The normalisation of life in China after COVID management controls were lifted 12 months ago led many to think that a robust and swift economic recovery would follow. However, while it looks like the government’s official 2023 target of achieving around a five per cent growth rate will be met, a combination of economic challenges and policy developments have cast a shadow over the potential for a stronger economy in 2024 and beyond.

In China, consumer demand remains muted, the property market is still in the process of stabilising, and overall business confidence remains low. An increasing number of Chamber member companies are looking to alternative investment destinations to diversify and avoid excessive dependence on a single location; others are separating parts of their China operations from their global ones, to remain compliant with legislation in China and the rest of the world, as well as to guard against risks arising from geopolitical tensions. Some companies take a different approach, doubling down on their presence in China in view of the importance of their China activities to their global portfolio.

• 2023-12-12 | 14:00 - 18:10
• Signature Ballroom, Hilton Beijing

As one of the major annual events of the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China, the Cybersecurity Conference has been held for six consecutive years since 2016, becoming a well-recognised industry event on cybersecurity and data compliance for foreign companies operating in Chinese market, due to its focus on legislative developments and interpretation of relevant regulations.

A number of cybersecurity-related regulations have been published and implemented over the past year, including the Measures for Cross-border Data Transfer Security Assessments, Measures for the Standard Contract for the Outbound Transfer of Personal Information, the Personal Information Protection Certification Regime and the Interim Measures on the Administration of Generative Artificial Intelligence Services. Of particular note, in August 2023, the State Council released its Opinions on Further Optimising the Foreign Investment Environment and Increasing Efforts to Attract Foreign Investment, and in September, the Cyberspace Administration of China issued a draft Provisions on Regulating and Promoting Cross-border Data Transfers, which aims to adjust the current regulatory framework for outbound data flow, sending positive signals on encouraging foreign investment and promoting cross-border data transfer in a safe and orderly manner.

• 2023-11-30 | 14:00 - 17:30
• Zoom/ European Chamber Office Beijing

Faced with an increasingly unstable geopolitical and economic environment, industrial policy has been inserted as a core component in the agendas of the world’s largest three economies – the United States (US), China, and the European Union (EU). These strategies and regulations on renewable and low-carbon solutions, raw materials and technologies of the future are likely to result in profound implications on the global supply and value chains while reshaping entire industries.

What is the global geopolitical and trade outlook look like amid this global industrial strategy race? What are the implications of the varying policy measures on the strategies of multinational companies? As the world is seemingly moving away from globalisation, how will the elevation of industrial strategies impact the liberalisation of global trade?

Faced with the above and further related questions, the European Chamber launched an event series—Battling it out - Decoding the Global Industrial Strategy Race—to bring members a comprehensive understanding on the industrial strategies adopted by the world’s top three superpowers and their implications on both state and industry players.

• 2023-11-10 | 12:30 - 14:00
• Wang Fu Ballroom II

On 13th August, China’s State Council released the Opinions of the State Council on Further Optimising the Foreign Investment Environment and Increasing Efforts to Attract Foreign Investment (Opinions). The European Chamber has stated that the 24 points contained in the Opinions could go a long way towards improving business confidence if they are implemented in a timely, coordinated and consistent manner. The publication of detailed implementation guidelines will be an extremely important part of this process.

• 2023-10-12 | 15:00 - 16:30
• Signature Ballroom B, Hilton Beijing

The reform of Chinese state assets and state-owned enterprises (SOEs) has long remained the core element of China’s economic reform process. In 2015 the Guiding Opinions on Deepening the Reform of State-owned Enterprises (Guiding Opinions) was released as the key framework document to further modernize and improve the overall competence of SOEs. Successively, in 2020, the Three-year Action Program of SOE Reform (2020-2022) (Three-year Action Program) was issued and elaborated on the goals, timeline and future road map of the reform, which proves Chinese government’s ambition for the SOE system to make real changes.

国资国企改革长期以来是中国经济体制改革的重心。2015年，《关于深化国有企业改革的指导意见》（《指导意见》）出台，成为现阶段国企改革的框架性纲领文件，对进一步提高国企现代化和综合能力作出指示。2020年，《国企改革三年行动方案（2020－2022年）》等各项方案正式出台，国企改革的目标、时间表、路线图得到明确，展现了中国政府对深化国资国企改革的决心。

• 2023-09-21 | 14:30 - 16:30
• Signature Ballroom B, Hilton Beijing

To help our members better understand the broader state of EU-China relations and China’s economic recovery strategy following its reopening of its borders earlier this year, as well to provide instruction on the latest policy and regulatory trends, and best government affairs (GA) practices, the European Chamber is delighted to invite you to our first GA Conference, themed ‘Rebuilding Trust for Collaboration’.

• 2023-06-07 | 13:30 - 18:30
• Beijing Ballroom, 3F, Beijing Four Seasons hotel

ESG In Human Capital Strategy Development
European Chamber 2023 Human Capital Conference
中国欧盟商会人力资源大会

• 2023-03-27 | 13:30 - 17:20
• Beijing Ballroom, 3F, Beijing Four Seasons Hotel

At this year’s annual Human Capital Conference, the European Chamber is delighted to invite chief executive officers (CEOs) and HR leaders from top-tier companies to present the latest trends, technologies and best practices in digital transformation and agility, and discuss ways to upgrade the mindset of a HR department to help the organisation adapt to the digital era.

• 2022-04-25 | 13:00 - 16:50
• zoom online

This year marks the 20th anniversary of China’s accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO). The past two decades of China’s WTO membership coincided with phenomenal economic and trade growth in the country. While the reforms undertaken by China over these years have significantly accelerated cross-border trade flows and led to it becoming the largest global trader in goods and second largest trader in services, debate persists over how and to what extent China has implemented its WTO commitments.

On 9th December, this year’s annual conference will deliver insightful commentary on China’s 20 years of engagement with the WTO, how the country is expected to position itself as the WTO evolves, and the ways China can contribute to WTO reform and revitalise the multilateral trade mechanism. Through keynote speeches and panel discussions, our guest speakers (former chief trade negotiators, think tank experts and global business leaders) will present their perspectives on these topics, and examine how to preserve the core values of the multilateral trade system in the years to come.

• 2021-12-09 | 13:00 - 17:00
• Beijing Ballroom, 3F, Four Seasons Hotel

After China’s proposal for a ‘Global Data Security Initiative’ in September 2020, China has stepped up its cyber-related legislation in 2021 with an unprecedented speed. This is especially reflected through the promulgation of two data related superordinate laws that will work together with the Cybersecurity Law: one is the Data Security Law (DSL), which came into effect since 1st September 2021, and the other being the Personal Information Protection Law (PIPL), to be enacted on 1st November 2021.
The European Chamber is delighted to invite our members to our next annual Cybersecurity Conference, where we invite the right experts, at the right time, to decipher the increasingly complicated cybersecurity management framework in China to better prepare our audience to what is coming or is present.

• 2021-10-26 | 12:30 - 17:30
• Second Floor, Wangfu Ballroom, The Peninsula Beijing | 北京王府半岛酒店二层