In-person event: Towards a New Global Balance: Supply Chain & Logistics Challenges in EU - China Trade

25 January 2023 - 17h30 CET

The Flanders-China Chamber of Commerce is delighted to invite you to an in-person event entitled: Towards a New Global Balance: Supply Chain & Logistics Challenges in EU-China Trade. This event will take place on 25 January 2024 at 17h30 CET at the Ahlers House, Antwerp.

For decades, China has been the "factory of the world", not only for mass consumer products but also for machinery, raw materials, electronics, chemicals, and steel. More recently, the European Union has also seen a growing influx of cheap e-commerce items, electric vehicles, EV batteries, solar panels, etc. However, against the backdrop of rising geopolitical tensions, an increasing number of European nations are now voicing concerns about how much their supply chains depend on the world's second largest economy.

Some politicians wish to impose trade barriers such as higher import tariffs, while others want to restrict the export of semiconductors and other critical Western technologies to China. In addition, new sustainability and compliance measures, such as the EU Supply Chain Act or the EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism for goods with a high carbon content, further complicate matters. Beijing opposes this "unfair protectionism" and warns that it may lead to long-term trade wars and a significant disruption of the world economy.

As a result, companies in the Benelux are forced to "rethink" and "de-risk" their supply chain networks. Balanced guidance on the topic is hard to find.

In this exclusive in-person event, a number of top EU-China trade professionals from both sides of the globe will share their most recent views and insights, followed by Q&A and informal group discussion. The evening will be concluded by a pleasant networking dinner.

The programme is as follows:

17h30 - 17h50: Doors Open / Coffee

17h50 - 18h00: Welcome and Introduction,

by Ms Gwenn Sonck, Executive Director, Flanders-China Chamber of Commerce /

EU-China Business Association;

and Dr. Chrisoula Papadopoulou, President, CSCMP Benelux

18h00 - 18h30: "Keynote: macro-economic and geopolitical evolutions in the EU-China-Russia relations and their impact on global supply chains and logistics",

by Prof. Koen Schoors, Professor of Economics, Ghent University

18h30 - 19h00: "A Belgian perspective on EU-China forwarding and logistics: use cases, tips, tricks and recent experiences",

by Mr Johan Elzes, Global Business Unit Director, Ahlers

19h00 - 19h30: "AI for Ecommerce- Fast and Personal",

by Ms Jennifer Wang, Head of Tmall Global Europe

19h30 - 20h00: "A framework for managing risk, resilience and compliance in EU-China trade: sanctions, dual use and embargos, export controls and circumventions",

by Mr Matteo Bianchi, Senior Associate, Export Controls & Sanctions, PwC Belgium

20h00 - 20h30: Q&A and Group Discussion

20h30 - 21h30: Networking Dinner