Ficosa reorganizes its activity in China after deal with Canadian company

From http://www.expansion.com/2012/12/04/catalunya/1354636661.html (in Spanish) and http://globenewswire.com/news-release/2012/12/04/509418/10014509/en/SMTC-and-FICOSA-Announce-Strategic-Arrangement.html (in English)

SMTC Corporation, a Canadian global electronics manufacturing services provider, and Ficosa International S.A., a global leader in automotive systems and parts, have signed a strategic manufacturing agreement. Founded in 1949, Ficosa has its headquarters in Barcelona and has an operating presence in 19 other countries across the globe. Under this agreement, Ficosa will transition the manufacturing of selected programs to SMTC's Suzhou plant in China, including production engineering, system integration and logistic services, among others. The Catalan company will benefit from SMTC experience in the control services of the supply chain, whereas SMTC is expected to grow as provider of  automotive industry.

 

Workshop in Barcelona on the challenges for importing and exporting from China

From http://www.eic.cat/wps/PA_Jornades/fitxa.jsp?codi=1086247 (in Catalan)

The Commision on Industrial Policy and Technological Innovation of the College of Industrial Engineers of Catalonia is organizing a workshop in Barcelona on 9 January 2013 aimed at contributing with some useful information for companies willing to establish some kind of trade agreement with China, either for importing or for exporting products. Some of the topics that will be covered are the details to be checked before starting the import/export process, how the process itself shall develop and what are the organizations that are involved in it, among others.

The event will be introduced by Mr. Jordi Guix, president of the Commission of Industrial Policy and Technological Innovation and coordinator of the China Working Group and the speakers will be Mrs. Cristina Castillo, Port of Barcelona Chair of Logistics Research Associate, Mr. Víctor Urruchi, Global Logistics and Trade Manager at Arola Comercio Internacional, Mr. Xavier Lluch, freelance consultant for Port de Barcelona, and member from the China Certification & Inspection Group (CCIC). The final discussion will be conducted by Mr. Albert Ferrari, industrial director at Sedal, S.L..

This workshop will start at 6:30 pm and it will be held at the headquarters of the College of Industrial Engineers of Catalonia, Via Laietana, 39, 5th floor, Barcelona.


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For further information, call +34 933 192 304 (from 9 to 14 h and from 16 to 18 h).

Downloadables:

- Registration form for members

- Registration form for non-members

Water management in Taiwan

Because of my work as member of the technical staff in a public water utility and because I happen to know a little bit about water resources management in Taiwan, I have written a short piece about this issue for the Spanish website iAgua. The article is written in Spanish and the title is "La gestión del agua en Taiwán" (Water management in Taiwan) and you can access to it by clicking on the link. I shall attempt to translate it into English as soon as possible, but for the moment I wanted to share the text already published

[caption id="attachment_1876" align="aligncenter" width="300"] View of Taipei from the top of Taipei 101[/caption]

Barcelona Business Landing, attracting east Asian businesses to Catalonia

Not so long ago Western companies were moving to East Asia seeking for cheaper production costs, especially related to labour. But the fast growth of Asian economies, with China heading the list, is turning that trend and experts forecast that we are about to experience a colonization of Europe by Chinese brands and companies. Lluís Lluch, Co-founder and CEO at Barcelona Business Landing, detected this trend and together with Alejandra Yuste created a company in early 2011 aimed specifically at attracting Chinese and Taiwanese companies to Catalonia. With his privileged background as International Promotion Director at the Barcelona Chamber of Commerce, Lluís Lluch was at the right place and time in order to develop a company such as Barcelona Business Landing, addressed to those small and middle-size industrial and technological companies interested in establishing in Europe. The decrease of prices in western countries due to the economic and financial crisis, the availability of funding in Asian companies and the need to reduce the time to market are the main factors that will prompt Chinese companies to try to acquire local ones or merge with them. Barcelona Business Landing has identified this situation and is already working with organizations such as the Barcelona Chamber of Commerce, the Barcelona city council and ACC1Ó – Invest in Catalonia or companies such as Almirall, Caixa Capital Risc, the Guangzhou CCM Information Science & Technology or the China at Barcelona Summit to take advantage from the opportunities that this colonization process may offer. For the moment, Barcelona Business Landing offices are only located in the Barcelona Activa business incubator, in the city of Barcelona, but opening a delegation in Shanghai is already under consideration.

Workshop on China as a land of opportunity for small and medium-size companies - PIMES

From http://www.casaasia.cat/actividad/detalle?id=208463 (in Catalan)

On November 22nd, 2012, Casa Àsia in Barcelona and PIMEC (organization of small and medium-size companies of Catalonia) are organizing a workshop to analyze the potential of China for Catalan companies.

Programme

9.15am – 9.30am Welcome speech by Josep González, President of PIMEC; Yan Banghua, General Consul of the People's Republic of China; and Ramón M. Moreno, General Director of Casa Àsia.

