DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Nestlé plans to close an infant formula factory due to China's plunging birth rate
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-20 | by ( Thibault Spirlet | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Nestlé is set to close an infant formula factory in Ireland due to falling Chinese demand. China's fertility rate dropped to a historic low last year, according to experts. The report cited dropping demand for infant formula in China, which it attributed to lower birth rates, as a factor in its decision. AdvertisementAdvertisement"The market, which had previously been reliant on imported infant formula products, is also seeing rapid growth in locally-produced products," it added. The Irish facility makes infant formula products exclusively for export to Asian markets.

Persons: — Organizations: Service, Development Research, China - Britain Business Council, Strategic, International Studies Locations: Ireland, Irish, Askeaton, China, Switzerland, United States

☆ Australia hopes for China wine breakthrough as deadline nears
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-17 | by ( Kirsty Needham | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] Bottles of Australian wine are seen at a store selling imported wine in Beijing, China November 27, 2020. Australia lodged a complaint over China's tariffs on its wine at the WTO in 2021. Until the tariffs, China was Australia's top wine export market, peaking at A$1.2 billion ($770 million) for the 12 months to January 2020. Officials are unable to comment publicly on a WTO report prior to publication. Australia wanted to take the faster path of negotiating an outcome with China on wine, as it did in the barley dispute.

Persons: Florence, Anthony Albanese, Albanese, Don Farrell, Farrell, Kirsty Needham, Gerry Doyle, Barbara Lewis Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Canberra, World Trade Organization, Australian, WTO, Trade, China Business Council, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Beijing, China, Australia, Canberra

☆ Australian Voice referendum: Australians vote No in referendum that promised change but couldn't deliver
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-14 | by ( Hilary Whiteman | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

“It is as Australians together that we must take our country beyond this debate without forgetting why we had it in the first place. “This is a referendum we should never had had because it was built on a lie that Aboriginal people do not have a voice,” he told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Yes campaigner Marilyn Trad told CNN that volunteers making calls to prospective voters had to break the news to some – this week – that there was indeed a referendum. The result means no constitutional change, but the referendum will have lasting consequences for the entire nation, according to experts. “So that power, to change, to modernize, to update the constitution has been put in the hands of the Australian people.

Persons: Anthony Albanese, ”, Warren Mundine, –, Martin Ollman, MC Hammer, John Farnham, “, Marilyn Trad, Kevin Argus, Argus, Mick Tsikas, Australia’s, Pat Dodson, ” “ We’ve, ” Maree Teesson, Teesson, Paula Gerber Organizations: Australia CNN —, Nations, Australian Electoral Commission, CNN, Sky News, SBS, Torres Straight Islanders, Torres Strait, ”, First Nations, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Constitutional, Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, RMIT, House, National Press Club, Aboriginal, Matilda Center for Research, Mental Health, University of Sydney, Law, Monash University Locations: Brisbane, Australia, Canberra, Old

☆ China plans to ease one of the biggest hurdles for foreign business
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-06 | by ( Evelyn Cheng | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

China News Service | China News Service | Getty ImagesBEIJING — Chinese authorities are signaling a softer stance on once-stringent data rules, among recent moves to ease regulation for business, especially foreign ones. But foreign businesses have found it difficult to comply — if not operate — due to vague wording on terms such as "important data." The country's top executive body, the State Council, in August revealed a 24-point plan for supporting foreign business operations in the country. The text included a call to reduce the frequency of random inspections for companies with low credit risk, and promoting data flows with "green channels" for certain foreign businesses. When U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo visited China in August, she called for more action to improve predictability for U.S. businesses in China.

