Part 2 - AHK Greater China
Transcription
Part 2 - AHK Greater China
CHAMBER NEWS CHAMBER NOTICES BEIJING&TIANJIN New Benefit Partners Crowne Plaza Sun Palace Beijing 北京新云南皇冠假日酒店 2-4 Middle Qisheng Street, Yunnan Plaza (Northeast Corner of Taiyanggong Bridge, Xibahe) NE 3rd Ring Road, Chaoyang District 北京市朝阳区G45大广高速辅路 东北三环七圣中街12号云南大厦 Hilton Beijing Hotel 北京希尔顿酒店 1 Dongfang Rd, North Dongsanhuan Rd 北京东三环北路东方路1号 Raffles Beijing Hotel 北京饭店莱佛士 33 East Chang’An Avenue 北京东长安街33号 Hilton Beijing Wangfujing 北京王府井希尔顿酒店 No. 8 Wangfujing East Street Speakers and Workshop Leaders Wanted Would you be interested in sharing your expertise with the community? Do you have a topic which you are passionate about and would like to present to business leaders in and around Shanghai? If so, we are looking forward receiving your suggestions, enabling us to offer even more interesting workshops in 2011. Contact via: Mr. Jan Hoepper: ' 021 5081-2266 ext. 1656 * hoepper.jan@sh.china.ahk.de for Shanghai Mrs. Daniela Steinmetz: ' 021 5081-2266 ext. 1830 * steinmetz.daniela@sh.china.ahk.de for Jiangsu & Zhejiang Province 北京市东城区王府井东街8号 New Benefit Partners TailorMade Chinese Center Grand Mercure Hongqiao Shanghai No. 369 Xian Xia Road, 200336 Shanghai China 北京泰莱梅德文化交流有限公司 810 North Tower Shangdu SOHO 8 Dongdaqiao Road, Chaoyang District 北京市朝阳区东大桥路8号SOHO尚都北塔0810室 For the benefits our partners offer you as our member in Beijing and Tianjin in detail, you can follow our newsletter or visit us online at http://china.ahk.de/membership/benefit - partner/ SHANGHAI Personnel Changes at the Chamber As of July 2011 Mr. Sebastian Zettelmeier is heading the German Chamber of Commerce in China • Shanghai as Executive Chamber Manager, succeeding Ms. Michaela Beck. After her six months maternity leave Ms. Beck will continue working for the Chamber on a part time basis as Deputy Executive Chamber Manager. The Chamber is happy to welcome her back in the team and wishes her a good start in her new position. In June 2011 Ms. Daniela Steinmetz joined the German Chamber of Commerce in China • Shanghai and is the new Regional Manager for the provinces Jiangsu and Zhejiang. Setting up and leading a small consultancy company for the past four years in China, Ms. Steinmetz gained a profound knowledge in business development. Furthermore, she experienced the challenges 58 and difficulties of working in a foreign invested company on a daily basis. She is looking forward to supporting the Chamber and its members in their business activities. In her role Ms. Steinmetz is the first contact person for all inquiries from German companies that are located in Jiangsu or Zhejiang Province. She is succeeding Mr. Sebastian Wegener, who unfortunately has left the Chamber in mid April this year. For any inquiries please contact Ms. Steinmetz at: ' 021-5081-2266 ext. 1830 | * steinmetz.daniela@sh.china.ahk.de August - September 2011 上海市仙霞路369号 200336 Ms. Laurence Neumann, Market Development Executive * mde@grandmercure-hongqiao-shanghai.com ' +86-21-5153 3300 | 6 +86-21-5172 7961 Benefit: Rooms: 10% discount on our best available rate Food and Beverage: 15% discount in our Atrium Restaurant and Le 98, excluding alcohol and promotion items SOUTH & SOUTHWEST CHINA New Chief Representative for Guangzhou The GCC • South & Southwest China is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Oliver Regner as new Executive Director and Chief Representative of the Delegation of German Industry & Commerce, Guangzhou. He will assume his new position on 1st September 2011. Prior to joining the Guangzhou team Mr. Regner has been Deputy Chief Representative of GIC/ AHK Vietnam. Before, he worked as corporate counsel and head of administration in the tourism industry, subsequently as a head of legal services and business development in a Chamber of Industry and Commerce. On behalf of GCC, as well as our members and partners we wish him a successful start in his new role. 2011 August - September 59 CHAMBER NEWS BEIJING PAGES GCC BOARD Daimler AG Executive Vice President Daimler Northeast Asia Ltd. Chairman & CEO Mr. Ulrich Walker KPMG Huazhen Certified Public Accountants Partner Audit Mr. Andreas Feege Treasurer German Chamber Beijing Executive Director Delegation of German Industry & The Yiwu Way to FIPs Legal Working Group Commerce Beijing Delegate & Chief Representative Ms. Alexandra Voss* 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 60 August - September 2011 Gathering law and industry representatives at one table to discuss both of these aspects of doing business in China makes for a lively and insightful congregation. This was the case at the Legal Working Group session initiated by the GIC Legal Department to take a closer look at points of legal in a range of China business domains. Mr. Richard Hoffmann of Dezan Shira & Associates started the session with a briefing on the state of the nation at the FIP front, the Foreign Investment Partnership that was established in 2010 to offer a more flexible form of investment in China. Many questions that this partnership led to and the operational implications initially raised have been clarified since the introduction, but many open questions remain along with regional and local discrepancies. Mr. Hoffmann cleaned up a prevalent misconception about the FIP alternative: the fact that it does not require a minimum capital does not mean that it‘s cheap. Providing competent background information and practical examples from client cases, Mr. Hoffmann detailed the legal framework of this “third road to China” beside JV and WOFE, compared the possible partnership and liability structures, and zoomed in on the all-important application, registration, capital and tax regulations. days – compare that to the six months it took for Tianjin’s first FIP, simply because no one was quite sure how to go about the process. Beijing so far has been keeping its skeptical distance and is not considered fruitful ground for this partnership and investment vehicle – but it is only a matter of time until the FIP rolls into the capital as well. Mr. Hoffmann vividly exemplified the considerable local disparities in the development and promotion of FIPs with the Yiwu phenomenon: of the over 130 FIPs currently registered in China, 90% are based in Zhejiang, and of those 70% are in Yiwu, an inconspicuous “special economic zone” on the East Coast which has made a name for itself as the world’s largest small commodity wholesale and export market. In Yiwu, you can establish your FIP in as little as four Date: 9th June 2011 Venue: German Chamber of Commerce Beijing In the second presentation, Mr. Axel Kaspereit related a rather unpleasant China business story that is still in the making – his firsthand litigation case report now in its fourth year over the construction of a factory. When contractual clauses are not stipulated absolutely watertight, it will not only rain but pour, the audience learned. Both law and industry colleagues pitched in to offer their words of support, caution and counsel with the mutual hope that this case can soon be closed and filed away under “Legal Lessons Learned”. To conclude the roundtable, Mr. Hogan Lovell gave a cartel law overview and update in light of the recent stir caused by the Unilever China price fixing case. Event: Legal Working Group – “Rechtsfragen China” Speakers: Mr. Richard Hoffmann | Manager, Dezan Shira & Associates Beijing Mr. Axel Kaspereit | General Manager, Link Orthopaedics China Mr. Adrian Emch|Hogan Lovells International Beijing www.china.ahk.de Taking Matters into Your Own Handbook SME Forum by the employee. If they are late three times, it is clearly documented and accepted, and the penalty can be more easily dealt. In continuation of the recently commenced and already very well received SME Forum, Mr. Chen Chunjie, Senior HR Advisor at The JLJ Group, presented 'Six Things You Should Know About HR'. The highly informative presentation covered the six key areas of employment: Mandatory Benefits, Working Hours and Days, Annual Leave, Sick Leave and Medical Period, Maternity leave, and Termination and Severance Payment. The crucial take-away from the presentation, aside from the individual topics, was the importance of the Employee Handbook for managing HR in China overall. Since the labour law in China is designed to protect employees, in most cases of dispute judges will issue judgment in favor of the employee and rarely in favor of the employer. In order In addition to the way a handbook is written, there are a number of sections to be included. These include an opening from the GM or president of the company, an introduction of the company, the HR policy on recruitment, employment, working hours, leave, compensation, promotions, rewards and punishment, performance management and dismissal, office administration and information management, and safety information. to better protect themselves, employers must prepare a comprehensive Employee Handbook, which an employee should agree to and sign. The signed handbook provides the employer backing if a dispute arises. A good handbook must be legal, logical, announced publicly to all employees, and executed according to clear procedures. Executed according to clear procedures is a major point, and simply means documenting actions and infringements in relation to the handbook. For example: if the handbook features a section on penalties for being late to work more than three times, each infraction should be documented and signed Please also see the extended Business Feature on China’s Work-Related Injury Insurance Regulation provided by JLJ Group on page 50. Event: SME Forum – “Six things you should know about HR in China” Date: 26th May 2011 Venue: German Chamber of Commerce Beijing Speakers: Mr. Chen Chunjie | Senior Advisor HR, JLJ Group Roots of High Potential Because we all are human, Human Resources matters to us all. Consequently, Head of HR Ms. Nora Binder was able to welcome a diverse audience to the German Chamber