IHK Cologne Event – Changing China

Changing China – Impact & Action Demand for Foreign Businesses (IHK Event)The future of business in China: where is the journey heading? This question is on the minds of more than 5,000 German companies currently operating in China. The Cologne Chamber of Industry and Commerce provided answers as part of an expert panel. As part of the event organized by the IHK Cologne on May 9th, our partners Daniela Bartscher-Herold and Uwe Haizmann shared their perspective on opportunities and challenges for German enterprises in the Chinese market. In front of >70 decision-makers, they elaborated on the recent COVID-outbreak in Shanghai, general …

Volkswagen in China’s NEV Market: Challenges & Changes

Volkwagen in China’s NEV Market: Challenges & ChangesHow does VW perform in China’s New Energy Vehicle (NEV) market? In 2021, Volkswagen’s new energy vehicle “ID series” did not meet the Board’s expectations. It reached an annual sales volume of roughly 70,000 cars, lower than the target 80,000. The pioneer in this industry, Tesla, performed far better – reaching a significant volume of 936,000 shipped units. Besides that, the competition did not just come from Tesla. Local new energy automakers such as BYD, NIO, and Xpeng all delivered outstanding sales outcomes of 594,000, 91,000 and 98,000 units respectively. Together these players …

China FDI Boom in 2021

FDI into China reaches new highs in 2021: What does it mean?How is China performing in FDI inflows? Global Foreign Direct Investment fell sharply by 32% to 1031 billion USD in 2020, according to the OECD. However, China’s FDI inflows bucked the trend and rose to 212 billion USD by increasing 14%, surpassing the US to become the world’s largest recipient of foreign capital. According to data released by the Ministry of Commerce in China, the actual use of foreign capital in the country hit a record of 173.5 billion USD in 2021 – increasing by 20% YoY. We are …

China Case Study: KONE

China Case Study: KONEAs one of the most successful foreign companies in the Chinese market, the Finnish company KONE is a striking example of how the right strategy can turn your business into remarkable profits.KONE in China Since its market entry in 1996, the Finnish company KONE has seen rapid growth in the past 20 years. It has become the market leader in elevator and escalator solutions in China, which accounts for 60% of the global demand and contributes 30% to KONE’s global business (~3bn EUR in 2020). As of today, the company has around 20,000 employees deployed in 600 …

Localization Pressure in China’s Healthcare Industry

Localization Pressure in China’s Healthcare IndustryChina’s rising demand for healthcare products and especially medical devices has been a major growth driver for both international and domestic companies in recent years. But barriers to participate in the booming MedTec market as a foreign company are becoming higher, since the Chinese government is increasingly pushing for localization.How is China’s healthcare industry developing? China’s rising demand for healthcare products and especially medical devices has been a major growth driver for both international and domestic companies in recent years – supported by a general rise in accessibility and affordability of health services. Further increasing …