Persons: Reva Goujon, Goujon, Gabriel Wildau, Gina Raimondo, Martin Chorzempa, Samm Sacks, Yale Law School Paul, Chorzempa, Sacks, Beijing's Organizations: China News Service, Getty, Cyberspace Administration of China, Government, European Union Chamber of Commerce, CNBC, EU, State, China Corporate, CAC, State Council, Commerce, Peterson Institute for International Economics, Yale Law School, Yale Law School Paul Tsai China Center and New, Baidu Locations: Chongqing, BEIJING, China, Beijing, Covid, U.S, Yale Law School Paul Tsai China Center and New America

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken delivers remarks on PEPFAR at World AIDS Day event hosted by the Business Council for International Understanding in Washington, U.S. December 2, 2022. A deadline to renew long-term funding for the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) passed on Saturday, despite a stop gap deal reached to avoid a government-wide shutdown. Smith insisted that PEPFAR should not be reauthorized unless it barred nongovernmental organizations that used any funding to promote or provide abortion services. Advocates say PEPFAR does not fund or provide abortion services and that none of its money goes directly or indirectly to fund abortion services. The State Department says more than $100 billion has been spent on the global HIV/AIDS response through the program, which has saved 25 million lives.

Persons: Antony Blinken, PEPFAR, Jonathan Ernst, Matthew Miller, Miller, Biden, George W, Bush, Chris Smith, Smith, Simon Lewis, Patricia Zengerle, Alistair Bell Organizations: Business Council, International, REUTERS, United, U.S, State, President’s, AIDS Relief, PEPFAR, Republican, The State Department, Thomson Locations: Washington , U.S, United States, Congress, U.S, Washington, Africa, PEPFAR

☆ So many people want to attend a Middle East investment conference dubbed 'Davos in the desert' that they're charging $15,000 to get in the door
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-23 | by ( Polly Thompson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

About 5,000 delegates are paying $15,000 each to attend an investment conference in Riyadh next month. Growing interest in the conference also underlines Saudi Arabia's rising global influence. The annual event is the largest investment and business conference in the Middle East, and has been compared to Davos – the Swiss ski resort that hosts the World Economic Forum each January. As well as being a forum for discussion, the event is also an accelerator for Saudi investment opportunities. At last year's conference, more than 28 investment deals worth over $9 billion were signed, according to the US-Saudi Business Council.

Persons: Goldman Sachs, Sam Bankman, Jared Kushner, execs, Jamal Khashoggi, Prince Mohammed bin Salman's Organizations: Service, Future Investment Initiative, Street Journal, Economic, Bridgewater Associates, Saudi Business Council, Investment Initiative, FII Institute, Saudi Locations: Riyadh, Saudi, Wall, Silicon, Eastern, Davos, Saudi Arabian, Blackstone, BlackRock, Istanbul, FAYEZ, Saudi Arabia

The Viking Star cruise ship is moored at Greenwich with the City of London financial district in the distance, in London, Britain, August 29, 2023. It is absolutely the time for action over words," Alasdair Haynes, CEO of Aquis Exchange, a share trading platform, and chair of financial industry body TheCityUK's Business Council, told Reuters. The main problem for trade bodies is the vast scope of Britain's financial services industry, with each sub-sector and TheCityUK presenting their own reform priorities and ideas, often overlapping. In the meantime, top financial sector executives running global teams of bankers and traders are increasingly bewildered by Britain's inability to make faster progress on a matter of such economic significance. ELECTION LOOMINGSome senior financial industry sources say politics may hamper the City's reform agenda even further, with a general election expected next year.

Persons: Kevin Coombs, Alasdair Haynes, Jeremy Hunt, Nicholas Lyons, TheCityUK, ” Samuel Gregg, Richard Gardner, Huw Jones, Sinead Cruise, Hugh Lawson Organizations: Viking, City, REUTERS, London’s, Mayor, European Union, Aquis, Business, Reuters, Finance, stoke, of, Arm Holdings, Labour, Conservative, American Institute for Economic Research, Investment Funds Association, EU, Thomson Locations: Greenwich, London, Britain, Europe, Asia, United States, Edinburgh, of London, New York, Amsterdam, City, France

Pay transparency, supporters say, will prevent employers from offering some job candidates less or more money based on age, gender, race or other factors not related to their skills. Advocates believe the change also could help underpaid workers realize they make less than people doing the same job. A similar pay transparency ordinance has been in effect in New York City since 2022. There’s a demand from workers to know of the pay range,” said Da Hae Kim, a state policy senior counsel at the National Women's Law Center. State Senator Jessica Ramos, a Democrat representing parts of Queens, said the law is a win for labor rights groups.

