China and World Trade

Another China WTO Loss. Another Nail In The Coffin Of World Trade. : China Law Blog : China Law for Business

This post on China Law Blog by Steve Dickinson is worth reading; the way that China deals with its rare earths trade has also been the subject of posts on the IELP blog. It's ironic that we read information such as this when the 2nd National China Business Symposium opens in Auckland on Thursday 1 March 2012.

This symposium is organised by the NZCTA and the New Zealand China Contemporary Research Centre specifically for those who are engaged in trade with China and for academics who wish to test academic research with what actually happens in the market place. The theme of the Symposium is Successful Branding and Channel Management in China. It will be interesting to see if concerns over China's membership of the WTO surface.

IATTO Forum Chengdu, China 2011 - more

 Pandas at Chengdu – Photo by Dr Romuald Rudzki November 5, 2011.  A visit to the Pandas at the Panda Breeding Center was a lighter but enjoyable moment for participants in the IATTO Forum in Chengdu, China.

The Forum was very successful and the Chinese hosts at the Nordic International Management Institute ensured that the event was enjoyed by all (including the five banquet meals and displays of dancing).

Dr Rudzki found the programme very stimulating and when pressed for a highlight opted for the paper by Anu-Mall Naarits of the Estonian Marketing Institute entitled How to revolutionize exports? The case of Estonia.

The changes made in Estonia included a new programme with a 12 month long export training – the first three months being intensive.   

The key success factors for the programme were:

·         Media support for the programme

·         Passionate participants: companies, candidates, mentors, providers, ITM, & Enterprise Estonia

·         Speed of recruitment

·         Sense of competition

·         Used innovative recruitment strategy which set high expectations and used innovative training methods

The paper presented by Dr Rudzki at the Forum and written by him with Graeme Siddle is available in pdf format from the New Zealand School of Export website at: http://www.export.ac.nz/publications.html  

A brief report with photos can also be found on the IATTO website at http://www.iatto.org/Default.aspx?ext=1&objectID=85

International Literacy Day 2011

Today September 8th is International Literacy Day and the main focus on the link between literacy and peace.  On International Literacy Day each year, UNESCO reminds the international community of the status of literacy and adult learning globally.   UNESCO has information about this special day on their website at: http://www.unesco.org/new/en/education/themes/education-building-blocks/literacy/advocacy/international-literacy-day/

Without literacy, international trade will not flourish and grow, so International Literacy Day deserves the support of all of us who are involved in international trade. UNESCO has organised what is called the E-9 Initiative for the nine most highly populated countries of the "South": Bangladesh, Brazil, China, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Nigeria and Pakistan.  The E-9 Initiative is a forum for these nine high-population countries to discuss their experiences in education, exchange best practices and monitor progress on achieving Education for All (EFA). Since its launch in 1993, the E-9 network has also become a powerful lobby for EFA and South-South cooperation.

It is worth noting that this list also includes three of the BRIC nations which have fast growing economies  and also that New Zealand was one of the first of the so-called developed nations to negotiate a Free Trade Agreement with China and is currently involved in talks with India for an FTA.

A key question to be addressed in these India -NZ FTA negotiations  might be how we can help E-9 nations such as India to move out of this group with programmes that assist their efforts to achieve literacy.   Almost certainly the quality of the trade that ensues and the degree to which all involved can benefit from an FTA will be helped by basic literacy.   There is food for much thought here. 

IATTO Forum 2011, Chengdu, China

The 2011 IATTO Forum, will be held in Chengdu, West China from 1-4 November, 2011. The Forum host will be the Nordic International Management Institute and is being organised by Professor Per Jenster.
The Nordic International Management Institute (NIMI) in Xindu District, Chengdu is a newly established institution dedicated to offering world class leadership and business development for managers and organizations in China and the Asia-Pacific Region.

Twelve forums have been held by IATTO (the International Association of Trade Training Organisations) but this is the first time it has been held in China and it promises to be an exciting venue with a stimulating programme.

A list of some of the presentations organised to date include:

• Prof. Niclas Adler, Babson University (USA) - New Growth with Global Entrepreneurs
• Prof. Mike Miles, University of Ottawa (Canada), - Tools to Help SME Management Teams Align on Internationalization
• Prof. Yeo Lay Hwee, Singapore Management University - How Singapore Helps SMEs Engage in Internationalization
• Dr Romuald Rudzki, New Zealand School of Export - Supporting companies with 21st century library and information services
• Prof. Per Jenster, NIMI - Why We Need to Rethink Trade and Trade Development
• Prof. Haico Ebbers, Nyenrode University (The Netherlands) - Why is the Nature of Trade Changing and What does it mean for Competence Development?

You can find the full list at: http://www.iatto.org/Default.aspx?ext=1&objectID=55

Chengdu  is the capital of Sichuan province in Southwest China. It is also one of the most important economic centres, transportation and communication hubs in Western China.  Chengdu has attracted leading professional institutions such as IBM and Accenture, which have opened sub-branches in the area. And Swedish carmaker Volvo has chosen Chengdu as a manufacturing base.

Photo retrieved from: http://english.cri.cn/6566/2009/05/05/902s481706.htm
27 July 2011

Lanzatech

A company that is making news these days for the development and exporting of clean technology processes is New Zealand based Lanzatech.  It has won a number of recent awards and some of the key features of this company and its co-founder Sean Simpson are:

•          Its entrepreneurial spirit
•          New Zealand based company with offices in Shanghai and Illinois
•          Initial research was library based
•          Science and technology absolutely crucial to success
•          First demonstration unit at Bluescope Steelmill, Glenbrook
•          Contracts signed for plants in China, South Korea and India (NZ has FTA with China and negotiating FTAs with South Korea and India)
•          Partnership approach – exploring all possibilities
•          Compartmentalisation of IP
•          In NZ there is potential for usage of biomass and agricultural waste.