for the first HR Roundtable under her initiative. The international range of participants was not only made up of HR and Personnel experts across the sectors but also professionals across all function and management levels. Dr. Konstantin Schamber and Ms. Ana Ramos placed the evening’s spotlight on China’s High Potentials – Dr. Schamber from the academic perspective of his Ph.D. research on the subject, and Ms. Ramos from her industry insights. Categorizing any dynamic demographic is a daunting t a s k , b u t D r. S c h a m b e r p r e s e n t e d his proposal for the documentation, definition and distinction of CHPs, China’s High Potentials, to deduce the challenges employers as well as employees face – and last but not least get to the heart of the immense potential HR Roundtable this talent holds. Ms. Ramos presented further ways of understanding local talent as well as oversees returnees and their motivation in order to successfully plan for this new generation poised not only for their own success but, with the right retention efforts, also for contributing to the success of their future employers. Event: HR Roundtable – “China’s High Potentials and Talent Management” Date: 15th June 2011 Venue: German Chamber of Commerce Beijing Speakers: Dr. Konstantin Schamber | Managing Director, Center for Strategic Intercultural Communication (StrategicInterCom) Munich Ms. Ana Ramos | Managing Director, AIMS International Shanghai 2011 August - September 61 CHAMBER NEWS BEIJING PAGES A New Need for Creativity Communications Roundtable In an interactive presentation melding theory and practical exercises, Mr. Thomas Vogel took the participants of the Communications Roundtable on a journey to a vital but still too often slumbering business management aspect: creativity. Mr. Vogel, who has focused extensively on creativity in business for over a decade now, dubbed his exploration of creativity in the academic and business world ‘The next challenge for Managers’. To invite the audience to confront their own creativity, papers and scissors already awaited the representatives from a broad range of industries. Juxtaposing the differences in perception and valuation of creativity in China and the West, Mr. Vogel addressed a common preconception and illustrated that to China as well, creativity is a growing topic – but here it is important to work with an adjusted, culture-specific interpretation of creativity. One universal observation was that from childhood to adulthood, “something happens when we grow up in terms of our creativity.” He addressed the 62 August - September 2011 audience members with the challenging query, “are you creative?”, and along with the participants set out to analyze what exactly causes the resource ‘creativity’ to gradually diminish as we age, how this valuable resource can be retrieved, developed and put to good use in business toward a desirable outcome regardless of the company, industry or field. Mr. Vogel pointed out the practical needs for creativity away from the one domain it is traditionally exclusively attributed to: the arts. Contemporary business needs for creativity are rooted in aspects such as sensory overload, changes in consumer behavior, business problems and challenges, business and job market competition, and limitations of educational systems. Creativity allows us to shift perspective, explore information and problems from various angles, be curious and inquisitive, fluently connect the dots, combine rather than separate divergent thinking and convergent thinking, and devise flexible and adaptable problem-solving strategies - all highly sought-after skills by managers in our globalized, digitalized and technologydriven world. Seizing, training, fostering and sharing our imagination is an indispensable component to managing the demands of future jobs, business challenges and markets that cannot yet be imagined. „Event: Communications Roundtable Burst Creativity for your Successful Communication“ Date: 13th June 2011 Venue: German Chamber of Commerce Beijing Speaker: Mr. Thomas Vogel | Associate Professor and Program Director, Global Marketing Communication & Advertising, Emerson College, Boston/ Founding Partner, mediaman beijing AROUND TOWN www.china.ahk.de On With The Show A Production of Deutsche Kantorei Peking 28th May 2011 & 29th May 2011 German Embassy School Beijing Deutsche Kantorei Peking is a recently established choir funded by the German Speaking Protestant Congregation of Beijing and conducted by concert and church musician Mr. Daniel Tappe. For “On with the Show” - a Musical under the project lead of Mr. Gilles Bordelais - the choir members dedicated themselves to a self-written secular production containing famous German songs from the 1920s and 1930s. Performed at the German Embassy School Beijing, the Musical was a great sucess with two sold-out shows. The Deutsche Kantorei Peking always welcomes anyone who enjoys singing in a joyful and creative fellowship. 2011 August - September 63 CHAMBER NEWS TIANJIN PAGES The Big Picture Major HR Update Tianjin Designed to provide General Managers, Executives and leading professionals in the human resource field the opportunity to network and share industry perspectives, the German Chamber of Commerce in cooperation with Dezan Shira & Associates as well as DirectHR held a seminar and panel discussion for first-hand insight and practical guidance on how to effectively recruit, contract and manage employees in China. During the first seminar session Mr. M i c h a e l M a e d e r, P r a c t i c e L e a d e r Automotive & Industrial at DirectHR, i n f o r m e d o n t h e l a t e s t t re n d s a n d developments in the HR market with a special focus on recruiting technical professionals in China. Following a break the second presenter, Ms. He Xin, Deputy Head of Department Law & Business at GIC Beijing, gave an update on the Chinese Labor Law. The final topic of the day was Tax Reporting Law with a focus on Individual Income Tax, presented by Mr. Adam Livermore, Regional Manager Dalian Office, Dezan Shira & Associates. After the speakers’ sessions, the attendees were encouraged to actively provide their input and suggestions in an open Q&A which led to an intensive and productive panel discussion. To establish further connections with members of the business community based in and around Tianjin, seminar attendees had the opportunity to network during a networking drink at Westin Qbar. Having received very positive feedback at the end of the day, the organizers decided to go one step further and will cooperate with a similar concept and programme in Changchun, Shenyang and Dalian. Event: Major HR Update Tianjin Date: 11th May 2011 Venue: The Westin Tianjin Speakers: Mr. Michael Maeder | Practice Leader Automotive & Industrial, DirectHR Ms. He Xin | Deputy Head of Department Law & Business, GIC Beijing Mr. Adam Livermore | Regional Manager Dalian Office, Dezan Shira & Associates 64 August - September 2011 International Connections The 18th China Tianjin Trade Fair & Investment Talk (CTFIT) and The 7th PECC International Trade and Investment Expo (PECC) The 18 th China Tianjin Trade Fair & Investment Talk (CTFIT) & the 7th PECC International Trade and Investment Fair took place on 28th May to 1st June with an opening ceremony and opening remarks by Mr. Ren Xuefeng, Vice Mayor of Tianjin Municipal People’s Government, Mr. Dong Songgen, Vice Chairman of CCPIT, and Mr. Li Rongcan, Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Commerce. Wi t h t h e m a i n g o a l o f a t t r a c t i n g investment, promoting business exchange and strengthening regional ties and finding win-win developments, the CTFIT & PECC function not only as a hub for international trade, but also as a main channel and distribution center. The fair featured exhibits from Tianjin's biggest companies and MNCs operating in the area such as CSR, Bohai Oilfields, CASC, Airbus, Wal-Mart and many more. At an international forum, presentations by leading foreign experts and representatives were held on China’s “Going Global Strategy and Policy”. Especially noteworthy was one of the invited speakers, Mr. Martin Miller, General Manager of Commerzbank Tianjin Branch and treasurer of the BOD of the German Chamber of Commerce Tianjin. Mr. Miller offered information on the topic Risk Control for Overseas Development Institutes (ODIs). Event: The 18th China Tianjin Trade Fair & Investment Talk (CTFIT) & The 7th PECC International Trade and Investment Expo (PECC) Date: 28th May – June 1st 2011 Venue: Tianjin Meijiang Exhibition & Convention Center Organizers: Council for the Promotion of International Trade Tianjin Sub-Council, the China Chamber of International Commerce, Tianjin Chamber of Commerce, Tianjin World Trade Center Association Real-World Experience Factory Visit For young German language students in town, the German Chamber Tianjin in cooperation with the Goethe-Institute examination and language learning centre organized a factory visit to Turck (Tianjin) Technology Co. Ltd. Received with a warm welcome and company introduction by Mr. Michael Tschoepel, Senior Manager Logistics at Turck Technology, the visiting group had the opportunity to get a better understanding of a German SME that has been successfully operating in China for many years. During a tour through the production facilities accompanied by Mr. Tschoepel’s vast and profound intercultural experience, the fascinated young visitors could not only learn more about high-tech products made in Germany, but gain insight into the German-Chinese business mentality and daily working routine from the perspective of an SME manufacturer in Tianjin. With an interactive session prepared by the Goethe team, the students had an inspiring and fun visit, and at the end of this special day, everyone readily agreed to take part in follow-up activities by the organizers. Event: Deutsches Eck Spezial: Factory Visit to Turck (Tianjin) Technology Co, Ltd. Date: 10th June 2011 