Persons: ”, Da Hae Kim, Kathy Hochul, Frank Kerbein, Kerbein, Allen Shoikhetbrod, Tully Rinckley, Jessica Ramos, Khan, Maysoon Organizations: National Women's Law, Gov, Compliance, New York Business Council, Associated Press, America Statehouse News Initiative, America, Twitter Locations: ALBANY, N.Y, New York, New York City, California, Colorado, Queens

The United States imported nearly $127.5 billion in goods from Vietnam in 2022, compared with $101.9 billion in 2021 and $79.6 billion in 2020, according to US government data. The United States needs a trusted partner for its supply of chips, and Vietnam can do just that, Osius said. But that compares favorably with a global growth forecast of 3%, and is noticeably faster many of the world’s major economies, such as the United States, China and the eurozone. Politically, Vietnam shares many similarities to China in that it is an authoritarian one-party state that tolerates little dissent. Vietnam is an obvious choice, because it’s a cheap alternative to manufacturing in China, said García-Herrero.

Persons: Joe Biden, ”, Donald Trump’s, Nguyen Phu Trong, Biden, Antony Blinken, Evan Vucci, ” Ted Osius, Janet Yellen, Michael Every, Alicia García, Osius, chipmaker, Ho, “ We’re, Natixis, ” Osius, “, — CNN’s Kyle Feldscher, Jeremy Diamond, Kevin Liptak Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, America, Apple, Intel, House, Communist Party of, ASEAN Business Council, CNN, United, Atlantic Council, Rabobank, White House, United State, Monetary Fund, “, Netflix, Boeing Locations: Hong Kong, Vietnam, Washington, Hanoi, China, Asia, India, Communist Party of Vietnam, United States, Hanoi Nguyen Huy Kham, United, Beijing, The California, Ho Chi Minh City, Asia underwhelms

☆ Putin would not be arrested in 2024 Brazil G20 meeting, Lula says
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/3] Russia's President Vladimir Putin attends the Dialogue with BRICS Business Council & New Development Bank during the BRICS summit in Brasilia, Brazil November 14, 2019. REUTERS/Adriano Machado Acquire Licensing RightsSept 9 (Reuters) - Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said on Saturday that Russian leader Vladimir Putin would not be arrested in Brazil if he attends the Group of 20 meeting in Rio de Janeiro next year. Interviewed on the sidelines of the G20 meeting in Delhi by news show Firstpost, Lula said Putin would be invited to next year's event, adding that he himself planned to attend a BRICS bloc of developing nations meeting due in Russia before the Rio meeting. "I believe that Putin can go easily to Brazil," Lula said. "What I can say to you is that if I'm president of Brazil, and he comes to Brazil, there's no way he will be arrested."

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Adriano Machado, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Lula, Putin, Sergei Lavrov, Gabriel Stargardter, Richard Chang Organizations: BRICS Business, New Development Bank, REUTERS, ICC, Thomson Locations: Brasilia, Brazil, Rio de Janeiro, Delhi, Russia, Rio, Ukraine, Rome

☆ Australia government to introduce bill barring 'wage theft' on Monday
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-03 | by ( Kirsty Needham | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

