This episode contains segments on:
- China January-August utilised FDI;
- Profit growth of central SOEs during the 14FYP period; and
- 1st International Expo of Geographical Indication Products.
The European Chamber’s second Brussels tour this year started on 22nd September.
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Read more:
China January-August utilised FDI (MOFCOM)
https://www.mofcom.gov.cn/xwfb/rcxwfb/art/2025/art_9158d73384c54ac380df21aeb283b0ce.html
Profit growth of central SOEs during the 14FYP period
https://english.www.gov.cn/news/202509/17/content_WS68ca4c28c6d00fa19f7a284a.html
1st International Expo of Geographical Indication Products
https://bjrbdzb.bjd.com.cn/bjrb/mobile/2025/20250920/20250920_005/content_20250920_005_4.htm#page4
Transcript:
RUI: Hello and welcome to China ShortCuts,
MARIANN: the European Chamber’s weekly catchup on China’s business landscape.
RUI: This episode was recorded on 24th September 2025.
(MUSIC)
RUI: Data released by China’s Ministry of Commerce on 19th September showed that in the first eight months of the year, the pace of decline in the country’s actual use of foreign direct investment or FDI continued to slow.
MARIANN: In the January-August period, China’s utilised FDI totalled 507 billion yuan, down 12.7 per cent year-on-year. The pace of decrease slowed from 13.4 per cent recorded in the January-July period.
According to the Chamber’s Business Confidence Survey 2025, China’s standing as an investment destination remains below potential, with nearly one in five respondents reporting that the country is not even a top-10 destination for current investments. The proportion of Chamber members that have already moved current investments from the country rose to 17 per cent, while those planning to shift future investments increased to 16 per cent. The main beneficiary of these investment shifts is Europe, followed by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
(MUSIC)
RUI: At a press conference held on 17th September, Zhang Yuzhuo, chairman of the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission said that centrally administered state-owned enterprises, or SOEs, increased their total profits by nearly 37 per cent during the 14th Five-year Plan period.
MARIANN: Specifically, total profits of centrally administered SOEs have increased from 1.9 trillion yuan to 2.6 trillion yuan in the five years between 2021 and 2025. This represents an annual growth of 8.3 per cent. Officials from the Commission also highlighted that central SOEs have increased their investments in strategic emerging industries, with these accounting for over 40 per cent of their total investments in 2024. Operating revenues from strategic emerging sectors exceeded 11 trillion yuan last year, contributing nearly 30 per cent of the total. It was also highlighted that during the 15th Five-year Plan period, further efforts will be made to advance the role of central SOEs as “major drivers of technological innovation”.
However, according to the International Monetary Fund, SOEs are, on average, less productive than private companies. The Chamber, therefore, has been advocating for SOE reforms and for market forces to be given the decisive role in resource allocation.
(MUSIC)
RUI: The first International Expo of Geographical Indication Products was held in Beijing between 19th and 21st September, marking the 4th anniversary of the EU-China agreement on Geographical Indications, or GIs, entering into force. The expo displayed over one thousand GI products from more than 30 countries.
MARIANN: In December 2024, China introduced a unified GI recognition system to streamline lifecycle management and align it with the trademark system. While this was a welcome step, unlike other Intellectual property rights—such as trademarks, patents and trade secrets, which are governed by specific laws—there is currently no specific law dedicated to GIs. Measures aimed at protecting GIs currently in force still lack a provision for rights enforcement and make it difficult for GI product owners to protect their rights through administrative actions. The Chamber is therefore calling for dedicated GI legislation to be introduced with provisions on enforcement. A GI law could potentially mirror provisions from the Trademark Law, including the delegation of power to local offices of China’s market regulator to confiscate and destroy infringing products, impose sanctions and classify serious infringements as criminal offences.
(MUSIC)
RUI: On 22nd September, a European Chamber delegation led by President Jens Eskelund, and composed of vice presidents, board members and senior working group representatives, travelled to Brussels for the Chamber’s second tour of the European Union capital this year.
MARIANN: During the tour, delegates will meet both high- and working-level counterparts to share industry insights on the policy and business environment in China, discuss the most pressing issues of the EU-China trade relationship, and present the Chamber’s newly released European Business in China Position Paper 2025/2026.
RUI: In the meantime, please find useful links in the episode notes.
RUI: Over the first two days in Brussels, the Chamber delegation met Chinese Ambassador to the EU, Cai Run, as well as representatives of the European Commission, the European Parliament, industry associations and think tanks. You can follow the delegation and get daily updates on key meetings on the Chamber’s WeChat account.
(MUSIC)
MARIANN: Thanks for listening, and don’t forget to tune in after the National day holiday.