9.30am – 10.00am "Is there a market for my product? Analysis of the most dynamic sectors and the potential of Catalan products" by Lidan Qi, Partner Director of Qimeng Global

10.00am – 10.30am "How to identify the most suitable partners to sell in China? Search for distributors and participation in trade fairs, halls and congresses" by Joan Ros, Partner Director, Binomio China Consulting S.L.

10.30am – 11.00am "How to organise logistics? Exportation and importation, most frequent questions and transportation of products with guarantee" by Miguel Ángel Iranzo, Commercial Director of Transcoma.

11.00am – 11.30am Coffee Break

11.30am – 12.00am "What legal problems can a small / medium company come across in China? Legal and fiscal aspects" by Miquel Llimona, DS Advocats.

12.00am  – 12.30pm "Which is the best marketing strategy? Socio-economic aspects and potential Chinese clients" by Manuel Sánchez Monasterio, member of the Executive Committee of ESADE China Europe Club.

12.30pm – 1.30pm "Business experiences in food, industrial and consumer article sectors" by representatives of Catalan small and medium-size companies who will explain their business experiences.

1.30pm Closing speech by Joaquim Llimona, President of the International Commission of PIMEC and President of PIMEC Foundation.

The conference will be moderated by Joaquim Ferrer, Director of the International Department of PIMEC.

Venue: PIMEC, Viladomat, 174, Barcelona.

Free admission and limited capacity. Attendance confirmation required.

For further information, please contact mcastro@pimec.org.

Conference in Barcelona about franchise as a growing business model in China

From http://www.casaasia.cat/media/asset_publics/resources/000/029/566/original/Invitaci_n_para_difusi_n_en_Casa_Asia.pdf (in Spanish)

Law firm Cuatrecasas, Gonçalves Pereira is organizing a free conference both in Madrid and in Barcelona about the franchise as a growing business opportunity in China. Both sessions will take place at the offices of Cuatrecasas, Gonçalves Pereira in Madrid (November 5th, 2012, from 9 am to 12 pm) and in Barcelona (November 8th, 2012, also from 9 am to 12 pm) . The goal of these two meetings is to provide useful information to companies about the present legal framework in China. The topics covered will be China's economic perspectives on the short to mid-term, the new regulations on franchise businesses and the main legal problems of Spanish companies in China, with the discussion of the potential solutions. The speaker will be Mr. Omar Puertas, director of Cuatrecasas, Gonçalves Pereira's office in Shanghai. At the end of the session there will be individual interviews with attendants if previously requested.

For further information please contact Mrs. Elisabeth Serra at +34932905590 or by email at elisabeth.serra@cuatrecasas.com.

China shows interest in Catalan pharmaceutical sector

From a press release by GlobalTaixue (全球太学)

For the first time a Catalan pharmaceutical company takes part in an international meeting sponsored by the Chinese government. As of today, China is already the world's second largest pharmaceutical market | GlobalTaixue (全球太学), the organizer of the meeting, has started a collaboration with Catalan R+D+i companies in China.

On September 25th, 2012, a delegation from Diater Laboratorios, a company from the Catalan pharmaceutical group Ferrer, met the representatives of the municipal government of the city of Suzhou (China), after the invitation of the city's Mayor. During the meeting both parts discussed potential future collaborations and the development of projects by Diater and the Ferrer group in the Biotechnological Park of Taicang, near Shanghai. The meeting took place during the international conference of pharmaceutical companies, the China Biopharmaceutical Summit, co-organized by the Chinese government and the Chinese-Catalan consulting company GlobalTaixue (全球太学), specialized in the development of R+D+i projects in China. Diater is the first Spanish pharmaceutical company to take place in such event, in which there were 15 companies directly invited by Chinese government coming from United States, Germany, Sweden, Italy, Austria, South Korea, Japan, India, Singapore and Taiwan.

For more information please contact Jack Wang at jack.wang@globaltaixue.com, tel (+86) 18616287131.

For further information on the Chinese-Catalan project of GlobalTaixue (全球太学) and its management team please visit http://www.globaltaixue.com/about-us/management-team/

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="487"] Diater delegates during the meeting with the Suzhou municipal government[/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="461"] Attendants to the round table "New opportunities for the Pharmaceutical Industries in China", held during the China Biopharmaceutical Summit 2012 in Hangzhou[/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="461"] Official reception in Taicang with delegates of the GlobalTaixue international meeting[/caption]

Antonio Miró's Groc Miró brand enters Asian markets through China's richest man

From http://www.expansion.com/2012/10/15/catalunya/1350326641.html (in Spanish)

Catalan designer Antonio Miró will enter Asian markets with the brand Groc Miró through Hangzhou Wahaha Group (杭州娃哈哈集团有限公司), owned by China's richest man Zong Qinghou (宗慶後). The agreement does not include the brand Antonio Miró.