You can read more about this exciting cleantech firm by using the sources below or looking in Index New Zealand which has four references to articles about this company.  If you want to check them out but don’t know how to use this National Library service look at the free Pathfinder that you will find at: http://www.export.ac.nz/freedownloads.html

Sources:

Lanzatech company website: http://www.lanzatech.co.nz

Export Library & Information Service File Management System.  Case studies: Lanzatech.

McFadden, S. (2011) The scientist, the steel mill and the prima donna.   Unlimited magazine,  Feb-Mar.  pp.43-45.   Retrieved from:

http://www.lanzatech.co.nz/sites/default/files/imce_uploads/lanzatech_unlimited_mag.pdf

Smellie, P. (2011) Lanzatech looks to go global without leaving home. Dominion Post 16 March.  C4.    Retrieved from:

http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/small-business/4774809/Lanzatech-looks-to-go-global-without-leaving-home

Trade in Waste

Having fulminated earlier this month about the non-e-day we had in Palmerston North city, I was very interested to read in the IELP blog of the trade in waste which is happening between Japan and the Philippines.   You can read it at: http://worldtradelaw.typepad.com/ielpblog/2010/11/trade-in-everything-electronic-waste.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+ielpblog+(International+Economic+Law+and+Policy+Blog)
 There are some references to other posts at the bottom of Simon's post.  

Of course China is the world's largest importer of the world's waste materials according to an article published in The Guardian Weekly on the 16th January 2010.  China is reputed to take as a third of Britain's recyclables.  However the economic downturn has affected this industry in China.

Guanxi

It’s not about Guanxi. It’s about your Business Model and Due Diligence China Briefing News

If you are exporting to China, or thinking of exporting to China, have a look at this article. It is challenging to those of us who have pushed "guanxi" which in New Zealand is also New Zealand government agencies. On p.43 of New Zealand Trade & Enterprise's publication 'Navigating China - for New Zealand businesses' there are several sections on guanxi. It's worth looking at this and then again at the article in China Briefing News alongwith all the posts it has generated.

Who Exports to China?

Ever wondered who exports to China?  There are obviously many New Zealand companies who are, but whom we don't hear about.  The New Zealand School of Export has compiled a preliminary list of small and medium enterprises who are currently exporting to China.   It is available on the FREE Downloads page at:

http://www.export.ac.nz/freedownloads.html

If you can add to the information on this list, your information would be gratefully received.

Nuggets of Information for the Exporter

Photo from Wikimedia Commons by Ikiwaner.

Every now and again one finds pieces of information which are nuggets - really worthwhile pieces that should be shared either by blogging them or emailing on to a colleague or printing off for sending around the staff.

Such a piece comes from David Mahon Managing Director, Mahon China Investment Management Limited. He has written a short piece entitled China and New Zealand.   Probably there is nothing entirely new in it but its brevity and encouraging tone is worth reading and thinking about.  It is not often that the Government and Public Service get accolades like this:  New Zealand's trade policy and ongoing diplomacy is, however, well ahead of the nations's companies in China.

It is also challenging: 'Brand New Zealand' has yet to be established in China in many industries; now is the time to do so.   

The bit that caught my eye was:  New Zealand companies need not wait for Chinese investors to seek them out; they should instead be assessing the relevant sectors in China and undertaking due diligence...


You can find  the full text at:


http://www.mahonchina.com/ChinaNZ/China%20and%20New%20Zealand%20Report.pdf

 

New Zealand companies linking with China

In yesterday's Dominion Post there was a snippet about a Marlborough company called Aquaflow Bionomic Corporation which has teamed up with Chinese company Greenleaf Environmental of Sichuan.   The two companies are investgating sites in China for the Blenheim (New Zealand) based company's fuel-from-algae technology.  Aquaflow think they are the first environmentally focused company to move into that region of China.
In 2008 Rakon established a joint venture with Shenzhen, China company Timemaker Crystal Technology.  How many other New Zealand companies are working in collaborative ventures like these?  Does anyone know of a directory or list of such companies?  If so it would be really useful to be able to publicise such  a resource, as it may help companies thinking about expansion to China to contact experienced New Zealand business people and avoid mistakes and get tips.

China Free Trade Agreement Regional Forum

On April 24 I posted a note about a China FTA meeting which were about to be held in the main centres in New Zealand. I said at the time that there was surely interest in other parts of NZ, and so I emailed the Manawatu Chamber of Commerce. Today we have received notification of a Regional Forum to be held in the following centres in the North Island:

Napier – Monday 15 September (War Memorial Conference Centre)
Nelson – Tuesday 16 September (The Honest Lawyer)
Tauranga – Thursday 18 September (Sebel Trinity Wharf)
New Plymouth – Tuesday 23 September (Quality Hotel Plymouth International)
Palmerston North – Wednesday 24 September (Hotel Coachman)

You can get more details by looking at: http://chinafta.nzte.govt.nz/ and clicking on events calendar. The programme looks very interesting - costs $75 for the full day.

Graeme

Forfaiting in China

The Trade and Forfaiting Review for March 2008 has a short article about forfaiting in China by Qian Xiao. Forfaiting is relatively new in China but according to the article, it is developing fast. If anyone would like a copy of the article, let me know library@export.ac.nz and I will send it out to you.