by Silvia Lindenau, Professor nationals interested in logistics. Cai Linning of Tsinghua University gave an overview of China’s logistic regulations and A total of four events are already planned development trends. Jana Schebera of M+R under the new cooperation for 2010, with Spedag Group presented a study highlight- the next one scheduled in July to explore logistics in Tianjin’s Binhai New Area. ing future trends in logistics in China. The Executive Team of BVL Regional Group Beijing (from left to right): Timm Rohweder, Jean Wang and Patrick Lindig with Moderator Fang Dianjun (far right) Event: Founding of the BVL Regional Group Beijing Date: 4th March 2010 Speakers: Ms. Jutta Ludwig |Executive Director, German Chamber of Commerce in China, Beijing; Mr. Uwe Peters | Managing Director, BVL; Ms. Silvia Lindenau | Member Management, BVL; Prof. Cai Linning | Tsinghua University; Ms. Jana Schebera | BD Manager, M+R Spedag Group Chair: Dr.-Ing. Fang Dianjun | Managing Director, do-logistics Technologies Co. Ltd. Global Standards in Localised Messages Communication Roundtable Within global corporate frameworks, Chinese locations are growing in importance and prominence. As a result, Chinese headquarters of German companies are placing an increasingly strong focus on developing and strengthening their corporate communication, PR and media processes. The overall aim is to implement global standards for internal communication and create efficient public relations processes to address the increasingly important Chinese stakeholders. S p e a k e r M r. J ö r g P f a n n e n b e r g o f JP|KOM GmbH, a leading German agency for corporate, financial and B2B communications has advised various international companies on their communication strategies. The expert on change communication is also the author of Germany’s first monograph on the subject, titled ‘Veränderungskommunikation’. His presentation showcased the key factors that shape cross-border communication and reasons why even promising concepts can fail to perform in daily communication processes. Good examples were the gap in targets and expectations of headquarters vs. local branches. Also the messages among local communicators vary a lot. This may be shaped by corporate organisational structures and cultural behavioural patterns, but also by different media environments, to name only a few influential factors. A lively debate developed during the Q&A session, when the audience discussed questions such as how to convince the headquarters to opt for more emphasis on localised strategy aspects. Speaker Mr. Pfannenberg (JP|KOM) with Mr. Martin Regnet (GIC) Event: Cross-border Management of Corporate Communication Date: 6th April 2010 Speaker: Mr. Jörg Pfannenberg | Managing Director of JP|KOM GmbH Chair: Mr. Martin Regnet| Head of Communications, German Industry & Commerce Greater China, Beijing 2010 June - July 43 CHAMBER NEWS BEIJING PAGES Green Light for Germany’s New Energy Sector in China Roundtable on Renewable Energy When the German Minister of Environment Norbert Röttgen visited Beijing in April, the German Chamber hosted a roundtable on renewable energy. More than twenty delegates representing high profile German companies and organisations seized the opportunity to meet one of China’s foremost experts and policy advisors on green energy and climate change, Professor Pan Jiahua, Executive Director of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS). The roundtable was jointly kicked off by Jutta Schmitz of the German Embassy and Jutta Ludwig of the German Chamber of Commerce in China, Beijing with an update on China’s political and economic situation. Both were quick to point out that the delegates had chosen exactly the right time to come to China, since green technology is one of the key topics for China’s future with German companies the strategic partners of choice. Ms. Ludwig explained that the National People’s Congress in March this year declared the new energy sector a key industry and announced substantial investments in the sector for the upcoming years. This will also benefit foreign companies operating in China, especially German companies that have an excellent reputation as manufacturers of high technology and know-how in the energy sector. Ms. Schmitz also stressed the importance of Sino-German relations in the future. She stated that the Chinese government values stability and will continue to rely on bilateral relations until the EU has established itself as the main European partner for foreign policy questions. China is becoming a key partner for Germany as can be seen from the number of high ranking politicians visiting or planning to visit China. Continuity and stability in politics and development clearly linked the two presentations. The Chinese government gave an impressive demonstration of its ability to guarantee economic stability in 2009. The government stimulus programmes led to continuous economic growth of more than 8% despite a worldwide economic slowdown. After the political and economic outline, the guests and delegates were well prepared for the main speaker of the event, Professor Pan NEW MEMBERS BEIJING Mr. Bernd Freudenmann General Manager Deutz AG Beijing Office | Beijing ' 010 138 114-62257 * [email protected] Mr. Marrten Gassmann General Manager Grondmet | Beijing ' 010 6493-2130 * [email protected] www.grondmet.de Dr. Gou Jianhui Managing Director Schaeffler Trading (Shanghai) Co., Ltd Beijing Branch | Beijing ' 010 6515-0288 * [email protected] Mr. Thomas Hauck Director North China Schenker China Ltd. Beijing Branch Beijing ' 010 8042-0712 * [email protected] www.dbschenker.com 44 June - July 2010 of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences emphasised that - despite different views in the West - the Chinese government sees the Copenhagen Conference as a success. Even though no legally binding result was achieved the general consensus that carbon emissions need to be reduced is seen as a solid foundation for further cooperation between the different countries. He explained that China will strive to reach its self-proclaimed climate targets and sees green technology as a key strategic industry for the future. Event: Roundtable on Renewable Energy Date: 7th April 2010 S p e a k e r s : M r. F r i e d o l i n S t r a c k | Coordinator Germany, Asia Pacific Committee of German Business; Ms. Jutta Ludwig | Executive Director, German Chamber of Commerce in China, Beijing; Ms. Jutta Schmitz | Head of Political Section, German Embassy in Beijing; Prof. Pan Jiahua | Executive Director, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences For full contact information and company profiles of our new and existing members please visit www.german-company-directory.com Mr. Christopher Hock German Desk Coordinator Mazars Consulting Co., Ltd. Beijing Branch | Beijing ' 010 8518-9780 * [email protected] www.mazars.com Mr. Gerrit Peters Managing Director Avantgarde Consulting (Shanghai) Co. Ltd. Beijing Branch | Beijing ' 010 5979-5550 ext. 839 * [email protected] www.avantgarde.cn Mr. Richard van Kasteel Head of Engineering Siemens Ltd. China | Beijing ' 010 134 6638-9376 * [email protected] Mr. Edouard Schmitt zur Hoehe Managing Partner Schmitt zur Hoehe & Ferrante Beijing ' 010 6400-2173 * [email protected] Mr. Ralf Koch General Manager Sahm Glass Products (China) Co., Ltd ' +49 163 3318-851 * [email protected] Mr. Rudiger Nagel General Manager Viessmann Solar Energy Thermocollector Dachang Co., Ltd | Dachang ' 0316 7811-002 * [email protected] www.viessmann.cn Mr. Klaus Schmuck General Manager MPT Trading & Engineering (Beijing) Co., Ltd. | Beijing ' 010 9446-7043 * [email protected] www.mpt.de Mr. Wang Weidong General Manager Vaillant (Beijing) Heating Equipment Co., Ltd | Beijing ' * 010 6563-0667 [email protected] Mr. Martin Weiler Key Account Manager China Deutsche Steinzeug Keramik GmbH Beijing Representative office | Beijing ' 010 5869-1901 * [email protected] www.deutsche-steinzeug.de Mr. Kenneth Zhang Director MAN Turbo Trading (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. Beijing Branch | Beijing ' 010 5815-6015 * [email protected] www.mandieselturbo.com Dr. Zhu Enhui CEO China WILO China Ltd. | Beijing ' 010 5804-1699 * [email protected] www.wilo.com.cn 2010 June - July 45 CHAMBER NEWS TIANJIN PAGE Fill In Correctly Corporate Income Tax Seminar The deadline for the 2009 annual Corporate Income Tax (CIT) filing was 31st May 2010. To refresh the local requirements and tax treatment of some items, the German Chamber Tianjin jointly organised a seminar with the European Chamber Tianjin. Experienced tax consultants of PricewaterhouseCoopers Tianjin shared their thoughts with more than 60 participating companies. When preparing the annual CIT return, Mr. Kelvin Lee, Director of PwC’s China Tax & Business Advisory Services, indicated that one may encounter an uncertain tax position for an income and expense items like “deemed sales” and “accrued expenses”. This was valuable information for the participants and was further explained in detail. The new CIT law and regulations have introduced the concept of ‘deemed sales’. Train to Improve This concept evaluates whether it is deemed that an enterprise has sold its stock, assets and services for donation, fund raising, advertising, promotion, staff welfare or profit distribution. Consequently, the related income should be recognised. Deemed sales amounts can be included in the calculation base when calculating the deduction cap of relevant expenses, for example entertainment and advertisement expenses. Mr. Kelvin Lee stressed that, technically speaking, consistent with PRC GAAP, CIT should be calculated on an accrual basis. In other words, both income recognition and expense deduction claims should be done on this basis. For practical ease of tax administration in Tianjin, tax authorities generally adopt some variations in expenses deduction claims. Accrued salary expenses and other accrued expenses at year end are two typical exam- Vocational training is a crucial topic and a big challenge for German companies in China as skilled and well trained workers are the key factor for good quality and efficient production. Providing a platform for exchanging experiences, exploring best practices and implementing new concepts with German companies on site in Tianjin is the main aim of the new working group. Magna set up its own technical training centre in Tianjin, where it trains tool and die makers following the German model of a dual system. The first group of students started their three-year vocational training in autumn 2009. The theoretical part will be covered by the Sino-German Vocational Training Centre (AFZ) in Tianjin, while the practical skills are imparted at the company’s workshop. Lufthansa Technical Training (LTT) has been conducting conversion trainings for the Airbus production line in Tianjin for more than two years and therefore set up a new training centre. Starting in 2010, a three-year apprenticeship programme for aircraft construction workers and electricians is offered in cooperation with Chinese schools to support the aviation industry in the region. Mr. Uwe Birnbaum General Manager, Jean Müller Electrical Systems (Tianjin) Co., Ltd. 46 June - July 2010 Event: The Local Practice of Annual CIT Filing in Tianjin Date: 26th March 2010 Speakers: Mr. Kelvin Lee | Director, Tax & Business Advisory Services; Mr. Wang Zhanjun | Manager of Tax; Mr. Li Ying | Manager of Tax, all PricewaterhouseCoopers Vocational Training Meeting As a result of a survey conducted by the German Chamber Tianjin among German manufacturing companies in Tianjin, the working group ‘Vocational Training’ was set up in March 2010. The first meeting of the group was framed by a visit to the well-established training centres of Magna Technology and Tooling Systems Co. Ltd. (MTTS-Tianjin) and Lufthansa Technical Training (LTT). The purpose was to familianse the working group members with some of the facilities that German and other foreign companies have already established in Tianjin and to learn more about the current activities and involvement as a basis for further discussion. The Tianjin Board: Zhong Wanli, Uwe Birnbaum, Jutta Ludwig, Christoph Kaiser and Martin Miller (from left) ples. For accrued salary expenses, it is not allowed for CIT deduction unless it was paid by the end of January 2010. For other accrued expenses, some state tax authorities such as TEDA are unlikely to allow CIT deduction claims for other accrued expenses at year end. Meanwhile, some other state tax authorities such as the Airport Bonded Zone may allow CIT deduction claims if such accrued expenses were paid by the first quarter of 2010. Going forward, follow up meetings will be organised every two to three months to discuss topics such as recruitment, employee retention, salary structures and safety at work. Event: Working Group Vocational Training Kick-off Meeting Date: 11th March 2010 NEW MEMBERS TIANJIN Mr. Marcus Kersting General Manager Stiebel Eltron (Tianjin) Electric Appliance Co., Ltd. Tianjin ' 022 8396-2077 * [email protected] www.stiebel-eltron.com Mr. Scott Walton General Manager Radisson Plaza Hotel Tianjin Tianjing ' 022 2457-8888 * [email protected] Mr. Christoph Kaiser Mr. Martin Miller General Manager, Turck (Tianjin) Technology Co., Ltd. General Manager, Commerzbank AG, Tianjin Branch Ms. Jutta Ludwig Mr. Zhong Wanli Delegate and Chief Representative, Delegation of General Manager, Würth (Tianjin) International Trading German Industry & Commerce, Beijing Co., Ltd. MEET THE MEMBER What is your personal and business background? I am originally from Bonn, Germany. I graduated in electrical engineering and business administration. Additionally, I am a certified quality assurance engineer. In early 1995 I moved from Bonn to Shanghai to help setup WaiGaoQiao, a company in Shanghai’s electrical industry - we were one of the first companies over there at the time. I dealt with the logistics, order handling and IT, and later took over sales as well. After six years in China, I moved to Bangkok for two years and then returned to China at the end of 2002. Thus, I have now been in Asia for 15 years. When did your company settle in China and what are its main activities? Jean Mueller Shanghai was established in 2003. In 2009, I handed over the daily business and moved over to Tianjin to set up a JV. Next year, an additional WFOE in Tianjin will start operation. Jean Mueller is still experiencing rapid growth in China. Why did your company choose to locate in Tianjin? Mainly because our JV partner is a Tianjinbased company, but we also strive to participate in the steady growth of the Tianjin area. The development is quite similar to the one I experienced in 1995 in Shanghai Pudong. www.china.ahk.de The new WFOE will be located in Tianjin as well. This enables us to generate synergies between the management and the administration and operational business. What are your experiences with your Chinese Joint Venture partner? From the legal point of view, restrictions for foreign companies in our industry are nearly completely lifted. In most cases, joint-venture partnerships are not really necessary anymore. Nowadays a partnership can be freely decided by the involved parties, and at the same time Chinese management methods and performances have experienced huge improvements. Success mainly depends on clear and honest communication and trust. We have been successful in this so far. From your experience, what problems do German investors in China encounter most frequently? German investors often enter China with wrong expectations, mainly because of lack of knowledge due to insufficient preparation work and communication difficulties. Understanding cultural differences is essential. What would you recommend newcomers to Tianjin to do first? Get in touch with people already working in Tianjin. Exchange ideas and support each Uwe Birnbaum Company: Jean Müller GmbH Job Title: GM Jean Müller (Tianjin); DGM Jean Mueller (Shanghai) Year of Foundation: 1897 HQ: Eltville, Germany Main Business: low voltage fuse switch gears, cable distribution cabinets Number of Employees: 450 in Germany, 80 in China other. Learning from the experiences of others is always beneficial. Expatriates are still necessary to grant business success in China - not because they fulfill the daily tasks better, but rather because they act as an interface between the countries and cultures. 