Advertise on podcast: China Corner Office

This week on China Corner Office, Chris Marquis talks to Art Dicker, a senior attorney at R&P China Lawyers, a full-service local PRC law firm advising international businesses in China on trends in China corporate law. Inspired by Art’s LinkedIn newsletter, they discuss how companies are dealing with China's New Data Regulations, the VIE or Variable Interest Entity structure that Chinese companies use to go public in the U.S., and also how the laws governing the VC sector in China have evolved over time. Art also talks about how he got interested in law in China and his career path, offering suggestions to foreign companies from a legal perspective. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on China Corner Office, Chris Marquis talks to Matt Margulies and Hannah Feldshuh from the US-China Business Council’s Beijing office about a recently USCBC report on data security laws in China. They discuss the landscape of China’s data security laws including the specific legal provisions. Matt and Hannah also provide details on how US companies can and are dealing with the associated data, privacy, and cybersecurity challenges, discussing a number of industry-specific cases such as in the health care, automotive, and financial services sectors.   See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this CEO Webinar, we will discuss cross-border entrepreneurship with Jeff Ji and Ken Wong of NavPac Advisors, a company that connects businesses in the U.S. and China. Through their work, they have a number of compelling examples of how different cultural activities and sports can be used as a platform to bring people from the two countries together. Jeff discusses the Harley Davidson motorcycle tours he has led for both Westerners’ traveling to China and Chinese traveling to the US. As Chair of USA Badminton, Ken reflects on how he sees cross-cultural exchanges through this sport as akin to the famous ping pong diplomacy that was influential in softening relations between the U.S. and China in the early 1970s. They both also discuss a number of other examples such as dragon boating and importing a Harbin-style ice festival to northern U.S. locations, and provide a number of recommendations for those wanting to do business in China. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on China Corner Office, Chris Marquis talks to Robert Fisch, who has over 40 years of experience working in and with Chinese companies and organizations. Robert is a master storyteller and he draws on his diverse experiences in China to illustrate some key principles that businesses can learn from, such as the importance of personal relations and the human touch when doing business in China. And he also provides some very practical advice on many topics from setting up a wholly foreign-owned entity (WFOE) to how business in China has shifted in the COVID era. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on China Corner Office, Chris Marquis talks to Giuliana Auinger, the Asia Head of Sustainability for French multinational Schneider Electric. They discuss the challenges of sustainability and decarbonization for companies and countries and the key steps to meet goals in this area. Also covered is China’s progress in reaching its commitments for peak carbon by 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2060. Giuliana highlights not only how China has a number of forward-thinking green strategies and also areas where more improvement is needed if China is to meet its goals. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on China Corner Office, Chris Marquis talks to serial social entrepreneur and eco-activist Sonalie Figueiras. Sonalie is a native of Hong Kong who has started a number of companies in the region, including Green Queen, the sustainability and social impact media platform she founded 10 years ago. They discuss the Chinese governments’ increasing focus on environmentalism in recent years and its many efforts to meet its ambitious goals. One area of particular focus that also relates to food security concerns is some unexpected challenges in the alternative protein sector in China. Sonalie provides recommendations for how companies can better meet consumer preferences with these products. They also discuss the role of the media, increasing censorship and related challenges for independent media in Hong Kong. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on China Corner Office, Chris Marquis talks with China auto industry veteran Robert Yu. In Robert’s 30 plus years in the industry, he spent 20 years at Ford and also was Executive Director of GM China and Head of Manufacturing for EV pioneer NIO.  Robert provides an insightful overview of the booming EV market in China where there are over 450 officially registered companies that sold about 3 million cars in 2021. For comparison in the US, 800,000 EVs were sold in 2021. We also discuss the different market segments, including the low end which includes EVs selling for $4,000, and the mid-market where offerings from NIO and Xpeng are exceptionally well-positioned globally and have recently begun entering the European market. Finally, we also discuss NIO’s unique outsourced manufacturing program and how it compares to traditional auto assembly. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on China Corner Office, Chris Marquis talks to Kenneth Jarrett, senior advisor at Albright Stonebridge Group about how multinationals can deal with the increasingly frequent consumer boycotts that occur in China. While many international brands such as the NBA, H&M, Walmart, Zara, Nike, and others have found themselves in recent years on the wrong side of Chinese consumer ire, not all boycotts are the same. Drawing on decades of business and diplomatic experience in China, Ken describes that there are different types of boycotts — depending on the extent of consumer and/or government involvement — and correspondingly different strategies companies can take when dealing with them. Also discussed are the challenges local China offices have in dealing with headquarters during boycotts and how multinationals in China can develop effective relationships with the government. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on China Corner Office, Chris Marquis talks to Dan Digre from MISCO a St. Paul Minnesota-based company that produces audio speakers. Over the past 20 years, MICSO has built a successful business by importing low-tech components from China, and then through expertise in engineering, design and final assembly and testing, reconfiguring them into high-tech products. But this model is threatened by the China tariffs. Dan describes how the components that he imports are hit with a 25% tariff, yet if he were to fully assemble the speakers in China instead of the U.S. and import the finished product, the tariff would only be 7.5%. The tariffs thus not only hurt his sales due to his higher costs, but also given this discrepancy, encourage further loss of jobs in the U.S. and offshoring of the type of higher value-added manufacturing MICSO does. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on China Corner Office, Chris Marquis talks to Doug Guthrie, who from 2014 to 2019 led Apple University’s efforts on leadership and organizational development in China. Apple recently became the first company ever to reach a $3 trillion market cap, and Doug and Chris discuss how Apple’s current success is due in large measure to the deep partnerships the company has in China. A very visible part of this, of course, is the impressive sales of iPhones and other products to Chinese consumers. In the last 5 years, about 20% of Apple’s sales have been in China. But as Doug emphasizes, an even bigger factor for the company’s success globally is the concentration of Apple’s supply chain in China. This allows Apple and other companies like Tesla to benefit from programs like the government's labor dispatch system, which channels hundreds of millions of migrant workers to companies that need them on a temporary basis. All this leads to incredible profitability for the company, and as Doug argues, it cannot be replicated anywhere else in the world. But as you'll hear, this gives the Chinese government significant leverage over companies such as Apple and Tesla that are essentially “married to China.” See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on China Corner Office, Chris Marquis talks to Frank Lavin, former U.S. Ambassador to Singapore who is chairman and founder of Export Now, a company focused on helping international brands enter China. Frank recently published The Smart Business Guide to China E-Commerce, a highly readable book that has many great points and recommendations about the topic. In this podcast, Frank not only discusses key features of China’s e-commerce ecosystem and important platforms like Alibaba, JD, and Pinduoduo, but importantly, how and why mid-tier American companies should focus exclusively on such channels as opposed to more traditional brick and mortar presence. Frank also provides detail on how despite U.S.-China trade tensions, many US firms have experienced their best year ever in the China market, and also why the phenomenon of dàigòu 代购, or gray market sales can be an international brand’s best friend in China. For more on this topic, please check out Frank Lavin’s recently published: The Smart Business Guide to China E-Commerce  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on China Corner Office, Chris Marquis talks to Eduardo Lacerda, vice president of marketing for Danone Waters China (DWC), the Guangzhou-based subsidiary of Paris-based food and nutrition multinational Danone S.A. Lacerda discusses in detail how DWC addresses the core tension for MNCs that want to do business in China: how to draw on global experience and frameworks while also effectively localizing the business and products. A case in point is the company’s well-known health drink Mizone, which was developed in China and has many seasonal and regional flavors tailored to appeal to Chinese consumers, particularly younger ones. But as Lacerda discusses, its low sugar profile and nutritional properties reflect Danone’s mission to deliver healthful products to consumers. Relatedly, we also discuss the company’s impressive environmental work at its factories and recent certification as a B Corp, and how it met the demands of this global framework for social and environmental impact. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.