Venue: Turck (Tianjin) Technology Co. Ltd. Participants: German language students, interns and young professionals from Foreign Language University, Nankai University, and Goethe SLZ Tianjin 5th China International Private Equity Forum (CIPEF) 10th-12th June 2011 | Meijiang International Convention & Exhibition Centre The 5th Scientific and Technological International Private Equity Forum CIPEF was held between June 10th and 12th. Sponsored by the Tianjin Municipal Government, the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce, the Ministry of Science and Technology and the Association for Corporate Growth, the event attracted about 500 equity investment funds, 300 intermediary institutions and 1,500 enterprises from all over the world. German Night in Tianjin 28th May 2011 | Bavarian Beer Keller Once again, we took off for the German Community’s biggest festival in Tianjin, the second German Night in Tianjin, for an enchanting evening with German karaoke, dancing, lucky draws and more in the heart of Tianjin’s New I-style Town. 2011 August - September 65 CHAMBER NEWS 66 August - September 2011 2011 August - September 67 CHAMBER NEWS SHANGHAI PAGES GCC BOARD Ernst & Young (China) Advisory Ltd. Partner and Head of GBC China Mr. Titus Freiherr von dem Bongart Chairman Internationalisierung des Deutschen Mittelstands Chamber Breakfast SGL Carbon Far East Ltd. Managing Director Dr. Guenter Hermann Vice Chairman Deutsche Bank (China) Co., Ltd. Director – Head of Corporate Banking and Coverage, MNC Mr. Andreas Odrian Treasurer German Chamber Shanghai Managing Director Delegation of German Industry & Commerce Shanghai Chief Representative Mr. Jan Noether ProConTra Ltd. Chairman & Managing Director Mr. Thomas Dorn Nokia Siemens Networks (Shanghai) Ltd. President & CEO Dr. Fan Zhijian Freudenberg Management (Shanghai) Co. Ltd. General Manager SHANGHAI Mr. Rolf H. Köhler 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 68 August - September 2011 As part of his visit in China, the CEO of Commerzbank AG, Mr. Martin Blessing, made a stop in Shanghai to join a breakfast meeting on the 10th of May with the German Chamber of Commerce. Close to 90 participants showed up to listen to Mr. Blessing’s speech on the topic “Internationalisierung des Deutschen Mittelstandes” as well as the three short presentations about the current situation and tasks for medium-sized businesses of Mr. Jürgen Schock, Koerber & Schleifring, Mr. Georg Hofecker, PWO and Mr. Marcus Malatitsch, Hubner Interface Systems. The second speaker, Mr. Georg Hofaecker, reiterated the experience of Mr. Schock in terms of the difficulty in finding and especially retaining qualified staff. As a result, it is necessary to offer employees incentives to earn their commitment to the company. The main factor for success is to be respectful. For this reason, he started to develop an incentives programme in his company; besides monetary stimuli, he says, it is important to offer some additional incentives such as public commendations or training courses, for example English lessons. In conjunction with the general assembly a few days before, Mr. Blessing started his speech by giving a short overview of the actual position of the Commerzbank AG and the current situation of the capital market in Germany and the EU. The positive development of the Commerzbank is predominantly led by the intense growth of small and medium-sized enterprises, especially in China. Mr. Blessing mentioned that it is necessary to continue the big success story of SMEs in China, but the fact that China will be one of the biggest competitors of Germany should be kept clearly in mind. Yet the fast growth also has negative effects; for example, on commodity prices. Finally, Mr. Blessing gave an overview and valuation of the real estate bubble in China as well as the discussion on free conversion of the RMB, which is as much a political debate as an economic one. The last of the three presentations was given by Mr. Marcus Malatitsch. He shared his experience in the high speed rail projects of the Chinese government. The focus of his speech was the problems the company had after the corruption affair – in a split second all projects were cancelled with the consequence that a large part of the supply chain broke down. He concluded that this is still a very lucrative market but the challenge remains that projects are often driven by political winds. The presentations on small and mediumsized enterprises were started by Mr. Jürgen Schock. The manufacturing industry is devoted to excellent quality - in his speech Mr. Schock elaborated on the three main challenges facing medium-sized companies in China in their pursuit of quality. The first is finding and keeping qualified staff. The second problem arises in the industrial environment because of cultural differences influencing the supply chain. The third issue he addressed is cooperation with headquarters in Europe. The speeches were followed by a vivid Q&A session, and participants continued to enjoy a delicious Western breakfast as they networked. Chamber Breakfast: Der Bankenchef spricht ueber die Internationalisierung des Deutschen Mittelstands Date: 10th May 2011 Venue: Intercontinental Hotel Speakers: Mr. Martin Blessing | CEO, Commerzbank AG Mr. Jürgen Schock | General Manager, Körber Schleifring Machinery Co. Ltd. Mr. Georg Hofäcker | General Manager, PWO High Tech Metal Components Co. Ltd. Mr. Marcus Malatitsch| General Manager, Hubner Interface Systems Co. Ltd. www.china.ahk.de Corporate Culture and Other HR Aspects Chamber Meeting The day of May 26th 2011 was marked with the important topic of Human Resources. The German Chamber organized an HR Summit, which was met with enthusiastic approval. Following this event, the May Chamber Meeting was also dedicated to Corporate Culture and other HR aspects. Therefore, more than 188 participants met in the premises of JW Marriot, Shanghai. The evening agenda included a speech by Dr. Christoph Stark, the President and CEO of BMW China. After a warm welcome by the new Deputy Counsul General of the German Consulate in Shanghai, Mr. Stefan Moebs, Mr. Rolf Koehler gave a short introduction. The guest speaker, Dr. Stark, then began his speech to the attentive audience. After a short briefing about the history of BMW in China, Dr. Stark came to the main topic of his speech. In his opinion, HR is one of the most challenging aspects in business. Due to differences in every company, every industry and every market, it is impossible to find a perfect solution for each HR issue. Two decades ago, the situation in the Chinese labour market was totally different from the present. There was no open labour market. Private employment and personal choice were rare. Likewise, at that time there were very few qualified and skilled personnel. Dr. Stark then pointed out that today the labour market shows a vastly different picture. The labour market is open and there are more and more qualified and better educated personnel available to companies, but in some branches there is still a lack of skilled l a b o u r. H o w e v e r, the labour market is both immature and in a constant state of flux, which presents new challenges to employers. The Chinese market is the largest developing market in the world, along with India and Brazil. Due to increasing foreign investment in China, the competition in the labour market will intensify even further in the next few years. Furthermore, state-owned enterprises are also competing for more qualified personnel. Therefore, foreign companies need to change their labour management so as not to lose connection with the Chinese labour market. Foreign employers must recognize the major issues in this market. In recent years, Dr. Stark has witnessed the failure of many foreign companies and managers, because they underestimated this need. In most companies, the Chinese employees constitute over 90% of the firm’s personnel. In Dr. Stark’s opinion these Chinese colleagues can be very dedicated to the company. But to acquire this dedication, companies must establish bonds with the workers. Therefore, it is imperative to address the expectations of the Chinese employees and to connect them to the products, the brands and the history of the company. The thinking in China is totally different from that of the foreign c o mp a n y ’ s n a t i v e c o u n t r y. To c ro s s the cultural divide between the foreign company and their Chinese employees and to understand their way of thinking, companies must m a k e a n e ff o r t t o ask them about their expectations and their needs. In ten years China will be the world’s major economic power. Combined with Japan and India, more than 40% of the world’s economy stems from a completely different culture of the West. Dr. Stark asked a simple question to the audience: Can we change them? Or do we need to change our approach in order to not miss one of the largest and fastest growing parts of the world? In his opinion, foreign companies need to invest more time in understanding the market that they are operating in. It is truly important in his eyes to establish an appropriate and consistent corporate culture. Based on Dr. Stark’s own experience, professional connections and leadership in China are more personal than in Europe. If foreign companies master this cultural difference, they will acquire an extremely solid bond with their people. This solid bond is a fundamental facet of the success of foreign companies in China. Event: Chamber Meeting - Corporate Culture and Other HR Aspects – Winning with People Date: 26th May 2011 Venue: JW Marriott Speakers: Dr. Christoph Stark | President & CEO, BMW China Chair: Mr. Rolf Koehler | General Manager, Freudenberg Management (Shanghai) Co. Ltd. Board Member, German Chamber of Commerce China • Shanghai 2011 August - September 69 CHAMBER NEWS SHANGHAI PAGES Management Accounting Practices and More Controlling Workshop The Real Estate Market in China As part of his visit