C-Level Dialogue – set the course now for your Asia Business The Asia-Pacific region will become increasingly important by 2030. The RCEP trade agreement between will contribute to this as will China’s structural course-setting under the 14th Five-Year Plan. The government initiatives launched in India to strengthen localization and innovation also offer attractive market opportunities for German companies. Geopolitical shifts between the USA, China, India and the EU accompany the growing requirements for European companies to be able to operate successfully on a sustainable basis in these global growth markets. Does this also apply to you? Because this is exactly …
China’s Demographic Challenge
China’s Demographic Challenge Why is China facing demographics problems? From 1960 to 2015, China’s population more than doubled to around 1.4 billion people. The government tried to control this explosive growth with the One-Child Policy introduced in 1979, leading to a decline of the average fertility rate per woman from over 6 in the 1960s to 1.7 in 2020. Even the recent policy shift towards a universal two-child policy could not significantly reverse this trend. After reaching its peak in 2016, the number of new-born babies in China is expected to continue declining until 2030. Nowadays, Chinese have fewer children …
Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP)
Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) What is the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership? Signed in November 2020, the RCEP is a Free-Trade Agreement between 15 countries including the ASEAN nations, China, South Korea, Japan, Australia and New Zealand. As of 2020, the member countries account for ~30% of the world’s population and ~30% of global GDP. In March 2021, China became the first signatory to ratify RCEP, around three months ahead of schedule. The agreement can be viewed as the regional answer to the failed Transatlantic Partnership and a complementation of the existing CPTPP. Its purpose is to eliminate tariff and …
China’s 14th Five-Year Plan
China’s 14th Five-Year Plan What is the background? China has been using five-year time periods to steer its economy since 1953. In the meantime, the focus of these Five-Year Plans (FYP) has shifted from socialist top-down economic planning to acting more as a “guideline” – setting targets and aligning incentives. A draft version of the 14th plan (2021-25) was released in late 2020 and the final version was passed in March 2021 at the Two Sessions – one of China’s major political meetings. More detailed implementation plans for major sectors, ministries, and regions will follow in the months ahead. In …
Africa Automotive Industry Attractiveness
Africa Automotive Industry Attractiveness A new study of EAC’s international Automotive practice team shows the promising prospects and opportunities the African automotive ecosystem holds. As more and more OEMs and tier companies establish their value-chain in African countries, some of which also go beyond the traditional ‘hardware’, the increasing ecosystem maturity is bound to play an effective and key role in the domestic and export markets.EAC critically examined the value-add African economies would offer considering its attractive demographics and skillsets vis-à-vis cost structures mix and trade agreements. This new white paper presents relevant facts and potential implications and offers initial …
Manufacturing Footprint Sustainability
Manufacturing Footprint Sustainability in China China is committed to improve industry value-add and reach carbon neutrality targets. Regulatory changes and supply chain risks have posted challenges to stable production. Thus, location sustainability becomes a key strategy decision for manufacturing companies in China.EAC has analyzed location risk factors for manufacturing business in China and shows how to manage location challenges and opportunities. Manufacturing companies should prepare a strategic view of their manufacturing locations in China to stay competitive. Download the Teaser:DownloadLatest Februar 12, 2026 Market Intelligence: China Consumer HealthJanuar 8, 2026 INDIA’S SOLAR MANUFACTURING PIVOT: WHY GLOBAL PLAYERS MUST ACT NOWDezember …
MICE Industry – China Venue Capacity Extension on the Rise
MICE Industry – China Venue Capacity Extension on the Rise The MICE business will experience structural changes triggered by the global pandemic – digitalization will become a fundamental element in organizers’ strategies. International exhibition organizers must be aware that China’s venue landscape is in the process of drastic changes.Challenged by a global pandemic since the beginning of the year 2020, the global MICE industry was compelled to strategize and create contingency plans to compensate the negative impact of the industry shutdown. Nevertheless, the situation in China significantly improved in the past couple of weeks with more restrictions gradually lifted and …
China’s Innovation Push – from manufacturing base to innovation hub
China’s Innovation Push – from manufacturing base to innovation hub As the factory of the world, China has developed into a central manufacturing powerhouse in the global market. Driven by this great achievement, China now aims to move up to an innovation leader challenging Western countries.The need for innovation is strongly driven by macroeconomic factors: The economic Slowdown requires China to invest into innovation and and profit from value-added manufacturing.Urban population increased from 36% in 2000 to almost 60% in 2018, and is expected to reach 80% in 2050, which drives the need for data-driven smart cities and urban living …
Growth Opportunities for Medical Devices Companies in India and China
Growth Opportunities for Medical Devices Companies in India and China The global spread of the COVID-19 pandemic left a decisive mark on all major industries across the globe. As a matter of fact, the healthcare sector has been one of the largest beneficiaries, but at the same time one of the largest sufferers from the pandemic. While turnovers of ‘beneficiaries’, providers of medical equipment required for virus treatments such as diagnostic devices and protection equipment, have soared, ‘sufferers’, offering supply such as for diabetes and cardiovascular diseases, noticed sharp turnover declines in the past months.Regardless of whether beneficiary or sufferer, …
Distribution Excellence in China – key obstacles and tools to overcome them
Distribution Excellence in China – key obstacles and tools to overcome them Foreign consumer goods companies often rely on distributors to quickly gain market access in China – both offline & online. But when sales growth slows down, it can be difficult to identify the reasons.In this context, EAC International Consulting recently developed a presentation summarizing key distribution obstacles in China and tools to overcome them – ranging from high reliance on legacy distributors to lack of e-commerce experience.Download PDFLatest Februar 12, 2026 Market Intelligence: China Consumer HealthJanuar 8, 2026 INDIA’S SOLAR MANUFACTURING PIVOT: WHY GLOBAL PLAYERS MUST ACT NOWDezember …
India: Government program worth EUR 20 billion as production incentive for foreign companies
India: Government program worth EUR 20 billion as production incentive for foreign companies The Indian economy has suffered significant losses compared to the previous year due to Covid19: the manufacturing industry by 40%, the automotive sector by over 75%! To counteract this trend, the government has set up a program with production incentives worth EUR 20 billionPrimarily for manufacturers in the automotive, solar, special steel and pharmaceutical sectors, in addition to the “Production Linked Incentive Program” of EUR 6.5 billion in the electronics manufacturing sector, already created in April 2020. Large multinational companies such as Samsung Electronics, Foxconn and Wistron …
Maximizing Shareholder´s Value in Divestures
Maximizing Shareholder´s Value in Divestures Over the years, we have witnessed many FIEs, including the ones whose products and technology became increasingly commoditized, business models became obsolete or have increasingly unfavorable inherent issues such as high labor intensity, are shifting out of China and many of them are doing so in way of divestures. Undoubtedly, successful divesture not only generates attractive shareholder return itself but also at the same time recoups invested capital, frees up resources and managerial capacity to reinvest into other ventures and deals. However, many divestures we observed in China were unfortunately poorly prepared, managed and orchestrated, …