Groc Miró is the brand with which Antonio Miró became well known in Barcelona when he was 20 years old. His first shop, Groc, located in Rambla Catalunya since 1967 has recently been reformed and opened again.

Second edition of China at Barcelona Summit

From http://chinaatbarcelonasummit.com/en/index.php (in English)

After a successful first edition of the China at Barcelona summit in October 2011, the Catalan capital city of Barcelona is again ready to host its second edition on November 8th and 9th, 2012. Again organized by the Barcelona Chamber of Commerce, Mazars, and La Caixa, China at Barcelona Summit (CBS) is a first in its kind initiative around Chinese Outbound Foreign Direct Investments (OFDI) in Southern Europe and the Mediterranean and has also been labelled as China Meets the Mediterranean (中國符合地中海). CBS is a special “investment bridge” devoted to provide Chinese companies and China OFDI stakeholders (government, institutions, specialized media) with the opportunity to know about key markets and discover the advantages of Barcelona as operational base. CBS program has been designed to meet the needs of potential new investors, including site visits, informative sessions, one to one meetings with pre-selected local companies and private meetings with local institutions, plus a formal reception and conference around China OFDI in Southern Europe and the Mediterranean region.

Registration is currently open for both Chinese and European companies.

For Chinese readers, the website has also been translated into simplified Chinese and can be accessed through http://chinaatbarcelonasummit.com/zh/index.php

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MFyZWwi-lCc&feature=colike

 

Workshop on Chinese investments in Europe to be held in Barcelona

From http://www.eic.cat/wps/PA_Jornades/fitxa.jsp?codi=1085764 (in Catalan)

The College of Industrial Engineers of Catalonia is organizing a free workshop on the Chinese investments in Europe that will be held on October 22nd, 2012 in their headquarters at Via Laietana 39, 5th floor, in Barcelona, at 6:30 pm.

Since Deng Xiaoping opened China's economy to outdoor markets in the early 80's, many western countries have invested there to benefit from the lower salaries, helping to boost Chinese exports worldwide. After 30 years, now it is China that is investing worldwide, thanks to its economic power and the technological knowledge learnt from western companies.

The purpose of workshop is to give a general view of the present situation of the Chinese investments in Europe, specifically analyzing the situation in Catalonia.

The event will be introduced and presented by Mr. Jordi Guix, president of the Commission of Industrial Policy and Technological Innovation and coordinator of the China Working Group, and the discussion will be conducted by Mr. Carles Palomo, Fixing Business Unit Director at Roberlo SA. Invited speakers will be Mr. Jordi Martí, General Director for the China Desk of Mazars Spain and General Director of the China at Barcelona Summit; Eva Aumedes, expert on Asian markets and Director of the program Asian Headquarters of ACC1Ó - Invest in Catalonia, oriented towards the attraction of Chinese investments in Catalonia; and Shanmei Yu, General Director of Keeway Motor España.

For further information, call +34 933 192 304 (from 9 to 14 h and from 16 to 18 h).

Downloadables:

- Registration form for members

- Registration form for non-members

 

Spanish King inaugurates in Barcelona the Hutchinson pier container terminal

King Juan Carlos I of Spain has inaugurated the new pier container terminal managed by the Chinese group Hutchison Port Holdings, the most advanced one of the whole Mediterranean due to its capacity to simultaneously serve several ships. Apart from the King, the ceremony also included the President of the Catalan government Artur Mas; Spanish Minister of Public Works and Transport, Ana Pastor; the President of the Barcelona Port Authority, Sixte Cambra; Hutchison Port Holdings (HPH) Executive Director, John E. Meredith; Hutchison Port Holdings  Executive Director for Europe, Clemence Cheng, and the Mayor of El Prat de Llobregat, Lluís Tejedor. The new terminal, called Barcelona Europe South Terminal (BEST) will have 100 hectares, a 1500-metre berthing line and a capacity to hold 2.65 million TEU per year.

Published the Global Competitiveness Report 2012-2013

From http://www.weforum.org/issues/global-competitiveness/index.html (in English)

 

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="271"] Global Competitiveness Report 2012-2013[/caption]

World Economic Forum's Global Competitiveness Report 2012-2013 displays very similar rankings to those of the previous year. Just as it also did in the 2 previous years, Taiwan has remained in the 13th position. According to the report, Taiwan's "competitiveness profile is essentially unchanged and consistently strong. Notable strengths include its highly efficient markets for goods, where the economy ranks 8th; its solid educational performance (9th); and its sophisticated business sector (13th), which is inclined to innovate (14th). Strengthening competitiveness will require continued improvements to the economy’s institutional framework as well as stabilizing its macroeconomic environment, which would
require fiscal consolidation to reduce the budget deficit" (from http://www3.weforum.org/docs/CSI/2012-13/GCR_CountryHighlights_2012-13.pdf).