2010 June - July 47 CHAMBER NEWS BEIJING AROUND TOWN Rechenberg Fashion Show 25th April 2010 | Opposite House at Sanlitun Rechenberg couture celebrated their collection of clothes for Spring-Summer 2010. More than 150 invited guests attended the show and enjoyed the new collection highlighted by light and refreshing clothes that are expressed in uncomplicated yet deceptively artful styles. Joint Ceremony for Goethe Language Center and PASCH Schools Tianjin 15th April 2010 | Tianjin Foreign Language University The unveiling ceremony marks the first anniversary of the Goethe Language Center Tianjin and plaque handover to two Tianjin PASCH schools. Engaged in the promotion of German language abilities to adults and students, both initiatives are warmly supported by German Embassy and Tianjin Education Commission. Festive speeches and acts were followed by plaque fastening and visitation of the Goethe Language Center before a hearty gathering at the German Brauhaus restaurant for food, chat and exchange. Handover 3rd March 2010 | GCC l Beijing Office Ever y year, the GCC l Beijing gets together to build gingerbread houses that are then sold for charity at the annual Christmas Bazaar. Steffi Schluechter-Siewert with her 11-day old son (left) and Henny Blatt (middle) were presented with the sum of the “Hexenhäuschen” Sale by Executive Director Jutta Ludwig (right). 48 June - July 2010 TIANJIN AROUND TOWN Chamber Dinner 27th April 2010 | Kempinski Hotel Beijing Lufthansa Center Bavarian Minister-President Horst Seehofer opened with a keynote on Bavaria’s rise as a innovation centre and learnings for German companies in China, followed by an engaging expert panel discussion and plenty of networking over an elegant supper. www.china.ahk.de Picture Books Exhibited 16th-25th April | China Central Academy of Fine Arts The CAFA hosted two successional exhibitions. ‘Contemporary Picture Book Illustration in Germany’, a travelling exhibition jointly organised by the Troisdorf Museum of Picture Books and the Goethe Institute featured internationally renowned artists as well as emerging illustrators. ‘Growing up with Kirsten Boie’ displayed works of one of Germany’s most popular authors of children and youth books. BIO in Concert From Left: Conductor Gabriele Eisenlohr, Hua Yinghong and Stephan Brandel 20th March 2010 | Royal Music Hall in Beijing The Beijing International Orchestra gave their Spring Concert with an eclectic and delightful programme spanning from C.M. von Webers Freischütz-Ouverture and J. Strauss ‘Blue Danube’ to ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ and some salon music of the 1960’s. 2010 June - July 49 CHAMBER NEWS SHANGHAI PAGES GCC BOARD Lufthansa German Airlines Managing Director Greater China Mr. Arved von zur Mühlen* Chairman SGL Carbon Far East Ltd. Managing Director Dr. Günter Hermann Vice Chairman Deutsche Bank (China) Co., Ltd. Director – Head of Corporate Banking and Coverage, MNC Mr. Andreas Odrian Treasurer German Chamber Shanghai Executive Director Delegation of German Industry & Commerce Shanghai Delegate & Chief Representative Mr. Manfred Rothgänger* Ernst & Young (China) Advisory Ltd. Partner and Head of GBC China Mr. Titus Freiherr von dem Bongart Vossloh Fastening Systems (China) Co., Ltd. CEO Mr. Thomas Dorn Setting Foot in Suzhou Chamber Meeting Suzhou In China, it is particularly important to build networks and exchange information, ideas and experiences on a regular basis. Therefore, a Chamber Board in Suzhou has been founded to further develop the relationship between German companies in Suzhou and the German Chamber of Commerce in China. The inaugural Chamber meeting in early March offered a platform to discuss decisions and exchange opinions between companies. Mr. Roland Karczewski (TENTE Casters) and Mr. Fritz Klaiber (BWF Profiles Wuxi) The newly founded Chamber Board Suzhou is made up of the following members: Ms. Bettina Schön-Behanzin Wittur Elevator Components, Chairman of the Board Mr. Manfred Rothgänger German Chamber of Commerce in China Shanghai, Executive Director l Mr. Manfred Bentz Bosch Automotive Products, Board Member Mr. Georg Hofäcker PWO High Tech Metal Components, Board Member Mr. Thomas Koller Voith Paper System Business Asia, Board Member The German Chamber’s efforts to show a permanent presence in Suzhou have been positively noticed by DUSA, a network of German companies founded in 2002. Dr. Gerd Fehlauer (VIA optronics) Event: Chamber Meeting Suzhou: Kick-Off Event Date: 10th March 2010 Speakers: Ms. Bettina Schön-Behanzin Managing Director, Wittur Elevator Components (Suzhou) Co. Ltd; Mr. Helmut Schmidtke | Visa Chairman, DUSA European Association Suzhou Chair: Mr. Manfred Rothgänger | Delegate & Chief Representative, Delegation of German Industry & Commerce in Shanghai Nokia Siemens Networks (Shanghai) Ltd. President & CEO SHANGHAI Dr. Fan Zhijian POLYMAX (Shanghai) Trading Co., Ltd. Chairman of the Board Mr. Ulrich Mäder Management Engineers China Ltd. Managing Director Ms. Brigitte Wolff * All-China Board member 50 June - July 2010 The new Chamber Board Suzhou (left to right): Mr. Manfred Rothgänger, Mr. Georg Hofäcker, Ms. Bettina Schön-Behanzin, Mr. Thomas Koller, Mr. Manfred Bentz www.china.ahk.de Meet Your Future Employees 4th Sino-German Job Fair 30 students from the AHK-Chien Shiung Vocational Training Centre in Taicang joined the 4th Sino-German Job Fair. The soon-to-be certified apprentices of the AHK Shanghai will write the final exam of their three-year vocational training this summer. The programme trains apprentices in Tool-Making and Mechatronics and is based on the German dual education standard. It is thus tailored to the needs of German companies in China and allows apprentices to combine theory in the classroom with practical skills gained at the workplace of participating companies. Consul Mr. Thomas Prinz opening the Fair Event: 4th Sino-German Job Fair - Where German Companies Meet Their Future Employees Date: 16th–17th March 2010 The German Chamber of Commerce and German Industry & Commerce Greater China | Shanghai (GIC), and the German Centre Shanghai jointly hosted their annual Job Fair – and over 1,000 participants followed the call. Extending over two days, both students and professionals spoke with 45 exhibiting German companies in order to find their dream job out of over 250 posted job offers. The job fair was again supported by the Sino-German University of Applied Sciences (CDHAW) of Tongji University, Shanghai-Hamburg College of University of Shanghai for Science & Technology (USST) and Sino-German College of East China University of Science and Technology (ECUST), which all provide their students with a curriculum featuring a strong German background and practical training. In welcoming students of the partner universities on the first day, German Centre’s Christian Sommer and GIC’s Bernd Reitmeier encouraged them to use this opportunity to build up first-hand contacts to the German industry in China for future employment opportunities. Economic Affairs Consul Mr. Thomas Prinz from the Consulate General in Shanghai further emphasised that German companies are dependant on the cooperation and assistance of both students and professionals. They create crucial links between German companies and their Chinese partners and customers. Vice versa, he stressed that employees can gain from German companies’ technical expertise and professionalism: “It’s a symbiosis, or literally speaking, a win-win situation for all sides.” With a new participation record of exhibiting companies, the 4th SinoGerman Job Fair demonstrated the necessity to find skilled and qualified employees in an economy that is emerging from an undoubtedly difficult environment. The overall feedback from the exhibitors has been very positive and some have already expressed their intention to participate in a second Job Fair in autumn 2010. EWM焊接技术扎根中国 以德国最先进的技术服务于中国和亚洲 EWM WELDING TECHNOLOGY MADE IN CHINA GERMAN STATE-OF-THE-ART TECHNOLOGY FOR CHINA AND ASIA 手弧焊 MMA welding 钨极氩弧焊 TIG welding 伊达高科焊接 (昆山)有限公司 EWM Kunshan, China 熔化极气体保护焊 MIG/MAG welding 等离子焊 PLASMA welding 伊达高科焊接德国总部 EWM Mündersbach, Germany EWM HIGHTEC WELDING (Kunshan) Ltd. 10 Yuanshan Road, Kunshan New & High-Tech Industry Development Zone, Kunshan, Jiangsu, 215300 P.R.China 伊达高科焊接(昆山)有限公司 江苏省昆山市昆山高新技术产业开发区圆山路10号 邮编: 215300 Phone: +86(0) 512 57867188 Fax: +86(0)512 57867182 www.ewm.cn · [email protected] 2010 June - July 51 CHAMBER NEWS SHANGHAI PAGES China vs. India in the Outsourcing Contest Workshop Tax, Finance and Law China has evolved from being perceived as a global workbench to an emerging technology hub. As the country continues to develop, many organisations are setting up office in internationally recognised cities like Shanghai. However, the costs of business operations in booming cities is increasing and there are many legalities, risks and considerations to assess before entering the outsourcing market; therefore, speaker Mr. Alan Fung of KPMG Advisory came to share his expertise in outsourcing in China. Many countries are now competing for outsourcing business and China is narrowing the gap between itself and the leading outsourcing nation, India. India is currently the most popular outsourcing country, but organisations complain about the poor infrastructure, where China has an advantage. Some impressive figures arose as the speaker explained the 1,000-100-10 outsourcing project. China targeted 1,000 service providers, 100 of which are top international companies, and aimed to have ten governmentdesignated cities to facilitate their outsourc- ing activities in China. This goal was to be reached by the year 2012, however today there are over 9,000 service providers, 400 of which are top international companies, and 21 government-designated cities. The goals have already been surpassed. Such an explosive growth rate can be attributed to China’s large talent pool, low costs, good infrastructure and large domestic market. Yet risks must always be factored as the counterpart of any business plan. The speaker noted that many risks can be avoided at the individual level; however, the government is more difficult to impede, as they enforce laws such as encryption restrictions and are known for shifting amendments and regulatory matters. China is anticipating fast growth with a market size of USD 24bn in 2012. The government realises the potential economic benefits of international outsourcing business and is trying to help facilitate expansion. For companies considering outsourcing in China, the speaker outlined a three-phase approach to help establish a presence. Firstly providing Speaker Mr. Alan Fung (KPMG) on China’s emergence as an outsourcing hotspot services to MNCs globally, then to Chinese operations of MNCs and finally to local enterprises in China. Event: Outsourcing in China Date: 11th March 2010 Speaker: Mr. Alan Fung | Partner, Performance & Technology, KPMG Advisory (China) Ltd Chair: Mr. Titus Freiherr von dem Bongart | Partner, Ernst & Young (China) Advisory Ltd. China and Germany Plan for Sustainability Workshop Environmental Protection Over the past 25 years, Sino-German cooperation has evolved from focusing on poverty alleviation to climate change. The GTZ, a state-owned consulting company, has assisted China’s transition process through technical cooperation and advisory services to major Chinese ministries and institutions. The presentation highlighted competence areas including environmental policy, energy management, renewable energies, sustainable urban development and - last but not least - climate. Introducing the first field of projects, speaker Dr. Müller provided an overview of the CWPP- Wind Power (Training & Research) Project, the Wind Environment Research and Training Project and other related initiatives. The number and capacity of these ongoing projects will improve the technical capacity of private and state-owned institutions to implement and operate wind power. The Optimisation of Biomass Utilisation Programme improves the technical standard and the operational performance of medium- and large-scale biogas plants that 52 June - July 2010 produce energy from biomass. Thanks to the Sino-German Climate Protection and Electric Vehicles programmes, the decision makers in relevant Chinese ministries, institutions and think tanks have access to conceptual and technical strategies, which disseminate EV application for Green House Gases emission reduction in China. The Energy Efficiency in Existing Buildings programme also disseminates proven standards and procedures for energy efficient retrofitting within existing residential buildings by the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development for Northern China. This has resulted in improved urban rehabilitation and resource-efficient management due to sustainable urban development in selected Chinese cities. The energy policy of key institutions in the energy sector at the national and subnational level is guided by the aim to achieve sustainability. Some measures to increase resource and energy efficiency in China have already been successfully implemented. Speaker Dr. Sven-Uwe Müller outlining the GTZ’s inititatives towards environmental sustainability in China Event: Current and future projects of GTZ China Date: 15th March 2010 Speaker: Dr. Sven-Uwe Müller | Programme Director Renewable Energies China, German Development Cooperation (GTZ) Chair: Ms. Magali Menant | Manager, econet china; Mr. Daniel Tweer | Business Development Manager, REMONDIS A Competitive Drive Workshop Automotive “Size is not everything in this world,” remarked speaker Dr. Stephan Weng of Bosch in his opening. Even large companies like Bosch have been jeopardised due to the economic downturn. Dr. Weng explained his role in the Electrical Drivers department as dealing with “components you usually don’t see and typically don’t like” – considering when you go to use your windshield wipers you are already in a bad mood because it is raining and you cannot see anything; regardless, the components are equally necessary. His company’s main Asian production facility resides in Changsha, which currently has one of the highest growth rates in China. The booming automotive industry in Changsha is partly resulting from a strong link to government, but Dr. Weng emphasised increasing competition and consumer price expectations as continuous drivers provoking the company to stay ahead of the game. The staff at Bosch are constantly asking themselves, who will survive in this market? Currently only a fraction of profits are related to GDP growth and the rest is from substitutions, so if the government ceases their subsidies, will the market see another drop? The fact that purchasing a vehicle in China is still considered a spectacular event suggests that future trends will involve an inland market. Questions for key success factors include how to react to high fluctuations, how to adapt to strong growth rates, what consequences will occur if the stimulus package is terminated and is the outlook for 2016 with 21mn vehicles reliable? Many factors were attributed to Bosch’s success in the China market, however experience with local and international competitors, application and project development, management offerings, joint development of functions, ability to solve problems and quality assurance give the German global player a competitive advantage. The combination of these factors propelled the family business from Swabia to become a leader in China’s automotive market and the world’s largest supplier of automobile components. Speaker Mr. Alan Fung (KPMG) on China’s emergence as an outsourcing hotspot Speaker Dr. Stephan Weng giving insight on Bosch’s success drivers in China Event: Success Factors in a Price Competitive Market Date: 16th March 2010 Speaker: Dr. Stephan Weng | Senior Vice President Sales, Product Management Asia/ Pacific Electrical Drives, Robert Bosch (China) Investment Ltd. Chair: Dr. Marcus Hoffmann | Principal, Roland Berger Strategy Consultants (Shanghai) Cultural Revolution in the Banking System The allocation of credits is currently causing heated and emotional debates in Germany and abroad. Therefore, Mr. Markus Beumer from Commerzbank flew in for a discussion to better inform German companies residing in China about the issue. He first identified the different segments of an SME-bank (‘Mittelstandsbank’) with strong ties to Germany and client revenues typically ranging between EUR 2.5 and 500mn per annum. Reaching back to the early nineties, Mr. Beumer explained that governments and banks have accepted a global debt. The economic structure and large amount of bonded capital favoured such a situation. For this reason, a global recovery will take longer. Economic differences are undoubtedly apparent in