in China, Professor Utz Schaeffer of the WHU joined the Controlling Workshop to share information on the benchmarking about Controlling and Accounting practice in China. He started his speech with an introduction of WHU Controller Panel China. Controlling is an increasingly important topic in China; therefore Professor Utz Schaefer and Professor Juergen Weber invited controllers, management accountants and CFO's working in China to participate in a panel on controlling and management accounting. In 2010 the benchmarking study was mainly designed for the subsidiaries of international companies in China. The study consists of three topics: Management Accounting Practice (MAP), Performance Measurement Systems (PMS) and organizational identification. The final part of the 2010 benchmarking study was devoted to organizational identification, which deals with the topics of dual organizational identification and subsidiary participants, as well as antecedents of dual organizational identification and influences of dual organizational identification on the perceived usefulness and actual use of PMS. For the evaluation, 120 questionnaires from mainly manufacturing companies were analyzed for the benchmarking study – Chinese participants comprised the majority of the study with 58% of the total, followed by German participants with 28%. The remaining participants originated from various countries all over the world. The origins of the parent companies were mostly in Germany. The study covers five different groups of management accounting practices, on which China has a strong impact due to its unique business environment, culture and accounting regulations. At present, budgeting is considered the most important practice of MAP. Although in the future, the Institute expects qualitative and strategic issues to become more important. Successful and less successful companies see different benefits of MAP. Successful companies use decision support systems more intensively and therefore see a greater benefit in these systems. The design of local PMS is independently developed by most of the subsidiaries. In comparison between self-designed local PMS and sole-parent PMS, the former is used more intensively for decision-making. In general, local PMS are perceived to be more useful than the parent PMS. The study concludes that if the identification with the subsidiary is stronger than the identification with the parent company, the actual use of local PMS is more intensive than the parent PMS. Event: Management accounting practices, performance measurement systems and organizational identification Date: 5th May 2011 Venue: Le Meridien Speaker: Prof. Dr. Utz Schaeffer | Director of the Institute of Management Accounting and Control (IMC), WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management Chair: Mr. Titus Freiherr von dem Bongart | Partner and Head of GBC China, Ernst & Young (China) Advisory Ltd. 70 August - September 2011 The development of Shanghai’s real estate market, the risks and opportunities for foreign investors and the chances for Green Building in China were the main topics of the Construction Workshop. Ms. Magali Menant, Head of econet china in Shanghai, gave a brief introduction of the topic to the participants. Mr. Helmut Weih, Regional Director Global Corporate Services China of CB Richard Ellis, began his speech by stating that the burst of a real estate bubble in China is unlikely to happen. As for the private real estate market, even though the rental costs are rising again, the growth rate is still moderate. And the same holds true for commercial properties in Shanghai, where a healthy balance between demand and supply of new properties exists. Mr. Philipp Senff, German Attorney-at-Law at SJ Berwin LLP, gave an overview of the legal framework and continued focusing on the risks when acquiring land-use rights for 40 to 70 years in China, which has implications for the acquisition structure. Dr. Florian Hackelberg, Senior Manager Valuation Advisory Services of PriceWaterhouseCoopers, explained that property valuation is needed for financial reporting, tax, and insurance purposes. He elaborated on the advantages and disadvantages of the three different valuation methods and said that different theoretical and practical challenges occur when applying the methods. Mr. Thomas Adaemmer, Managing Director and Chief Representative of Aareal Bank AG Shanghai, addressed the topic of real estate financing and the requirements for foreign private investors. Currently, only Chinese banks offer services for private investors, whereas in commercial financing some foreign banks are active. The participants then listened to Dr. Ekkehard Rathgeber, Managing Partner at Jilin Investment Group, who highlighted that Shanghai is an interesting market for investment because the growth prospects are positive due to the continuing development of Shanghai’s service sector and the steady urbaniza- www.china.ahk.de Construction Workshop tion process which will increase the demand for more office space. The following discussion between the speakers and participants evolved around issues such as the different mindsets of Chinese and Germans when addressing the real-estate topic and the opportunities for green building in China. Events: Panel about the China / Shanghai Real Estate Market Date: 4th May 2011 Venue: LeMeridien With 16 years experience in China and more than 450 local SAP projects with over 250 customers so far, hartung:consult is truly the expert for SAP implementations and roll-outs in China. As the first local SAP partner in China and offices in Shanghai, Beijing and Chengdu, we have the knowledge, experience and coverage to support you in your SAP project. Speaker: Dr. Florian Hackelberg | Senior Manager Valuation Advisory Services, PricewaterhouseCoopers Mr. Thomas Adaemmer | Managing Director and Chief Representative, Aareal Bank AG Mr. Philipp Senff | Rechtsanwalt (German Attorney-at-Law), SJ Berwin LLP Dr. Ekkehard Rathgeber | Managing Partner, Jilin Investment Group Mr. Helmut Weih | Regional Director Global Corporate Services China, CB Richard Ellis Chair: Ms. Magali Menant | Head of Department, econet china Germany • China • Singapore • Malaysia • India • USA 2011 August - September 71 CHAMBER NEWS SHANGHAI PAGES Mr. Rolf Koehler How German Companies Balance LongTerm Goals with Short-Term Needs “China HR Tomorrow” – The Summit HR Summit In a demanding and fast changing environment such as China, a competitive talent market, rapid salary increases and high employee turnover are among the top HR concerns for German companies. The German Chamber of Commerce and the German Industry & Commerce organized “China HR Tomorrow” - The Summit, in order to inform German companies on industry trends, the latest developments and to bring them together with HR professionals. More than 100 top managers and HR executives discussed and shared insights with the most experienced practitioners. Mr. Rolf Koehler, General Manager of Freudenberg Mr. Sushant Upadhyay Mr. Gerold Simbuerger 72 August - September 2011 Management Shanghai and Board Member of the German Chamber of Commerce, acted as the moderator of the event. He led the participants through all workshops and speeches. HR Effectiveness and Business Growth Mr. Gerold Simbuerger, General Manager of Siemens Signalling, opened the series of speeches by outlining the HR challenges his company faces, e.g. the aging population, the rising competition from Chinese companies and the high turnover rate. Mr. Sushant Upadhyay, Principal and Chief Commercial Officer of Aon Hewitt Greater China, outlined what makes an employer a good one. Furthermore, he confirmed Mr. Simbuerger’s statement that attracting and retaining skilled talent is the biggest HR challenge for foreign companies in China. That said, HR needs to become highly effective in order to address this issue. The survey also showed that companies with an effective HR function not only have more engaged employees but also benefit from higher growth. Mr. Upadhyay pointed out that companies with an effective HR system rely on a sound pol- Mr. Michael Bott icy framework first. Secondly, the HR services must be delivered in a consistent and transparent manner based on a clear strategy to ensure that HR programmes are skillfully designed, aligned to business needs and that the HR services are provided effectively. Rise of Blue Collar Worker’s Salary During this panel Mr. Michael Bott addressed the salary increase for blue collar workers as the main topic. He first presented the results of a survey on compensation systems for blue-collar workers which showed the structure of a worker’s pay. Together with Mr. Joachim Mueller, President of Heraeus Shanghai Management Consulting, and Mr. Georg Hofaecker, CEO of PWO HighTech Metal Components, he further elaborated on the wage increase by asking what the major reasons for the strong increases are and discussed with the audience several possibilities for coping with the rising labor costs. Career Development for Generation Y In his speech, Mr. Michael Maeder, Practice Leader Automotive & Industrial of Direct Mr. Michael Maeder www.china.ahk.de HR, gave the audience an insight into strategies for employee engagement. According to Mr. Maeder, a successful engagement strategy requires a thorough analysis of the labor market trends as well as consideration of Generation Y, which already makes up 50% of the working population. Small and medium-sized enterprizes (SMEs) in particular are ideal for attracting the members of Generation Y, who feel more special and ambitious than Generation X. Due to their flexibility compared to bigger companies, SMEs are able to provide young Chinese people more opportunities to reach the top level faster. In regards to compensation, Mr. Maeder stated that it “motivates people from Generation Y for only seven minutes,” whereas a clear and well-communicated career development system is most important for their