In an East Asian context, Taiwan is behind Singapore, Japan and Hong Kong, and in front of Malaysia, South Korea and China. In the global ranking, Switzerland and Singapore remain at the top 2 positions, whereas Hong Kong moves up from position #11th to 9th and  Japan loses 1 place, from #9 to #10, respectively. South Korea improves its position from #24 to #19, whereas Malaysia and China both move downwards from #21 to #25 and from #26 to #29. Spain's position has also remained stable at #36 during the last year.

According to the report, Singapore "retains its place at 2nd position as a result of an outstanding performance across the entire Index. The country features in the top 3 in seven of the 12 categories of the Index and appears in the top 10 of three others. Its public and private institutions are rated as the best in the world for the fifth year in a row. It also ranks 1st for the efficiency of its goods and labor markets, and places 2nd in terms of financial market development. Singapore also has world-class infrastructure (2nd), with excellent roads, ports, and air transport facilities. In addition, the country’s competitiveness is reinforced by a strong focus on education, which has translated into a steady improvement in the higher education and training pillar (2nd) in recent years, thus providing individuals with the skills needed for a rapidly changing global economy" (from http://www3.weforum.org/docs/CSI/2012-13/GCR_CountryHighlights_2012-13.pdf).

Hong Kong "rises to 9th position while slightly improving its score. The territory’s consistently good performance is reflected in very good showing across most of the areas covered by the GCI. As in previous years, Hong Kong tops the infrastructure pillar, reflecting the outstanding quality of its facilities across all modes of transportation and
its telephony and electricity infrastructure. Moreover, the economy’s financial markets are second to none, revealing high efficiency and trustworthiness and stability of the banking sector. The dynamism and efficiency of Hong Kong’s goods market (2nd) and labor market (3rd) further contribute to the economy’s very good overall positioning. To maintain and enhance its competitiveness going forward, continued improvements in two important areas—higher education (22nd) and innovation (26th)—will be necessary. Although the quality of education in Hong Kong is good (12th), participation remains below levels found in other advanced economies (53rd). Improving educational outcomes will also help boost Hong Kong’s innovative capacity, which remains constrained by the limited availability of scientists and engineers (36th), among other things" (from http://www3.weforum.org/docs/CSI/2012-13/GCR_CountryHighlights_2012-13.pdf).

And about China, "it loses some ground in this year’s edition of the Report. After five years of incremental but steady progression, it has now returned to its 2009 level. The country continues to lead the BRICS economies by a wide margin, ahead of second-placed Brazil (48th) by almost 20 ranks. Although China’s decline is small—its overall score barely changes—it affects the rankings of every pillar of the GCI except market size. The deterioration is more pronounced in those areas that have become critical for China’s competitiveness: financial market development (54th, down 6), technological readiness (88th, down 11), and market efficiency (59th, down 14). In this latter pillar, insufficient domestic and foreign competition is of particular concern, as the various barriers to entry appear to be more prevalent and more important than in previous years. On a more positive note, China’s macroeconomic situation remains very favorable (11th), despite a prolonged episode of high inflation. China runs a moderate budget deficit; boasts a low, albeit increasing, government debt-to-GDP ratio of 26 percent; and its gross savings rate remains above 50 percent of GDP. The rating of its sovereign debt is significantly better than that of the other BRICS and indeed of many advanced economies. Moreover, China receives relatively high marks in health and basic education (35th) and enrollment figures for higher education are also on the rise, even though the quality of education—in particular the quality of management schools (68th)—and the disconnect between educational content and business needs (57th) in the country remain important issues" (from http://www3.weforum.org/docs/CSI/2012-13/GCR_CountryHighlights_2012-13.pdf).

The full report can be downloaded as pdf from the World Economic Forum website.

Chinese holdings settle in Catalonia

From http://www.expansion.com/2012/08/19/catalunya/1345404917.html (in Spanish)

From the technology company Huawei to the financial giant ICBC (Industrial and Commercial Bank of China), the main Chinese companies are starting to settle in Catalonia.

ICBC, the Chinese bank that has become the largest financial corporation in the world by profit and market capitalization, has rented a space in Barcelona with the intention of opening their first office in October. At the same time, Hutchison Port Holdings is investing up to € 500 million to enlarge the capacity of the Port of Barcelona, whereas the telecom giant Huawei is currently evaluating the chance to install a repair and post-sales service for their products in Europe beside the former Sony factory in Viladecavalls.

Until now, Chinese investments in Catalonia have been scarce, mostly focused on restaurants and small shops. According to Spanish Ministry of Economy, in 2011 Chinese investments in Catalonia did not even reach € 500,000, whereas Catalan investments in China reached € 790 million in the same period.

However, the situation is starting to change and automotive and telecommunication industries are becoming the two main gates for Chinese investments in Catalonia. Tyre producer Double Star has reached an agreement with a Catalan partner to open a factory in the Maresme county, northeast of Barcelona. And the fact that the city of Barcelona has chosen to be the Mobile World Capital is attracting several companies, among which Taiwanese Toro Development Limited.

