The European Union Chamber of Commerce in China has announced that the 7th EU-China Business Summit 2011 will be held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on 14 February, 2012. The event is being jointly organized by the European Chamber and the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT), together with BUSINESSEUROPE and with the support of the EU-China Business Association (EUCBA).
As the highlight of the event’s calendar this year, the 7th EU-China Business Summit will:
Bring together the highest level of European and Chinese political leaders including Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, European Commission’s President José Manuel Durão Barroso, European Council’s President Herman Van Rompuy and global CEOs.
Provide an excellent opportunity to join an open discussion with the European and Chinese leaders shaping the business environment in China on the possibilities that China offers to SMEs, the major opportunities brought by urbanization and the exciting investment opportunities linked to industrial upgrading, innovation and services.

The European Chamber is actively seeking two Global CEOs from representative European Companies to participate as the key business speakers at the EU-China Summit. The two global CEOs will deliver short speeches to all attendees of the Summit based around its main theme, “Cooperation on a New Level: Innovation, Industry and Investment”. Speaking opportunities for European companies at the three workshops are to date not available as the Chamber is still receiving final confirmations from those speakers previously scheduled to have given speeches at the postponed Summit in Tianjin. For more information on the provisional speakers for the workshops please go to: http://www.europeanchamber.com.cn/businesssummit2011/  section workshops.

Provisional agenda:

10:00-11:00 – Registration

11:00-13:00 – Breakout sessions
The three workshops will run in parallel and will feature presentations of five to seven minutes each by up to six panelists, followed by a moderated Q&A session.
1)    The Role of SMEs and Institutional Support

Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) play a central role in most countries as they have a clear economic and social impact. SMEs can drive entrepreneurship, innovation, competition and job creation. This makes them important players for economic growth and wealth creation. However, due to their size and characteristics they meet a lot of challenges and difficulties in areas related to access to the following: institutional support, financing, skilled labour, technology and international markets. During this workshop, the speakers will discuss the role of SMEs in the social and economic structure and how Chinese and European public and private institutions can best support their development and enable them to grow successfully.

2) Opportunities in Urbanization
China’s urbanization level moved above 50% according to China’s National Bureau of Statistics on Tuesday, 16 January 2012.. This process of urbanisation brings new challenges (environmental protection, energy efficiency, mobility, services) to the sustainability of Chinese cities. The speakers will focus on the business opportunities that the 12th Five-Year Plan and the urbanisation process will bring to China and how Europe and China can cooperate.

3)Investment: Industrial Upgrading and Services
The 12th Five-Year Plan places a special focus on the need for industrial upgrading, innovation and the creation of a modern services sector. Likewise, the EU 2020 Strategy strives to boost innovation and services as main drivers for European economic growth. All of these factors are key for both growth and development, and will also bring new investment opportunities. In this regard, joint investment and cooperation between companies from the European Union and China are crucial. The speakers will give a macro perspective on these issues and will enter into an engaging discussion on the investment environments in both China and Europe.

13:00-14:30 – Lunch

14:30-16:30 – Plenary Session Part I (Business Leaders)
- Chairman of CCPIT, Wan Jifei
- President of the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China, Davide Cucino
- 4 Global CEOs (2 European and 2 Chinese)
17:00-18:00 – Plenary Session Part II (Political Leaders)
Introduction by Chairman of CCPIT, Wan Jifei
- Keynote address by President of the European Commission, José Manuel Durão Barroso
- Keynote address by President of the European Council, Herman Van Rompuy
- Keynote address by Prime Minister of the P. R. China, Wen Jiabao

Provisional registration:
If you would like to express your interest in attending the Summit, please contact Emma Chen at bj_events@europeanchamber.com.cn  or at +86 (10) 6462 2066 ext. 84. European Chamber members will receive priority treatment for ticket booking.

Further notices:
The European Chamber will regularly share any important developments.

The Institute for European Studies at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel, in cooperation with the Institute for European Environmental Policy,is organizing a policy forum on 26 January with:

• Ms Marjut Hannonen, Member of the Cabinet of Commissioner Karel de Gucht
• Mr Daniel Fiott, Research Fellow at the Madariaga – College of Europe Foundation
• Mr Duncan Freeman, Research Fellow at the Brussels Institute of Contemporary China Studies

The issue of Sino-European economic and trade relations, in the context and light of a recent WTO ruling that found China’s limitations on rare earth exports to be in breach of WTO rules, is the central focus of this policy forum. Europe’s high-tech economies, and China’s fast-growing economy are both thirsty for rare earth materials. Yet with China dominating the world’s rare earth supply, issues of EU-dependence, of environmental standards, and of trade relations more broadly, are brought into play in this regard.

Against this background, the discussion on EU-Chinese trade relations with regard to raw materials will center on the following questions:

• What are the current dynamics of EU-Chinese economic and trade relations in light of the recent WTO ruling?
• What is the EU perspective on the future development of these relations?
• What is at stake for both the EU and China with regard to rare earth trade?
• What is the Chinese perspective on relations with the EU, and on rare earth trade?
• What are the prospects of Sino-European cooperation in the field of raw materials and in particular regarding rare earths?

Participation is free of charge and open to all but, due to space limitations, registration is required. To register, send an e-mail to events@ies.be.

