11/08/2023 l Chinese international tourism slowly picking up
Slowly but surely, tourism to and from China is picking up again. After three years of quasi no outbound tourism, the Chinese tourist can finally start packing their bags again to set out into the world. However, the anticipated travel boom to Europe has yet to happen, as the travel industry solves its issues at the supply side. Before the pandemic hit the world, China was the biggest outbound tourism market with 155 million trips recorded in 2019. During that year, Chinese tourists spent abo...
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Slowly but surely, tourism to and from China is picking up again. After three years of quasi no outbound tourism, the Chinese tourist can finally start packing their bags again to set out into the world. However, the anticipated travel boom to Europe has yet to happen, as the travel industry solves its issues at the supply side. Before the pandemic hit the world, China was the biggest outbound tourism market with 155 million trips recorded in 2019. During that year, Chinese tourists spent abo...
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25/07/2023 l Working in Belgium as a Chinese professional
On the 21st of June 2023, the Belgian-Chinese Chamber of Commerce (BCECC) organized a webinar about the most recent immigration regulations for the employment of Chinese nationals in Belgium. First, a representative from Xpatriate, a Belgian agency for international employment, introduced the general immigration framework in Belgium. This was followed by a presentation by representatives from the Brussels Employment Ministry and the Flanders Department for Work & Social Economy. These exp...
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On the 21st of June 2023, the Belgian-Chinese Chamber of Commerce (BCECC) organized a webinar about the most recent immigration regulations for the employment of Chinese nationals in Belgium. First, a representative from Xpatriate, a Belgian agency for international employment, introduced the general immigration framework in Belgium. This was followed by a presentation by representatives from the Brussels Employment Ministry and the Flanders Department for Work & Social Economy. These exp...
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06/07/2023 l Innovation in China: it's all about speed and scale!
In recent years, China has emerged as a source for ground-breaking technological advancements and disruptive business models. The country’s rise as a global economic powerhouse is fuelled by its unparalleled commitment to innovation at a scale and speed that is unmatched by any other nation. China's ability to swiftly adopt and deploy new technologies is instrumental in its quest for global innovation leadership. In this article we describe the characteristics of this innovation landscape ...
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In recent years, China has emerged as a source for ground-breaking technological advancements and disruptive business models. The country’s rise as a global economic powerhouse is fuelled by its unparalleled commitment to innovation at a scale and speed that is unmatched by any other nation. China's ability to swiftly adopt and deploy new technologies is instrumental in its quest for global innovation leadership. In this article we describe the characteristics of this innovation landscape ...
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26/06/2023 l Comments to the EU Chamber of Commerce in China's Business Confidence Report 2023 - Bart Horsten
On 21 June 2023 the European Chamber published a report and press release about the Business Confidence of European companies in China. The title of the press release was "European Chamber Report Finds Significant Deterioration of Business Confidence in China". The full report can be downloaded at https://www.europeanchamber.com.cn/en/publications-archive/1124. When asked my opinion about this article by the Belgian economic newspaper De Tijd, I gave my feedback and comments, but the act...
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On 21 June 2023 the European Chamber published a report and press release about the Business Confidence of European companies in China. The title of the press release was "European Chamber Report Finds Significant Deterioration of Business Confidence in China". The full report can be downloaded at https://www.europeanchamber.com.cn/en/publications-archive/1124. When asked my opinion about this article by the Belgian economic newspaper De Tijd, I gave my feedback and comments, but the act...
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26/06/2023 l Sustainability in China and opportunities for European companies
Introduction In 2020, China made the pledge to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060, with a peak in carbon dioxide emissions before 2030. Since then, environmental protection and green development have become high priorities for the entire country. This creates opportunities for cooperation between European and Chinese companies. The fight against pollution Many frequent European business travelers to China certainly still remember the days when China was home to many of the world’...
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Introduction In 2020, China made the pledge to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060, with a peak in carbon dioxide emissions before 2030. Since then, environmental protection and green development have become high priorities for the entire country. This creates opportunities for cooperation between European and Chinese companies. The fight against pollution Many frequent European business travelers to China certainly still remember the days when China was home to many of the world’...