Finally, the Chinese group Huayi has acquired the Catalan compressor manufacturer Cubigel, located in Sant Quirze del Vallès, after a struggle with another Chinese company, Donper.

Spanish commercial mission in Shanghai

From http://www.icex.es/icex/cda/controller/pageICEX/0,6558,5518394_5519002_5630587_4600514_Todos%2BPrioritarios_-1_p5762650,00.html?estado=1 (in Spanish)

The Spanish State Secretariat for Foreign Trade, through the  Spanish Institute of Foreign Trade (ICEX), and the Economical and and Commercial Office of Spanish Embassy in Shanghai are promoting a commercial mission in Shanghai, China, addressed to interested companies of the following sectors: aeronautics, renewable energies, treatment of urban and industrial wastes, water treatment, modern agriculture, biotechnology, food and drinks, health, leisure, fashion, housing, audiovisual and education.

The event will take place in November 26 - 28, 2012, and interested companies are requested to fill and send this form before August 31st, 2012. For further information, you can contact ICEX office in Madrid either through phone (902-349000), email (informacion@icex.es) or download the following brochure.

Catalan exports increase by 7.4% in the first semester of 2012

From http://www.catalannewsagency.com/news/business/catalan-exports-increase-74-first-half-year (in English)

Foreign exports by Catalan companies reached €5.13 billion in June, a 6.6% increase compared to June 2011. This figure adds to those of the previous 5 months to reach a total of €29.14 billion, a 7.4% increase compared to the first semester of 2011. The main exporting sectors in Catalonia in June 2012 were chemical manufacturing with €1.32 billion (a 5.3% increase over June 2011), consumer goods with €940 million (a 7.7% increase over June 2011) and the automotive sector with about €880 million. The latter has seen the biggest change in June with an increase of 22.3% over June 2011. For Spain, the increase in June was of 5.1%, with a turnover of €19 billion this June. Catalonia contributed €5.13 billion to the Spanish total, representing 27% of the overall amount.

Prices stagnate in Catalonia over July 2012

From http://www.catalannewsagency.com/news/business/prices-catalonia-stagnate-july-increase-26-compared-year-ago (in English)

Prices in Catalonia stagnated (no variation) over the month of July compared to the previous month. Compared to July 2011, they increased by 2.6%, whereas the last 12-month comparison (June 2011 to 2012) showed an increase by 2.2%. This annual inflation rate registered in Catalonia in July was the highest this year, despite the heavy recession environment. For the Catalan provinces, the prices in Barcelona also stagnated, with a 12-month increase of 2.6%; in Girona they increased by 0.2%, with a 12-month increase of 2.3%; in Tarragona prices increased by 0.5%, with a 12-month increase of 2.5%; and in Lleida they decreased by 0.1%, with a 12-month increase of 2.8%. For the whole of Spain, the annual inflation rate at the end of July was 2.2%.

Taiwanese company Toro chooses Barcelona as site for its European headquarters

From http://www.europapress.cat/economia/noticia-fira-taiwanesa-toro-escull-barcelona-per-installar-seva-seu-europea-atreta-per-mwcapital-20120731114842.html (in Catalan)

Taiwanese company Toro Development Limited, specialized in the development of digital wallet platforms and mWallet, will establish its new operation and R&D office in Barcelona in 2013. These offices will be located in the city's Mobile World Hub and they will directly serve the European market and also create international exchange opportunities for company employees. The company has started the selection process of 10 engineers from the Barcelona area, who will immediately travel to Taiwan to complete the training before taking their new responsabilities. Agustín Cordón, vicepresident of the Mobile World Capital’s Executive Committee, said that “Toro is undoubtedly one of the world’s leaders in NFC solutions and will play a decisive role in our mWallet program" and also that "Toro has extensive experience in the transformation of mobile devices into mobile wallets so we are very happy to have them onboard and are already looking forward to jointly develop new solutions in this field.”

Intense activity of Barcelona's Mayor Xavier Trias in China

From the Twitter account of Barcelona's Mayor, Xavier Trias

Barcelona‘s Mayor, Xavier Trias, is currently having his first official visit to China since he got elected in 2011. In his Twitter account the members of his press team are posting notes and pictures of the main activities of the trip which, among others, have included:

* Meeting with the representatives of Hutchison Port Holdings, who announced their intention to keep on investing in Barcelona

* Attending the launching ceremony of the Samaranch Foundation - See picture at http://instagram.com/p/NA2jUmFyC9/

* Dinner with the Catalan colony in Hong Kong - See picture at http://instagram.com/p/NGNGw0lyPK/

* Meeting with Guo Jinlong (郭金龙), Mayor of Beijing (北京) - See picture at http://yfrog.com/mogjvchj

