The Flanders-China Chamber of Commerce is organizing the China Awareness Workshop. This event will take place on Wednesday 13 June 2018 at 15:00 h. during the FIT Exportbeurs.

Not only differences in language, but also in corporate culture often present a difficult barrier for business people in both countries. According to a study by the Business School of the University of Science & Technology in Hong Kong, the biggest obstacle for Western business people in China is intercultural.

Communication is a process of information exchange which requires that the parties who are communicating understand each other’s system of symbols, gestures and behavior.

• In this China Business Awareness Workshop you will learn how to communicate efficiently with China.You will become aware of the visible and invisible differences between China and Flanders.
• You will get a general China insight, and a more profound view of the Chinese generations through which you will be able to better position and evaluate your Chinese customer, consumer, entrepreneur – who are all products of recent Chinese history.
• You will learn to empathize with the socio-cultural context of the ethnic Chinese. You will get an insight in Chinese corporate culture and will learn to handle specific problems linked to Chinese traditions.

** Please register for this event on the website of Flanders Investment and Trade here.

Programme
15:00 Introduction by Gwenn Sonck, Executive Director, Flanders-China Chamber of Commerce
15:10 ‘China Business Awareness’ by Wim Polet, Managing Director, Chinainkling
16:30 Q&A session
16:45 End

Practical Information
Date and time: Wednesday 13 June 2018 from 15:00-16:45
Location: Brussels Expo – Paleis 1, Belgiëplein 1, 1020 Brussel
Price: Participation is free of charge

About the speaker:
Wim Polet is a sinologist who first visited in China in 1984. He worked and lived in China and at present is commuting between Flanders and China. Since 1999 he is focussing on “Efficient communication with China’ at China Inkling Cross-cultural Dynamics (www.chinainkling.com)

Contact
VCKK: info@flanders-china.be

More information about the Exportbeurs 2018 can be found here.

The Flanders-China Chamber of Commerce and the Province of East Flanders are organizing a seminar focused on ‘Belgian Customs and its activities in China’. This event will take place at 17:30 on Thursday 7 June 2018 at the Province House, Gouvernementstraat 1, 9000 Ghent.

Mr. Eddy De Cuyper, Counselor, Customs Attaché, Embassy of Belgium in China, will give a presentation on procedures and regulations of the Chinese customs and other institutions, which are related to import or export. The following topics will be covered.

• Belgian Customs in China, can we help you?
• Free Trade Zone Shanghai: Customs
• Organisation after the reorganisation of the Ministries
• GACC – General Administration of China Customs: Organisation.
• AQSIQ – General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine: Functioning
• CIQ – China Inspection and Quarantine
• Import and export duties, VAT on export

Mr. Leslie Lambregts, Director of International Affairs, FAVV, will be giving a speech on the support given from FAVV to local companies when exporting to China.
• Role of FAVV in export support

Programme

17:30 Registration

18:00 Welcome by Ms. Astrid Vliegbergh, Director Economy and External Relations of Province of East Flanders Government

18:10 Introduction by Ms. Gwenn Sonck, Executive Director, Flanders-China Chamber of Commerce

18:15 Presentation: ’Belgian customs and its activities in China’ by Mr. Eddy De Cuyper, Customs Attaché. Embassy of Belgium in China

19:05 Speech by Mr. Leslie Lambregts, Director International Affairs, FAVV Belgium

19:25 Q&A Session

19:40 Networking Drink

Practical Information


Date and time: Thursday 7 June 2018 from 17:30


Location: Provinciehuis, Gouvernementstraat 1, 9000 Gent


Price for members: € 45 (excl. 21% VAT)

Price for non-members: €75 (excl. 21% VAT)

If you are interested in attending, please subscribe before 4 June 2018 via this link .

Contact:
FCCC: info@flanders-china.be

The Flanders-China Chamber of Commerce and KBC Bank are organizing a briefing on “China’s economic outlook and key issues for foreign investors after the 19th Party Congress”. This event will take place on Wednesday 16 May 2018 from 9:00-11:00 at KBC Bank, Kortrijksesteenweg 1100, 9051 Ghent.

During this briefing, two bankers from KBC Bank in China will discuss the following topics:

• Economic outlook & key issues for foreign investors
• Major developments after the 19th Party Congress
• Opportunities for Belgian companies: Greater Bay Area, Belt & Road

Programme
08:30 Registration and networking
09:00 Introduction by Gwenn Sonck, Executive Director, Flanders-China Chamber of Commerce
09:10 Presentation by P.C Leung, General Manager, KBC Bank N.V. Shanghai Branch and William Ip, Head of Corporate Banking, KBC N.V. Hong Kong Branch
10:00 Q & A discussion

Practical Information
Location: KBC Bank, Kortrijksesteenweg 1100, 9051 Ghent
Price for members: €66,55 (incl. 21% VAT)
Price for non-members: €90,75 (incl. 21% VAT)

If you are interested in participating in this event, please subscribe before 11 May 2018. GO TO THIS EVENT

Contact
FCCC: info@flanders-china.be

About the speakers

P.C Leung, General Manager, KBC Bank N.V. Shanghai Branch
After 10 years with Bank of China Group, P. C. joined KBC Bank Hong Kong Branch at 1991 as Financial Controller. He started his China banking career in KBC Bank Shanghai Branch in 1997. He also worked in KBC Bank Taiwan Branch for 3 years thereafter. He is now the General Manager of KBC Bank Shanghai Branch. P.C. earned a MBA degree and a Master of Information System degree. He is a Chartered Professional Accountant of Canada.

