Business Tianjin Business Tianjin ECONOMY • FINANCE • MARKETING InterMediaChina www.businesstianjin.com 03/2020 March 2020 March 2019 Follow us on Wechat! www.businesstianjin.com www.businesstianjin.com By Michael Hart ADDRESS Olympic Tower No.104, Chengdu Road Heping District, Tianjin Dear Readers, 和平区成都道126号 The coronavirus has infected nearly 130,000 people, the majority of them in 奥林匹克大厦1楼104 China. It has spread to at least 120 countries and killed almost 5,000 people. Tel: +86 22 2334 5716 Given China’s huge importance to the global economy, the ripple effect Opening: 7:00 - 22:00 could be very deep and long-lasting. China’s own economy has also been a victim of the pandemic. GDP growth in the first quarter of 2020 could be about 5%, and we cannot rule out the possibility of its falling below 5% due to the coronavirus spread and the likely impact on businesses. The coronavirus could cost China's economy $60 billion this quarter, and Beijing was acting fast to avert a bigger hit. According to the World Health Organization, up to 500,000 individuals worldwide will die during the typical influenza season each year, and a flu pandemic occurs when a new strain of the flu emerges. In comparison, GANG GANG if the coronavirus really does spread as widely as some experts have Bread & Wine predicted, there are going to be millions of people dying. 冈冈葡萄酒 & 面包店 The Chinese government has, however, made significant efforts, and the number of cases has been considerably reduced. Hopefully, this will be the DELIVERY end of the virus episode. In terms of being prepared and improving the It's Free over 100RMB! www.businesstianjin.com situation, one thing that has been done is that business owners and those in charge of workplaces have made it easier for people to stay home. 点餐超过100元免配送费！ Delivery can be made everyday At the individual level, prevention means preparing oneself to stay home when sick or after contact with infected people in order to help prevent Order one day earlier until 14:00am transmission to others. We accept orders by e-mail or Wechat E-mail: [email protected] You can also adopt proven actions to help yourself, help others and help Wechat: yushengsensen to stop spreading the virus, the most effective being to wash your hands more often and practice not touching your face. Yes, this seems mundane, but often the best advice is precisely that; even if the pharmacy shelves are entirely empty of N95 respirators, you can probably find boring old soap that will be more useful. The most important thing to do is not to panic, because panic is a killer. Fear is okay. Fear is natural. We’re all afraid, with even the experts admitting that there is a huge number of things about this outbreak that we just don’t know yet. Just don’t let the fear control you. But you’ll probably have to live with it for a while yet. Even though the problem has mostly been solved in China, we are living in a global economy, so the impact of COVID-19 could still bounce back to us if we don’t stop the effects around the world. Visit our website and follow us on our official Wechat account (ID: business_tianjin) for a complete list of articles and information. ADVERTISING AGENCY InterMediaChina [email protected] Mary Smith PUBLISHING DATE March 2020 Managing Editor | Business Tianjin Magazine [email protected] Business Tianjin is FREE For Members ONLY ISSN 2076-3735 Biz Briefs March 2020 Contents Sub-Centre railway station to Binhai Tianjin News railway station. The first half of this TIANJIN BANS EATING WILD project will be built as part of the FEATURE STORY 05 BIZ BRIEFS ANIMALS DURING EPIDEMIC Beijing–Tangshan intercity railway up 09 NUMBERS Baodi South railway station where These Chinese Cities the line branches south along new Are Bucking Trends 10 ECONOMY trackage to Tianjin. Together with the In Global Real Estate Market Reducing The Effects of The Coronavirus Beijing-Tangshan intercity railway, Outbreak this railway forms part of a proposed The real estate market is one of 12 FEATURE STORY regional system of four North-South 17th, 2020 until further notice. The the key players in the Chinese lines and four East-West lines that form scope of QR Code scanning operations economy and accounts for These Chinese Cities Are Bucking Trends In Global Real Estate Market a network providing fast commuter includes: Tianjin municipal authorities, 30% of the country's total GDP. services across Beijing, Tianjin and enterprises and institutions, airports 15 coVER story Tianjin has introduced a ban on the Hebei. Once the network is opened (including waiting areas), stations Cities in Crisis eating of wild animals as the country is Here's a list of the top Chinese to traffic, commuting will take only 57 (including trains and long-distance cities