engagement. In sum, balancing recruitment, compensation & benefits, employee relationship management and the development of a supportive company culture is vital for companies if they want to continuously engage their talents. Lack of Soft Skills Dr. Jari Grosse-Ruyken, Deputy Director of CDHK, Tongji University, hosted this workshop and invited Mr. Tony Cheng, HR Component Executive of Volkswagen Group China, Professor Dr. Han Zheng, Haniel Chair for Entrepreneurship at CDHK of Tongji-University, Mr. Georg Hofaecker, CEO of PWO High Tech Metal Components Suzhou and Mr. Yan Xu, student at CDHK of Tongji-University, as panelists to discuss skill deficits and retention strategies. All panelists agreed that the reason why only 10% of the Chinese graduates are fit to work for multinationals is caused by the lack of interpersonal skills due to the young people’s limited exposure to environments other than the family and university. A way to filter out those possessing these soft skills would be to deploy intensive assessment centres or to conduct several rounds of intensive interviews. For a good retention strategy Mr. Cheng suggested measurements such as offering a competitive benefit programme nationwide or building up a positive corporate citizenship image. According to Mr. Hofaecker’s experience, increasing loyalty and trust are the main reasons for a low turnover Mr. Jari Grosse-Ruyken rate. As a conclusion, all panelists agreed that relying on compensation alone is hardly enough and that each company has to find its own way to attract and retain talent like Yan Xu. Social Insurance Law and Retention Mr. Ralph Koppitz, German-Attorney-atLaw at Taylor Wessing, invited Mr. Daniel Hein, Head of Human Resources Asia/ Pacific at Germanischer Lloyd, to make a contribution during this workshop. He outlined the latest regulations on the Social Insurance Law, which will be effective on 1st July 2011, and will have a tremendous effect on China’s social development. This new law combines five different insurances for all employees consisting of basic pension, basic medical, work-related injury, unemployment and maternity. Each employee will have an individual account which will remain, even when he changes location. Through the new law companies have the chance to better attract foreign employees by offering an improved insurance package. Coaching During the third workshop Mr. Tony Dickel, Chairman of the Institute of Executive Coaching and Leadership Hong Kong, informed about coaching and its relevance for leading people efficiently. Coaching involves a relationship between the coach and the ‘coachee’ and helps the latter to reach their full potential as well as their clearly defined goals. While being coached, the ‘coachee’ learns how to use his talents, skills and experience in the most efficient way. In contrast to a teacher or advisor, a coach facilitates the personal development process and encourages the ‘coachee’ to define what he needs and wants, set goals, take action and reflect on them. Top Ten HR Mistakes Mr. Koehler ended the HR Summit and gave an overall conclusion together with Mr. Simbuerger, Mr. Dickel, Ms. Chunyan Zhang and Mr. Brandel. The top ten HR mistakes German companies make in China were highlighted. While on the podium the panelists discussed with the audience issues such as the low internal relevance of HR in German companies, the way companies Mr. Ralph Koppitz roll out HR systems, the assumption that employees in China react the same as in Germany, the fast leadership change, the insufficient systematic exchange programmes, the underestimation of the diversity of Chinese people, the missionary attitude of German companies, the lack of trust and the tendency to ignore local Chinese companies as competitors in HR. In sum, with a very positive feedback and 94% of the participants expressing the intention to take part in next year’s “China HR Tomorrow”- The Summit, the event can again be declared a big success. The HR Summit was followed by the monthly Chamber Meeting where 188 participants listened to Dr. Christoph Stark, President and CEO of BMW China, who discussed HR being the most challenging topic in business. Event: China HR Tomorrow – The Summit Date: 26th May 2011 Venue: JW Marriott Speakers: Mr. Rolf Koehler | General Manager, Freudenberg Management Shanghai M r. G e r o l d S i m b u e r g e r | G e n e r a l Manager, Siemens Signalling Mr. Sushant Upadhyay | Principal and Chief Commercial Officer, Greater China, Aon Hewitt Mr. Michael Bott | General Manager of Sales & Marketing, ContiTech AG Shanghai Office Mr. Michael Maeder | Practice Leader Automotive & Industrial, Direct HR Mr. Jari Grosse-Ruyken | Deputy Director, CDHK, Tongji University Mr. Ralph Koppitz | German Attorney-atLaw, Taylor Wessing Mr. Tony Dickel | Chairman, Institute of Executive Coaching and Leadership Hong Kong Mr. Tony Dickel 2011 August - September 73 CHAMBER NEWS SHANGHAI PAGES Stay or Go? The Future of China in Sourcing and Manufacturing GC Roundtable The relocation of sourcing and manufacturing to the low-cost country of China has enabled the former closed-door economy to flourish. However, with rising expenses and a diminishing competitive edge, the question among corporations is whether or not China will still be competitive after 2020. This controversial issue was discussed at the latest GC Roundtable in May. Moderator Mr. Kurt Fasser warmly welcomed Mr. Martin Lehnich, McKinsey Shanghai Associate Principal, who delivered a systematic approach on how to evaluate the existing strategies and trends in China. Companies operating in China currently face a series of challenges due to drastic shortages of qualified employees and labor cost increases of over 15% in the last few years. In addition, many firms struggle with an unreliable supplier base and, as a consequence, fluctuating product quality. All these factors generate unpredictable costs and operating uncertainties. Therefore, many executives are considering shifting business functions and sourcing from China’s coastal areas to either Inner China or even Vietnam and India. Mr. Lehnich considered these scenarios and stated that China still offers great opportunities for business, even if costs are rising. Vietnam, for example, attracts foreign investors with low-wage levels, but its entire area and the availability of resources could fit into one province in China. Furthermore, many companies are already reporting problems in terms of hiring skilled Vietnamese workers. Finally India, though rich in many raw materials, suffers from a fragile and still developing transportation infrastructure. Mr. Lehnich emphasized the significance of self-reflection on one’s own business and the overall goal of achieving manufacturing excellence across the value chain. He acknowledged that China remains favorable as an industry location with many competitive advantages for sourcing and manufacturing already well established. In addition, the close access to serving China’s potential markets is also a critical factor when determining a sourcing location. Mr. Lehnich also reminded the audience that regardless of the sourcing location, it is essential in a competitive environment to maximize productivity and efficiency by pursuing all available avenues, e.g. implementing cost reduction programmes and finding incentives to secure future human capital. The subsequent discussion round agreed on his point of view, with the debate and exchange of experiences continuing cheerfully at the buffet. Event: Stay or Go? The Future of China in Sourcing and Manufacturing Date: 30th May 2011 Venue: Sofitel Hyland Moderator: Mr. Kurt Fasser | General Manager, ConMoto WE MAKE YOUR BUSINESS WORK We are one of the leading management consulting and organisations have trusted in our expertise for three companies in Germany and independent experts in decades. Our knowledge, skill and intuition secure the European and Asian markets. Innovative companies outstanding mangers and specialists for our clients. www.deininger.cn · www.deininger.de Beijing · Berlin · Delhi · Dusseldorf · Frankfurt · Pune · Shanghai · Warsaw DC_AZ_GC Ticker_178x58,7.indd 3 74 August - September 2011 22.06.2011 12:33:00 Uhr www.china.ahk.de Insurance Coverage for Expats in China Special Event Being properly insured is a great challenge in general, even in Germany. How much more difficult must it be while working and living abroad? Mr. Werner John, General Manager of E.I.C. Expatriates Insurance Consulting GmbH, led this workshop and went through all aspects of the topic. He has already worked for more then twenty years in the insurance industry, especially for expatriates, and has a deep unterstarding of this field. Next to pension and compensation insurance, the core parts of the German social system are unemployment insurance and health insurance coverage – the latter usually includes nursing insurance. Due to the Sino-German social insurance agreement made in 2002, expats are spared from payment in the Chinese insurance system for the first four years. With a valid international assignment, the employee therefore remains in the German social insurance system – choice exists only regarding health care insurance. * The assignment is defined by special conditions and only valid if the employee: • is dispatched abroad upon direction of the domestic employer • remains within the company of the domestic employer • has payment claims that remain against the domestic employer • is still under order direction of the domestic employer Caution regarding the validity of a contract is advised, especially if the contract states an indefinite length of assignment time or if multiple limited extensions have already been made. Managing insurance by oneself becomes necessary with a local contract. Regarding healthcare insurance, further coverage by the state system is not possible. A special overseas insurance is necessary, although one may also seek coverage by local insurance companies. Fortunately, according