Swedcham's China News Flash Webinar is a collaboration between the Swedish Chamber of Commerce in China and the security consultancy PSU China since March 2020.

What's new in China News Flash 3.0? The webinar has been changed from monthly to quarterly event and four (4) times a year with a specific topic suggested by PSU. The purpose is to offer SwedCham members a regular, valuable and time-efficient update on the relevant business and industrial topics.

About Speakers:

Elisabeth Lindstrom Dupuy, President at SMS China Division – Sandvik China Holding.

Lars-Åke Severin, Founder and CEO of the Security Consultancy firm PSU.

The webinar will be moderated by Malin Hammarén , GM of SwedCham China.

Welcome to read the below article written by Lars-Åke Severin, Founder and CEO of the Security Consultancy firm PSU. Download the full article by clicking here.

"Not to waste An opportunity"

"The world has changed in several important way since the US election and the subsequent actions taken by the Trump administration. The leadership role traditionally played by the United States is unlikely to be fully restored by any future administration.

Global trade dynamics have shifted, not just in the short term but likely for many years to come. China has intensified its contacts with the EU, and several EU countries have clearly changed their critical stance of the past decade and moved to reinforce both their political and commercial relations. On the ground in China, there is a clear trend in foreign companies reinvesting in existing operations or increasingly pursuing acquisitions.

At the same time, and perhaps even more so, we see Chinese companies increasing their interest in the EU. With the recent disruptions in US-China trade relations, the EU has become an even more important market for China, in both the short and long term.

However, critical perspectives are emerging in Europe, focusing on both economic and political risks. For the past 40 years, there was hope that China would gradually move in a direction reminiscent of the open democratic societies most of us are familiar with. This discussion remained very much alive in the international community as recently as the 2008 Olympic Games. Today, it is clear to all that China is charting its own path, one that has brought significant quality of life improvements for most of its citizens.

For those of us who live and work in China, it is clear that the EU has not matched the rapid developments we have seen in China across areas such as green technology, electric vehicles, logistics and transportation, and smart payment solutions, just to name a few.

What would an isolationist EU policy do? What would restrictions on Chinese investments in non-security-critical sectors do? Cooperation drives progress, and it is up to us to decide how we share business-critical information and protect core assets.

The risk appetite for increased investment in China should be assessed by asking whether it is even possible to be globally competitive without a presence in China. The assertion that "if you cannot succeed in China, you cannot succeed globally" is certainly true for many companies. Are foreign management teams and boards aware of how fast things are moving in China? A development in a certain area that might normally take ten years in Western markets may take just three in China. If we don't recognize the speed of development in China, how can we make the right investment decisions and take the right risks? How can we even discuss an isolationist policy if we have no understanding of the consequences?

I always say that there has never been a more exciting time to be in China, and that is certainly true today. The need to understand, to be on the ground, has probably never been greater."

This webinar is free of Charge for members. Welcome to sign up!

This Webinar will be conducted on Microsoft Teams platform. A Meeting link will be sent out to registered participants via email one day before the event.

About Speakers:

Lars-Åke Severin is the founder and CEO of the Security Consultancy firm PSU.

Lars-Åke has a background from the Swedish Armed Forces, the Swedish Police and Swedish Security Police (SÄPO). Lars-Åke operationally led the Swedish Royal Family Close Protection Teams and founded Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Victoria's Close Protection Team.

Lars-Åke founded PSU in China in 2006 and is one of the leading foreign experts on security management in China. Lars-Åke is also Director and member of the board of the Swedish industrial company Bulten (China) and Chairman of the board at PowerCell China. From 2010 to 2016 Lars-Åke served as Director of the main board for Swedish Chamber of Commerce in China and from 2016-2021 as its Chairman.

Lars-Åke is an often-engaged speaker on Risk Management Strategies in complex environments and Supplier Compliance Research & Audit.