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From the desk of the President


Dear Members and Friends

Spring has made its first appearance – and it brings increased hope for the relaxation of some of the pandemic control measures.

The results of the vaccination initiative in Israel are very promising; the virus spread and its impact on the health system seem to be reined in.

While this is encouraging, we have not seen any relief in the travel restrictions imposed by the Chinese government on travel to mainland China yet. On the contrary, it is now mandatory for travelers from some countries to be quarantined for 14 days before leaving for China, with a further quarantine after landing in China.

A change in these restrictions is not expected until the summer of 2021, when most travelers planning to go to China will have been vaccinated in their countries. For this to happen, the vaccines must be available to business travelers without a waiting period of several months.

With all the measures still in place and only slow and gradual relaxation steps, it is hard to imagine that the atmosphere of the summer 2008 can be revived for the Winter Olympics 2022 in Beijing, which are only 12 months away. I remember that during the Summer Olympics 2008 thousands of overseas tourists entered China, many of them experiencing for the first time the ‘new’ China with its vibrant and bustling cities. It was a clear and hopeful signal that China was back on the global stage.

The outlook for the Winter Olympics in Beijing is quite different. Travel restrictions will certainly remain in place to address the low risk tolerance of all stakeholders involved. The global economy has taken a severe beating, and travel budgets are not the same as before the pandemic. This would result in fewer overseas spectators attending the games. However, I could be wrong, and we will see a repeat of the ‘roaring twenties’, similar to what happened after the Spanish Flu in 1918.

The stakes are high for the economies of Switzerland and China. Are we going to have a fast and impactful recovery of the economy that leaves few behind, or will the savings of economic players and consumers in the G20 countries be depleted? In the second scenario, a recovery to pre-pandemic levels would take years, and both the Chinese and the Swiss economies would be severely affected.

As a chamber, we are very interested to understand how you, as a member, see and experience the signs of economic recovery, because that will help us all to weather these difficult times together. And we may enjoy a Winter Olympic 2022 in Beijing, celebrating a path to normality.

Our next newsletter will be issued in early April, and by then we will have some information on the annual gathering of the SCCC in June 2021. In the meantime, I wish you a good start into the Year of the Golden Ox.



With best regards,


Felix Sutter

In this Newsletter

Upcoming Events Announcements News Past Events New Members

Webinars & Events

 register

Bi-Weekly Virtual Get-Together

Online (Zoom)
March 09, 2021 | 17:00-18:00 | Add to calendar
Participate in our bi-weekly get-together and enjoy casual conversations with fellow SCCC and SHKBA members.
 register

CIIE 2021 Promotion Event

Online (Zoom)
March 11, 2021 | 09:00-10:30 | Add to calendar
Join this year's CIIE Promotion Event and learn everything about the world's biggest import fair.
 register

[SAVE THE DATE] New Silk Road Forum VI

Credit Suisse Forum St. Peter, St. Peterstrasse 19, 8001 Zürich
September 28, 2021 | 14:00-17:00 | Add to calendar
Save the date for this year's New Silk Road Forum with an update on the status quo of the Belt and Road Initiative!

Announcements

Join the Sino-Swiss SME Experience Group

Is your SME active on the Chinese market? Would you like to share your own experiences working in China and exchange best practices? Then our SME Experience Group is just the right place for you.

If you are interested in participating, simply send us an e-mail to info@sccc.ch with the following information: company name; personal name, position and contact details; industry; competitors; existing China-related experience; interests in China related experience

News Switzerland - China

         
 
Feb 24, 2021 / News
Swiss machinery industry benefits from trade with China

The Swiss machinery, electrical engineering and metal industry saw sales drop by 9.8% and incoming orders by 6.5% in 2020. Now, it hopes that growth with China will help it recover from pandemic losses. The Swiss industrial sector has boosted business with China with the help of the free trade agreement in force since 2014.
 
Feb 19, 2021 / News
China's e-commerce to outstrip bricks-and-mortar retail

The Chinese retail market is poised to become the first in the world to be dominated by e-commerce transactions. Research firm eMarketer expects 52.1 per cent of China’s total retail sales to come from e-commerce transactions in 2021, increasing from 44.8 per cent last year.
 
         
 
Feb 18, 2021 / News
SCCC Board Member Kurt Haerri to become CEO of Maréchaux

After 34 years at Schindler Group, Kurt Haerri will take up the position as CEO of Maréchaux Elektro-Gruppe in April 2021.
 
Feb 17, 2021 / News
China becomes EU's biggest trading partner


In the year 2020, China was the main trading partner for the EU. This result was due to an increase of imports (+5.6%) and exports (+2.2%), according to Eurostat, the EU's statistical office.
 

Past Events

 
[Recording] Corporate Social Credit System Webinar
 
[Recording] Corporate Social Credit System Webinar

During this webinar, experts from Sinolytics and Kellerhals Carrard provided an update on the Chinese Corporate Social Credit System. If you were unable to join us, you can watch the recording here.

 
 
[Photo Gallery] Virtual Young Professionals Networking Event
 
[Photo Gallery] Virtual Young Professionals Networking Event

The SCCC conducted the first of its quarterly networking events for young professionals virtually on February 17. Visit our website for more impressions.
 
 
[Photo Gallery] SCCC Chinese New Year Webinar
 
[Photo Gallery] SCCC Chinese New Year Webinar

This year, we celebrated the start of the Chinese New Year with a special presentation of antique Chinese art by Hehe Galerie. For more impressions from the event, visit our website.
 

New Members


New Company Members of the SCCC:
         
 

Hess Group International

HGI is a majority Swiss owned private equity boutique, developing compelling business ideas in the field of energy & renewables, natural resources, sustainable food production, fashion a.o. By raising private capital it lets dedicated investors participate in highly successful growth stories.
 

Office LAB

Office LAB is a leading Swiss coworking provider with over 10,000m2 and 850 workplaces at currently 5 locations. The spaces are designed to accommodate modern forms of work. They offer more than just a workspace for corporates, SME’s and startups.
 

Not a member yet? Apply for membership HERE.

Proverb of the month

活到老,学到老。


Huó dào lǎo, xué dào lǎo.

Live until you are old, and study until you are old. – You are never too old to learn.


Sponsors

The Industrial and Commercial Bank of China is the largest bank in the world. Its Swiss branch was entered in the Commercial Register on 11 December 2017 and officially opened in Zurich on 21 June 2018. ICBC Zurich offers valuable networks and comprehensive services and advice to Swiss investors intending to invest in China.

Swiss-Chinese Chamber of Commerce

Kappelergasse 15, 8001, Zurich, Switzerland
Phone: +41 44 421 38 88, Fax: +41 44 421 38 89

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