western and Asian countries, making Germany and China difficult to compare. However, China is currently showing investment interest in Germany and provides an extensive outlet market to help further German business relations. In order to fully take advantage of this situation, Germany must recognise its particularly inflexible market and allow its middle-sized businesses to establish a more stable position towards China. This shows the importance of inter- Workshop Controlling nationalisation in times of crisis – especially for German SMEs. Mr. Beumer pointed out that from a macroeconomic point of view there is no credit crunch. To avoid any kind of financial danger in the future, this status has to be preserved. Thus, his bank established a sustainable business analysis that focuses on a sophisticated single business. It is necessary to have more strategic conversations and to focus on the single-business model, which will surely endure many challenges. However, through this analysis one can see a more detailed picture and make more sustainable decisions. In short, the bank structures have to be changed so that the ‘easy’ allocation of credits will no longer exist. Speaker Mr. Markus Beumer (Commerzbank) providing the answer Event: Kreditversorgung fuer den Deutschen Mittelstand Date: 10th March 2010 Speaker: Mr. Markus Beumer | Member of the Management Board, Commerzbank AG Mr. Hartmut Oertel (Deutsche Leasing) raising a question Chair: Mr. Ralph Dreher | Senior Manager, PricewaterhouseCoopers Consultants (Shenzhen) Ltd. Shanghai Branch 2010 June - July 53 CHAMBER NEWS SHANGHAI PAGES Maximum Living in Minimal Space — Chamber Meeting March the surrounding areas of the cities Beijing, Tianjin and Tangshan; in the Yangtze Delta, Shanghai, Nanjing and Hangzhou enclose 30mn; and over 25mn people live in the Pearl River Delta region. Together, these three ‘megacities’ account for 80% of China’s Gross Domestic Product, 90% of its industrial production and 95% of all exports. Mr. Seoul Min (NxtAsia Consulting) raising a question Speaker Mr. Thomas Awe (Konrad-Adenauer Foundation) A timely topic and highly eloquent speaker delighted some 160 members and friends of the German Chamber during an evening of shared visions, cultural impressions and some historic flashbacks of Shanghai and its sister metropoles across the Asian continent. Keynote Speaker Thomas Awe from the Konrad-Adenauer-Foundation kept listeners wide awake with his powerful rhetoric and numerous literary references. Pure enjoyment of his verbal talent was written on many faces, in a city were bi- and trilingual language-hopping in short factual exchange is more often the norm. town developments. During the colonial age, various foreign groups influenced the urban centres of China. Later, the urban gravitational centres of China shifted from the Pearl River Delta to the Yangtze Delta. Average-sized cities, large cities and megapoles were, are, and always will remain stations of the transnational economy and junctions of cultural exchange and mutual influence. On one side, megapole centres transform in the process of their formation into a flowing reality. On the other side, anonymisation of interrelations embellish the pictures of today’s megacities. Asia is an area that highly contrasts western lifestyles with a tremendous variety of influential factors and controls on cities and Megapolisation in China can be witnessed especially in three densely populated urban areas: Nearly 40mn people live in Going Global, Contract Local The type of labour contract one must acquire in China is dependant on which of three seg- 54 June - July 2010 Up until the beginning of the 20th century, Shanghai had become the largest industrial centre of China. The city grew from a small fishing village to the Boomtown of China. Suzhou Special ments the worker is categorised under. The first segment is for Chinese citizens who are hired within the Chinese market. The second is for expatriates who are hired while residing in China; and the third segment is for those holding a dispatched contract that is transferred into a local contract. To reduce costs as well as administration efforts, there is currently a trend to issue local labour contracts to foreign employees. Working in China means dealing with a labour contract. Therefore, a recent edition of the Suzhou Special series with two legal experts from Shanghai involved discussion of specific details regarding Chinese labour contracts and complications that typically arise. At the same time the entire region is seized by a culture of unrest. Living so close together, the inhabitants of different regions have to face continual comparison. Shanghai represents a kind of prototype of this new development. Beyond that, however are different characteristics that can be deduced from the history of the city. The life in Shanghai and other centres of dense development along the east coast resemble a constant migration between tradition and alienation, search for peace and confidence, re t re a t a n d s p e e d , a u t h e n t i c i t y a n d multiple roles. Particularly, the ambitious young generation in Shanghai experiences oppressing uncertainty, permanent pressure, strenuous competition and latent general disorientation despite a strong collective identity. Aside from the complications around worker categorisation, there are several other issues to be aware of. An expatriate employee will typically claim salary from his or her Chinese contract from the Chinese entity. If this person then returns to his or her home country, he or she may request that a portion of the salary is issued to a German bank account. The banks in Germany are already aware of this issue and offer support to simplify the process. Another concern pertains to dismissal protection. In China, there is a shorter time frame for dismissal notice without defined reasoning. Hence, expatriates should hedge in their home country. Vacation and holidays are also a matter to be discussed, so the employer and employee can reach a mutual agreement. Event: Der Trend zu lokalen Arbeitsverträgen Date: 23rd March 2010 Speakers: Dr. Iris Duchetsmann and Mr. Felix Hess | Salans LLP Chair: Mr. Sebastian Wegener | Regional Manager Jiangsu & Zhejiang Provinces, German Chamber of Commerce in China l Shanghai — Megacities in China From Shanghai culture and counter-revolutionary movements proceeded groups of communism cadres, and hatred of all western values. Now, only a few decades later, Shanghai offers China a window to the world, hosting the World Expo 2010. The goal of hosting this mega event is to emit a polished image of the city and its inhabitants. No other city than Shanghai could be more suited for strategic productions, story telling and political advertising management than this place of ritualistic self-invention. From left: Mr. Ma Zhichao and Ms. Britta Buschfeld (both GIC Training Department) with Mr. Holger Berg and Mr. Oliver Pape (both Lufthansa Technical Training) Mr. Hans Käfler (Hanns-Seidel-Stiftung) and Mr. Martin Tjan (Eunacon HR) From left: Ms. Manuela Blochwitz (Deloitte), Mr. Torsten Stelter and Ms. Andrea Riedmann (KPMG) Event: Chinas „Mega-Cities“ - Politische De-Zentralisierung und PoliZentralisierung vor dem Hintergrund der EXPO Date: 25th March 2010 Speaker: Mr. Thomas Awe | Director of the Shanghai Office of Konrad-Adenauer-Foundation Chair: Mr. Thomas Dorn | Member of the Board and Treasurer, GCC · Shanghai & CEO, Vossloh Fastening Systems (China) Co. Ltd. 2010 June - July 55 CHAMBER NEWS SHANGHAI PAGES Unions on the Rise 7th Kunshan Roundtable is also quite different from those in Germany, as an upcoming study by the Foundation on Industrial Relations in China, South Korea and Germany will further examine. Dr. Rudolf Traub-Merz The Kunshan Roundtable is traditionally held at the premises of a local member company. This time, Hengst Filter Systems Kunshan, opened its doors to host the gathering, followed by a tour of its modern plant. The presentation of guest speaker Dr. Rudolf Traub-Merz of Friedrich-Ebert Foundation touched on a timely and often sensitive topic. Unions are considered an important order and peacemaking body by the Central Government, but definitions and rules are often fluid. The function of a union in China In China, each company with more than 25 employees can make the decision whether to become unionised on an individual basis. The company can either be unionised through an agreement between the management and the district-level union body, or through a union agreement of at least 25 workers, as in the case of Wal-Mart. In order to become legal, the company-internal union must be confirmed by the All-China Federation of Trade Unions (ACFTU) that also communicate between a company and its employees during a strike. The speaker explained that an increasing number of local Chinese companies have become unionised; however, only one out of the twelve companies participating in the Growth Lets Standards Slip Host Joachim Zwicky suitably welcomed the event participants to the Taicang Special, held in the Weiss-Voetsch Taicang factory. The strong turnout of over 30 attendees suggested that the evening’s topic is – unfortunately – still an evergreen, in spite of the fact that a similar workshop was held a year earlier. Rainer Burkardt of Squire, Sanders & Dempsey and Ben Wootliff of Control Risks Group, teamed up this time to present both theoretical and practical considerations of business corruption in China. The panellists presented findings and analysed data from the recent BRIBEline China Report, an economic crime survey that showed a spread of corruption across all developing countries. China ranked top of the list. Many graphs followed this statement looking into circumstances, frequency, form of requests as well as the nature and amount of bribes. Violating China’s corruption laws results in monetary fines up to RMB 200,000, but the gains from the arrangement are also relinquished and the persons responsible may be criminally charged. The criminal law differentiates between those who are committing bribery, those who are using others to bribe, those who are using other entities to bribe and those who are connected or disconnected from the state. There are not many loopholes to manoeuvre through in this area. Both speakers strongly suggested proactive corruption prevention and provided many tips 56 June - July 2010 workshop had an established union. Many local firms in China experience strikes and an estimated 120,000-150,000 non-violent conflicts, in which both the company and employee standpoints are often unclear. In this case a union is established at a cost of 2% of the company’s aggregate wages, to manage law enforcement and monitor the situation to help settle the strike. Event: Gewerkschaften Date: 30th March 2010 Speaker: Dr. Rudolf Traub-Merz | Resident Representative Shanghai, Friedrich-EbertStiftung Chair: Mr. Sebastian Wegener | Regional Manager Jiangsu & Zhejiang Province, German Chamber of Commerce in China l Shanghai Taicang Special and tools to do so. To put the situation into perspective, the speakers identified environmental considerations that make corruption tricky in the Chinese culture. The Chinese environment provides ample opportunities, encouragement and justification for corruption. This is spurred by the striving to become rich quickly and the fast paced development that often allows doing so. Although laws can change quickly to adapt to the new business conditions, individual behaviour cannot. Multinational companies have only added to the risk of facilitating corruption as they tend to let their standards slip in China. Managers are sent here to help their company grow, often at the cost of downgrades in policy and training. Cultural and linguistic barriers can complicate things further. Even if local employees understand the English language handbook on proper corporate conduct, their perceptions of a ‘conflict of interest’ may be completely different. Communication processes must be adapted to the local culture. During the question and answer period, the speakers identified the ‘typical profile’ of individuals engaged in corrupt activities as longtime employees who work hard and do not take holidays. In these cases a company may be less prone to investigate, especially because the person typically has a close relationship with the GM. Recent investigations have also been of younger employees, between 25-43 years old. Mr. Ben Wootliff Mr. Rainer Burkardt Event: Anti-Corruption: Facts and how to manage the risks Date: 31st March 2010 in Taicang and 21st April 2010 in Suzhou Speakers: Mr. Rainer Burkardt | Partner and Head of German Desk, Squire, Sanders & Dempsey LLP; Mr. Ben Wootliff Head of Corporate Enquiries, Control Risks Group (Shanghai) Ltd. Chairs: Mr. Sebastian Wegener | Regional Manager Jiangsu & Zhejiang Province, German Chamber of Commerce in China l Shanghai www.china.ahk.de Rounding Up a Successful Visit Roundtable “Low Carbon Development” in Nanjing Minister Röttgen making the case for Low Carbon Development to Xu Li, Vice Secretary General of Jiangsu Province On the occasion of a visit from the German Environment Minister, Dr. Norbert Röttgen, the German Chamber in China l Shanghai and econet china conducted a roundtable on Low Carbon Development in Nanjing, on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for the Environment and Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety. F ro m t h e G e r m a n s i d e , 3 1 i n d u s t r y representatives accompanied the Minister. The high-rank delegation was organised by the Asia Pacific Committee of German Business (APA) and headed by its Chairman of the Working Group on China, Dr. Jürgen Heraeus. Over 50 guests invited by the Jiangsu Development and Reform Commission joined the discussion on the Chinese side. Minister Röttgen stressed the importance of cooperation between China and Germany, noting that know-how and experiences from both sides could contribute to jointly solving the global concerns over climate change. Xu Li, Vice Secretary General of Jiangsu Province provided an overview of the efforts of the province towards a low carbon development, while Mao Weiming, Director of the Jiangsu Development and Reform Commission, gave an insight on the industry measures and Du Xuelun, Vice Director of the Jiangsu Housing and Rural Construction Committee reviewed the building sector. In his statement, Dr. Heraeus focused on the commitment of the German industry to Low carbon development becoming a top priority on the Jiangsu Government’s agenda cooperate with the Chinese. He underlined the need for incentives, including high energy prices, in order to promote and gain awareness for measures leading to energy efficiency. Dr. Martin Brudermüller, Chairman of the Board of BASF, one of the biggest German investors in Nanjing, presented his insight of the potential for energy efficiency in the building sector and offered the support of the German industry to develop solutions adapted to the Chinese market. A discussion followed, during which the topic of energy efficient building was covered in particular detail. Issues such as waste management, use of renewable energy and CDM project development were also discussed. A number of areas of cooperation interest were presented by both sides, while the challenges and need for incentives in the various fields were reiterated. The Jiangsu government displayed a strong interest in cooperating with the German industry. Being an economic powerhouse of China and home to an energy intense industrial basis, fast urbanising Jiangsu is an ideal lab for all low carbon efforts. The discussion complemented a very positive visit of Minister Röttgen in China, where the Chinese counterparts and partners welcomed the offered support and cooperation. The various talks underlined the position of China as a committed partner to low carbon development. A cooperation project between China and Germany has A full room of ample cooperation potential been discussed, under which Jiangsu would serve as a pilot province for trials in low carbon industry and building development. Event: Gesprächsrunde zum Thema “Low Carbon Development” Speaker: Dr. Norbert Röttgen | German Federal Minister for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety Date: 9th April 2010, Nanjing Chair: Ms. Magali Menant | Head of the Building, Energy and Environment department of German Industry and Commerce in Shanghai 2010 June - July 57 CHAMBER NEWS SHANGHAI NEW MEMBERS NEW MEMBERS For full contact information and company profiles of our new and existing members please visit