Category: Tech
China’s Digital Economy: The Shape of Things to Come
Recently, the city of Wuhan announced that they will be opening a police station run solely by artificial intelligence (AI) – no employees need apply. Although the station would be limited to vehicle and driver related administrative work, the government...
IT Solutions: Improving Efficiency, Accuracy and Transparency in Payroll Processing in China
The digitization of business functions is not a new phenomenon, particularly in developed economies. However, the adoption of technology for HR and payroll processes in developing countries such as China is far less common. Arguably, it is in these countries...
Healthcare Series Part 2: New Bidding and Tendering Law Promising for Healthcare Companies, If Implemented
Chinese regulations on tendering and bidding practices published by the Ministry of Finance (MOF) in July are a promising sign for US pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturers that government procurement behavior will be better regulated to guarantee consideration of quality...
How to Protect Your Business from Trademark Squatters in China
Trademark squatting is a form of intellectual property rights (IPR) infringement that is especially rampant in China. US firms are typically more vulnerable to trademark squatting in China because unlike the US, China follows the ‘first to file’ system rather...
Healthcare Series Part 1: Reimbursement Drug Lists
Recently announced provincial reimbursement drug lists (PRDLs) provide possible new opportunities for US pharmaceutical companies seeking to expand market reach for their drugs in China. These updated subnational lists largely reflect the national reimbursement drug list (NRDL), which was released...
Why the Rise of Robots Will Hit Developing Countries Hardest
In spite of the anti-globalization rhetoric offshoring isn’t the main culprit for the decline of manufacturing jobs. A 2015 Ball State analysis found that 87 percent of American manufacturing job losses over the preceding decade could be attributed to automation...
Officials Reverse Course on Cross-border Ecommerce
Providing a small amount of stability in a year of significant changes for cross-border ecommerce, the Chinese government recently halted a move to increase regulation — and costs — of foreign goods purchased online by consumers in China. Observers believe...
Changing Tastes: China’s Imported Wine Industry
China’s taste for wine is growing rapidly. A number of opportunities are presented for both online and offline wine importers. The supply and demand side trends, as well as key considerations for the differing distribution channels and challenges in the...
Child’s Play: Opportunities in China’s Toy Industry
China’s toy industry posted strong growth in 2016, countering recent trends in China’s light industry sector. While China’s total exports dropped by 7.7 percent and imports by 5.5 percent in 2016, toy exports rose by 9.5 percent and imports by...
New Five-Year Plans Promote Energy Industry Reform
Facing ongoing pollution challenges and a push to diversify energy sources, China’s energy planners kicked off 2017 by announcing an array of 13th Five-Year Plans (13FYPs). Offering quantifiable short-term goals for limiting reliance on coal in favor of oil and...