Chat Lounge

As Shanghai hosts the fourth China International Import Expo, what would be the biggest change in terms of the expo itself since its inauguration in 2018? As China marks its 20th anniversary with the WTO, what new features can we expect at this year's event? And how has the composition of the exhibitors changed this time as Chinese consumers upgrade their consumption habits?

Decode the new recipe for this year's CIIE with Bettina Schoen-Behanzin, Vice President of the EU Chamber of Commerce in China, and Xu Qinduo, Senior Fellow of the Pangoal Institution in this special episode of the Chat Lounge.

As China marks the 20th anniversary of its WTO membership, the trade body has been undergoing paralyzing pains for almost two years. The United States has been blocking member appointments to the Appellate Body, which is considered the “crown jewel” of the international trading system. If Washington has no intention to change its behavior, does that mean the organization would become irrelevant forever? As a major trading nation, how can China help revive the organization? And how likely is it for the temporary MPIA, or multi-party interim appeal arbitration arrangement mechanism established by the EU, China and other members, to become a permanent solution?

 

In this episode of our special series on the 20th anniversary of China’s WTO accession, join host Tu Yun and Pascal Lamy, former director-general of the WTO, for a closer look at these issues.

Digital currency is the next big thing. Given some of its truly revolutionary features, the Time magazine vividly put it as “the financial equivalent of the leap from postal service to email, or lending library to Internet.” Among the countries leading such a mega trend, China is the first big country introducing digital RMB. So how much change the digital yuan will bring about? And what about some of the potential vulnerabilities of the new form of currency? 

 

Our host Xu Qinduo is joined by Einar Tangen, author and columnist and Charles Liu, co-founder and former chairman of HAO Capital.

Some scientists call it the sixth mass extinction. According to the Living Planet Report, wildlife populations have plummeted on average by 68% since 1970. For those found in freshwater habitats, the decline was a staggering 84%, equivalent to 4% a year since 1970. What’s the major factor behind the decline? Human activity is thought to be causing species to disappear a thousand times faster than the natural rate. So what can we do to slow down the process?

 

Our host Xu Qinduo is joined by Einar Tangen, author and columnist and Ma Jun, Director of the Institute of Public and Environmental Affairs.

China is Brazil’s largest trading partner and Brazil is China’s largest trading partner in the Latin American region. How has trade between the two, both belonging to the community of developing economies and emerging markets, contributed to world economic growth, ever since China joined the WTO in 2001? What are some valuable experiences and lessons in the China-Brazil collaboration in terms of improving global governance?

 

Our host Liu Kun talked to Paulo Estivallet de Mesquita, Brazil’s Ambassador to China. He was involved with Brazil-China bilateral negotiations during China’s accession to the WTO 20 years ago. From 2003 to 2011, he served as the Deputy Permanent Representative of Brazil to the WTO and other international organizations in Geneva.

China’s been the biggest trading nation in goods for years, achieving a great leap forward over the 20 years after it hopped on board the ship of the World Trade Organization. When looked back, what’s the most memorable moment of the negotiations on the country’s WTO accession? Was joining the trade body the only option for China at that time? How has China’s entry contributed to global growth? And what can China do to help facilitate the reform of the embattled organization?

In this episode of our special series on the 20th anniversary of China's WTO, join host Tu Yun and Zhou Xiaoming, former deputy representative of the Chinese Permanent Mission to the United Nations in Geneva, for a chat of these issues with personal experience.

As a popular Chinese saying goes, "grain in the hand, no panic in the heart."

Farmers in China celebrate the harvest festival, which falls on Thursday, Sept. 23 this year.

On the eve of the festival, President Xi Jinping extended greetings to farmers and people working in agriculture and rural areas. He stressed the role of rural vitalization in realizing national rejuvenation, for which food security plays a critical role.

The president once said the "rice bowl of China must be firmly kept in Chinese hands," stressing the necessity of ensuring absolute security in the supply of grains. why is absolute food security so important? Join author and columnist Einar Tangen, and Xu Qinduo, Senior Fellow at the Beijing-based think-tank Pangoal Institution for a discussion of the issue.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of China’s accession to the World Trade Organization. How have these past two decades changed American companies that looked to expand their presence in China? What’s the solution for the current tension between China and the U.S., the world’s two largest economies? Has trade helped with understandings between American and Chinese people?

Our host Liu Kun is joined by Ker Gibbs, President of the American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai, for a closer look at these issues. Mr. Gibbs’ career has spanned Asia and Silicon Valley, with executive positions at Apple, Disney, and other technology and media firms. He first came to China as a student in 1985 and has been living in Shanghai since the early 2000s.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of China’s accession to the World Trade Organization. What is the secret behind China’s role change from a latecomer to a major player in global trade? How should China deal with the controversies it’s involved in? And what role could China play in the WTO’s future?

Join host Tu Yun and Adam Dunnett, Secretary General of the EU Chamber of Commerce in China, an organization set up ahead of China’s WTO accession, for a closer look at these issues. Mr. Dunnett has been living in China for more than 20 years, witnessing the final stretch of the country’s campaign for WTO membership, as well as its navigation on the international market over the past two decades.

China has recently set a target of achieving “common prosperity. ” What does it mean? How can it be achieved? Why is China raising such a concept now?

 

As a matter of fact, the year 2021 actually marks the beginning of the next centenary goal of China around 2049 when the Republic marks its 100 years anniversary, after it reached the first long-term goal of “building a moderately prosperous society.”

 

From the near-term target of “common prosperity” to the long-term goal in 2049, what does it take for China to make those objectives true?

 

Join David Moser, professor at Capital Normal University, and Andy Mok, senior research fellow at the Center for China and Globalization for a discussion of the issue.