www.german-company-directory.com SHANGHAI Mr. Michael Adam General Manager CONMATEC | Shanghai ' 021 6806-1123 * [email protected] www.conmatec.com Mr. Thierry Behanzin Senior BD Manager arvato services China | Shanghai ' 021 6161-1866 ext. 5000 * [email protected] www.arvatoservices.com.cn Mr. Rainer Burkle Shanghai ' 021 5877-1678 * [email protected] Mr. Ding Jinlin Executive Director Otto Building Materials (Shanghai) Co. Ltd. | Shanghai ' 021 3126-8581 * [email protected] www.ottobuilding.com Mr. Sove Dong General Manager Hesmor (Shanghai) Electronics Co. Ltd. | Shanghai ' 021 5027-6255 * [email protected] www.hesmor.de Mr. Olivier Forges General Manager ALD Fortune Auto Leasing & Renting (Shanghai) Co. Ltd. | Shanghai ' 021 5098-8058 * [email protected] www.aldautomotive.com Mr. Scott Freeman CEO IT Group | Shanghai ' 021 5131-0200 * [email protected] www.itr.cn Dr. Fu Dechun General Manager for Greater China BYK Solutions (Shanghai) Co. Ltd. Shanghai ' 021 3367-6300 * [email protected] www.byk.com.cn Mr. Helmut Gehnen Managing Director Beijing Otto Bock Orthopaedic Industries Co. Ltd. | Shanghai ' 021 6218-2567 * [email protected] www.ottobock.com.cn Mr. Gong Yadi Chairman & President VAST Great Shanghai Co. Ltd. Kunshan, Jiangsu ' 0512 5797-2500 * [email protected] www.vastchina.cn 58 Käfer Dial Gauges (Shanghai) Co. Ltd. Shanghai ' 021 6975-8100 * [email protected] www.kaefer-messuhren.com Mr. He Guangyi General Manager Xuzhou Hirschmann Electronics Co. Ltd. Xuzhou, Jiangsu ' 0516 8788-5765 * [email protected] www.hirschmann-js.com Mr. Christian Heid Business Transfer Manager SWF Hoist (Shanghai) Co. Ltd. Shanghai ' 021 3652-8282 * [email protected] www.swf-hoist.com.cn Dr. Rolf Hupke CEO Analogic Medical Equipment (Shanghai) Co. Ltd. | Shanghai ' 021 3823-0999 * [email protected] www.analogic.com Mr. Steve Hwang Assistant to GM IMS Gear (Taicang) Co. Ltd. Taicang, Jiangsu ' 0512 5337-8500 * [email protected] www.imsgear.com Mr. Roger Kleffmann Chief Representative Erwin Junker Maschinenfabrik GmbH Shanghai Representative Office Shanghai ' 021 6380 6911/ 22 / 33 * [email protected] www.junker.com.cn Mr. Eberhard Lach General Manager Yangtze Delta Manufacturing Co. Ltd. Hangzhou Hangzhou, Zhejiang ' 0571 2813-3333 * [email protected] www.yangtze-delta.com Dr. Peter Lampl Managing Director Lampl Business Center Shanghai Shanghai ' 021 6171-7200 * [email protected] www.lampl.sh.cn Prof. Dr. Claudius Marx CEO Chamber of Commerce and Industry Hochrhein-Bodensee Konstanz, Germany ' +49 7531 2860-218 * [email protected] www.konstanz.ihk.de Mr. Hai Lei Manager, Principal Schunk General Carbon (Guangzhou) Co. Ltd. | Shanghai Branch | Shanghai ' 021 6230-9722 * [email protected] www.schunk-group.com Ms. Sarah Mosig General Manager CWS-boco (Shanghai) Laundry and Hygiene Service Co. Ltd. Haniel Group China Office | Shanghai ' 021 3313-0767 * [email protected] www.cws-boco.cn Mr. Tim Hauser Sales Manager Asia Ms. Anika Nebe Marketing Manager June - July 2010 Adbeco Asia Shanghai Ltd. / De Nerée Corporate Services Ltd. Shanghai ' 021 6321-1117 * [email protected] www.adbeco.com Mr. Stefan Peters Representative Graf von Westphalen Shanghai Representative Office | Shanghai ' 021 6322-3131 * stefan.peters@ sh.grafvonwestphalen.com www.grafvonwestphalen.com Mr. Michael Pocsatko CEO EPCOS (Shanghai) Ltd. | Shanghai ' 021 2219-1500 * [email protected] www.epcos.com Dr. Qian Min General Manager Budenheim Fine Chemicals (Shanghai) Co. Ltd. | Shanghai ' 021 6712-0938 * [email protected] www.budenheim.com Ms. Kirsten Raynal Shanghai ' 021 3226-0702/ 0703 ext. 105 * [email protected] Ms. Laura Lajmanovich Romero Shanghai ' 021 6886-6598 ext. 1022 * [email protected] Mr. Gerald Rosendahl Senior Vice President ARAMARK Service Industries (China) Co. Ltd. | Shanghai ' 021 6630-6000 * [email protected] www.aramark.com Mr. Albert Sadoine General Manager RENA Höllmüller Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd. | Suzhou, Jiangsu ' 0512 8818-5151 * [email protected] www.rena.com Ms. Claudia Schifferdecker Specialist in Orthodontics French Dental Clinic | Shanghai ' 021 5169-9696 * [email protected] www.frenchdentalclinic.cn Mr. Thorben Schröder Office Manager VIEROL Shanghai Rep. Office Shanghai ' 021 2898-6547 * [email protected] www.vierol.de Mr. Shen Kelei Senior Director Harman International (Shanghai) Management Co. Ltd. | Shanghai ' 021 2306-0180 * [email protected] www.harman.com Mr. Matthias Spring Search Director Stanton Chase International | Shanghai ' 021 6145-8407 * [email protected] www.stantonchase.com Mr. Alexander Surhoff Shanghai ' 139 1859-6153 * [email protected] Mr. Thomas Unger General Manager Three Tigerz Trading Solutions Co. Ltd. Ningbo, Zhejiang ' 0574 8696-5692 * [email protected] www.3tigerz.com Mr. Kai Wagner Vice General Manager New Continent International Engineering Project Management Co. Ltd. Suzhou, Jiangsu ' 0512 6706-2911/ 2827 * [email protected] www.xdl-china.com Dr. Karl Waldkirch CEO ASC – Asia Success Company Neustadt/ Weinstr. | Germany ' +49 6321 96899-80 * [email protected] www.asc-waldkirch.de Ms. Xiang Jie General Manager Shanghai ' 021 6095-7801 * [email protected] Dr. Yang Dazhong Managing Director NETZSCH Scientific Instruments Trading (Shanghai) Ltd. | Shanghai ' 021 5866-3128 * [email protected] www.netzsch.cn Ms. Frances Yao Representative BRAINFORCE Interim Management International (China Representative Office) Shanghai ' 021 6270-2222 ext. 2221 * [email protected] www.brainforce-ag.com Dr. Zhang Jiansan General Manager Passavant-Geiger Envirotech Co. Ltd. Hangzhou, Zhejiang ' 0571 8669-8098 * jiansan.zhang@ passavant-roediger.de www.passavant-geiger.cn Mr. Zhang Ning Legal Representative HOERBIGER Valves (Changzhou) Co. Ltd. Changzhou, Jiangsu ' 0519 8560-6638 * [email protected] www.hoerbiger.com Ms. Zhao Xingshu General Manager Detang Germany Business Consulting Shanghai Co. Ltd. Shanghai ' 021 6163-2960 * [email protected] www.bmpr.de COMPETENT. RELIABLE. POWERFUL. FAST. open the door for you But you still have to go inside... We can German Chamber of Commerce in China l Shanghai www.china.ahk.de/chamber/shanghai/ Yearly Sponsors 2010/11 2010 June - July 59 CHAMBER NEWS SHANGHAI AROUND TOWN Book Reading 17th March 2010 | Luther Attorneys Pudong office Steffi Schmitt, author and current resident of Hanoi, gave an entertaining impression of her new book about her old home: ‘Shanghai-Promenade – Spaziergänge zwischen den Zeiten’. Visitors engaged in a detailed rendition of new chapters and absorbed personal recommendations for ten different strolls through Shanghai. Happy Hour(s) 19th March 2010 | Hofbräuhaus Pudong The ‘Spring Fever’ theme paired with the ‘Pay-what-you-Want’ concept was a perfect fit for the 250 guests, who came to enjoy fresh draft beer, sparkling wine and a delicious barbecue including a suckling pig. The last guests cleared out around 2.00am whistling German classics. CI_Sheet_Shanghai 08.05.2007 9:11 Uhr Seite 1 Expo Preview Visit 27th March 2010 | Shanghai Expo Site Pudong HOFBRÄUHAUS SHANGHAI ParticipantsHOFBRÄUHAUS were able to sneak-a-peek of the Expo grounds HOFBRÄUHAUS SHANGHAI SHANGHAI before the official opening in May. Mr. Albrecht Clauss, Senior Project Manager from NÜSSLI AG, led the groups through the German and Swiss Pavilions. HOFBRÄUHAUS SHANGHAI HOFBRÄUHAUS SHANGHAI HOFBRÄUHAUS SHANGHAI Pantone 871 C Pantone 032 C 71 % Pantone 2728 C 100 % HOFBRÄUHAUS SHANGHAI 7,5 % 8,5 % 4,5 % 8,5 % HOFBRÄUHAUS SHANGHAI Type: Adobe Garamond, semibold 100 % 60 June - July 2010 HOFBRÄUHAUS SHANGHAI Pantone 032 C Pantone 2728 C HOFBRÄUHAUS Type: Adobe Garamond, semibold 41 % 49 % 10 % Pantone 871 C SHANGHAI www.china.ahk.de Walking Tour Shanghai 31st March 2010 | Yang Pu district Anne Warr, author and architect, lead a small group of expats through the Yang Pu district in north-eastern Shanghai. While exploring the town hall, library, aviation museum, old stadium and hospital she shared personal experiences and knowledge of urban Chinese planning. Meet the Candidates @ Deutscher Stammtisch 13th April 2010 | Paulaner Brauhaus Fenyang Lu Whether the record of 76 participants came to drill the board member candidates, stock up on some German calories, or simply enjoy the company remained open. Needless to say, a good time was had by all at this informal monthly classic gathering. Family & Friends Day 17th April 2010 | Shanghai Yacht Club & Resort Following weeks of rain and unusually cold weather, spring finally had its debut on this sunny Saturday at Dian Shan Lake. More than 200 friends, members and staff of the German Chamber and Delegation celebrated this with Dragon Boat Races, Treasure Hunts and other leisure activities, returning home with the odd sunburn. 2010 June - July 61 CHAMBER NEWS SOUTH CHINA PAGES GCC BOARD Back on Demand: REACH REACH Seminars Shenzhen & Guangzhou MTU Maintenance Zhuhai Co., Ltd. Almost every production company faces these rules and concerns. After explaining the history and purpose of the REACH regulations, Ms. Lau gave precise information on the latest requirements for articles. She then discussed non-governmental organisations involved in the REACH legalisation processes and enforcement of the regulations. President & CEO Mr. Holger Sindemann* Chairman Häfele GmbH & Co Kg, Rep. Office Shenzhen Managing Director Mr. Stefan Rosenbohm Treasurer Speaker Connie Lau giving a first overview of the REACH standards German Chamber of Commerce • South China | Executive Director Delegation of German Industry & Commerce Guangzhou Delegate & Chief Representative Ms. Alexandra Voss* EWIKON Hotrunner Systems (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd. Managing Director Mr. Rüdiger W. Kümmerle Siemens Ltd., China Senior Vice President and General Manager Region South China Mr. Nong Keqiang C. Melchers GmbH & Co. KG Chief Representative Guangzhou & Chongqing SOUTH CHINA Ms. Renate Tietjen * All-China Board member 62 June - July 2010 Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals – in short REACH – continued to be an event topic in South China, following-up on seminars held last year. This year, the GCC • South China in cooperation with the French Chamber, invited Connie Lau of TÜV SÜD to speak about the newest regulatory changes. REACH is the European Union’s bundle of laws and restrictions regarding the handling and production of chemicals, as well as further ejection of chemicals during consumption. The last part of the seminar was a Q&A session where companies raised their specific queries about the standards, procedures and implementations of REACH regulations for their own products and packaging services. As long as the REACH issue continues to be a hot topic for producers and users alike, the GCC • South China will continue hosting seminars on this difficult issue to keep its community informed. Event: REACH Review and Updates Date: 11th March 2010 in Shenzhen and 15th March 2010 in Guangzhou Speaker: Ms. Connie Lau | REACH Project Officer, TÜV SÜD Hong Kong South China Hosts their First Sino-German Job Fair In cooperation with the prestigious Business School of Sun Yat-sen University in Guangzhou, GIC Guangzhou and GCC • South China jointly hosted the first Sino German Job Fair - South China on 10th April. Perceiving the businesses are picking up and headcounts are unfrozen, the South China team decided that it was about time to launch a Job Fair. In total, 13 German companies from diverse industries and service areas in the Pearl River Delta met professional candidates, MBA graduates and returnees who have studied in Germany during the all-day event. Rounding up the Job Fair, German companies were given the opportunity to present themselves and build up respective employer image through a series of company presentations opened to all visitors. GIC Guangzhou’s General Manager Mr. Jens Hildebrandt and Business School’s Vice Head Ms. Dai Honghui thanked the companies for their participation and wished them a successful day at the opening ceremony. They also emphasized the importance of cooperation between industry, chamber and university to create crucial links for mutual benefit. The overall feedback from the exhibitors has been very positive. "The job fair was a good venue to promote our company to MBA graduates as potential new employees. We successfully found one candidate who had his first day at our company only three weeks after the fair!" said Mr. Rafael Franz, Head of Purchasing (Far East) WMF Group. The Job Fair Team wants to thank everyone for making it such a remarkable event and is looking forward to the next one in the following spring. Event: 1 st Sino-German Job Fair South China Date: 10th April, 2010 www.china.ahk.de Challenges at the Canton Fair IPR Workshop Guangzhou The Intellectual Property Rights Workshop for European SMEs was set to answer questions regarding the protection of intellectual property in China and actions to take against infringers – particularly at the upcoming Canton Trade Fair. Jointly organised by GCC, European Chamber and the European Help Desk China, this event gave participants a chance to raise their questions to experts in the field of IPR. After an introduction to the European Union’s funded services of the China IPR SME Helpdesk, Hong Kong qualified lawyer Georgia Chiu of Lovells gave an overview on the topic and practical advice on how to prepare for adverse infringers on the fair grounds. She strongly pointed out that IPR protection requires a long-sighted action plan that is carried out in daily operations rather than just on special occasions. After a tea break, where participants had a chance to mingle and speak to the experts, Richard Moorhouse took stage. The CEO of UK-founded STRIX Ltd recently won a court case worth RMB 10mn against two infringing companies on Beijing court grounds. He enthusiastically encouraged the audience to use IPR issues as a longterm commitment to strengthen a company’s market position and image while sharing his experiences and practical hints on preparing long-term IPR strategies. Mr. Moorhouse particularly stressed the importance of bonding relations with local authorities, which he finds essential. The compelling corporate case study was followed by Raymond Moroney of Rouse Guangzhou, who provided detailed hands-on advice and necessary actions for dealing with infringers after a fair. One of the main strengths of this event was its ability to appeal to individual attendant’s concerns through both the questions panel at the end of the workshop and a private free consultation with one of the members of staff of the European Help Desk. Many questions were answered and the speakers urged the participating companies to continue in seeking solutions to the prevalent IPR issues that will surely persist during and after fairs. Introduction by the SME Helpdesk Events Networking Drinks Exhibitions Business Roundtables Interchamber Events Conferences Sporting Competitions Oktoberfest Special Events German Chamber of Commerce · South China 中国德国商会·华南区 YOUR BUSINESS PARTNER IN SOUTH CHINA Y E A R LY PA R T N E R S Publications Event: Workshop IPR: Canton Fair Date: 4th March 2010 in Guangzhou Speakers: Ms. Georgia Chiu | Lawyer, Lovells Shanghai; Mr. Richard Moorhouse CEO, STRIX Ltd; Mr. Raymong Moroney Senior Associate, Rouse Guangzhou Services Market Research Mediation and Legal Advice Office in Office Business Partner Search Interpreter Services Address Research Trade Fairs Management and Vocational Training All China website GC Ticker BusinessForum China Monthly Newsletter Surveys and Studies Analysis Membership Directory Online Directory Benefits Consulting and Support Lobbying Dialogue with German and Chinese Officials Cooperation with Trade Associatons Web Information Portal Preferential Fees for Events Discount on Publications and Advertisements Promotion of New Members w w w. c h i n a . a h k . d e 2915 Metro Plaza, 183 Tianhe Road (N), Guangzhou 510620, P.R. China T: +86-20-8755 2353 | F: +86-20-8755 1889 | E: [email protected] 217 Chinese Overseas Scholars Venture Building, Shenzhen Hi-Tech Industry Park, Shenzhen 2010 June - July 63 CHAMBER NEWS SOUTH CHINA PAGES Upcoming Banking Changes Banking Seminars Shenzhen & Guangzhou The structures, services and regulations of Chinese and Foreign Banks vastly differ from one another – it does not help matters much that they are both also undergoing tremendous change. Therefore, in collaboration with Austrian banking expert Susanne PongratzZhang, the GCC • South China invited its members to two events in Guangzhou and Shenzhen to focus on the legal changes in the banking sectors and its direct consequences on foreign directinvested