outperforming the fighting the novel coronavirus 20 INSPIRATIONAL minutes from Beijing to Tianjin Binhai passenger waiting rooms), farmers' nation’s existing property epidemic. The city now forbids the Leonardo Del Vecchio New Area, 18 minutes from Baodi markets, large supermarkets, shopping hotspots. eating of wild animals and related 23 TRAVEL products that are under state or city South Station to Beijing Station, and 32 malls, shops, schools, banks, and other minutes from Baodi to Tianjin Airport. public facilities handling large See Page 12 Guatemala protection, as well as of other wildlife protected by previous laws and numbers of people, such as subways, 26 INVestmeNT regulations, according to a decision TIANJIN TAKES ALL DUE buses, coaches and taxis. Cambricon Technologies approved at a session of the Standing PRECAUTIONS AS IT GETS BACK TECH 28 ENTREPRENEURSHIP Committee of the Tianjin People's TO WORK SPECIAL TOOLS TO PROTECT TAXI Your Personal Brand Is As Important As Congress, the city's legislative body. No DRIVERS IN TIANJIN Social Media Bots Your Business Brand unit or individual may hunt, sell, Bots are robots that work 30 IN DEPTH purchase, transport, carry or deliver with the assistance of the Eradicating Poverty by 2020 wild animals or related products for internet, which is why the purpose of consumption or they are known as "Web 32 LEGAL ASSISTANCE trading, the decision states. Robots." Extraordinary Tax Policies for Novel Coronavirus Pneumonia Epidemic SECOND BEijing–Tianjin See Page 34 34 TECH INTERCITY RAILWAY TO BEGIN Social Media Bots Technology replacing OPERATING IN 2022 Tianjin High-tech Area, one of the five In order to prevent and control the customer care functional areas of Binhai New Area, spread of the epidemic and ensure the will provide up to 100 million yuan safety of taxi drivers and passengers, a 36 E-BIZ ($14.2 million) to subsidize local special plastic film has been developed e-Government companies in procuring medical to be installed in taxis in Tianjin. The 38 FOCUS protective materials. To date, a total of taxi drivers can also post the QR code 41.1 million yuan has been issued to on the protective plastic film, thus Robots of the future companies, which have been under avoiding face-to-face contact between 40 MARKETING pressure, especially from overseas driver and passenger during fare The Buying Trends of Customers in 2020 demand, to resume production. As payment. 42 HR part of the 41.1 million yuan, a total of Challenges and Trends of Employer Brand 5 million yuan’s worth of surgical Finance masks, liquid soap and cleaning 44 BUSINESS NEWS The Beijing–Binhai intercity railway (the Jingbin intercity railway), also chemicals have been procured by the OAKTREE CAPITAL SETS UP 47 CHAMBER REPORT known as the Second Beijing–Tianjin administrative committee and FIRST WHOLLY FOREIGN-OWNED intercity railway, is expected to be delivered to local companies. 50 LISTING BAD-LOAN UNIT IN CHINA running by the end of September, LAST WORDS 56 ART & LEISURE 2022. It will be about 182 kilometres CITIZENS MUST SCAN QR CODE TO Cuju long and will connect Beijing with ENTER PUBLIC PLACES IN TIANJIN Don’t let the fear control you 58 BOOK REVIEW Tianjin's Binhai New Area. It will also be In accordance with relevant laws and regulations, Tianjin has implemented The most important thing to do is not to panic, because panic is a killer. 59 LAST WORDS the first intercity railway connecting Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei. The Jingbin QR Code scanning operations in public Fear is okay. Fear is natural. Don’t let the fear control you See Page 59 intercity railway will run from Beijing places, effective from February I March 2020 5 Biz Briefs Biz Briefs Oaktree Capital Management, a Los COSTCO TO OPEN SECOND STORE PASSENGER CAR SALES TUMBLE normal operation capability, the CBIRC China has suspended charges for secretary-general of the National Angeles-based distressed debt ON CHINESE MAINLAND 92% IN FIRST HALF OF FEBRUARY has ended its takeover of Anbang using expressways or other toll roads Development and Reform manager, became the first foreign Insurance according to law, it said. As across the country as part of its fight Commission, said the agency will step company to set up a wholly of January 2020, the short-term and against the coronavirus outbreak. up macro policy adjustments to foreign-owned unit in China under a medium-term financial insurance China's transport ministry says tolls will actively expand domestic demand and trade accord with the U.S. The move issued by Anbang before it was taken be waived from February 17th until spur consumption recovery. sets up Oaktree to expand its $6.5 over had been fully paid without any work to control the epidemic ends.