[Hybrid, Member only] COVID Again? Latest Insights and Business Advice from the Experts Go back »
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Time2023-06-13 | 16:00 - 17:00
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Venue:Zoom/European Chamber Office Beijing, Room C405
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Address:
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Fee:Members: Free
* This event is off-the-record
* All member companies are welcome to join this event free of charge.
* Offline seating is limited to a maximum of 25 on a first-come-first-served basis.
* Each embassy and consulate of European member states may receive one complimentary ticket.
China declared victory over COVID-19 on 16th February this year, and indicated its borders would reopen to the world. And in early May, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced that the COVID-19 pandemic would no longer be considered a public health emergency of international concern.
The policy shift spurred hopes of a broad economic revival. With the release of pent-up demand, China saw a strong rebound in consumption; for example, domestic travel figures during the recent Labour Day holiday exceeded 2019 levels. Business activity is also picking up, as can be seen in the surge of global chief executives travelling to China.
However, since the reopening of the country, a second wave of COVID-19 infections has recently hit China. This wave is expected to peak in June, with estimates that 65 million people a week will be infected by the end of the month.
What are the latest status and trends for COVID-19 in China? Where and how to access the vaccinations and medicines to save lives and protect employees? What is the business advice from human resources (HR) and commercial perspectives? Our invited experts will answer all these questions and more during a one-hour online information session on 13 June 2023.
Agenda
16:00–16:05: Remarks from Mr Stefan Bernhart, Vice President, European Chamber
16:05–16:25: COVID in China: Latest development and trends
- Dr Bernhard Schwartländer, Former Head of the Cabinet of Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director General of the WHO; Global Health Envoy of the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs
16:25–16:45: Business Advice from HR and Commercial Perspectives
- Ms Jeanette Yu, National Chair of the Human Resources Working Group, European Chamber; Partner, Head of Employment & Pensions, CMS China
Topics to be covered:
- Updates on China’s current COVID control policy;
- The responsibilities of companies towards employees infected by COVID under statutory law;
- Measures to be taken by companies for preventing the spread of COVID in the current circumstances.
16:45-17:00 Q&A and Conclusion
Advisory Council Policy
Members of the Advisory Council may receive complimentary admission to Chamber seminars, conferences and factory visits up to two attendees per event. Additional participants will be charged at the member rate.
Advisory Council members will still be charged the standard member rate for participation in training courses and special events, such as gala balls, government appreciation dinners, or admission to corporate social events/tournaments.
For further information contact Luyang Syvänen lsyvanen@europeanchamber.com.cn
Terms & Conditions
Events have limited seating so to ensure your attendance we encourage advance online registration and payment. We cannot guarantee entry to anyone not registered in advance. A confirmation email with instructions on how to join the webinar will be sent to registrants who have paid.
- Members can pay via wechat QR code once registered.
- Non-members will receive an email with a payment code shortly.
Fapiao will be mailed to you within 5-10 working days after the event.
Cancellation Policy
If you cannot attend the event for which you have registered, please cancel your registration no later than one business day prior to the event. If you fail to notify us of your cancellation in a timely fashion, you will be charged for event costs.
To cancel you can: 1) email cdu@europeanchamber.com.cn, or 2) cancel online if you registered for the event through the website.
Speakers
Mr. Stefan Bernhart

Mr. Stefan Bernhart
Stefan Bernhart holds a position as Director at Volkswagen Group China and manages the company’s international stakeholder relations. Prior to joining Volkswagen, he served the Federal Foreign Office as Economic and Industry Counsellor at the German Embassy in Beijing from 2016 to 2020. His previous industry experience includes leadership positions with Mercedes-Benz (previously Daimler AG) at HQ in Stuttgart. Stefan Bernhart holds a M.A. in Intercultural Communication and Economics.
Stefan was elected as the Vice President of the European Chamber in May 2023.
Dr. Bernhard Schwartländer

Dr. Bernhard Schwartländer
Dr. Bernhard Schwartländer, Global Health Envoy, the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs, also the former Chef de Cabinet of Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director General of the WHO, is a medical doctor and holds a doctorate in medical epidemiology. He received his education and professional training in Germany and the US at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. He use to be the WHO Representative in China. Before joining WHO in China, he served as Director for Evidence, Policy, and Innovation at UNAIDS headquarters in Geneva and as the United Nations Country Coordinator on AIDS in Beijing, China. Prior to these assignments, Dr. Schwartländer held a number of senior international positions including the Director for Performance Evaluation and Policy at the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria; Director of the World Health Organization’s HIV Department; and as the Director of Evaluation and Strategic Information at UNAIDS.
In 2000, Dr. Schwartländer undertook a special assignment at the World Bank to perform economic analyses on the cost and impact of the HIV/AIDS epidemic and the responses to it. Prior to joining the United Nations, Dr. Schwartländer was the Director of the national AIDS program in Germany and the Director of the Division of Infectious Disease Epidemiology at the Robert Koch-Institute in Berlin, the central biomedical and infectious disease research and reference laboratory of the federal Ministry of Health, Germany.
Dr. Schwartländer has published widely in scientific journals and books and taught applied epidemiology in Berlin. He brings extensive experience in development policies as well as infectious disease epidemiology and programming at global and country levels.
Ms. Jeanette Yu

Ms. Jeanette Yu
Jeanette Yu is Partner and head of Employment & Pensions Practice Area Group of CMS, China. She has more than 20 years’ experience in providing advice for international companies on labour law issues and compliance management. Her extensive track record comprises recruitment and dismissal of employees, formulating employee handbooks and implementing its policies, work permits and visa issues of expatriates, international secondment, data privacy, non-competition, social security, trade union and labour disputes. She has also been involved in significant projects of business transactions and restructuring advising clients on employee transfer, relocation and lay-off of employees as well as negotiation of employment contracts and separation agreements.
Since 2017, Jeanette has been acting as the National Chair/Vice Chair of HR Working Group of European Chamber of Commerce in China. This year Jeanette was elected as the National Chair of HR Working Group of European Chamber of Commerce in China.
Starting from 2017, Jeanette acted as the Vice Chair of HR Working Group of European Chamber of Commerce in China, and the Chair in 2019. Jeanette is also a member of Shanghai Law Society Labour and Social Security Law Research Branch.