companies. The speaker highlighted alterations and opportunities in financing investments with local banks, which are likely to close very soon. Furthermore, she gave the audience an overview on the new regulations that are effective as of January 2010. These regulations are forcing banks to tighten their lending quota, resulting in major changes on personal loans, fixed asset loans and capital loans. This decrease in loans is likely to affect the amount of working capital and the cost of financing in FDI companies. After the presentation the attendees had a chance to raise questions to the expert and share their opinions and discussions over a rich dinner. Event: Impact of banking policy changes on foreign direct invested enterprises Date: 23rd March 2010 in Shenzhen and 8th April 2010 in Guangzhou Speaker: Ms. Susanne Pongratz-Zhang | Chief Representative Raiffeisenzentralbank Zhuhai Branch Being Small Makes Good Finance Key SME Finance Seminar Shenzhen Managing small and medium enterprises is not easy, especially when it comes to finances. What does a SME director really need to know about financial management? In cooperation with the French Chamber of Commerce, the GCC • South China asked Nicolas Rousseau-Chenu of FALINWA, a company specialising in SME Financial Solutions, to speak about this topic in Shenzhen. In four coherent parts, the expert aimed at covering all the essentials of SME Finance: Context, Financial Management, Financial Analysis and Organisation of an SME Finance Department. The participants were especially keen on management tools and software solutions for finance, as they were discussed in great depth. The question of whether to make use of in-house capabilities or to outsource the 64 June - July 2010 financial function was also heavily discussed. Due to various pros and cons of each option as it applies to specific cases, there was no conclusive answer that applied to all companies. Mr. RousseauChenu closed by summing up the essentials while stressing the importance of first-rate financial management in a SME. Event: Finance for SME: the essentials Date: 14th April 2010 Speaker: Mr. Nicolas Rousseau-Chenu | Director, FALINWA Limited Wages Up, Labour Pool Down HR Roundtables in Zhuhai, Shenzhen & Guangzhou The GCC • South China presented the results of its Wage and Salary Survey 2010 in Zhuhai, Shenzhen and Guangzhou. Regional Manager Max J. Zenglein gave a brief analysis of the results and highlighted regional differences across the PRD. In contrast to last year ’s results, more German companies are planning to increase their labour force. Over 60% of respondents reported to hire new workers in 2010, whereas the figure for 2009’s survey stood at just 29%; although at that time most companies had hiring freezes or were surely considering them. In line with the survey results, cities across the PRD have reported labour shortages, which were also reflected in higher wage increases this year. Among the biggest challenges, companies are experiencing high turnover rates and problems finding technically skilled labour. Following the presentation, attendants enthusiastically exchanged experiences during a moderated discussion by GIC Guangzhou General Manager, Jens Hildebrandt. Event: HR Roundtables South China Date: 4th March 2010 in Zhuhai, 10th March in Shenzhen and 11th March in Guangzhou Chair: Mr. Max Zenglein | Regional Manager, GCC • South China NEW MEMBERS SOUTH CHINA Dipl.-Ing. Bodo Jäger Finance Director BODE Consultancy Ltd. Guangzhou ' 020 8454-6658 * [email protected] www.consulting-performance.com Mr. Rüdiger W. Kümmerle CEO Rhea & Partner International Holdings Ltd. Hong Kong ' +852 6558-3686 * [email protected] www.rhea-and-partner.biz Mr. Eric Lee General Manager Telefield Ltd. Hong Kong +852 2605-2811 [email protected] www.telefield.com.hk ' * Mr. Klaus Porath Owner & CEO Profilex Plastic Technology (Zhuhai FTZ) Co., Ltd. Zhuhai ' 0756 8817-077 * [email protected] www.profilex.de Mr. Axel Strittmatter General Manager Testo Instruments (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd. Shenzhen ' 0755 2662-6760 * [email protected] www.testo.com.cn For full contact information and company profiles of our new and existing members please visit www.german-company-directory.com 2010 June - July 65 CHAMBER NEWS SOUTH CHINA AROUND TOWN 1st Sino-German Job Fair South China 10th April 2010 | Sun Yat-Sen University Guangzhou The event proved to be a success and will be continued on an annual basis, as is the case in Beijing and Shanghai already. Soccer All Star Game: Germany vs. China 14th March 2010 | Foshan Century Stadium Germany’s former soccer players including Olaf Marschall and Marko Rehmer faced China’s former soccer elite. After a close battle, Germany won 3:2 and the players lounged with fans on the visitor’s tribune. The event was supporting Chinas first German founded Soccer School in Guangzhou and strives to promote professional sports to the South China community in cooperation with the DFB (German Soccer Association). 66 June - July 2010 www.china.ahk.de Chamber Networking Events Throughout April 2010 Farewell drinks for Kilian Backer and welcoming of the new Chamber Manager Heidrun Buss, a Stammtisch for Young Professionals and Students and the traditional German Happy Hour kept members well connected. Quatsch Comedy Club 12th May 2010 | Shenzhen Around 130 guests of the German speaking community enjoyed a traditional German meal followed by stand-up comedy from the famous Quatsch Comedy Club ensemble. Wolfgang Schneider, president of OBC, has already organised four similar events. A big thank you goes to the sponsors OBC, Lufthansa Technik, Ewikon, AHP Merkle, AsiaJet as well as Theodor Pauly, GM of the Holiday Inn. German Consul General Eberhard Schuppius also came to Shenzhen for a night with lots of laughter, good food and good company. 2010 June - July 67 COMMUNITY TRAINING & EDUCATION Beijing Training Highlights Training Calendar Date Training Beijing 9th June 10th June 24th - 25th June 29th June - 11th August 30th June - 11th August 6th July 22nd - 23rd July Shanghai 3rd June 4th June 7th - 8th June 9th - 10th June th th 10 - 11 June 11th June 17th June 18th June 22nd - 23rd June 24th - 25th June 2nd July 13th - 14th July 14th July 15th - 16th July 15th - 16th July 15th - 16th July 20th - 21st July 22nd - 23rd July Professional Receptionist Training Repatriation Workshop Train the Trainer Speaking Better English Advanced Business Writing Labour Law in Germany Effective Selling Skills Value Based Hiring Communication and Interpersonal Skills Working Smart with MS PowerPoint Accounting Receivables Management for Sales on Open Account Working with MS Excel Macro & VBA Leadership Training for German Managers in China Tax Information for German Expatriates in China Inventory Control & Warehouse Management Executive Secretarial & Administration Assistant Training Process Customs Formalities for Import and Export and the Strategy of Optimal Cost Control How to Lead Efficient Meetings Basic Management Skills Working Smart with Lotus Notes Project Management Essentials Working Smart with MS Excel Negotiation Skills Value Based Hiring Processing Customs Formalities for Processing Trade with Case Studies South China 1st - 2nd June Effective Selling Skills 10th June Influential Communication 11th - 12th June Transitional Leadership for Emerging Leaders 21st - 22nd June Customer Service Excellence 8th - 9thJuly Leading Change 16th July You Can Make a Difference (Win and Keep Customers) 23rd July Effective Business English Writing 28th - 29th July Internal Consulting Skills 30th July Communication & Interpersonal Skills Repatriation Workshop This course is geared towards expatriates who are completing an international assignment in China. At the end of the expatriation cycle, support is often underestimated. Employees get prepared to reintegrate into their professional and personal lives and to maximise the use of their cross-cultural experience. Labour Law in Germany If you want to learn about the structure and requirements of German Labour Law, this seminar is the perfect resource for you. Conveniently scheduled in the evening, this course imparts an indepth knowledge of German Labour Law and enables you to ensure legal feasibility of your HR decisions. You will be able to minimise risks and costs and maximise outcome in managing German employees on all managerial and operational levels. Shanghai Training Highlights Leadership Training for German Managers in China Learn how to successfully lead a Chinese team and bridge the cultural gap through a better understanding of China. This course allows you to share experiences and gain knowledge about fundamental concepts of Chinese society and the habits they create in typical work situations. Join this course to learn communication skills and strategies for cross-cultural situations with Chinese and feel more empathy for your Chinese peers through the 'face' concept to help yield better end results. Tax Information for German Expatriates in China Effective from 2004, there were new regulations in the PR China and in Germany regarding the Individual Income Tax of German expatriates. Detailed knowledge of these laws is necessary for the optimisation of the individual tax burden and the avoidance of personal risk. It is also necessary in view of the increasing efficient information exchange between the Chinese and German tax authorities. South China Training Highlights Transitional Leadership for Emerging Leaders This training programme helps first-time managers to establish the role of the team leader as a bridge, linking strategic direction and workplace objectives. Learn to understand your team members by focusing on five leadership competencies with an emphasis on selfawareness as a foundation. You Can Make A Difference (Win and Keep Customers) Today’s customers expect top-notch service for everything, regardless of the price. They expect the type of customer service that persuades them to come back time and time again, making them your long term business partner. This workshop provides practical approaches that you can implement immediately to help achieve this goal. You will learn how to delight your customers, ensure they remain happy and loyal, and how to turn them into your most prized asset - raving fans. GCC members receive discounted rates on training courses. For further information please contact: Beijing Shanghai South China Ms. Zhang Hong ' 010 6539-6681 6 010 6539-6689 * [email protected] Ms. Zhang Yihui ' 021 6875-8536 ext.1658 6 010 6875-8573 ext.5658 * [email protected] Ms. Xenia Deng ' 020 8755-8206 6 020 8755-1889 * [email protected] 68 June - July 2010 www.china.ahk.de A Comic Approach to Sino-German Education Deutschkolleg Goes New Ways in Preparing Chinese Interns “The results of the creativity contest were far above expectations. They enabled us to get an exciting insight into the perception of China's new generation and serve as very valuable input for further measures and marketing activities.” “Having those original and creative comics on display during our annual Job Fair provided a special focus for participating companies and individuals alike. We were particularly impressed with the students' depth of understanding with regard to company philosophy and products.” Dr. Dr. Andreas Tank, Marketing Director, Viessmann Heating Technology Beijing Co. Ltd. The Greater Shanghai Area is home to many German enterprises offering great perspectives for young Chinese professionals. The Deutschkolleg at Shanghai’s Tongji University recognises that these companies are seeking skilled local talent. It therefore provides special education to prepare Chinese students for internships in German companies. With professional support of managers from EunaCon, Keller Lufttechnik and Marquardt Switches, the Deutschkolleg help its students to integrate within various organisations. Christian Sommer, CEO of the German Centre in Shanghai As part of the training, 200 students of the Sino-German University of Applied Sciences (CDHAW) at Tongji University were asked to create comic strips about 30 German companies and their products. The results were outstanding and uncovered new and valuable perceptions for the participating companies about their image and products. The best comics were awarded by representatives of German enterprises, the German Consulate General and the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD). Companies in search of young Chinese professionals and intern candidates are invited to contact Sabine Porsche from the German Academic Exchange Service/ DAAD | Deutschkolleg at Tongji University in Shanghai. ' 021 6598-2289 | * sabineporsche@ yahoo.com | http://dk.tongji.edu.cn/ Synergies in Executive Education Mannheim and Tongji Join Forces in New EMBA Programme Mannheim Business School (MBS) and Tongji University in Shanghai have long been leading institutions for management education on their respective continents. Now the two schools have joined forces to create a new degree programme of unique structure and content. Beginning in spring 2011, the Mannheim & Tongji Executive MBA will give executives from around the world the skills and tools they need for positions in international top management. An agreement signed by the Dean of the School of Economics and Management at Tongji University (Tongji SEM), Professor Huo Jia-Zhen and MBS President Professor Christian Homburg has signified the foundation for the parttime English-language MBA programme. “In establishing the Mannheim and Tongji Executive MBA, we have created the first part-time MBA programme of two renowned educational institutions that has a SinoGerman focus”, emphasised Professor Huo at the signing ceremony. Professor Homburg stressed the intensive and ever-increasing trade between Asia and Europe, and specifi- cally between China and Germany as an ideal basis for the new programme. Each partner can look back on a long tradition of academic training of executives. Both schools are viewed as putting a strong focus on research, having reached top international accreditations and rankings in the competitive MBA market: MBS with its ESSEC & MANNHEIM Executive MBA programme placed 21 st in the latest global Financial Times ranking, and one of Tongji SEM’s programmes ranked 34th in the same category. Moreover, it will be possible for executives to register for individual courses and modules without pursuing a degree. Application deadline for the first EMBA intake (start March 2011) is 26th November 2010. Further information can be found at www.mannheim-tongji.com The structure of the new EMBA programme is tailored to meet the requirements of executives and allows a high degree of flexibility. The participants must complete six course modules, which last nine to eleven days and cover a variety of management disciplines – three in Mannheim and three in Shanghai. It is possible to complete the double degree programme within a 14 month period. However, students are free to take breaks or to only take individual courses within a module, as long as they complete all academic requirements within five years. 