SYDNEY, Sept 3 (Reuters) - Australia's Labor government will introduce legislation to close "loopholes" in workplace law, a move opposed by employer groups fearing higher costs, when parliament returns on Monday. Workplace Minister Tony Burke said on Sunday he would introduce the bill making it a criminal offence to deliberately underpay workers, with a maximum penalty of 10 years in jail and a maximum fine of A$7.8 million ($5.0 million). Penalties would not apply to employers who make honest mistakes, Burke said in a statement. Burke said in a speech last week that in addition to criminalising "wage theft", the bill would make it easier for casual workers to gain permanent roles, scrutinise the use of labour hire firms to undercut minimum pay rates, and introduce minimum standards for "gig economy" workers, including in food delivery and rideshare apps. ($1 = 1.5504 Australian dollars)Reporting by Kirsty Needham; Editing by William MallardOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Tony Burke, Burke, Jennifer Westacott, Kirsty Needham, William Mallard Organizations: Australia's Labor, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Business, of Australia, Sky News, Australian Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Thomson

Fearful of the potential reaction from its much larger neighbour, Vietnam had initially expressed caution about the upgrade. Yet it is unclear what Vietnam, which is at odds with China over boundaries in the South China Sea, stands to gain in the short term from the upgrade. Meanwhile, Vietnam is talking with several other countries to upgrade and expand its mostly Russian-made arsenal, and has recently engaged in multiple high-level defence meetings with top Russian officials. The U.S. may offer more, said Vu Tu Thanh, head of the Vietnam office of the US-ASEAN Business Council. The upgrade of relations is expected to boost U.S. firms' plans in Vietnam.

Persons: Joe Biden, Biden, Xi Jinping, Li Qiang, Hong Hiep, Singapore's, – Yusof, Hiep, Thanh, Francesco Guarascio, Trevor Hunnicutt, Khanh Vu, Lincoln Organizations: Manutronics, REUTERS, Rights, United, Washington, ASEAN Business Council, Energy, Boeing, AES, Thomson Locations: Bac Ninh province, Vietnam, Rights HANOI, Hanoi, China, Washington, Russia, Beijing, South China, U.S, Washington's, Thanh

The boost to formal ties could bring billions of dollars of new private investment and some public funds to Vietnam's semiconductor industry. But industry officials, analysts and investors said that the small pool of trained experts will be a crucial hurdle for the rapid development of the chip industry. There's also a risk of inadequate supply of trained chips software engineers, said Hung Nguyen, senior program manager on supply chains at RMIT University Vietnam. The White House has not specified which segments of the chips industry in Vietnam will be prioritised, but U.S. industry executives have indicated that the back-end is a key growth sector. More private investment could come, especially if a significant share of the $500 million available under the U.S. CHIPS Act for global semiconductor supply chains ends up in Vietnam.

Persons: Joe Biden, Kevin Lamarque, Biden, Thanh, There's, Hung Nguyen, CHINA'S, Amkor, Janet Yellen, Hung, Francesco Guarascio, Steve Holland, Trevor Hunnicutt, Khanh Vu, Phuong, Muralikumar Organizations: U.S . Army, White, REUTERS, Companies, ASEAN Business Council, RMIT University Vietnam, Boston Consulting Group, Reuters, Intel, U.S . Treasury, Marvell, Thomson Locations: Vietnam, Washington , U.S, Hanoi, Washington, Vietnam Vietnam, HANOI, U.S, China, United States, Taiwan, Beijing, The U.S, Malaysia, India, Europe, Phuong Nguyen

China, Brazil's largest trading partner, funneled $1.3 billion in direct investments into the country last year, the lowest level since 2009, according to a CEBC study. The performance contrasts with overall foreign direct investment (FDI) in Brazil in 2022, which skyrocketed by 95% to $90.6 billion, highest in a decade. Last year, just 28% of announced Chinese projects worth $4.7 billion went ahead, the CEBC said. That compares poorly with 2021, when pledged investments of $5.9 billion were fully realized, bolstered by two oil projects worth nearly $5 billion. Chinese mining firm Honbridge (8137.HK), for example, announced investments worth $2.1 billion that failed to proceed due to a pending environmental license.

