30 NOVEMBER 2022View in Browser
 
 
 

This week's primary foreign investment news
from our ASEAN, China, India, Russia, Belt & Road and Vietnam Briefings.
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HEADLINES:

Curated by Chris Devonshire-Ellis

We have an exotic group of influential riches for you this week; with Presidential visits by Cuba to both Moscow and Beijing, we look at Cuba’s ambitions in Asia. The Eurasian Economic Union is cozying up to the BRICS network, and we look at the intra-EAEU trade, while Turkmenistan trade is booming. We answer why. The Middle East is getting increasing hot – Saudi Arabia is building what will be one of the largest airports in the world, while Pakistan is shortly to sign trade agreements with Turkiye and Iran. India is permitting Russian banks to open rupee accounts, while we look at Vietnam’s CEP industry – courier deliveries – and the maternity regulations in China and Hong Kong. We complete this week with our usual BRI global report – always worth keeping an eye on where China’s trade influence is heading next.

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CHINA
Maternity Leave and Payment: A Comparison of Relevant Rules in Mainland China and Hong Kong
Maternity leave and payment management is a challenging part in female employee management, especially for companies operating in multiple locations. In the greater China area, policy differences exist between mainland China and Hong Kong, as well as among mainland China provinces and cities. With female employee accounting for 43.5 percent and 50.3 percent of mainland China and Hong Kong’s total labor force, and the fact that both jurisdictions are making efforts to increase the birth rate, employers are suggested to pay more attention to maternity leave and payment management.
 
China-Cuba: Bilateral Trade and Investment Prospects
The state visit of Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel to Beijing marked a new chapter in China-Cuba relations. We discuss the existing bilateral trade and investment relations. China is among Cuba’s major trade partners and is actively involved in its development, while Cuba is an active member of the Belt and Road Initiative. The two countries share close cooperation in infrastructure, technology, science, tourism, and energy.
 
ASEAN
Vietnam’s CEP Industry: Sustainability Challenges, But Big Potential
Vietnam’s Courier, Express, and Parcel (CEP) industry is showing impressive potential, but its impact on the environment is a significant problem. The rapid growth in ecommerce in Vietnam has seen demand for courier, express, and parcel services soar. But transportation is a key contributor to greenhouse gas emissions and Vietnam is committed to reaching net zero by 2050. What does this mean for the CEP industry?
 
CENTRAL ASIA
Turkmenistan Is Booming: Why?
GDP growth at 6.2%, massive energy reserves and a move to a digital world are bringing Turkmenistan into the Central Asian future rather than its past.
 
INDIA
Profiling Major Segments in India’s Education Industry
India’s education industry is among the largest in the world and plays a significant and remedial role in balancing the socio-economic fabric of the nation. India has the world’s largest population in the age cohort 5-24 years at 580 million. The Indian education market is projected to be worth US$225 billion by FY 2024-25, showing compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 14 percent as per a 2021 report. This is why education is core to the Indian government’s masterplan to promote long-term economic growth.
 
MIDDLE EAST
New Saudi Airport To Be Amongst World’s Biggest
The new King Salman International Airport is expected to accommodate 120 million travellers by 2030 and up to 185 million passengers and 3.5 million tonnes of cargo by 2050, boosting Riyadh’s position as a global logistics hub along with making the city a “Bridge between the East and the West”.
 
Pakistan Free Trade Agreements With Iran & Turkiye Set To Come Into Effect January 1, 2023
Pakistan has free trade agreements with China, Sri Lanka and Malaysia. Pakistan has also signed preferential trade agreements with Iran, Indonesia, Mauritius and Turkey recently. Iran & Turkiye both looking to increase bilateral Pakistan trade to US$5 billion per annum via new FTA with Pakistan scheduled to take effect from January 1, 2023.
 
EURASIAN ECONOMIC UNION
2022-23 Eurasian Economic Union Trade & Investment Profile
The EAEU comprises Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan and has Free Trade Partners with Iran, Serbia, Vietnam and China and more countries poised to join. We examine the current status of EAEU trade and investment.
 
EAEU Looks To Establish A Common Payment System With The BRICS
The Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) is examining the possibility of setting up a common payment system with BRICS nations. Such a move would establish an intra-trade payment system that would bypass the need for SWIFT. Intra-EAEU trade is on target to reach slightly under US$100 billion this year, while Intra-BRICS trade was valued at 1.6 trillion in 2021.
 
RUSSIA
Russia, Cuba, To Develop Trade & Investment Ties
Russia actively participates as a strategic partner for Cuba, financing prioritized projects for Cuban National Development and has linked these investments to Cuba’s 2030 Economic and Social Development Plan in various Cuban sectors, including energy, the bilateral agenda consolidates exchanges and contacts for the advancement of joint projects.
 
India Permits Opening of “Vostro” Rupee-Ruble Bank Accounts To Assist Russia Trade
The measure is seen as aiding business ties with Russia to circumnavigate Western sanctions against Moscow concerning its conflict with Ukraine. Indian trade secretary Sunil Barthwal earlier this month said the country has given nine banks approval to open “Vostro” accounts to help facilitate trade in rupees with Russia.
 
BELT & ROAD INITIATIVE
Belt And Road Weekly Investor Intelligence #109
All the latest international investment intelligence from across China’s Belt and Road Initiative.
 
 
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