2010 June - July 69 COMMUNITY ENVIRONMENT Smoke-Free Signals China Targets Clean Burning Fossil Fuel Technology Being aware of the environmental impact and rising energy consumption levels that come with fast economic growth, China is injecting significant funding into the development of clean and efficient energy technology. Currently, 90% of China’s energy comes from three non-renewable energy sources: coal, oil, and nuclear power. In the past few years, the need for advanced environmental technology and overall market potential for clean and efficient technology applications in such non-renewable sectors have grown significantly. Key Areas of Market Potential for Foreign Players: n Coal Mining The area of coal mining has seen a particular demand for clean solutions. Coal beneficiation, for example, cleans coal to improve quality and is particularly well suited to Chinese coal. The government requires every coal mine to have a coal beneficiation facility, although in practice only 30% of coal is properly washed. The best prospects for foreign companies are in sulphur removal technology and dry coal beneficiation. Methane extraction is another area of coal mining in which technologies are needed, with the Coal Mine Methane (CMM) sector being particularly underdeveloped. To further stimulate the industry, China implemented the ‘Coal Mine Methane 11th Five-Year Plan,’ as well as a series of favourable policies. In particular, it welcomes advanced CMM recovery technologies, CMM exploitation in deep coal mines, effective CMM liquefaction, and value-added CMM conversion and utilisation. On Top of the Agenda Chinese energy consumption has increased drastically in recent years, and nearly doubled in the past two decades. Total primary energy consumption is expected to grow at a rate between 5.5% and 6.5% annually until 2015. This, coupled with a heavy reliance on coal and a lack of clean technologies, has caused adverse impacts on the environment and has resulted in China’s status as a leading global polluter of CO2, SO2, and NOx. The Chinese government is increasingly emphasising the development of clean energies. Its Energy Conservation Plan (2004) has become a major guide in the field of mid and long-term projects, with ten key energy conservation plans and other concrete energy saving goals. In addition, the 11th Five-Year Plan outlines specific targets for environmental improvement by 2010, and the government plans to issue an Energy Law that will further advocate clean technologies and efficiency, tighten pollution enforcement, and introduce new laws to assess energy efficiency. Clean Coal Technologies China is the largest producer and consumer of coal in the world. Unsurprisingly, coal makes up 70% of the country’s overall energy mix. Over half of the total coal consumption (2.74bn tons in 2008) fuels power plants that support the population’s energy needs. In light of this, the government is actively seeking to develop Clean Coal Technologies (CCTs). Although State-Owned Enterprises have dominated the industry in the past, an increasing number of private Chinese and foreign companies have entered the market in recent years. CCTs are not entirely new in China and some technologies are already well established; however, there is a growing demand for certain newer and more advanced technologies. In general, areas with higher levels of government support and lower domestic product maturity offer the best prospects for foreign companies. 70 June - July 2010 n Power Plants Pulverised Coal Power Plants generate the vast majority of China’s electricity. These are traditional coal-fired plants and are mostly outdated, with low efficiencies of around 33%. As a result, the government aimed in its 11th Five-Year Plan to eliminate small scale PCPs and build numerous, more efficient supercritical power plants. Consequently, companies are widely adopting advanced technology in this area. Combined Heat & Power (CHP) plants can produce and deliver both electricity and heat to end users, and are up to three times more efficient than conventional plants. Although CHP use is still limited, there is significant potential in this area as China has prioritised the development of dispersed power generation. Because coal-fired power plants produce 50% of SO2 and NO2 emissions in China, they are a major target of pollution control campaigns. The 11th Five-Year Plan outlines several laws and preferential policies to help reduce such emissions. The industry shows increasing potential, with particularly lucrative opportunities in certain advanced technologies such as desulphurisation, circulating fluidised bed boilers, and de-dusting technology. n Other Industrial Applications While coal is used to power electricity in power plants, in other industries it is generally used for heat generation. In particular, the construction and iron & steel industries are both extremely coal and energy-intensive. For example, China’s cement market is the largest in the world, but due to small and outdated kilns it is also highly inefficient. The government therefore encourages the establishment of energy-efficient and environmentally friendly kilns. Meanwhile, the iron & steel industry consumes even more of China’s total coal supply. Large-scale companies utilise about 200kg coalequivalent less than small ones, and thus also offer opportunities for more efficient equipment. Although these two industries often burn coal directly, it is also possible to first convert coal to another form. The processes of coal gasification and coal-to-liquid are two examples of such areas. There is expected to be a large market for coal gasifiers, which convert coal into a synthetic gas that can be substituted for natural gas, thus boosting efficiency. China is also actively developing the coal-to-liquid (CTL) industry, and plans to spend around USD 46bn in investments by the end of 2010. www.china.ahk.de Other Non-Renewable Technologies After coal, oil and nuclear power compose the highest percentages of non-renewable energy in China. Oil accounts for 19% and nuclear power for 0.8% of the energy mix. The government emphasises energy efficiency in this sector particularly in order to reduce dependence on foreign oil. Because Chinese companies have limited experience in refining the increasingly large amounts of imported crude oil, the state encourages joint ventures between SOEs and foreign companies in this sector. Key areas include heavy crude oil recovery and refining, offshore recovery, and petrochemical refining. Although nuclear power amounts to a very small percentage of China’s energy total, it is considered a clean energy and as such attracts growing amounts of focus. The government’s ‘Mid- and Long-Term Nuclear Power Development Plan (2005-2020)’ aims for nuclear power to account for 6% of the energy mix by 2020. Therefore, this sector should see more and more opportunities for foreign companies dealing with nuclear reactor technologies. novation and skilled personnel is still low. There is significant room for growth in these sectors, particularly that of coal. Notably, the coal mine methane sector is still young in China and in great need of foreign assistance, with various pollution control equipment in high demand. In the oil sector, key prospects include offshore oil recovery, heavy crude refining, and ethylene plants. The nuclear power sector in general has a high degree of market concentration, with a preference for large foreign companies in possession of leading technologies and expertise. Lastly, there are good opportunities for companies in the energy services (energy audit) sector, as the government is in the process of developing a system for calculating, auditing, and supervising energy consumption and emissions. Challenges Ahead… China’s government increasingly focuses on sustainability and efficiency. Nevertheless, many challenges remain for new entrants. In particular, the need to establish a presence in China as a pure import strategy can often be difficult to sustain, as the government strongly prefers domestic production over purely foreign imports. Especially for more mature technologies in China, it can be difficult to compete with domestic production, manufacturing and assembly. Even for components that are widely imported, companies with a local presence are favoured. There is a significant degree of competition between foreign companies as well, most notably those from leading European countries, Japan, and the US. Finally, China’s large SOEs prefer to partner with large MNCs. While smaller suppliers can serve as subcontractors to engineering projects in some cases, they still usually face competition from locally established companies. …but Opportunities Outweigh The application of clean and efficient technologies to coal, oil, and nuclear energy is not new in China. Although some segments are relatively developed, other more advanced or more complex processes still require foreign technologies. In general, the level of domestic in- JLJ Group is a one stop service provider assisting foreign companies to enter and grow in the China market. For more information please contact Mr. Yan Wu at * [email protected]. 2010 June - July 71 COMMUNITY FOOD & RESTAURANTS Express Delivery from Farm to Plate The Making of an Organic ‘Foodventure’ Running a farm and opening a salad bar in Shanghai was not a role that Guy Wiener from Frankfurt would have imagined himself in ten years ago. Guy initially came to Shanghai in 1994 for two years of study, and was drawn back to the city in 2003 because of increasing economic development. He wanted to introduce better food safety standards as they seemed nearly non-existent at that time. With a law degree in hand, Guy heard about the Shanghai Organic Agriculture farm through a consulting partner and quickly climbed the managerial ladder within the business. Guy has three main points of advice for other foreigners who are considering setting up business in Shanghai. First, do your market research. Second, specify and narrow down your audience. And third, know your risks and start small. He explained that foreigners are only guests in China and they should behave as guests. There will be some things that people like and others that people dislike, just as if they were a guest in someone’s home. “If you don’t like the environment, you are free to leave,” said Guy, “but if you can accept it, you are invited to stay.” The 400mu farm (over 260,000m2) located in Songjiang District, has an invariable green-leaf crop and also a seasonal harvest including corn, carrots, peas and other vegetables. Shanghai Organic Agriculture was one of the first Chinese farms certified by the Organic Food Development Center (OFDC) underneath the Ministry of Agriculture as a qualified organic farm. To achieve such certification a farm must be free of all chemicals and pesticides and undergo annual soil, air and water testing through a third-party government organisation. As Guy oversees the daily operations of the farm, he can guarantee that the produce is of premium organic quality. The most rewarding part of Guy’s job is seeing happy or returning customers and when someone recognises Zest Express’ products or brand. Currently there is a high percentage of returning customers, which gives him confidence in future success. This summer, Guy plans to open a second location in Jing’an and is ambitious to further expand his business. ATD Once Guy made sure that the farm was producing quality organic vegetables, it only made sense to deliver those vegetables to the people of Shanghai, where he had often longed for fresh food himself. Guy explored various potential locations for a restaurant in the city before being awarded with the current location on Wujiang Lu pedestrian zone because of his innovative organic concept. The name of his restaurant, Zest Express, captures the essence of his vision of freshness and is apparent in everything from the food to the interior décor. When initially setting up the restaurant, Guy discovered that the process took longer than expected, with licensing postponing the grand opening for around six weeks. Aside from the short delay, things have run fairly smoothly since the doors officially opened in late January of this year. The best seller at the restaurant is currently the soup and salad combo for RMB 58; however, other items such as the hearty German-rooted potato salad, California-style shrimp with avocado or homemade unsweetened yoghurts are also excellent options. The current clientele are mainly business women – both local and foreign - working for foreign companies, but Guy believes that the word of mouth will encourage all types of people to find their way to the restaurant. He decided against direct advertising to be able to manage the customer flow as the restaurant is still fairly new. 72 June - July 2010 Zest Express at Wujiang Lu, Jing’an District, Shanghai Guy Wiener at the Shanghai Organic Agriculture Farm Health How to Keep Cool in the Summer the Chinese Way The Heat is definitely on. After a seemingly endless winter, we now find ourselves in the oppressive summer heat to which all parts of China succumb. Dreading to leave the air-conditioned building, some even wish the winter chill back. The Chinese moon calendar marks this stifling period around July as Sanfutian (三伏天) summer’s hottest 30 days. Certainly the roll-shirt-over-belly method perfectioned in Beijing’s Hutongs might have its purpose, but since even the central government is keen on wielding out that particular practice, we might do well and stray from it. This little article explores how to keep the body from overheating through the implementation of Chinese food-lore during summer in the city. Edible remedies The solution is to look to remedies that have long been practiced. In China, these remedies are naturally connected to food: The things you eat and drink will heat or cool your body. Too much summer heat needs to be compensated in the body and countered with edible cures. The perfect drink to drain the body of excess heat is green bean soup or Lüdou Tang (绿豆汤). Simply boil the dried green beans in water, let cool, and drink in small sips throughout the day. This is exactly the muddy green liquid that you see swapping in plastic containers that grandmothers and mothers administer to their little ones strapped in their tricycles. But it might also be seaweed soup, of a slightly darker murk, enjoyed with a healthy dash of sugar. A delicious treat, we are ensured by those who recall it from their childhood days. For the Beijingers among us, Suanmei Tang (酸梅汤), or sour plum juice, is perfect to bring the body’s heat down. For Guangzhouers, this will be Yin’Er Tang (银耳 汤), silver ear mushroom soup. Kugua (苦瓜) or bitter melon, a vegetable many Westerners are hard to persuade with, is the superstar of heat-reducing foods. www.china.ahk.de 4 And edible enemies But beware! There are certain foods one should never eat in excess, especially in summer, as they will produce too much heat in the body. Lychees are to be eaten only in very small quantities. Lamb and dog meat should also be reserved for autumn and winter, if you insist on eating dog at all, that is. KSB 2010 June - July 73 COMMUNITY SPORTS Small Ball Revival in Yunnan Kunming is Set to Become an International Minigolf Destination Thinking back to childhood days and sunny afternoons spent enjoying a round of miniature golf with family, the thought of this leisure activity as a professional international-level sport sounds ludicrous. However, although China’s minigolf scene is underdeveloped and the concept still bewilders most Chinese, the largest facility in China resides in the Southwest and strives to bring a minigolf experience to the country that is unparalleled anywhere else in the world. den between two major golf courses, one can find the ‘Hello! Minigolf’ grounds that have kept minigolf alive in China since 2007. Devised by a world-class minigolf design team, Hello! Minigolf currently features two 18hole courses: the Fun Course and the Challenge Course, which meet all standards for international competitions. Kunming, the provincial capital of Yunnan, proudly owns China’s first accredited minigolf course with international tournament standards. With an ideal climate and green hills, it is no wonder that China’s number one golf city, that was once a long-kept secret, is now emerging in the eyes of the global golfing community. Scenic Dianchi Lake, located outside of the city centre, is a perfect backdrop for putting. The west hill at Dianchi Lake encompasses the area, creating a naturous landscape. Hid- Last year the course was proud to host the first Minigolf China Open Tournament. Participants from around the world were attracted to the sporting event, featuring top minigolfers from more than 20 countries including China, the United States, Germany, Vietnam, Ireland, and more. Further competitions are planned for this year, like the Asian Minigolf Open. Such events are the key component to propel Kunming towards its target of becoming China’s number one minigolf hub. Generally speaking, the minigolf awareness in China is low. Most Chinese get confused between minigolf and its bigger brother golf. So oddly enough, when out playing, one can see fine gentlemen in tuxedos and girls in gowns and hats, living up the image of the classy sporting event. Finding the perfect mix between tracksuits and tuxedos seems to be a fashion challenge of a certain kind here. Until visiting the course yourself, you may not be aware that even the choice of a club’s décor is an establishment of ones fashion style: blue and black leather handracks or aluminium steel, and Barbie versus Monster Car designs on the children’s clubs - only the limits of one’s imagination draw the line of possibilities for this simple minigolf base. To further Kunming’s presence in the global minigolf community (and educate people about the right dress code) the city has established the Pro Minigolf Club, which serves as the training base for China's only internationally ranked Pro Minigolf club. There is no need to worry about