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24/05/2023 l Participation in trade fairs in China
If you look at China in these challenging times, participating at an exhibition in China is something you could consider as one of your first priorities. When entering the Chinese market many European companies start by participating in an exhibition. Trade fairs are indeed a great way to gain exposure in China for your company. You are not only benefiting from brand exposure, but exhibitions are also an excellent way to learn what is happening in your specific industry. Comprehe...
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If you look at China in these challenging times, participating at an exhibition in China is something you could consider as one of your first priorities. When entering the Chinese market many European companies start by participating in an exhibition. Trade fairs are indeed a great way to gain exposure in China for your company. You are not only benefiting from brand exposure, but exhibitions are also an excellent way to learn what is happening in your specific industry. Comprehe...
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22/05/2023 l Ever heard of Xiaohongshu or RED?
Most people in the West already heard about Alibaba and WeChat. Recently also Douyin (the Chinese Tiktok) became more well-known in the West. But have you ever heard of Xiaohongshu? Xiaohongshu was founded in Shanghai in 2013. The platform's name means 'little red book' in Chinese. In English, they simply call their platform RED. RED feels like a cross between Pinterest and Instagram, but with buying options and longer, blog-like content. In RED, a post can have up to 9 pictures and ...
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Most people in the West already heard about Alibaba and WeChat. Recently also Douyin (the Chinese Tiktok) became more well-known in the West. But have you ever heard of Xiaohongshu? Xiaohongshu was founded in Shanghai in 2013. The platform's name means 'little red book' in Chinese. In English, they simply call their platform RED. RED feels like a cross between Pinterest and Instagram, but with buying options and longer, blog-like content. In RED, a post can have up to 9 pictures and ...
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26/04/2023 l How to find a distributor in China?
With China’s recent opening up, many European companies are looking at China again for their exports. Despite the challenges of the past years, China remains one of the world's largest markets, both for consumer goods, as well as for high-tech products, equipment and other European products, services and technologies. Working with a Chinese distributor is a common entry model, as the distributor can provide you with comprehensive support, including customs clearance, storage, shippi...
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With China’s recent opening up, many European companies are looking at China again for their exports. Despite the challenges of the past years, China remains one of the world's largest markets, both for consumer goods, as well as for high-tech products, equipment and other European products, services and technologies. Working with a Chinese distributor is a common entry model, as the distributor can provide you with comprehensive support, including customs clearance, storage, shippi...
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12/04/2023 l Belgian imports from China reach new high in 2022
Over the past three decades, imports from China have grown much faster than total goods imports into Belgium. In 2022, this import value has reached a new high: according to statistics from the Belgian Foreign Trade Agency, the import from China reached EUR 35.3 billion, an increase of 42.5%, compared to 2021. This may look surprising, as 2022 was the year of severe Covid lockdowns across China, high freight prices, the war in Ukraine, continued US-China geopolitical tensions and other economi...
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Over the past three decades, imports from China have grown much faster than total goods imports into Belgium. In 2022, this import value has reached a new high: according to statistics from the Belgian Foreign Trade Agency, the import from China reached EUR 35.3 billion, an increase of 42.5%, compared to 2021. This may look surprising, as 2022 was the year of severe Covid lockdowns across China, high freight prices, the war in Ukraine, continued US-China geopolitical tensions and other economi...
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11/04/2023 l Why (not) to source from China?
During the past years, many European companies have re-evaluated their China strategy. Topics such as decoupling and reshoring - the practice of bringing manufacturing and services back from China to a nearer location – have become trending. Ongoing trade disagreements and political tensions involving China on the international stage, combined with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on freight prices and the entire supply chain, have indeed impacted the sourcing situation in China. On the...
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During the past years, many European companies have re-evaluated their China strategy. Topics such as decoupling and reshoring - the practice of bringing manufacturing and services back from China to a nearer location – have become trending. Ongoing trade disagreements and political tensions involving China on the international stage, combined with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on freight prices and the entire supply chain, have indeed impacted the sourcing situation in China. On the...
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