Persons: Cariello, Hua Sheng, Getulio Vargas, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Bernardo Caram, Tom Hogue Organizations: Brazil tanked, China Business Council, HK, U.S ., Sao Paulo Business Administration School, Getulio Vargas Foundation, Thomson Locations: BRASILIA, Brazil, China, Ukraine, U.S, Asia, Beijing

☆ China extends tax breaks for foreign workers until 2027
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BEIJING, Aug 29 (Reuters) - China will extend preferential tax policies for foreign nationals working in the country through to the end of 2027, the finance ministry said on Tuesday, in a boon to foreign firms struggling to attract talent post-COVID. The government proposed scrapping the provision of non-taxable allowances for foreign workers in 2022, but decided to extend the scheme on a review basis until the end of this year. "This announcement to extend the existing individual income tax regime is a genuine statement of commitment from the Chinese government to the multinational companies operating here." As China's economy slows, authorities have struggled to revive foreign investment with global firms unimpressed by new incentives they say fall far short of sweeteners once used to attract overseas money. Editing by Sam HolmesOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Kiran Patel, Joe Cash, Sam Holmes Organizations: China - Britain Business Council, Thomson Locations: BEIJING, China

☆ Explainer: Cambodia's new leader Hun Manet, strongman or reformer?
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-22 | by ( Martin Petty | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Hun Manet, nominee for Cambodia's prime minister, gestures as he registers at the National Assembly on the day that parliament votes to confirm the country's next prime minister, in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, August 22, 2023. The eldest of Hun Sen's five children, Hun Manet was born in 1977 in rural Cambodia. Hun Manet is married to Pich Chanmony, the daughter of a prominent Cambodian politician and has three children. In late 2021, Hun Sen declared Hun Manet his anointed successor and he was later endorsed by the CPP as "future prime minister". WHAT KIND OF LEADER WILL HUN MANET BE?

Persons: Hun Manet, Cindy Liu, Hun Sen, Will Hun Manet, Hun Sen's, Manet, Pich Chanmony, HUN MANET, Michael Perry Organizations: National Assembly, REUTERS, New York University, Britain's Bristol University, Cambodian People's Party, CPP, U.S ., ASEAN Business Council, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Cambodian, United States, Britain, China, U.S, New York

☆ Chinese Premier Li: Sino-U.S. relations, trade cooperation face difficulties
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Chinese Premier Li Qiang attends a meeting with U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry (not pictured) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China July 18, 2023. REUTERS/Florence Lo/Pool/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsBEIJING, Aug 21 (Reuters) - Bilateral relations and economic and trade cooperation between China and the United States are facing difficulties, Chinese Premier Li Qiang told the chair of the U.S.-China Business Council heading a USCBC delegation on a visit to Beijing. "At present, China-U.S. relations and economic and trade cooperation are facing some difficulties, which require both sides to show sincerity, move towards each other and make joint efforts," Li told USCBC chair Marc Casper on Monday, according to the Chinese state news agency Xinhua. Li added that China is willing to work with the U.S. to jointly safeguard international trade rules and ensure the stability of global industrial chains. Reporting by Ella Cao, Liangping Gao in Beijing and Meg Shen in Hong Kong, editing by Ed Osmond and Mark HeinrichOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Li Qiang, John Kerry, Florence Lo, Li's, Gina Raimondo's, Li, Marc Casper, Casper, Jin Zhuanglong, Ella Cao, Liangping Gao, Meg Shen, Ed Osmond, Mark Heinrich Our Organizations: U.S, of, People, REUTERS, Rights, U.S ., China Business Council, U.S . Commerce, Bloomberg, Xinhua, Chinese Industry, Ministry of Industry, Information Technology, Thomson Locations: Beijing, China, Rights BEIJING, United States, U.S, Hong Kong

☆ Australian journalist held in China writes 'love letter' home
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-10 | by ( Kirsty Needham | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/3] Australian journalist Cheng Lei poses for a selfie at an unknown location in this undated handout photograph obtained by Reuters on August 11, 2023. Nicholas Coyle/Handout via REUTERSSYDNEY, Aug 11 (Reuters) - Australian journalist Cheng Lei, detained in China on national security charges, has described how standing in sunlight for just 10 hours a year feels in a "love letter" to her country. Her first public statement since her arrest came in what she called a "love letter to 25 million people" which was dictated to consular staff during a visit and released by her partner. The Australian government has repeatedly raised concerns about her detention, which came as China widened blocks on Australian exports amid a diplomatic dispute that is gradually easing. Albanese on Sunday said the barley decision was positive, but he wanted "other impediments to be removed ... included in that, the detention of the Australians, including Cheng Lei".

