European Tour 2023: Meeting with Friends of Europe

2023-01-12 | All chapters

• DK thanked the Chamber for meeting, and gave an overview of the work of Friends of Europe and its global programme.
• CH outlined the main themes from the Chamber’s Position Paper, and noted the importance of the EU re-engaging with China.
• MS outlined quarantine issues in China and the impact that this has had on business and people in general. He explained the rate of infection is now 75-80% in Beijing. He noted that China’s health infrastructure is hugely challenged.
• AS gave an overview of the focus of the Investment Working Group: focus on equalising policy and regulations for European companies in China and the need for reciprocity. He said there is a still strong resistance to foreign investment in many areas of China’s and that SOEs are still dominant.
• There was a general discussion on the potential direction that China will take.
• CH noted that the outlook for Global economy will be disastrous without China being successful.
• There was a discussion on the possibilities for collaboration between the Chamber of Friends of Europe, including through potential reports, events and the writing of articles.