to a resolution made in 2007, under most circumstances the previous German health insurance company is obligated to resume coverage upon return from abroad. A deferred benefits insurance is advised regarding nursing insurance. Accident and liability insurance usually cover incidents overseas. However, a written confirmation acknowledging your centre of vital interests being in the respective country abroad is recommendable. The same goes for contracting occupational disability insurance, whose importance cannot be underestimated. Mr. John concluded that health, accident and occupational disability insurances as well as a deferred benefits insurance are the most important coverages when going abroad. Pension and liability insurance belong in every portfolio as well. Private nursing insurance and household effects insurances are secondary. However, as Mr. John finalized, insurances are the foundation for later life. If the foundation fails, everything else can fall into pieces. *Changes in Chinese local law as of July 2011 (see page 73). Event: Insurance coverage for Expats in China Date: 18th May 2011 Venue: Office of the AHK Shanghai The same event took place in Tianjin as an after-work event Date: 7th June 2011 Venue: 1208 Drei Kronen Brauhaus Speaker: Mr. Werner John | General Manager, E.I.C. Expatriates Insurance Consulting GmbH 2011 August - September 75 CHAMBER NEWS SHANGHAI PAGES Der Stand der RenminbiFlexibilisierung Controlling Workshop The flexibility of the Renminbi was the topic of this month’s controlling workshop. Mr. Marcus Wassmuth, Director at Landesbank Baden-Wuerttemberg in Shanghai, gave an overview of the deployment of the CNY in international trade settlements. Cross-border payments are allowed if the underlying business is verified through the presentation of respective documents by the Chinese counterpart. If it is an injection of registered capital or a CNY loan from abroad, the transactions need an individual approval by the respective department of PBOC. Cur- rently there are no fixed rules under which circumstances these approvals would be granted. All payments in CNY are possible and allowed if the necessary conditions are met. The second speech was given by Mr. Andreas Odrian, Director at Deutsche Bank in Shanghai, who talked about the internationalization of the Renminbi. To show the development, he presented the pilot programme of the year 2009, which was first launched in Shanghai and four cities of Guangdong province, for CNY cross-border trade with Hong Kong, Macau, and ASEAN. Mr. Odrian mentioned all milestones of this project and delivered an overview on the newest announcement which allows foreign direct investment (FDI) in CNY. In his opinion, basic RMB convertibility will likely be achieved within five years. Furthermore, he showed the benefits for corporations of CNY cross-border settlement for onshore corporations and overseas corporations. At the end, Mr. Odrian showed how companies have to consider the opportunity to switch their payment to CNY by comparing which tasks the companies should pay attention to and which questions arise from that. The speeches led to a vivid discussion and an interesting question and answer series. Event: Der Stand der Renminbi-Flexibilisierung Date: 15th June 2011 Venue: Le Meridien Speaker: Mr. Marcus Wassmuth | Director, Representative Office Landesbank BadenWuerttemberg in Shanghai Mr. Andreas Odrian | Director Corporate Banking, Deutsche Bank, Shanghai Chair: Mr. Jens-Peter Otto | Partner, PricewaterhouseCoopers China’s Emergence as a Global Greentech Leader Workshop Environmental Protection When looking at China’s recent emergence as the second world economic power, it cannot go unnoticed that this development is paralleled by its growth as a global greentech leader. Mr. Alan Beebe, Managing Director, China Greentech Initiative (CGTI), outlined the main topics of the China Greentech Report 2011 and delivered deeper insight into China’s progress in that field. The report focused on nine sectors where energy plays a vital role and took a closer look at the reasons for China’s greentech development, highlighting market opportunities and showing implications for foreign companies. Currently, China’s main energy source is coal – which is no surprise, seeing that China harbors the third largest coal supply in the world. A continued reliance on this energy source is certain, although its negative effect in terms of pollution has been acknowledged. Thus, the Government decided to reduce the share of coal in the energy mix by almost 10% within the next five years. In addition to making coal a cleaner energy in general, 76 August - September 2011 the Government aims to compensate the “loss” by focusing on wind and hydro energy and plans to increase their share in the total energy mix significantly. The nature of energy is one topic; its distribution is another challenge. Investments in the electric power infrastructure of RMB 384bn by State Grid from 2009 until 2020 will ensure China is one of the biggest power infrastructure markets in the world. With this development, companies in this branch will be provided with abundant business opportunities. The size of the project can be illustrated by the fact that the scheduled investments and innovations are intended to abate as much as 1.65bn mtce per year, which would be the equivalent to Russia’s total 2009 emission. In addition to cleaner energy, the greentech market includes a variety of other industries, reaching from green building to cleaner transportation and water. In its twelth fiveyear plan, the Government continues focusing on those markets. However, opportunities in this case do not come without challenges. According to Mr. Beebe, next to dealing with current problems such as IP risks, findings of the report suggest that capitalizing on the greentech market might require a different skill set – a need to be solution-oriented rather than product-focused. He concluded that if capable, foreign companies are provided with a great test bed in China for developments and innovation – and they have the unique chance to create and shape markets from an early stage. Event: China’s Emergence as a Global Greentech Leader Date: 14th June 2011 Venue: Le Meridien Speaker: Mr. Alan S. Beebe | Managing Director, China Greentech Initiative Moderator: Mr. Daniel Tweer | Business Development Manager, REMONDIS Shanghai Rep. Office CHAMBER NEWS CHAMBER NEWS SHANGHAI PAGES Der Stand der RenminbiFlexibilisierung Controlling Workshop The flexibility of the Renminbi was the topic of this month’s controlling workshop. Mr. Marcus Wassmuth, Director at Landesbank Baden-Wuerttemberg in Shanghai, gave an overview of the deployment of the CNY in international trade settlements. Cross-border payments are allowed if the underlying business is verified through the presentation of respective documents by the Chinese counterpart. If it is an injection of registered capital or a CNY loan from abroad, the transactions need an individual approval by the respective department of PBOC. Cur- rently there are no fixed rules under which circumstances these approvals would be granted. All payments in CNY are possible and allowed if the necessary conditions are met. The second speech was given by Mr. Andreas Odrian, Director at Deutsche Bank in Shanghai, who talked about the internationalization of the Renminbi. To show the development, he presented the pilot programme of the year 2009, which was first launched in Shanghai and four cities of Guangdong province, for CNY cross-border trade with Hong Kong, Macau, and ASEAN. Mr. Odrian mentioned all milestones of this project and delivered an overview on the newest announcement which allows foreign direct investment (FDI) in CNY. In his opinion, basic RMB convertibility will likely be achieved within five years. Furthermore, he showed the benefits for corporations of CNY cross-border settlement for onshore corporations and overseas corporations. At the end, Mr. Odrian showed how companies have to consider the opportunity to switch their payment to CNY by comparing which tasks the companies should pay attention to and which questions arise from that. The speeches led to a vivid discussion and an interesting question and answer series. Currently, China’s main energy source is coal – which is no surprise, seeing that China harbors the third largest coal supply in the world. A continued reliance on this energy source is certain, although its negative effect in terms of pollution has been acknowledged. Thus, the Government decided to reduce the share of coal in the energy mix by almost 10% within the next five years. In addition to making coal a cleaner energy in general, the Government aims to compensate the “loss” by focusing on wind and hydro energy and plans to increase their share in the total energy mix significantly. The nature of energy is one topic; its distribution is another challenge. Investments in the electric power infrastructure of RMB 384bn by State Grid from 2009 until 2020 will ensure China is one of the biggest power infrastructure markets in the world. With this development, companies in this branch will be provided with abundant business opportunities. The size of the project can be illustrated by the fact that the scheduled investments and innovations are intended to abate as much as 1.65bn mtce per year, which would be the equivalent to Russia’s total 2009 emission. In addition to cleaner energy, the greentech market includes a variety of other industries, reaching from green building to cleaner transportation and water. In its twelth fiveyear plan, the Government continues focusing on those markets. However, opportunities Platinum Sponsors Gold Sponsors Event: Der Stand der Renminbi-Flexibilisierung Date: 15th June 2011 Venue: Le Meridien Speaker: Mr. Marcus Wassmuth | Director, Representative Office Landesbank BadenWuerttemberg in Shanghai Mr. Andreas Odrian | Director Corporate Banking, Deutsche Bank, Shanghai