The Chinese economy outperformed most economies with its 9% growth last year. But how well did our Belgian companies perform in China? What are the greatest opportunities and threats that lie ahead of us? Through the results of 15 simple yet crucial questions we took the temperature of the Sino-Belgian business conditions.

The results of the survey will be shared with you through a panel discussion with a number of Sino-Belgian industry leaders. These panel members already confirmed their presence:
Herman Van de Velde, CEO Van de Velde

Dirk Vyncke, Chairman Vyncke Clean Energy Technology

Ivan Van de Cloot, Chief Economist Itinera Institute

Geert Defieuw, Director Intellectual Property & Education Umicore

This event is organized by Moore Stephens Verschelden, the Flanders-China Chamber of Commerce and Flanders Investment & Trade.

Programme:
19:30 – 20:00  Welcome and registration
20:00 – 20:45  Presentation results of the survey and panel discussion
20:45 – 21:00   Q & A
21:00 – 22:00  Networking reception

This meeting will take place at Living Tomorrow, Indringingweg 1, 1800 Vilvoorde. Register by sending an e-mail to info@flanders-china.be before 12 March 2012. After subscribing you will receive a confirmation by e-mail. Participation fee for FCCC members: €30, non-members: €45.

The Flanders-China Chamber of Commerce, through its membership of the EU China Business Association, is offering an exclusive opportunity to participate in Hannover Messe from 23-27 April.

Hannover Messe is a leading global trade fair embracing the whole spectrum of technological and engineering expertise from around the world. China is the Partner Country this year – hence our involvement.

FCCC members can benefit from a range of first-class opportunities as a co-exhibitor on the joint DCW-EUCBA stand ‘Doing Business with China’ to high-profile sponsorship and speaking opportunities in a number of China-related events, including “Invest in China” and “EU-China Business & Technology Forum”. An opportunity is available to sponsor the overall programme and gain even higher profile. Please contact DCW (see flyer) to explore this.

Click HERE for the flyer and complete information, including registration and contact details. Please note all enquiries should be sent directly to DCW.

Many Flemish companies in China are continuing to focus on a small number of large, well-known cities, like Beijing, Guangzhou, Shanghai and Shenzhen. However, numerous member companies are encountering mature, increasingly saturated markets with limited growth opportunities in these locations and finding themselves facing mounting competition, both from foreign rivals and from increasingly sophisticated Chinese companies.

The FCCC’s ‘s strategy is to give our members a better insight into business opportunities in second- and third-tier cities.

The FCCC has a strong network in China thanks to partnerships and investments by our founding members in several cities.

We will organize an industrial fact-finding trip to Shandong province with a limited group of companies, to become better acquainted with the area and meet potential partners and senior officials.

H.E. Mr Patrick Nijs, Ambassador of Belgium in China, will accompany this very interesting visit to Shandong province. The mission will start from Beijing, where Ambassador Nijs will firstly welcome the delegation with a dinner at the Ambassador’s residence. A lunch meeting with local FCCC members will be also organised on Sunday 20 May together with Bencham.

The visit will then visit the cities of Jinan, Qingdao and Weihai.

Shandong is China’s third most populous province and also has the third-highest GDP. It offers attractive opportunities for business in the following sectors: food and agriculture, infrastructure, energy, minerals and chemicals, renewables and the environment, advanced engineering, professional services, retail and consumer goods. In short, all major industries are represented in Shandong, and its broad range of industrial and commercial activity offers great potential prospects for Flemish businesses in many sectors.

During the visit, participants will gain a clearer picture of the trade- and investment-related advantages of Shandong’s various cities and development zones. Furthermore they will be given access to senior Chinese officials and meet European entrepreneurs who have already invested in these areas and potential Chinese business associates.

The dates for the visit to Shandong province are from 20 to 24 May 2012. The visit is organised with the financial support of Flanders Investment & Trade.

A detailed report will be given in our newsletter after this visit.

