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Chinese companies focus on ASEAN countries for business growth: Report

bluesky

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The news below idoes not directly concern Bangladesh. I am posting this for people to understand why Chinese companies are going to ASEAN countries but are not coming to BD. Our govt has been developing 100 EPZs for the last few decades but is failing to attract foreign investments. Very sad.



Chinese companies focus on ASEAN countries for business growth: Report
FE REPORT | Published: May 28, 2021 13:51:27 | Updated: May 28, 2021 15:56:59
Evaly and Fianancial Express Desktop
Illustrative photo
Illustrative photo


Majority of Chinese companies are focusing on ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) region countries for their business growth over the next 12 months.

This was revealed by the Standard Chartered in its 'Borderless Business: China-ASEAN Corridor', a strategic report that explores high-potential opportunities for cross-border growth in this trade corridor.
The survey also revealed that these Chinese companies consider Singapore and Malaysia as the best markets for expansion opportunities in the region.

Accesses to the large and growing ASEAN consumer market (56 per cent), local government incentives and support for project sustainability / stability (53 per cent), as well as the presence of a mature and reliable supplier base (51 per cent) were attributed to be the most important drivers for expansion into the region by the senior executives of the surveyed Chinese companies.
In addition, almost half (47 per cent) of the respondents agreed that the network of Free Trade Agreements makes ASEAN an ideal base to access the global markets, revealed the survey on Thursday.
The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) is also expected to attract more investments into the region, with 88 per cent of respondents planning to increase investments by at least 25 per cent over the next 3-5 years, it mentioned.

In terms of target markets within ASEAN, 60 per cent of the respondents focused on expanding in Singapore to capture sales and production opportunities, followed by Malaysia (second) with 65 per cent and Thailand with 53 per cent.
Chinese corporates are keen to tap Singapore as a major regional procurement hub (47 per cent) and a regional R&D / Innovation centre (44 per cent), as they look to expand across ASEAN, it revealed.

The survey also shows companies recognise a wide range of risks within the region.
It, however, identified the Covid-19 pandemic or other health crises (70 per cent), geopolitical uncertainty and trade conflicts (67 per cent) as well as the slow revival of the economy and the drop in consumer spending (67 per cent) as top three risks factors.

Furthermore, almost 60 per cent of respondents agreed that adapting their business model to industry practices and conditions within ASEAN (58 per cent), understanding regional regulations, payment methods and infrastructure (56 per cent) and building relationships with suppliers and adapting supply chain logistics (56 per cent) would be the most significant challenges in the next 6 to12 months.

To drive resilient and rebalanced growth in ASEAN and mitigate these risks and challenges, more than half of the respondents consider executing digital transformation programmes (58 per cent), driving sustainability and ESG (Environment, Social and Governance) initiatives (47 per cent) and entering new partnerships / joint ventures to increase market presence (44 per cent) as the most important areas for their companies to focus on.

To support their growth, these companies say they are seeking banking partners with strong cash management capabilities (60 per cent), extensive trade financing services (56 per cent), and one-stop corporate financing and capital-raising services (56 per cent).
 
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@bluesky bhai, Bangladesh not publicizing itself as an investment destination in China (and their investor community) may be a large part of this. We don't do enough of it.

ASEAN (except maybe Vietnam and Cambodia) will be troublesome for Chinese investors to invest outside China. Most ASEAN country labor rates are above that of China.

So (other than specialized and high tech, where higher labor rate is okay) investments for everyday consumables, like shoes, shirts, apparel, household items (where labor rate is very critical in value-addition process, the lower the better) will be a bit difficult to invest in most ASEAN countries.

Vietnam is somewhat saturated already as far as Chinese investments and their labor rate as a result is way higher than say India or Bangladesh.

Cambodia is promising but their lack of infra is hurting their FDI, unless people know something I don't.

That leaves Bangladesh which is not an ASEAN country - but where labor costs are way lower than say Thailand (or Vietnam) and is at par with (or even lower than) Cambodia.

infra and communications in Bangladesh are probably at par with Vietnam (better in some places) but Bangladesh has 100 SEZ's in the process of being built with utilities, roads and land already developed.

Half a dozen large SEZ's in Bangladesh have already been commissioned and are being populated with factories as we speak (country specific ones for Japan, China, Korea etc.)

We shall see what happens.



 
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Besides developing industry, has Bangladesh considered developing high-end tourism? Are there many islands in Bangladesh? A tourist island can be developed, like this video below and Dubai

 
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Besides developing industry, has Bangladesh considered developing high-end tourism? Are there many islands in Bangladesh? A tourist island can be developed, like this video below and Dubai


There is seaside resort like Cox's Bazaar (CXB) but mainly used by local tourists.

Many 4 star hotels in this city but infra is still being developed.



 
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