Persons: Cheng Lei, Nicholas Coyle, Handout, Cheng, I've, Anthony Albanese, Albanese, Nick Coyle, Lei, Coyle, Penny Wong, Ms Cheng, Wong, Kirsty Needham, John Stonestreet, Stephen Coates Organizations: Reuters, REUTERS SYDNEY, Sunday, China - Australia Business Council, Thomson Locations: Australian, China, Beijing, Canberra, Australia

Sources said Biden's schedule for Asia is not official until it has been announced and could change. One senior diplomat referred to Indonesia having scheduled the ASEAN summits, which are normally held in November, for September, specifically to make is possible for Biden to attend and then go on to the G20. Sources said Biden was expected to send Vice President Kamala Harris in his place. Policy analysts said another no-show by Biden, who attended ASEAN meetings in Cambodia in November, would call that characterization into question. "Southeast Asia has been impressed that Washington under Biden has stepped up engagement with the region," Hiebert said.

Persons: Joe Biden, Jonathan Ernst WASHINGTON, Biden, we'll, Kamala Harris, Harris, Jonathan, Murray Hiebert, Hiebert, Ted Osius, Donald Trump, Barack Obama, David Brunnstrom, Simon Lewis, Michael Martina, Stanley Widianto, Grant McCool Organizations: REUTERS, Reuters, Association of Southeast Asian Nations, ASEAN, White, White House, Biden, U.S ., Southeast, Washington's Center, Strategic, International Studies, ASEAN Business Council, Democrat, Republican, Thomson Locations: Tusayan , Arizona, U.S, JAKARTA, Jakarta, India, Vietnam, Indonesia, Washington, Asia, American, Papua New Guinea, Australia, ASEAN, Cambodia, Southeast Asia, East Asia

☆ HSBC executive apologizes after calling the UK 'weak' for following US lead over China
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-08 | by ( Michelle Toh | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Hong Kong CNN —A top executive at HSBC has apologized after reportedly calling the UK government “weak” over its dealings with China, in another sign of the political tightrope the British bank has to walk. He also said the British government would often concur with US demands, calling it “weak,” the publication reported. Several conservative UK lawmakers seized the occasion Monday to criticize Cowper-Coles and HSBC (HSBC). Meanwhile, Hong Kong and mainland China combined made up nearly 40% of profit, according to its most recent financial report. In 2020, HSBC’s top executive in Asia publicly declared support for a controversial national security law that Beijing introduced in Hong Kong, inviting fierce backlash from Western government officials and investors.

Persons: Sherard Cowper, Cowper, Coles, Washington, Britain shouldn’t, —, “, “ Sherard, Tim Loughton, ”, Iain Duncan Smith, Sir Sherard Cowper, Stephen Chung, Noel Quinn Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, HSBC, Bloomberg, CNN, Cowper, China - Britain Business Council, Chatham, Coles, Former Tory, Getty, Hong Locations: Hong Kong, China, Coles, United Kingdom, United States, London, British, Beijing, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, Chatham, Asia, Xinhua, East

☆ HSBC senior official apologises for saying UK 'weak' over China
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-07 | by ( Iain Withers | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, Aug 7 (Reuters) - HSBC's head of public affairs has apologised after reportedly saying that Britain had been "weak" for going along with U.S. demands to curtail business dealings with China. HSBC (HSBA.L), , which makes the bulk of its profit in Asia, has faced criticism from Western lawmakers over its dealings with China. "I was speaking at a private event under Chatham House Rule and my personal comments don't reflect the views of HSBC or the China-Britain Business Council. I apologise for any offence caused," Cowper-Coles said in a statement provided by HSBC on Monday. The Chatham House Rule, named after a London-based foreign affairs think tank, means participants can use information received but cannot identify the speaker nor their affiliation, according to the Chatham House website.