* Visit of the factory of the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China, Ltd. -COMAC- (中国商用飞机有限责任公司) - See picture at http://ow.ly/i/LoVZ

* Meeting with Han Zheng (韩正), Mayor of Shanghai - See picture at http://yfrog.com/odqg1umj

* Meeting with Chinese investors in Shanghai - See picture at http://instagram.com/p/M-PviAFyCo/

* Dinner with businessmen from Catalonia and also from other parts of Spain, asking them to become ambassadors of Barcelona - See picture at http://instagram.com/p/M8Z2SfFyAt/

* Visit to the China Europe International Business School (CEIBS), the most important business school in China - See picture at http://yfrog.com/h8lr4nhtj

Xavier Trias' official press release page is including several entries with detailed information (in Catalan) about the Mayor's activities and the agreements reached, like the one with the city of Beijing for a future collaboration on culture, sports, urban development an the promotion of smart cities. Here's a list of the links:

* Trias constata la voluntat de Hutchison de continuar apostant per invertir a Barcelona

* Barcelona i Pequín col·laboraran en cultura, esport, urbanisme i 'smart cities'

* L'alcalde anima als empresaris xinesos a invertir en Barcelona

* Trias demana als empresaris que facin d'ambaixadors de Barcelona a la Xina

 

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="540"] Official picture of Xavier Trias from Barcelona city council website[/caption]

First forum Barcelona - Shanghai to be organized in 2013

From http://www.lavanguardia.com/local/barcelona/20120712/54324861605/el-ayuntamiento-y-el-czfb-organizara-el-primer-forum-shangai-barcelona.html (in Spanish)

Barcelona's city council and Barcelona's Consorci de la Zona Franca have already started working together to organize the first Barcelona - Shanghai Forum in the first semester of 2013. Barcelona's Mayor, Xavier Trias, and Jordi Cornet, President of the Executive Committee of the Consorci de la Zona Franca, have already reached an agreement with the Mayor of Shanghai, Han Zheng (韩正), to organize such a special Forum probably around next spring in Shanghai addressed to potential Chinese investors in Barcelona's real estate sector. The Forum will be organized by the Barcelona Meeting Point (BMP) trade fair, the only international and professional real estate exhibition in Spain. This announcement has been made during the second day of Xavier Trias' trip to China, in which apart from meeting Han Zheng (韩正) he has also visited the facilities of the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China, Ltd. -COMAC- (中国商用飞机有限责任公司).

Xavier Trias and Jordi Cornet have also met some 30 representatives of Chinese top companies and they have encouraged them to invest in Barcelona, which has been described as "the first export area of Spain and that has a prominent economy in many sectors, such as tourism". Jordi Cornet has also referred to the expected increase of traffic in the Barcelona Port once the the enlargment of the TerCat container terminal is finished, something expected to happen around September 2012. Terminal Catalunya S.A. (TerCat) is a shipping & logistics company managed by the Chinese holding Hutchison Port Holdings (HPH) that in 2011 obtained a credit of 280 million € to finance the first phase of the enlargment of the Prat pier container terminal, within the Barcelona Port Authority. Xavier Trias has stated his will to turn Barcelona's Port as the gate through which goods coming from Shanghai would reach Europe.

 

Carles Puigdemont, Mayor of Girona, receives a delegation from Hangzhou, China

From http://www.girona.cat/alcalde/cat/noticies2.php?idReg=4080&titol=Recepcio-de-la-delegacio-de-Hangzhou-Xina- (in Catalan)

The Mayor of Girona, Carles Puigdemont, together with other two elected members of Girona city council, Carles Ribas and Maria Àngels Planas, has recently received a delegation from the council of the city of Hangzhou (China). This meeting is included in the 5-day visit to Spain of the Chinese delegation, whose members are seeking to share experiences in the management of public affairs with the cities they visit.

Hangzhou is the  capital of the Zhejiang province, in the People's Republic of China, and its metropolitan area already reached over 6 million inhabitants in 2003. In 2010 the city hosted some events of the World Expo, where the Colla Vella dels Xiquets de Valls performed and raised one of their renowned human towers ("castells").

The members of the Hangzhou delegation that visited Girona and met the Mayor Carles Puigdemont were Song Chuanshui, Director of the Commission on Culture and History (CPPCC Hangzhou Committee); Zhong Liping, Chairwoman, (CPPCC Gongshu District Committee); Deng Xingshun, Deputy Director of Commission on Proposals (CPPCC Hangzhou Committee); Zhang Yalian, Vice Chairwoman (CPPCC Lin'an Committee); Ni Sunong, General Office Director of Commission on Culture and History (CPPCC Hangzhou Committee); and Han Tianying, Interpreter, Hangzhou Exit and Entry Administration for Public Affairs.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="420"] The Mayor of Girona, Carles Puigdemont, receives the delegation from Hangzhou, China (pictures from the official site of the Mayor of Girona)[/caption]