The programme starts at 12:00 with a lunch reception, followed by the presentation at 12:30.

Venue: Institute for European Studies, Karel Van Miert Building, Pleinlaan 5, 1050 Brussels

For more information: Kristof Rogge, Events Manager, Institute for European Studies
Tel: +32 (0)2 614 81 99, Fax: +32 (0)2 614 80 10, E-mail: events@ies.be

The IMD Alumni Club of Belgium/Luxembourg is organizing its Alumni Club event on Wednesday, November 30, 2011. This event is supported by the Flanders-China Chamber of Commerce (FCCC). Professor Jean-Pierre Lehmann, IMD and Pallavi Aiyar, Correspondent of Business Standard (India), former China Bureau Chief in Beijing, and the author of “Smoke and Mirrors: An Experience of China”, will address the topic “Emerging China – Submerging Europe? China’s impact on Europe: Perspectives and Implications”.

For five centuries Europe looked upon China and Chinese science, technology, produce, art and philosophy with awe and admiration. Then from the early/mid-19th century Europeans emerged as uncontested global powers. The Opium Wars imposed defeat and humiliation on China, from which it was not to recover until well into the 20th century. For the last few decades, China has re-emerged, as Europe faces economic, demographic and political relative decline. What will be the impact of China on Europe? How can a new 21st century relationship be constructed between the two? What are the options and challenges for individual Europeans and especially for IMD alumni?

Programme:

19h00 – 19h30 Reception

19h30 – 22h00 Dinner
, Presentations by Professor Jean-Pierre Lehmann, MD and
 Pallavi Aiyar, Correspondent of Business Standard (India), former China Bureau Chief in Beijing, author of Smoke and Mirrors: An Experience of China,
 Q&A

22h00  Round-up

Location: Hotel Van Der Valk, Culliganlaan 4b, 1831 Diegem. FCCC Members can register through the FCCC. The fee for the evening is €75 payable in advance.

On the occasion of its 5th anniversary, the Ghent University China Platform is organizing the CHINA FORUM, at het Pand (Onderbergen 1, Gent) on November 21st 2011. Since 5 years the China Platform has further developed the relationship between Ghent University and China, and has been promoting and facilitating institutional cooperation projects with Chinese partner universities. The China Forum will highlight this cooperation, and China experts from different sectors will amplify on their expertise and on their vision of the development of the relationships with China.

Program:
11.00     Speech by Mr Karel De Gucht, European Commissioner for Trade: “Making the EU-China relationship work”
Speech by Mr Liao Liqiang, Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Belgium “A view on the further development of the China-Belgium relationship”
14.00     Speech by Rector Prof dr Paul Van Cauwenberge “Ghent University’s internationalization strategy”
Speech by Mr Marc De Buck, Vice Governor of the Province of East Flanders, responsible for Economy, Environmental Planning and External Relations: “The policy of East Flanders on China”
Introduction China Platform
15.00     Panel discussion “Education, Research and Development in China: together ahead”
Participants:
Mr Liao Liqiang, Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Belgium
Mr Bertrand de Crombrugghe, Ambassador, Director Asia and Oceania, Belgian Ministry for Foreign Affairs
Prof dr Bart Dessein, Department of Languages and Cultures of South and East Asia
Mr Marc Op de Beeck, Vice President Growth Markets Agfa Graphics and Founding Member of the Flanders-China Chamber of Commerce
Zhao Ningning, Researcher, Department of Educational Studies
Moderator: Professor dr Martin Valcke, Department of Educational Studies
16.30    Reception, Kapittelzaal

Confirmation of participation by email to info@flanders-china.be , before November 15, 2011. Please mention if you would like to participate to the whole day conference, or only to the morning or afternoon program. Participation is free of charge, but registration is mandatory.

The European Policy Centre (EPC) and BUSINESSEUROPE are organizing a Policy Dialogue with Karel De Gucht, European Commissioner for Trade, to mark the launch of a major report by BUSINESSEUROPE on the EU-China economic relationship, on Friday 14 October 2011, from 11h30 to 13h00 (registration from 11h10) at Crowne Plaza Europa Hotel, 107 Rue de la Loi, 1040 Brussels.

China’s spectacular rise from a developing country to an economic and industrial superpower has major implications for the European and global economy. Over the past 15 years, China has tripled its share of the global export market from around 5% to over 16%, overtaking Japan (9%) and the U.S. (12%), and just behind the EU (19%). European companies have benefitted from the opening up of Chinese markets. However, the dominant role of the state in subsidizing and supporting Chinese businesses in China, coupled with a sophisticated strategic approach to international development, raises a challenge for European companies. The growing importance of China calls for a new cooperation strategy at EU level to enable the European businesses to compete on a level playing field.

Jürgen Thumann, President of BUSINESSEUROPE, will present the main findings of the report in relation to three areas where the EU and China are in direct competition: inside China, in Europe, and on third markets. A panel of experts, including Karel De Gucht, European Commissioner for Trade, and Chong Dahai, Senior Economic Journalist at the Xinhua News Agency in Brussels, will comment on the findings and take part in a question and answer session, chaired by Hans Martens, EPC Chief Executive.

Please confirm your participation by replying to n.news@epc.eu European Policy Centre:
Tel: 02 231 03 40, Fax: 02 231 07 04 – 02 230 74 72, www.epc.eu