visiting if you are not yet a professional in the sport; the course has something to offer everyone. Minigolf classes are available at the facility, or you can simply sip a glass of international spirits at the fancy club house bar while watching ambitious minigolfers on the course. Focusing on youngsters every Saturday morning, an English minigolf class is held for the little ones. After an hour of new words and fun games in English by a foreign teacher, the kids have a minigolf lesson on the grounds. One can already see the potential of a threeyear-old managing even the most difficult holes with one put. Watch out world, the new minigolf elite is on the rise in China! SN schanghai com d e u t s c h s p r a c h i g e c h i n a - p l a t t f o r m "Beliebteste ChinaInformationsbörse" (ZEIT) "Viele Deutsche nutzen die Job- und Wohnungsbörse von schanghai.com" (ARD) "Wichtigste deutschsprachige Austauschplattform" (Deutscher Shanghai) 74 June - JulyClub 2010 Your direct channel to Germans in China Efficient ad solutions from EUR 160/month Request our media-kit at [email protected] NEW BOOKS www.china.ahk.de China’s Megatrends HarperBusiness | John and Doris Naisbitt | October 2008 | 272 pages, English | ISBN: 978-0061859441 The authors of China’s Megatrends raise a significant question, asking why autocratic China has impelled such rapid economic growth while leaving many democratic societies in the dust. Information to help answer this question was collected through an extensive number of prestigious interviews, comprehensive media monitoring at the Naisbitt China Institute in Tianjin, and by obtaining unprecedented access by the Chinese government to all aspects of the country and its social model. Their research revealed that China is undergoing fundamental changes via a “vertical democracy” that is changing the rules of global trade and challenging Western democracy as the only acceptable form of governing. “We were aware that we were looking at a country undergoing great change in a very complex way, with each region and each city moving at different levels and at different speeds,” said John and Doris. What they found was of much greater dimension and importance than they had expected. They believe that in the next decades China will change the conditions of global economics, as the Chinese model challenges democracy as the only governing method capable of reducing poverty and providing sufficient social and economic rights. The Naibitts coined eight pillars, which are explored as the foundation and drivers of a new society. Each pillar provides insights that examine Chinese culture, values, and the swift changes that have transformed a developing nation into a rising business hub with increasing global attention. China’s Megatrends is a stimulating discussion of change and values that contrasts Western preconceptions, raises important points that deter abrupt judgement of China, and provokes speculation around our own values and troubles in the light of China’s recent successes. More Chinglish: Speaking in Tongues Gibbs Smith | Oliver Lutz Radtke | 2009 | 111 pages, English ISBN: 978-1-4236-0584-3 As author and language collector Oliver Radtke exited a taxi near the Shanghai Foreign Languages University where he was about to begin his studies as a Chinese major student, he noticed a sticker on the inside of the door. “Don’t forget to carry your thing,” it read and triggered Radtke’s fascination with ‘Chinglish’. Chinglish is not solely incorrect English; it is English with Chinese characteristics. Of course, there are some mistakes that should be corrected if tourists loose their way due to misleading signage; however the author sees Chinglish as a positive thing in many respects. Chinglish is funny because of the direct nature of the new meaning produced by the translation of a “deformed man toilet” in Shanghai or an “Anus Hospital” in Beijing. Chinglish is right in your face and it’s funny because it instantly destroys linguistic euphemisms that Westerners have carefully built up when talking about sensitive topics. Secondly, Chinglish is about preserving a linguistic phenomenon that can only be witnessed in China. It provides insight into Chinese thinking and is a creative use of the English language. The sign “Don’t bother the resting little grass” is correct English, but sounds funny to a Westerner because of the fundamental Chinese characteristics. Oliver started a blog in June 2005. Soon other visitors in China were sending in their files every week, encouraging him to keep his ‘online museum’ going. Most pictures are his own that have been collected during his two years in China. However, nearly all of his external contributors are foreigners who wish to remain anonymous fearing colleagues’ reactions, which show that there is still sensitivity around the issue. The intention of the Chinglish book series is not to offend anyone, but rather to enjoy and examine differences in Chinese and Western societies. The author also derives some societal implications from the use of Chinglish. He believes that Chinglish is related to inadequate English education in China and a need for better translators. Yet some of the signs display such a breathtaking innocence that standardised English would deprive foreigners in China from experiencing. Without overanalysing, More Chinglish is a light read that is sure to bring about smiles and laughter over anything else. 2010 June - July 75 COMMUNITY ART & CULTURE Colour Creativity Farbwerte – SchwarzRotGold Robert Eysoldt, a Berlin-based creative director and project developer, initiated Farbwerte – SchwarzRotGold (Colour Values – Red Black Gold) in 2009, a project to collect and combine individual perspectives, attitudes and standpoints about the German identity and its various forms of public display. the respective texts cause a creative impulse necessary for reflection and discourse,” said Robert Eysoldt. Since March 2009, a host of designers and artists were asked to incorporate the powerful, yet polarising German flag as a symbol in their works of art. In these artworks, people from different parts of society are portrayed together with the German flag, illustrating their individual view of Germany. In addition, Robert Eysoldt and photographer Frank Roesner have contributed over 45 portraits. Students from the renowned Berlin-based ESMOD fashion school also joined the project and over 120 participants from various countries contributed to date. After the successful launch of the project during two exhibitions in October 2009 and February 2010 in Berlin, “Farbwerte – SchwarzRotGold” kicked-off its activities in Shanghai at the M50 Creative Space earlier in March. Beginning with the opening of the exhibition, artists and designers from China are taking part in the further creative development of the project. It is intended that the resulting works of art will be shown in other Chinese cities and in Germany. The project was also presented at the German Pavilion during the World Expo Shanghai 2010 during the first three weeks of May. The next countries on the Farbewerte agenda will be India (2011) and Indonesia, where the initiators plan to work with the respective national flags. “This project reflects scepticism and enthusiasm and the resulting variety of standpoints and opinions. The diversity of the objects, images and For inquiries concerning artist participation please contact Robert Eysoldt at * [email protected] or visit www.farbwerte.com Jeannette Ladewig Anna Reynolds Nihat Turan One evening I was sitting watching TV in my parents’ house in Schorfheide. The next day everything had changed. West Germany, the enemy of the people, was beckoning to us from beyond the wall, waving a DM 100 note. Germany! The first time I encountered you I was really quite sceptical. I was 15 or 16 when I visited you for the first time because my uncle wanted to cheer me up with a trip abroad. We walked along a long street of shops and I noticed how inattentive you are. Because I have a huge love for detail, I found it very disturbing that, although I felt your eyes upon me from every direction, no one made eye contact with me, as if this was what you were trying to avoid at all costs. However hard I tried to establish eye contact with you, I never ever succeeded. When I think of you, I feel safe and secure. I can always rely on you. You give me the freedom to think and to be, to live my life the way I want to. Even though there are always people who believe that I don’t belong here, your resistance to this attitude fills me with pride and joy. My greatest good fortune is that my parents were able to set up a new home among you over 30 years ago. You are my homeland. A few weeks later our civics lessons came to an end, replaced with classes in politics. I have known two social systems and have lived through two currency unions. I associate Germany with change and that’s what gives us the opportunity to be open to changes for the better. If we can manage this, I will be able to say that I am proud to be a German. 76 June - July 2010 Lutz Engelke ...I am happy that there has been some movement here. The black, red and gold of the German flag have come to encompass a more and more colourful society than the Basic Law. The team that won the World Cup in 1954 now has quite a different complexion, quite a different drive. The cooperation and game plans now to be found in the country are more go-ahead and have overtaken current political logic. Germany has put its winter years behind it. Contemplation can be an enjoyable pastime in this country. It can also be enjoyable to talk about Germany when abroad. Instead of begrudgery, we are now met with a smile. And then at the heart of Germany is Berlin, which has always been like the cosmopolitan soul of our country and which has always been aware of its own wounds. There is something really wonderful brewing here. "In our hearts we are armed against the displeasure of these heroic lackeys in black-red-gold livery," wrote Heine in his foreword of his Winter’s Tale. Germany is now more than just a fairytale and will last more than just a summer… Frederike Meyer (ESMOD - Fashion School) As far as I am concerned, the Germans are happy to be seen with their flag, but no one wants to be the one to take the first step. My dress reflects this idea. If you stand still, it looks black, but the more you move, the more colourful it becomes. 2010 June - July 77 COMMUNITY GIVING BACK Risen from the Rubble of Destruction With Help from German Friends a New Mountain Village School in Sichuan Celebrates its Opening When an immense earthquake hit Sichuan Province in May 2008, lives and hopes of many families were buried under rubble. It soon became apparent that many school buildings had not withstood its forces. The death toll among children and teachers was high and the entire region needed support to provide good schools for the fundamental goal of developing the rural areas of China. The national and provincial governments were quick in starting an impressive rescue and later reconstruction effort. However, the task of re-building hundreds of schools, among all other repair and restoration tasks, brought forth a need to concentrate the immediate efforts on bigger schools in the urban areas, while smaller village school projects could only be treated with lower priority. In these circumstances, a private initiative of German company employees in the Taicang Industrial Zone commenced and the Taicang Roundtable (TRT) hosted the initial project discussion and developments. Through private relationships, the Education Commission of the rural city of Qingchuan in Northern Sichuan Province was involved and proposed several potential sites where TRT could help re-build a school. Soon many German companies in Taicang had committed donations, the German Chamber of Commerce granted a generous endowment and TRT established workgroups for coordinating the help effort. After several visits to Qingchuan by the TRT delegations headed by 78 June - July 2010 Ms. Tan Jin of Dunkermotoren, Sanpan village was selected as the ideal location for the new school due to its size and the timely availability of the plot. Sanpan Village is located at the bend of a river in a mountainous territory around 20km Northeast of Qingchuan. During the earthquake, the school building was heavily damaged and had to be replaced by an entirely new building that could host four classes of 50 children from both the village and the neighbouring valleys. For children coming from further away, a dormitory of eight rooms for 64 kids has been built. Three teacher’s dormitories with their own kitchenettes provide a comfortable environment and help to foster a warm and friendly atmosphere to the population of the school. The new building also includes a canteen and large playing field. The school buildings were designed to blend into the rural environment in size and colour. The structures are arranged in an ‘L’ shape around the playing field, taking advantage of the location’s topography. All four classrooms are oriented towards the south and have generous windows to bring in sufficient natural light for an ideal learning environment. The buildings refer to the local traditional architecture in style, but are organised in a contemporary, functional way. Utmost importance was given to the structural safety of the new school buildings, as they were designed in accordance to the strictest Chinese code for earthquake resistance. The execution of solid foundations, strong concrete structure and proper stiffening of the buildings was supervised by teacher Zhou, who was committed to make sure that his pupils will be safe should another earthquake strike the region. The team of Virtuarch from Shanghai has managed to design a costeffective, child-friendly school building, which was joyfully taken into possession by the pupils during the opening ceremony on 9th April 2010. Local dignitaries and a delegation of representatives of companies and individuals from TRT and the German Chamber in Shanghai were all present at the grand opening. One of the major attractions to the kids was the child figures cut into the walls of the buildings. These structures allow the children to slip through the walls, while adults are bound to the normal walkways. Less than two years after the earthquake has struck, new life has taken possession of an exemplary school of German and Chinese cooperation. Following-up on its RMB 650,000 lead sponsorship of the Qingchuan School Project in 2009, the German Chamber in Shanghai and its members collected some additional funds for the project at the Chamber’s recent Happy Hour on 19 th March. Despite the ‘Pay as you like’ theme of the evening without fixed prices, many guests generously donated knowing that part of the evening’s proceeds were for a good cause. Thus, an additional total of RMB 4,000 could be donated to the Qingchuan School Project. Daniel Heusser is the General Manager of Virtuarch in Shanghai. Virtuarch offers architecture, interior design and project management services in China and has realised dozens of school projects in China and Korea, aside from its focus on industrial, R&D and headquarter buildings. For further information, please contact Daniel at: ' 021 5272-9909 | * [email protected] 2010 June - July 79 COMMUNITY TRAVEL Explore,Marvel and Relax Sabah is a Perfect Getaway Located on the World’s Third Largest Island Small town life in Kampung Buli Sim Sim - stilt fishing village on the original site of Sandakan town Travel to the Malaysian part of Borneo and find nature in abundance. Ecotourism plays a major role and offers smooth exploration of even the hidden tracks. Playing in sanctuary: Borneo’s Men of the Forest Why not just lie on a sandy beach, watching the blue sky and listening to the sea? Staying at a five-star hotel with relaxed, happy people around is easy enough – but if that was all you did, you have missed some of the best parts of northern Borneo. In Sabah, it’s all about nature – and nowadays, the focus is on ecotourism. Thus, Sabah is a place to explore without too much of a guilty conscience. South of Typhoon The Malaysian state of Sabah, also called ‘negeri di bawah bayu’ or ‘Land below the Wind’, is situated on the third largest island in the world and is home to Malaysia’s largest mountain, the 4,095m Mount Kinabalu. The province’s poetic nickname refers to its location south of the typhoon-prone Philippines and also served as title for Agnes Newton Keith’s autobiographical novel from 1939. The American writer lived in the city of Sandakan together with her British husband who was a