The Flanders-China Chamber of Commerce and the Flanders Cleantech Association are organizing a meeting with a delegation, led by a group of Chinese Mayors of second- and third-tier cities in China.

This visit is organized in the framework of an exchange programme of The Climate Group, which is an organization based in the UK with offices worldwide, including Beijing and focusing on climate change and low carbon area. The aim of their visit is to facilitate the dialogue, trade and investment between Chinese cities and Europe on cleantech and environmental technologies.

This meeting “Leadership in Low-carbon Growth” will take place at 9 am on February 16 at the Hooge Maey, Haven 550 in Antwerp.

The delegation, which consists of a group of Mayors of second- or third-tier cities, are from the following cities: Lanzhou (Gansu province), Guiyang (Guizhou province), Zhuhai (Guangdong province), Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. A complete list of the delegation can be obtained at: info@flanders-china.be
Programme:
9h10 – 9h20      Introduction by Mrs Gwenn Sonck, Executive Director, Flanders-China Chamber of Commerce
9h20 – 9h30      Presentation Flanders Cleantech Association by Mr Dirk Fransaer, Managing Director, VITO
9h30 – 10h00    Presentation “Waste management in Flanders: Policy instruments & Results” by Mrs An Vandeputte, Project Manager, OVAM/Public Waste Agency of Flanders
10h00 – 10h20  Presentation “Sustainable Landfilling” by Mr Daniel Dirickx, Director, Hooge Maey
10h20 – 10h40  Presentation “Renewable Chemicals from Algae” by Mr Bert Lemmens,
 Project Manager Renewable Chemicals, VITO
10h40 – 11h00   Presentation “Enhanced Landfill Mining as a new concept for sustainable materials management” by Mr Karl Vrancken, Research Coordinator, VITO

11h00 – 11h30   Coffee break
11h30 – 12h30   Site visit Hooge Maey
12h30 – 14h30   Lunch at Hooge Maey

Presentation of the Climate Group by Mr Luc Bas, European Programme  Director
   Presentation of the participating companies (slide presentation) and the members of the Chinese delegation

This meeting will give you the opportunity to introduce your company’s activities to leaders from second and third-tier cities. Companies can join the whole morning programme and the lunch or join the lunch only.

Participation fee for FCCC members: 75€, non-members: 110€

In order to introduce your company to the Chinese delegation, we kindly ask you to fill in the subscription form and return it to info@flanders-china.be before 8 February 2012.

This visit is being organized with the support of Flanders Investment & Trade.

The Flanders-China Chamber of Commerce (FCCC) and Group T-International University College Leuven are organizing the Annual Flanders-China Job Fair at Vesalius Campus (Andreas Vesaliusstraat 13, 3000 Leuven) on Thursday, April 26, 2012 from 13:00 to 18:00. 

This job fair is a unique opportunity to present your company to Group T’s Chinese and other international students, to its alumni, and to young Chinese professionals. 

During the job fair you will be able to meet students from the following programs:
Bachelors of Science in Engineering: Electromechanical Engineering, Electronics Engineering, Chemical Engineering
Masters of Science in Engineering: Electromechanical Engineering, Electronics Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Biochemical Engineering
Postgraduates: International Postgraduate Program in Enterprising, International Postgraduate Program in Logistics Management

The Flanders-China Job Fair also gives you the opportunity to offer these students and alumni internships, company projects, and longer-term learning tracks in your company.

Program

13:00     Registration

Setting up of stalls

14:00     Official opening of the fair by:

H.E. Liao Liqiang, Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Belgium

Prof. Dr. Johan De Graeve, President and Chief Executive of Group T

Ms. Gwenn Sonck, Executive Director of FCCC.

14:15     Job fair, one-on-one meetings with students and alumni

17:00     Networking drink

18:00     End

Companies are welcome to publish their profile, job openings, and projects online and will also receive online access to the students’ CVs.

The registration fee is €300 for members, €475 for non-members. Read more and register online at www.flanders-china.be. 

During the month of April, the Flanders-China Chamber of Commerce organizes similar job fairs in collaboration with Ghent University.