China in the new world geopolitics, a conference in Barcelona

From http://www.casaasia.eu/actividad/detalle?id=207472 (in English)

The Barcelona Center for International Affairs (CIDOB), a Barcelona-based think-tank about international relationships, Casa Àsia and Plataforma Editorial are organizing a conference on July 5th, 2012, about the role of China in the geopolitics of forthcoming world arising after the crisis. Some of the questions that will be examined during the lecture are have the attitudes of the Chinese elites in the last years changed? What kind of geopolitical tensions are being gestated in Asia-Pacific? Which is the geoeconomic dimension of the boom of China? For Europe, is the crisis an opportunity or a challenge? How does the crisis of the Euro affect the relationship between Europe and China? And, finally, which are the options of Spain to promote their relations with China bilaterally and through triangulations: Spain-China-Latin America and Spain-Europe-China?

The speech will be delivered by Julio Arias, Diplomat of the Office of Operations of the Foreign Service of the Euopean Union in Brussels and consultant for 10 years in Beijing. Jordi Vaquer, Director of CIDOB, and Rafael Bueno, Director of Politics and Society of Casa Àsia, will act as moderators.

The conference will take place at the Maragall Hall, at the CIDOB headquarters in Barcelona, at 12 Elisabets street, and it will start at 6:30 pm. Admission is free prior registration. For further information, contact yparicio@casaasia.es.

You can download a brochure of the event as a pdf file from Casa Àsia website.

Conference in Barcelona on labour market and job opportunities in China and India

From http://www.casaasia.eu/actividad/detalle?id=207431 (in English)

This session's goal is to analyze which are the current trends on the China and India labour markets and which are the most requested professional profiles. The event is organized by Casa Àsia in Barcelona, with the collaboration of China Europe International Business School (CEIBS), Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) Business School, Indian School of Business (ISB) and La Caixa Foundation and it will take place on July 5th, 2012. Admission is free prior registration and the session will be entirely conducted in English.

Programme

5:45 pm Registration

6:00 pm Opening speech by Amadeu Jensana, Director of Economy and Business of Casa Àsia and Rosa Maria Molins, Director of Scholarships and Postgraduate Studies of La Caixa Foundation.

6:15 pm MBA Studies in China and India, by Roy Chason, Senior Marketing Manager, MBA Admissions, China Europe International Business School; Chris Tsang, Executive Director, MBA/MSc Programs, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Business School; and V.K. Menon, Senior Director Admissions and Career Advancement Services, Indian School of Business.

7:00 pm Labour Market and Job Opportunities in China and India. Debate with Speakers and Interns of the Scholarship Programme La Caixa-Casa Asia, moderated by Amadeu Jensana.

7:40 pm Open discussion

8:00 pm Networking

The event will take place in the headquarters of Casa Àsia, at Diagonal Avenue, 373, in Barcelona. for further information, please contact cbedoya@casaasia.es.

You can download a brochure of the same event in Madrid as a pdf file from Casa Àsia website.

Workshop on the legal and financial aspects of Spanish business investments in China

From http://www.casaasia.eu/actividad/detalle?id=207353 (in English)

A successful business implementation strategy and/or for the import-export of goods and services depends in China on the detailed assessment of the legal and financial aspects of the Chinese market. China has a special legal and cultural complexity that requires of special skills for business development, something that will be discussed in this workshop. It will also be used to discuss the potential role of Spanish companies to act as bridge between China and Latin America. The event is organized by the Open University of Catalonia (UOC) in collaboration with Casa Àsia and it will take place one June 26th, 2012, at Cosmocaixa, Isaac Newton street 26, Barcelona.

Program

9:30am - 10.15am Registration

10:00am - 10:30 am Opening ceremony by Dr. Agustí Cerrillo Martínez, Director of the Studies of Law and Political Science of the Open University of Catalonia; Mr. Jaume Giné Daví, General Secretary of Casa Àsia; and Dr. Ana María Delgado García, Professor of Financial and Tax Law of the Open University of Catalonia.

10:30am - 11:15am Fiscal aspects affecting the Spanish business investments in China, by Dr. Ángel Urquizu Cavallé, Permanent Teacher of Financial and Tax Law of the Universitat Rovira i Virgili. Director of the Master in Business Relations between Europe, China and Latin America. He will be introduced by Dr. Ana María Delgado García.

11:15am - 11:30am Discussion

11:30am -12:00am Coffee break

12:00am - 12:45pm Internationalization of Spanish Companies in China, by Dr. Maria Victòria Sánchez Rebull, Permanent Teacher of Accounting of the Universitat Rovira i Virgili and Director of the Department of Business Management. She will be presented by Dr. Rafael Oliver Cuello, Professor of Financial and Tax Law of the Universitat Pompeu Fabra.