Chair: Mr. Jens-Peter Otto | Partner, PricewaterhouseCoopers China’s Emergence as a Global Greentech Leader Workshop Environmental Protection When looking at China’s recent emergence as the second world economic power, it cannot go unnoticed that this development is paralleled by its growth as a global greentech leader. Mr. Alan Beebe, Managing Director, China Greentech Initiative (CGTI), outlined the main topics of the China Greentech Report 2011 and delivered deeper insight into China’s progress in that field. The report focused on nine sectors where energy plays a vital role and took a closer look at the reasons for China’s greentech development, highlighting market opportunities and showing implications for foreign companies. Diamond Sponsor 14th German Ball Carnevale di Venezia Silver Sponsors 19th November 2011, 7pm Grand Hyatt Hotel Ticket sale starts in October in this case do not come without challenges. According to Mr. Beebe, next to dealing with current problems such as IP risks, findings of the report suggest that capitalizing on the greentech market might require a different skill set – a need to be solution-oriented rather than product-focused. He concluded that if capable, foreign companies are provided with a great test bed in China for developments and innovation – and they have the unique chance to create and shape markets from an early stage. Event: China’s Emergence as a Global Greentech Leader Date: 14th June 2011 Venue: Le Meridien Speaker: Mr. Alan S. Beebe | Managing Director, China Greentech Initiative Beverage Sponsors Media Partner Moderator: Mr. Daniel Tweer | Business Development Manager, REMONDIS Shanghai Rep. Office Sound Partners Hosted by: CHAMBER NEWS CHAMBER NEWS SHANGHAI AROUND TOWN www.china.ahk.de Käfer’s Grand Opening Party Final Ceremony 24th June 2011, The Binjiang One 3th June 2011 | Piazza of the EuroCampus With a big smile on their faces the 12th grade students received their diplomas from Mr. Manfred Lauck, the headmaster of the German School, and their class teachers during the graduation ceremony at the EuroCampus. More than 200 parents, teachers and friends attended the festive event and enjoyed the delightful music programme prepared by students and teachers. Pictures: © DS Shanghai Mr. Michael Käfer, Director of the Feinkost Käfer GmbH, and Mr. Alfred Chen, Chairman of the Namchow Group as well as BLN Restaurants & Caterings, celebrated the opening of the first Käfer restaurant under the name “Käfer by The Binjiang One’’ in Shanghai, which is also the first in all of China. Around 250 guests enjoyed the evening and had a first taste of Käfer’s famous European gourmet kitchen. Father‘s Days 4th June 2011 | Throughout Shanghai On that Sunday, 36 men and 60l of beer took to the streets for Shanghai’s first German Father’s Day celebration, sponsored by Paulaner Bräuhaus Shanghai. In the merry tradition of hiking on ‘Vater Tag’, Paulaner arranged a 14km hike throughout Shanghai, beginning at Paulaner @ Fen Yang Road, stopping by at Paulaner @ Binjiang for a light lunch, and ending at Paulaner @ Expo where a 30kg roasted suckling pig awaited them. Not even the rain could stop these men from enjoying a Shanghai take on a German classic. Summer celebration 18th June | EuroCampus; 25th June | PudongCampus Parents hosted the annual summer parties at both campuses of the German School with plenty of food and a diverting programme. In the context of musical and theatrical perfomances, students, parents and staff took the chance to bid farewell to those who will not come back to Shanghai after the summer holidays. Pictures: © DS Shanghai Graduation Prom 4th June 2011 | Le Royal Méridien Shanghai Sponsored by Volkswagen Shanghai the 40 graduates celebrated their university entrance diploma with a classy prom including dinner, entertainment and dancing. 78 August - September 2011 78 August - September 2011 2011 August - September 78 www.china.ahk.de Käfer’s Grand Opening Party 24th June 2011, The Binjiang One Mr. Michael Käfer, Director of the Feinkost Käfer GmbH, and Mr. Alfred Chen, Chairman of the Namchow Group as well as BLN Restaurants & Caterings, celebrated the opening of the first Käfer restaurant under the name “Käfer by The Binjiang One’’ in Shanghai, which is also the first in all of China. Around 250 guests enjoyed the evening and had a first taste of Käfer’s famous European gourmet kitchen. Summer celebration 18th June | EuroCampus; 25th June | PudongCampus Parents hosted the annual summer parties at both campuses of the German School with plenty of food and a diverting programme. In the context of musical and theatrical perfomances, students, parents and staff took the chance to bid farewell to those who will not come back to Shanghai after the summer holidays. Pictures: © DS Shanghai 2011 August - September 79 CHAMBER NEWS SOUTH & SOUTHWEST CHINA PAGES GCC BOARD MTU Maintenance Zhuhai Co. Ltd. President & CEO Mr. Holger Sindemann* Chinese Companies are Resetting to CSR Best Practice Forum Chairman Häfele GmbH & Co KG, Rep. Office Shenzhen Managing Director Mr. Stefan Rosenbohm Treasurer The speakers shared their knowledge about the challenges of CSR implementation. GCC • South & Southwest China Executive Director Delegation of German Industry & Commerce Guangzhou Delegate and Chief Representative Mr. Oliver Regner SOUTH & SOUTHWEST CHINA 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 Ms. Renate Tietjen Herrenknecht (Chengdu) Tunnelling Equipment Co. Ltd. General Manager Mr. Bai Kun Honorary Board Member Southwest China * All-China Board Member 80 August - September 2011 Since the early 1970s, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has successfully become a common business practice of Western companies. The goal of CSR is to embrace responsibility for the company's actions and encourage a positive impact through its activities on the environment, consumers, employees, communities, stockholders and all other members of the public sphere. conduct) were just a few topics that were addressed and extensively discussed. At the end of the forum the attendees had the opportunity to ask questions directly to the experienced Chinese companies and were especially interested in the challenges of implementation. This forum was cofinanced by the DEG KfW Bank and was jointly implemented by TÜV Rheinland and ASSIST. TÜV Rheinland Greater China hosted a best practice forum in cooperation with GCC • South & Southwest China in order to share expertise regarding CSR-reporting standards. About 140 participants joined the forum held at the Lingnan College, t h e b u s i n e s s f a c u l t y o f S u n Ya t - S e n University in Guangzhou. Climate change, resource scarcity and compliance (code of Event: Best Practices Forum – China Reporting and Transparency Excellence Date: 10th June in Guangzhou Chair: Ms. Heidrun Bussr | Executive Chamber Manager, GCC • South & Southwest China How to Get Your Taxes Right in China Tax Seminar Hosting the Individual Income Tax Seminar in Shenzhen, the GCC • South & Southwest China had the pleasure to welcome Mr. Jacky Chu and Ms. Sophie Lu from Pricewaterhouse Coopers to give an outstanding presentation on the implications of the PRC Individual Income Tax (IIT) for expatriate employees working in China. Attending members from the British, French and German Chambers of Commerce could gain a detailed understanding of the most relevant PRC IIT compliance requirements and were also informed on certain experiences concerning the PRC IIT administration and practice in Guangzhou as well as on recent tax audit cases. At the end of their presentation the two PwC experts were open to discuss and resolve individual cases. Event: Individual Income Tax Seminar Date: 12th May in Shenzhen Speakers: Mr. Jacky Chu, Partner and Ms. Sophie Lu, Senior Manager I PwC International Assignment Services Practice Southern China/Hong Kong Chair: Mr. Max Zenglein | Regional Manager, GCC • South & Southwest China www.china.ahk.de How long have you worked today? As a GM, have you ever thought about claiming overtime for your extended working hours? This story was shared by one Chief Representative at the 2nd General Manager Roundtable in Guangzhou, letting everyone reconsider their challenges with overtime (OT) claimed by blue collar workers and office staff. Eleven GMs eagerly discussed all related topics of OT Management, a subject that makes it worthwhile to consider investing in fingerprint and facial recognition technology. Keeping track of the working hours of employees can be a challenge, especially for sales staff and if there is no special regulation in the company handbook. The GMs dedicated the second half of the Roundtable to their concerns with customs and importing from Europe. Several participants experienced serious delays in manufacturing when facing the rigorous procedure of getting HS codes for all machine parts that can take up to several weeks. Guanxi is still deemed to be the best solution for many Breaking Currency Boundaries Ms. Grace Zhang is presenting the pros and cons of RMB trade settlement. On 28 April 2011, the GCC • South & Southwest China hosted a seminar on the th new regulations concerning cross border RMB trade settlement at the Harbour View Hotel, Zhuhai. More than 20 participants were eager to learn about the benefits and limits of new options to settle foreign trade balances. Thanks to the support of the HSBC and the outstanding presentation of Ms. Grace Zhang, the participants could gain deeper insights regarding the development and the strengths of cross boarder RMB trade settlements, as well as discuss their individual concerns and resolve their open questions. GM Roundtable GZ challenges arising when dealing with local customs authorities. Event: General Manager Roundtable Date: 31st May 2011 in Guangzhou Chair: Mr. Jens Hildebrandt |General Manager, GIC Guangzhou Finance Seminar Event: Finance Seminar - Cross Border RMB Trade Settlement Date: 28th April in Zhuhai Speaker: Ms. Grace Zhang | Senior Trade Consultant, HSBC Chair: Mr. Max Zenglein | Regional Manager, GCC • South & Southwest China Creating Safeguards for Job Hopping by High Level Employees Legal Roundtable Chinese employees often change their job to get a better position or a better payment. About 17% of the whole Chinese workforce practises job hopping every year. Many employees stay an average of two years in the same company and collect sufficient Participants were able to address all their concerns regarding the contracts of high-level employees. Mr. Zach Wortham explains the difficulties of enforcing the non-compete clause. experience to move on. The affected companies are usually SMEs, because they do not have the same standing and financial means of Fortune 500 enterprises. In times of labour shortage, salaries have started a race to almost unbelievable heights. However, companies do not only fear high personnel costs; they are increasingly worried about confidentiality and company secrets that might be stolen or even misused by former managers. Therefore, the employment contracts for high level employees have to contain certain clauses and penalties. Also, the employer should put in place certain rules and precautions to be prepared if a manager resigns or goes to arbitration. During the seminars in Shenzhen and Guangzhou the speaker, Mr. Zach Wortham, Senior Manager of the PRC law firm Wang Jing & Co, addressed the main difficulties and risks regarding the structuring of higher-level labour relationships. The central aspects of his presentation were concerned with the essentials of formulating labour contracts, such as the Anti-Unfair Competition Law, Confidentiality, NonCompete Clauses and the general terms of termination of a contract. Due to his rich experience as a PRC lawyer, Mr. Wortham could illustrate the essentials of contractual labour relationships, especially by referring to certain case studies. In the end, the speaker and his assistant took their time to resolve individual concerns and questions. Event: Legal Roundtable – What to Consider When Hiring/Firing Management Date: 15th June in Shenzhen & 16th June in Guangzhou Speaker: Mr. Zach Wortham | Senior Manager, Wang Jing & Co. Law Firm Mr. Max Zenglein | Regional Manager, GCC • South & Southwest China Chair: Ms. Heidrun Buss | Executive Chamber Manager 2011 August - September 81 CHAMBER NEWS SOUTH & SOUTHWEST CHINA PAGES Insights into One of China’s most Advanced Automotive Companies Almost 100 participants joined the BYD Headquarters tour. Due to the joint efforts of the British, French and German Chambers of Commerce, an exclusive BYD Headquarters visit in Pingshan, Shenzhen was organized. Almost 100 participants, mostly member companies, participated in a factory tour to one of China's most advanced automotive companies. During the tour, BYD demonstrated its research and development efforts regarding Factory Tour The attendees gained great insights into one of China’s most advanced automotive company. renewable energy by exhibiting the “Future Village” – a zero-emissions model village for independent solar and wind electricity production and storage. Afterwards, it introduced its Solar Farm and even offered an exclusive Auto Factory Tour for the first time. At the end of the tour, some participants also had the opportunity to go for a special BYD E6 test drive. Due to the outstanding organization and supervision on behalf of BYD, participants gained great insights into BYD’s history and vision, as well as their general business model. Event: BYD Factory Tour Shenzhen Date: 23rd May in Shenzhen Chair: Mr. Max Zenglein | Regional Manager, GCC • South & Southwest China Hengqin Eyes International Investments from PRD Organized by the PRD regional publication 'Delta Bridges' and the business publication 'Macau Business', the fourth Delta Inter Chamber Event (DICE) was held on Friday, 17th June 2011 at the Sofitel Macau at Ponte 16. The DICE event series aims at providing members from various Chambers of Commerce from Macau, Hong Kong and Guangdong a platform for exclusive business networking. The fourth DICE Experts from China and overseas discussed urban planning in the Pearl River Delta. 82 August - September 2011 included a conference panel focused on an environmental topic as well as the development plans of the Hengqin New Area, followed by a cocktail reception. The Director General of the Administrative Committee of the Hengqin New Area, Zhuhai, Mr. Niu Jing, vowed that more international investments would be introduced in the area, including companies from Guangdong Province, Hong Kong and Macau. Entitled "Urban Planning in the Pearl River Delta", the conference speakers included: Mr. Niu Jing, Director General of the Administrative Committee of Hengqin New Area, Zhuhai; Mr. Rui Leão, Vice-President of the Macau Architect Association, Macau and Mr. Beck Stefan, Managing Partner, Baumschlager Eberle, Hong Kong. Participants enjoyed the exclusive business networking in Macau. Event: 4 th Delta Inter Chamber Event Urban Planning in the Pearl River Delta Date: 17th June 2011 in Macau Chair: Mr. Peter Hourle | West PRD Liaison Of ficer, GCC • South and Southwest China www.china.ahk.de Design for Clicks There are 457mn internet users in China, 98% of them with access to broadband. 303mn Chinese use their mobiles for browsing the internet and 57% are under 30. This group includes 11.4% university graduates and 6.6% who earn 5,000 RMB per month. 142mn Chinese shop online. Marketing Seminar ances and search functions. The speakers shared key findings and solutions towards creating a localized and target-specific approach and introduced related procedures In order to provide some firsthand information, GCC • South & Southwest China together with the Spanish and French Chambers of Commerce organized this seminar at the Regus Business Center Guangzhou. Mr. Marc Finsterlin, the Managing Director of aquarius asia and Ms. Cheyenne Law, Senior Account Manager, both demonstrated the upcoming chances and opportunities awaiting the Chinese online market. Mr. Finsterlin mentioned that a global approach does not work in China. There is Baidu instead of Google, Taobao instead of Ebay, and Renren instead of Facebook, plus the ongoing firewall obstacle. Local clients buy on different platforms with much more entertaining and playful websites, displaying the necessary information with just a couple of mouse clicks - often a mystery to foreigners with their organized and structured web appear- and common practice issues. The 30 participants made full use of the seminar, asking many questions and attaining a better idea of their future successful online market entry. Event: Online-Marketing and E-Commerce Seminar Date: 24th May in Guangzhou Speakers: Mr. Marc Finsterlin | Managing Partner and Ms. Cheyenne Law, Senior Account Manager, aquarius asia limited Chair: Ms. Heidrun Buss | Executive Chamber Manager, GCC • South & Southwest China The Ups and Downs of Implementing an ERP System Business Seminar ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) is essential for resource planning within a company and may help to considerably improve the overall performance of existing business processes. The decision for an ERP system depends on many aspects e.g. the package, the implementation partner and the scope. Every system needs to be modified and adjusted to the special needs of the business, the so-called total cost of ownership highly depends on these variables. In order to provide a certain guideline about the main considerations before implementing an ERP system, GCC • South & Southwest China organised an information session in June 2011 in cooperation with Mr. Richard Howard of Chief Choice Ltd. Mr. Howard provided the audience an insight into the functionality of an ERP and the requirements for a smooth and frictionless implementation. Event: ERP Criteria Selection Seminar Date: 21st June in Guangzhou Speaker: Mr. Richard Howard | General Manager, Chief Choice Ltd./ Kingdee Consulting Partner The audience gave full attention to the business visa application processThe participants were eager to hear the best practices regarding the implementation of an ERP system. Chair: Ms. Heidrun Buss | Executive Chamber Manager, GCC • South & Southwest China 2011 August - September 83 CHAMBER NEWS SOUTH & SOUTHWEST CHINA AROUND TOWN www.china.ahk.de “Explore Italy” Photo Show Opening 7th June 2011 I Westin Guangzhou Guests of the Photo Show Opening were able to explore Italy, the inspiring country of originality and creativity through the eyes of famous Photographer Ivy FENG on 7th June at the Westin Guangzhou. Admission is free and the exhibition continues until the beginning of August 2011. InterChamber Networking Drinks 18th May 2011 Le Jardin d‘Olive Summer feelings spread out in Guangzhou in May! More than 80 guests participated in the InterChamber Networking event at Le Jardin d’Olive which was hosted by the European, French, German and Spanish Chamber of Commerce. The guests enjoyed the soiree with free flow of French wine and delicious canapés. Deutscher Abend and OBC Comedy Club 21st May 2011 I Holiday Inn Shenzhen Donghua More than 100 German-speaking guests attended the first OBC COMEDY CLUB show at the Holiday Inn Shenzhen Donghua. The German Evening was organized again by Mr. Schneider of OBC Express Ltd. After the delicious white asparagus dinner, the guests enjoyed a two hour comedy show with lots of fun and laughter. 84 August - September 2011 Chengdu Social Events May and June 2011 20th May European Day Party 25th June Interchamber Summer Mixer 250 participants joined the European Day Party on 20th May jointly hosted by GCC • South and Southwest China and the EUCCC at the Intercontinental Hotel Chengdu. One month later, the international community in Chengdu met and mingled at the Interchamber Summer Mixer which was hosted in cooperation with the British and Belgian Chamber of Commerce. 2011 August - September 85