The rampant COVID-19 pandemic has compelled many countries to take drastic measures, including border closures, which lead to the disruption of supply chains. Facing financial turmoil and economic recession, enterprises from different countries need to learn from and support each other.

On May 19, 2020, the Center for China and Globalization (CCG) and AmCham Shanghai held a webinar titled “Joining Forces on the COVID-19 battle: Practices and Innovations of Chinese and American Business Circles.” The webinar featured domestic and international scholars, CCG experts, and representatives of AmCham Shanghai. To encourage communication and cooperation between Chinese and American enterprises, the webinar discussed emergency response mechanisms among enterprises under the pandemic, mutual aid platforms to share international resources, and innovative practices for sustainable development.

CCG Secretary-General Mabel Miao emphasized the importance of Chinese and American enterprises under the strained China-US relationship. She said that in the collective fight against COVID-19, it is crucial to further coordinate among the enterprises and to utilize them as a platform of innovation.

Ker Gibbs, chairman of the American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai, said that a crisis for humankind is an ideal opportunity to strengthen cooperation. He expressed disappointment that the pandemic, a common enemy of all human beings, had led to more divergence between China and the US. However, he said that on the optimistic side, the business communities of both countries had stood up and worked with each other. He also said that the cooperation between the provincial level and municipal level to shut down and reopen companies has been remarkable.

CCG President Wang Huiyao said that the global cause of the pandemic needs the endeavors of both China and the US. Although China-US relations are undergoing some challenges, the two countries should realize their enormous mutual interests. 

Mario Cavolo, CCG senior fellow, said that the business community should provide people with certainty and security by identifying the critical practices that make for a manageable situation. He said that for both China and the US, self-disciplined people and responsive governments are working to create more stability and security.

Lu Jianzhong, president of Weir Group China, suggested that Chinese companies need to rethink how to increase their awareness overseas and to pay attention to strengthening compliance and capacity building, including crisis management, responding to complexity, and striving for sustainable development.

Furthermore, he said that the Belt and Road Initiative and digitalization have good prospects for output and cooperation.

Michael Kuan, CCG Council vice chairs, founder and chairman of Kuan Capital said that China-US trades need to tap more opportunities from the demand chain, not just focus on stocks. Furthermore, he said that the Belt and Road Initiative and digitalization have good prospects for output and cooperation.

Alex Zhang, partner of White & Case LLP, said that in the current situation, the business community must do a comprehensive review of business plans, company development directions, and existing investment and mergers and acquisitions (M&A) arrangements.

Zheng Shuohuai, global partner in Bain & Company, said that the uncertainty which pervades the world today is the result of accumulated uncertainty in the past decades. He said that post-globalization uncertainty, automation-driven changes in the world landscape, and post-urbanization will be key themes after 2020. He suggested that companies should go back to consumers and rethink their resources in the context of a big restructuring. 

Ding Feng, CCG Executive Council member, founder and CEO of WeBranding Global, said that the pandemic has raised concerns about employment and other issues that may accelerate changes in the supply chain. This may bring good opportunities for Chinese companies to explore global industrial layout and internal industrial upgrading. 

CCG Books

● Published by Edward Elgar 

● Edited by Wang Huiyao, President and Miao Lu, Vice President, Center for China and Globalization(CCG), Beijing, China 

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An excellent guide for understanding the trends, challenges and opportunities facing China through globalization, this Handbook answers the pertinent questions regarding the globalization process and China’s influence on the world.

With contributions from leading experts and international researchers, each chapter covers key topics regarding China’s participation in globalization, including: China’s new role in global economic governance; outward direct investment; China’s soft power and the implications for foreign relations; global migration, diaspora and talent. An enriching range of case studies and extensive empirical research are used to explore the successes and failures of globalization in China, and to discuss the dilemmas facing decision makers in today’s globalized world. A major contribution to the field, this Handbook offers valuable insights to China’s often misunderstood globalization process.

An essential reference for academics and researchers looking for a go-to empirical resource, this Handbook provides scholars of economics, politics and East Asian studies with an exemplary selection of contemporary research on China and globalization.

● Links：

https://www.e-elgar.com/shop/handbook-on-china-and-globalization

● Published by Springer

● Authors: Wang Huiyao, President and Miao Lu, Vice President, Center for China and Globalization(CCG), Beijing, China 

The first effort to address the gap regarding higher-end talent within the scholarly work on internal labor migration in China

Provides an essential overview of the major milestones in China’s talents attraction policies, as well as several recommendations to help further improve those policies

Investigates corresponding policies in Germany, Japan, and Singapore to serve as a basis for comparison

Provides a snapshot of first-hand reference material for relevant stakeholders involved in cooperation with China

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This book offers the most comprehensive, up-to-date assessment of China’s domestic and international migration. Restructuring economic development requires large numbers of educated and skilled talents, but this effort comes at a time when the size of China’s domestic workforce is shrinking. In response, both national and regional governments in China have been keen to encourage overseas Chinese talents and professionals to return to the country. Meanwhile, the Chinese government has initiated a number of policies to attract international highly-skilled talents and enhance the country’s competitiveness, and some Chinese policies have started attracting foreign talents, who are coming to the country to work, and even to stay. Since Chinese policies, mechanisms, and administration efforts to attract and retain skilled domestic or overseas talents are helping to reshape China’s economy and are significantly affecting the cooperation on migration and talent mobility, these aspects, in addition to being of scholarly and research interest, hold considerable commercial potential.

● Links：

https://www.springer.com/gp/book/9789811362552#aboutBook