Conservator of Forests for the colonial government from the 1930s onward. She writes about one of her frequent strolls around Sandakan, stating, “The wind of the northeast monsoon is in my face as I look across the jungle to the Sulu Sea. The sea both isolates and connects our island of Borneo”. From the jungle to the sea – there are many possibilities to schedule into your trip. Into the Rainforest Absolutely do not miss the rainforest and wildlife regions. The giant orangutans, ‘Men of the Forest’, are awaiting you in the famous Sepilok Sanctuary, popping out of the forest for lunch time, eating, playing, swinging around and seemingly having a good time. However, these great apes are not merely there for your amusement. The sanctuary provides a facility to rescue, rehabilitate, and reintroduce the animals to a life in wilderness. The Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation is a multifaceted organisation with many projects and up to 1,000 people dedicated to help to save this species. The total population of the Bornean Orangutan has been estimated at 69,000 in 2003, but current numbers are expectedly lower due to habitat destruction. Further in the heartlands, the fauna seems boundless. To get a good impression, stay overnight. There are rainforest lodges offering 80 June - July 2010 www.china.ahk.de accommodation, meals and guided tours both by boat and walking trips during day or at night. One of the best moments of the trip will surely be seeing the impressive nose of the proboscis monkeys both up close and as they jump from one branch to another. It’s quite fun to watch the individuals of a pack interact and having a good time. Up to the Top in One Day If you are more on the sporty side of life, you can climb the sacred mountain ‘Gunung Kinabalu’, situated in a World Heritage National Park. Depending on the weather, and your physical condition, the main peak can be climbed in one day. However, there is still the risk of experiencing altitude sickness, so you might appreciate the fact that guides will lead you all the way up - and back down, of course. The area is known for its tremendous biodiversity with an unbelievably high number of endemic plants. There are more than 600 species of ferns, over 300 species of birds and more than 800 species of orchids. Just one of Sabah’s many species: The stork billed Kingfisher with its brilliant colour coat Down to the Coral Reefs Instead of climbing up, you can head down to explore Pulau Sipadan, rated one of the best diving spots in the world. The oceanic island offers hundreds of species of coral and thousands of species of fish, among barracudas, rays and sharks. Turtles are also likely to swim by as you come along. If you prefer to watch them from a dryer place, try to get a ticket to Turtle Islands National Park where green and hawksbill turtles lay their eggs on the beaches. During peak-season there will be dozens of animals crawling out of the sea to find their best place. Only a few people are allowed to witness this spectacle at a time as men have been banned to protect and save the islands. Watch out before swimming: Crocodiles cruise some of Sabah’s rivers Sad History during WWII Sabah’s capital Kota Kinabalu is also known for leisure spots and waterfront entertainment.The former capital Sandakan gained notoriety during World War II when the Japanese army decided to move about 2,400 Australian and British prisoners of war from their detention centre in the city to the distant town of Ranau, 160 miles away. Only six prisoners survived the so called Sandakan Death Marches. Still today, there are many descendants on pilgrimage to the memorial sites, having travelled all the way from Britain or Australia. Tropical Climate In Agnes Newton Keith’s times, the travel to Hong Kong was a seven-day trip by steamer. Nowadays, you can reach Kota Kinabalu International Airport via Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur or Brunei by plane. There have been occasions in the past and possibly in the future again with direct flights to and from Mainland China. A number of domestic flights connect the eastern and western parts of the state. The climate is tropical year round with an average temperature of 26-27°C and humidity levels of up to 80%. Rainy season is from October through March. Simone Tietz has been living in Shanghai for almost four years together with her family before moving back to Germany. She has been travelling a lot during her days in Asia, but still a long list of places to go. 2010 June - July 81 COMMUNITY CITY TOUR More than Retail Therapy Discovering the Many Facets of Shenzhen Going shopping crazy in Dongmen Just 30 years ago Shenzhen was a small fishing village that went by the name Bao’an County in the southeast of the Pearl River Delta. After 1979, it was renamed ‘Shenzhen City’ and became an exemplary piece of work for the Chinese Economic Opening. Ever since, Shenzhen has attracted people from all over China and foreigners alike to set business foot in the country. It was long known as a shopping paradise for Hong Kong residents coming across the boarder for a bargain, but taking a closer look at this extravagant city one finds there is much more to discover. First the Standards Shop’ til You Drop If you have read anything at all about Shenzhen, you probably know about Window of the World where you can “see all the world’s landmarks in one day.” Among the park’s highlights, tourists can visit famous sights such as the Brandenburg Gate and the Eiffel Tower in miniature. This might appeal more to Chinese citizens, who may not have significant travel experience. World visitors, however, will probably find China Folk Cultural Villages and Splendid China more interesting, where you can see fullsized traditional architecture from twenty-some Chinese minorities, as well as miniatures of most of China’s major tourist attractions. Both of these theme parks are easy to reach near the west end of Metro that is currently running on one and a half lines. Also located at the Window of the World is Happy Valley, more of a thrillride place that will have your heart pumping when you go on the roller coasters and rides. Shenzhen is a well-known shopper’s Mecca. The ‘Big Three Shopping areas‘ are Luohu Commercial City, Dongmen, and Huaqiang Bei. Luohu Commercial City (LCC) is the granddaddy of them all. It has five floors of tightly-packed shops selling almost anything you could possibly desire from electronics to clothes and Tibetan trinkets to tea. LCC is also the focal point for tailored goods in Shenzhen. In addition to the ‘Big Three Theme Parks,’ Shenzhen has a zoo that is inviting for family afternoons with animal shows and petting areas. One of the city’s best-kept secrets, however, is the Shenzhen International Botanical Garden, which allows free admission. The extensive gardens include pavilions, bridges, statuary, and other elements that replicate some of China’s most elegant places and invite the tired city dweller to sit down and relax with a good book. 82 June - July 2010 Dongmen is like a widely-spread version of LCC but with a far longer history. Evolving from a 300-year-old market, it is still a sort of bewildering labyrinth. Clothing, art, and branded shops can be found here, with an emphasis on trendy, youthful items. Dongmen is also home to various nightclubs and restaurants, making it a good place to remain after dark. Huaqiang Bei is yet another area with a good selection of clothing, though the fashions here tend to be a bit more mature and conservative. More prominent, however, is the electronics market, symbolised by Shenzhen’s secondtallest building, the SEG/Saige Tower. In the building, many electronic merchants supply everything from component parts to the latest trendy gadgets. These three places typify the early phase of Shenzhen’s development. In the last few years, upscale malls with shopping, dining, and en- tertainment - including cinemas, ice-skating and children’s play centres - have sprung up all across the city. Dining and Nightlife Just as other big cities in China, Shenzhen offers a variety of culinary experiences. Whether you prefer the tastes of Chinese or Western food, Indian curry or Thai, it can all surely be found here. For a variety of dishes in one sitting, you could venture to a Cantonese restaurant offering Dim Sum, a dining experience that no visitor to Shenzhen should miss. Those seeking the electrifying nightlife have a choice of different areas, but Shekou District is a particularly vibrant bar street of rising popularity. Soak up some Culture Contrary to popular belief, there are plenty of cultural attractions in Shenzhen. Art lovers should head to the Shenzhen Art Museum at the north end of Donghu (Eastlake) Park, the Guan Shanyue Museum in Lianhuashan Park, or the He Xiangning Art Gallery in OCT. The latter also sponsors the OCT Contemporary Art Terminal across the street and stretches further eastward. Though not a museum, Dafen Village in Buji is a particularly popular place to roam around and buy pieces from the hip young artist scene. Other cultural venues include the Shenzhen Shekou District appeals to outdoor people and night birds alike Museum across from Citic Plaza, the Hakka Museum in Longgang Town, and the Dapeng Fortress, a Ming-period naval fort on the Dapeng Peninsula in south Longgang District. An old tower also rests at the base of Bao’an’s Phoenix Mountain and a temple with grottoes is situated at the top. Hong Fa Temple in Xian Hu Park is Shenzhen’s largest Buddhist temple, but numerous folk temples are also scattered throughout the city, such as in the centre of Xiasha Village in the south of Futian District. For the ultimate ‘Old Shenzhen’ experience, take a walk in a traditional village area, like Hubei or Luoling just east of Dongmen. A stroll through Xin’an Village near Zhongshan Park in Nanshan is another good option to get a feel for how the city may have once looked. Heading Outdoors Shenzhen is blessed with dozens of parks of varying size. Your author’s favourite is Lizhi Park at the intersection of Shennan and Hongling Roads. Here on a Sunday afternoon you will find Chinese folk playing Chinese chess, musical instruments and practicing Tai Chi. More active people can climb to the peak of Lotus Mountain Park to find the statue of Deng Xiaoping and enjoy excellent city vistas. One can also buy a kite near the southeast entrance and fly it in the Kite Square. More ambitious view-seekers might visit Nanshan, the mountain just north of Shekou. The incline only requires more of an uphill walk than a climb. For more strenuous climbs check out Mount Wutong and Mount Maluan in the east, and Yangtai Mountain in Bao’an, just north of Xili in Nanshan. Golfers may also want to visit one of Shenzhen’s excellent courses, such as Mission Hills, ‘the largest golf course in the world’ with 216 holes. Ice skating and skiing is also possible in Shenzhen thanks to the Poly Cultural Plaza and Window of the World. Like it warmer? Head for the eastern beaches of Dameisha or Xiaomeisha. If you’re looking for a more secluded spot to soak up the sun, try Xichong Beach in the remote Nan’ao area. Shenzhen also encourages pampering with a bountiful selection of spas, massage parlours, and more. After all of the above, take a stroll through the centre of town. Then you can really say you’ve experienced Shenzhen. All Pictures courtesy of the author Vistas over Shenzhen Bay LW Publishing issues a number of guidebooks on Shenzhen. Further information can be found at www.lonelywriters.com 2010 June - July 83 COMMUNITY THIS & THAT How well do you know China? What is the name of this ancient city in Shanxi Province and what was it famous for during the Qing Dynasty? Check out our next issue for the answer and send us a photo from your own pool of China travel pictures, indicating the name and place of the motive. The best entry will be published with credits of the photographer in our next issue. Email your entry to [email protected] Solution 2/2010: The 610m Guangzhou TV Tower will be the highest of its kind on earth and is destined to become the city’s landmark way beyond the Asian Games © Bernhard Porpaczy THE GREAT PEOPLE Sudoku Reunion Medium 8 1 6 7 2 1 4 9 3 by: PUYE 9 4 1 4 8 7 2 1 2 3 4 4 9 5 1 2 8 6 2 8 5 6 3 9 1 SudokuShack.com http://www.flickr.com/puyecomic German Speaking Christian Community Beijing Date 6th June 13th June 20th June 26th June 4th July th th Summer Break: 4 July – 4 September Shanghai th 6 June 13th June 20th June 27th June 4th July th st Summer Break: 4 July – 31 August Contact: 84 June - July 2010 Time Place Service TBA 10.00 am 10.00 am 5.00 pm 10.00 am Huairou German Embassy German Embassy German Embassy German Embassy th Protestant Catholic Confirmation Protestant Kath Clock Fair Ecumenical 10.00 am 10.30 am 3.30 pm 10.30 am 10.30 am Diocese Chapel Shanghai in XuJiaHui Green Valley Villas St. Peters Church German Consulate General Lakeside Ville Catholic Confirmation Protestant Catholic Ecumenical Protestant An ecumenical service resumes church activities in Beijing on 5 September Beijing: Dr. Karl-Heinz Schell – Protestant Pastor | ' 136 9363-1857 * [email protected] | www.egpeking.de Catholic Services | * [email protected] Shanghai + Suzhou: Peter Kruse – Protestant Pastor | ' 139 1765-4475 Michael Bauer – Catholic Priest | ' 137 7431-0216 * [email protected] | www.dcgs.net 2010 June - July 85 COMMUNITY CHAMBER EVENTS CALENDAR Regular Events Chamber Calendar Date North China th 18 June 22nd June 23rd June South China 3th June 8th June 13th June 18th June 22nd/24th June 23rd June TBA June 13th July TBA July East China 1st June 3rd June 9th June 10th June 11th June 22th June 23rd June 24th June 30th June 5th July 6th July 8th July 22nd July Event/Topic Soccer Night at Drei Kronen (Tianjin) Sichuan Strategy Seminar Insurance Workshop (Tianjin) German White Asparagus Dinner (Guangzhou) GM Roundtable (Shenzhen) Soccer World Cup Kick-Off at Oasis (Guangzhou) Soccer Night at The Tavern (Guangzhou) Sichuan Strategy Seminar (Shanghai/Beijing) Soccer Night at Hooleys (Guangzhou) HR Roundtable (Guangzhou) GM Roundtable (Shenzhen) Legal Roundtable (Guangzhou) Workshop Human Resources Workshop Marketing Special Insurance Seminar Special Insurance Seminar: Fraunhofer ISI Breakfast Seminar: Automotive Sichuan Strategy Seminar Workshop Automotive Chamber Meeting Expo Roundtable Workshop Construction Workshop Tax, Finance & Law Workshop Automotive GC Roundtable North China South China Praktikantenstammtisch every second Tuesday of the month at changing locations, 7.00pm German Stammtisch Shenzhen – every third Thursday of the month at Galleon Bar, InterContinental Shenzhen Tianjin Kammerstammtisch every last Wednesday of the month at two changing locations - Euro Place and Drei Kronen Young Professionals Stammtisch Shenzhen every last Thursday of the month Beijing Kammerstammtisch every third Monday of the month at Paulaner Bräuhaus, 7.00pm German Happy Hour Guangzhou – every last Tuesday of the month East China Deutscher Stammtisch every second Tuesday of the month at Paulaner Bräuhaus Fenyang Road, 7.00pm Praktikantenstammtisch every third Wednesday of the month at Mural Bar, 7.30pm Event Highlights North China European Networking Night European chambers in Beijing will again join forces on 30th June to provide an exciting networking platform over drinks and snacks at a great surprise venue with new contact opportunities. Save the date for the networking event of the summer before the holiday low season starts. South China Sichuan Strategy Seminars in Shanghai & Beijing GCC l South China is intensifying its activities and support for German companies in the Sichuan Province and offers a first round of ‘Strategy Seminars’ on 22nd/24th June in Beijing and Shanghai respectively. The seminars will provide hands-on information in combination with an in-depth analysis of the German business environment in Chengdu and Chongqing. It shall support decision makers at the company’s headquarters in Shanghai and Beijing to effectively develop their business activities in Western China. East China Breakfast Seminar: Global Financial Crisis – Answers from the Automotive Supplier Industry The German Chamber of Commerce in China l Shanghai will hold a Breakfast Seminar on 11th June regarding the challenges of the automotive supplier industry after the global financial crisis. Mr. Hans-Georg Härter, Chairman and CEO of ZF Friedrichshafen AG, will provide an insight into the industry from his point of view and provide with some outlooks for 2010/2011. 86 June - July 2010 2010 June - July 87 COMMUNITY 88 June - July 2010