12:45pm - 1:00pm Discussion

1:00pm - 1:45pm Transference Prices in China, by Dr. Antonia Anguita Morera, Universitat Rovira i Virgili. Coordinator of the Master in Business Relations between Europe, China and Latin America. She will be presented by Dr. Rafael Oliver Cuello.

1:45pm - 2pm Discussion and closing ceremony

Free admission until room capacity, prior registration.

Dialogues on China's sea frontier

From http://www.cidob.org/en/actividades/asia/dialegs_maritims_a_l_altra_frontera_de_la_xina (in Catalan)

The Barcelona Center for International Affairs (CIDOB), a Barcelona-based think-tank about international relationships, is organizing a dialogue between experts Manel Ollé, Seán Golden and the invited professor Zheng Yangwen about China's sea frontier and its importance to shape present day commerce and history. This event is organized by InterAsia Research Group (Autonomous University of Barcelona), Entremons Magazine (Pompeu Fabra University), Autonomous University of Barcelona and CIDOB, and will take place at 5:30 pm at the Sala Maragall of the CIDOB headquarters, Elisabets street 12, Barcelona.

Zheng Yangwen was born and raised in China. She received education from the Oberlin College (B.A 1995) and the University of Cambridge (King’s College, M.Phil 1997 and Ph.D 2001). Later she worked for the University of Pennsylvania (2002-04) and the National University of Singapore (2004-06) before joining the University of Manchester in 2007. Trained as a Qing dynasty (1644-1911) historian with a focus on China's maritime trade, she was fascinated with the foreign goods/things that went into China and the ways in which they became Chinese or indigenised. She is author of several books, including China On the Sea: How the Maritime World Shaped Modern China and The Social Life of Opium in China. She is also editor of several books on Asian affairs, and has also written many journal articles and book chapters. She is also an Editorial Board Member of the journal Modern Asian Studies and an Executive Board Member of Universities' China Committee London (UCCL).

To register for the event, please visit the following link at the CIDOB website - http://www.cidob.org/en/activities/registration_to_activity?act=33369.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="500"] Image from CIDOB website[/caption]

Chinese language dragon year summer camp (西班牙龙年汉语夏令营) in La Bisbal, Girona province

From http://innovaservei.wordpress.com/colonias-chinas-dragon/ (in Spanish)

Two summer camps to learn Chinese language addressed to children between 6 and 16 years old are being organized at the Casa de Colònies Pou del Glaç, in La Bisbal (Girona province). Program 1 starts on June 24th until July 6th and the cost is 1,195 €, whereas Program 2 goes from June 24th until June 30th and its cost is 640 €. The summer camp will include 4 hours/day of Chinese language classes given by native Chinese teachers, plus several other activities related to Chinese culture (kungfu, Chinese calligraphy and painting) and sports. A pdf file with a detailed explanation in Spanish of this summer camp can be downloaded from http://innovaservei.files.wordpress.com/2012/03/programa-colonias-chinas-dragc3b3n-verano-20122.pdf.

Conference on Chinese Megacities in Barcelona's Casa Asia headquarters

From http://www.casaasia.eu/actividad/detalle?id=207268 (in English)

Casa Àsia in Barcelona is organizing a second important activity for June 21st, 2012. If in the morning it will host the business seminar entitled "Hong Kong: Commercial Platform of the Sector of the Spanish Food and Agriculture and Wine Sector in China", in the afternoon it is going to host a free conference by Stephen Siu Yu Lau on "Chinese Megacities: Tendencies and Issues for a Sustainable Urban Development".

Stephen Siu Yu Lau, has a degree on architecture by the University of Hong Kong (HKU, 1979) and a Master's Degree by the University of London (1981). He is the Director of the Faculty of Architecture at the Hong Kong University, Co-chair of Research, Design Coordinator and Supervisor of the Environmental Teaching Laboratory. He is also an expert in environment and sustainability, more specifically on the design of green buildings, low emission of carbon and sustainable cities. He is a Board Member of the Steering Group of the Hong Kong Professional Green Building Council (香港綠色建築議會), and an appointed member to two of Hong Kong Government's Appeal Panels for Architects and Noise Control Ordinance.

The conference will be in English without translation and will take place in the Casa Àsia headquarters, Tagore Auditorium, Diagonal Avenue 373, Barcelona, at 7 pm.

The event will bep resented by Rafael Bueno, Director of Politics and Society of Casa Àsia; Anna Vicenza Nufrio, architect, Marie Curie COFUND researcher, Superior Technical School of Architecture of Madrid (ETSAM/UPM); and Felipe Pich-Aguilera, architect, President of the Green Building Council España (GBCe), Director of the Chair of Industrial Building and Environment (CEIM) and teacher of projects and the Superior Technical School of Architecture of the International University of Catalonia ESARQ-UIC.

You can download a brochure of the event as a pdf file from Casa Àsia website.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="512"] Skyline of Hong Kong from Victoria Peak. Photo by DAVID ILIFF. License: CC-BY-SA 3.0[/caption]