This episode contains segments on China’s slowing decline in exports and imports in August; on a moderate increase in consumer prices that worked towards easing deflation worries and on a slight improvement in the performance of SMEs in August. From the Chamber’s side: the European Chamber will publish its European Business in China Position Paper 2023/2024 on 20th September, detailing the challenges faced by European companies operating in China and providing more than 1,000 constructive recommendations to the Chinese Government on how they can be resolved.

This episode contains segments on the extension of China’s IIT policy for foreign nationals; on China’s manufacturing activity that continued to decline in August; on the slowing decline of the profits of China’s larger industrial firms; on China’s newly established bureau that is to promote the development of the country’s private economy. From the Chamber’s side: join us online or in person in Beijing on 13th September to hear prominent experts discuss issues related to FDI in China.

This episode contains segments on China’s FDI that dropped at the fastest rate recorded in over three years during the first seven months of 2023; on Chinese Premier Li Qiang’s emphasis on advancing the country’s digital economy as a means to support its economic recovery and high-quality development; on China’s central bank hinting at possible monetary easing as monthly loans hit a 14-year low and on China’s new guidelines on recycling equipment for wind and solar energy production. From the Chamber’s side: join the European Chamber’s event on 30^th August to learn more about the EU’s recently unveiled Critical Raw Materials Act, and how the EU and the US could achieve the common objective of increasing self-sufficiency for minerals and technology needed for green energy and the digital transition.

China ShortCuts will come back with weekly episodes in September.

This episode contains segments on the State Council’s newly released document aimed at improving the environment for foreign investment; on the decline in China’s producer and consumer price indices; on the latest development index of SMEs and on China’s slower-than-expected industrial production growth in July as well as the lowest expansion in retail sales this year. From the Chamber’s side, join the European Chamber’s event on 25^th August to learn more about how German businesses in China could cope with potential challenges brought up by Germany’s first comprehensive strategy on China.

This episode contains segments on the accelerating decline of China’s foreign trade; on the phone call between High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi with the former invited to visit Beijing this autumn; on the 26 new measures announced by China’s Ministry of Public Security to improve the work of China’s public security organs, as well as on the 28 measures jointly released by the NDRC and several ministries to support the private sector. From the Chamber’s side: join the European Chamber’s event on 17th August in Shanghai to find out what industry experts think about China’s prospects in renewable energy.

This episode contains segments on China’s new policy incentives to encourage domestic consumption; on China’s official manufacturing PMI that contracted in July amid weak demand with the employment subindex dropping to the lowest level since January; on profits at larger industrial firms in China that dropped 16.8 per cent in the first half of 2023 compared the same period last year; and on Italy confirming its intention to leave China’s Belt and Road Initiative. From the Chamber side: join the European Chamber’s Cybersecurity Conference 2023 on 8th August to hear industry experts’ insights on the future of China’s data flow security landscape and possible solutions for all relevant parties.

This episode contains segments on China’s recent pledges to promote the development of private businesses and private investment; a briefing session for the foreign business community on recent laws and policies, including cross-border data transfer, the Anti-Espionage Law and export controls organised by China’s Ministry of Commerce and the announcements by Chinese mobile payment platforms WeChat Pay and Alipay that they would expand their services to international travellers. From the Chamber’s side, the third edition of the EU-China Green Development Series will be held on 4^th Aug, during which prominent experts will share their insights on mapping the common ground for EU-China ESG investment standards.

This episode contains segments on China’s Q2 GDP growth data and other economic indicators, such as industrial production, retail sales and foreign trade data from the first half of 2023 and June. China’s industrial production expanded 4.4% in June but the increase in retail sales dropped; the total value of China’s exports fell at the steepest rate in over three years in June, while the value of imports declined for the eighth consecutive month; the German Federal Government released its first strategy on China on 13th July. From the Chamber side, on 13th July, the Institute of European Studies of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and the Beijing Municipal Commission of Development and Reform held a roundtable with the European Chamber and its member companies to understand the current situation of European business in Beijing.

This episode contains roundtable discussion with foreign companies in healthcare-related industries held by the Ministry of Commerce, with comments from Annie Yin, chair of the European Chamber’s Healthcare Equipment working group; the fourth China-EU High Level Dialogue on Environment and Climate in Beijing; China’s producer and consumer price index in June; and a symposium on economic situation chaired by Chinese Premier Li Qiang. From the Chamber side, President Jens Eskelund went on a two-day visit to Brussels to meet European stakeholders.

This episode contains the European Council conclusions on the EU’s relations with China; the newly adopted Law on Foreign Relations of the People’s Republic of China; the official purchasing managers’ index (PMI) and the Caixin China General Manufacturing PMI in June. From the Chamber side, join the next session in the Insight China series on 13^th July to hear from Professors Daniel A. Bell and Yao Yang on the influence of Confucianism on modern Chinese politics.