Persons: Sherard Cowper, Cowper, Coles, Mike Pompeo, Iain Withers, Susan Fenton Organizations: Washington, Bloomberg, HSBC, Coles, China - Britain Business Council, Chatham House, Britain's, Chatham, Thomson Locations: Britain, China, Coles, West, Asia, British, London, Chatham, Hong Kong, Beijing

REUTERS/Mike Blake/File PhotoWASHINGTON, Aug 3 (Reuters) - The United States should extend electric vehicle tax credit benefits to Vietnam if it wants to encourage a landmark investment from the country in U.S.-based manufacturing, the head of the main U.S. business lobby for Southeast Asia said. Rules included in the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) aimed at reducing U.S. dependence on Chinese EV battery supply chains currently only benefit countries that have free trade agreements with Washington - a list that excludes Vietnam. VinFast responded to President Joe Biden's call for electric vehicles to be manufactured in the United States, Osius told Reuters in an interview on Thursday, "Now they will have some asks. They will want to be part of the EV supply chain and they won't want to be discriminated against in favor of other EV producers." The United States signed a deal in March with Japan on critical minerals that ensures Japanese cars will benefit from the tax credit.

Persons: Mike Blake, Ted Osius, VinFast, Joe Biden's, Osius, EVs, Biden, Donald Trump, David Brunnstrom, Simon Lewis, David Shepardson, Don Durfee, Diane Craft Organizations: Los Angeles Auto, REUTERS, EV, Washington, VinFast, U.S, U.S ., ASEAN Business Council, Reuters, United, EU, Economic, Thomson Locations: Los Angeles , California, U.S, United States, Vietnam, Southeast Asia, North Carolina, Japan, Britain, New Delhi, China, Washington, Indonesia, Asia, Pacific

[1/2] Hun Manet, son of Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen is seen at a polling station on the day of Cambodia's general election, in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, July 23, 2023. "We hope to host (Hun Manet). Osius said the U.S. approach to Cambodia had been "punitive" and Washington should look for opportunities for dialogue. "Better for (Hun Manet) if there if he's got some strategic options, and that could mean improving ties with us," he said. Cambodia's Washington embassy did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Persons: Hun Manet, Cambodia's, Hun Sen, Cindy Liu, Ted Osius, he’s, he's, Osius, Hun, Simon Lewis, David Brunnstrom, Marguerita Choy Organizations: REUTERS, Southeast Asia, Reuters, Cambodian People's Party, U.S ., ASEAN Business, General Assembly, Beijing, U.S . State Department, Thomson Locations: Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Washington, New York, Southeast, U.S, Vietnam, United States, China, Ream, UNGA

In the past, he would have swiftly chopped 10% of the workers that run his bag-making machines, or about 15 people. Faced with the tightest job market in decades, many have become less trigger-happy with layoffs, even in the face of a cooling economy. But, so far, the economy has continued to grow, albeit more slowly, and the job market has powered onward. Reuters Graphics'HOLD ONTO YOUR LABOR FORCE'At least one major company has adopted a formal strategy of hoarding workers. "I don't think it's the case that many businesses are holding onto workers who are idle," she said.

Persons: Kevin Kelly, Nathan Frandino, Kelly, Alan H, Shaw, they're, Dana Peterson, Peterson, Arnold Kamler, Julia Pollak, Thomas Simons, We're, Timothy Aeppel, Dan Burns, Paul Simao Organizations: Emerald Packaging, REUTERS, Packaging, Employers, Federal Reserve, Labor, Reuters Graphics, Norfolk, Reuters, U.S, Survey, