Economy
According to The Climate Group, the question is not whether China can achieve a low carbon economy, but rather, how they will do it.
China’s economic boom has raised hundreds of millions of people out of poverty. In rural areas, widespread poverty remains a challenge. Fuping Development Institute began operations in 1993 with a RMB 500 budget, and since then, has become a major vehicle for poverty eradication in China. Today, Fuping manages a micro-loan portfolio worth tens of millions of RMB, with an impressive 97% repayment rate.
Michael Kurtz talks about the current trends in cross strait relations from a business perspective. Taiwanese companies have been using China as a manufacturing base for over twenty years. Now, as the Chinese market matures, targeting the Mainland consumer directly (especially in the financial services sector) could become the main China-Strategy for Taiwanese companies.
China and Taiwan have signed the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (“ECFA”) which lays the foundation for future Cross Strait negotiations. Since 2008, China and Taiwan have signed agreements for direct flights, direct telecommunications/post, and judicial assistance and cooperation. ECFA represents a strong opportunity for Taiwan to continue its “twin engine” economic growth strategy, which relies on both the US and China for growth.
Professor Mao talks about the history and achievements of the Unirule Institute of Economics, focusing on how the guiding principles of intellectual independence and social responsibility have enabled the institute to gain and maintain their position as China's foremost private economic policy think tank.
After sixty years of cold (and sometimes hot) war in the Taiwan Strait, the world is witnessing a rapprochement that is taking hold in every societal sphere. Professor Leng shares his thoughts on trends and issues that may become focal points as the cross strait dialogue evolves in the coming years. He states that both sides need to better understand the domestic concerns of the other, and that regardless of whether one advocates unification or independence, the shared common imperative is to maintain peace and grow prosperity on both sides of the strait.
China is more efficient and open than it has ever been, but the government still has a heavy hand in the market. No analysis of China’s financial markets is realistic unless it accounts for distortion in favor of government policies and goals. Distorting effects of Chinese business culture and intense government involvement in the market are facts of business life in China. Mr.
Dr. Mobley discusses trends and issues the Chinese economy will face during the next decade. Such trends include the shift of the global economic center of gravity to Asia, caused by the transformation of the Chinese and Indian economies from manufacturing dependent on foreign direct investment to consumer-fueled and focused on value-added sectors.
China's increasingly dominant position in the world economy makes it an undeniably important component of any company's global business strategy. Unfortunately, doing business in China still requires players to run a gauntlet of bureaucratic and practical obstacles. Professor Chen suggests looking to Taiwan for help entering the China market. Taiwan has linguistic and cultural links with China, as well as a mature legal environment that could make it an ideal home base for Greater China operations.
Mr. Chapman discusses future trends in wealth creation and management in China, such as capital markets liberalization to allow derivatives and securitization, as well as the effects of the global financial crisis in the local economy. He also shares insight on the likely development pathway that these markets will experience in the following years.