William Ip, Head of Corporate Banking
Joining KBC Bank NV Hong Kong Branch since 2006, William Ip is now the Head of Corporate Banking. He has been working in the commercial banking field with primary focuses on credit and relationship management over 25 years. Prior to KBC, William had worked for Bank of China Group, Fortis Bank and DBS. William earned his bachelor degree in Industrial Economics from University of Warwick and master degree in Financial Management from University of London.

The Flanders-China Chamber of Commerce is organizing a luncheon focused on “China Insights: Partner Choice, Know-how Protection and Contract Enforcement”. This event will take place on Thursday 26 April at 12h00 in Brussels.

Keynote speaker: Mr Jan Holthuis, Partner at Buren N.V.

The topics discussed will be the following:
• Chinese partners background checks: what information is available in China? What are the most important facts to get?
• Technology transfer: Strategies to protect your know-how and IP
• Chinese legal practice: Can a foreign party win in Chinese courts

12h00 Registration & Networking lunch
12h30 Welcome by Gwenn Sonck, Executive Director,
Flanders-China Chamber of Commerce
12h35 Presentation by Mr Jan Holthuis, Partner at Buren NV
Q & A Session

If you are interested in this event, please subscribe before 24 April 2018 via this link: https://goo.gl/vPLfeJ

Price for members: 65 € excl VAT
Price for non-members: 95 € excl VAT

GO TO THIS EVENT

About the speaker

Jan Holthuis
Mr Jan Holthuis, partner at Buren N.V. is an experienced advisor in China-related cross-border M&A , international litigation and intellectual property related disputes. Jan is active in the China legal practice since 1995 and predominantly living and working in China.

Jan is a Dutch qualified lawyer and a solicitor registered with the Law Society of England & Wales. He is a visiting lecturer at Erasmus University (Chinese commercial and corporate law and practice), Wageningen University (Chinese agricultural law and practice) and East China University of Politics and Law in Shanghai (Intellectual Property dispute settlement & technology transfers). Jan is also a registered arbitrator at the China International Economic Trade Arbitration Commission (CIETAC) and at the Shanghai International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission (SHAIC) / Shanghai International Arbitration Center (SIAC).

Jan holds various positions at multinational companies operating in China and Europe and is involved in China strategy decision-making processes.

The Flanders-China Chamber of Commerce (FCCC) and the Province of East-Flanders are organizing an information session on the opportunities of participating in the Belgian garden at the World Horticulture Expo in Beijing in 2019. The seminar will be held on 23 April 2019 at 17:30 at PAC – Het Zuid, Woodrow Wilsonplein 2, 9000 in Ghent.

The World Horticulture Expo, themed ‘Live Green, Live Better’, will be held from April 29 till October 7, 2019. The Expo covers an area of 503 hectares, of which the Belgian garden will cover 1,500 square meters to promote Belgian horticulture. The organizers expect to welcome 16 million visitors, 20% from outside China. Expo 2019 will be organized for the first time in the vicinity of the Great Wall.

The Expo will focus on green technology, the best available technology and innovative applications, including vertical cultivation, multilayer cultivation and hydroponics.

Programme

17:30 Registration
18:00 Welcome by Martine Verhoeve, Vice Governor Foreign Affairs and Economy, Province of East-Flanders
18:10 – 18:20 Introduction by Gwenn Sonck, Executive Director, Flanders-China Chamber of Commerce
18:20 – 18:35 Speech by Pieter Van Oost, Secretary, Belgian Nurserymen and Growers Federation (AVBS)
18:35 – 18:55 “The Belgian garden at the World Horticulture Expo”, by Aldwin Dekkers, Belgian Commissioner General’s Office of International Expositions, FOD Economy
18:55 – 19:10 Testimonial Deroose Plants & Exotic Plant in China, by Reginald Deroose, CEO
19:05 – 19:20 Q&A
19:20 – 20:00 Networking

Practical information

Location: PAC Het Zuid, Woodrow Wilsonplein 2, 9000 Ghent
Starting at 17:30
Participation is free of charge.

Please register before April 20, 2018 GO TO THIS EVENT

Contact: FCCC info@flanders-china.be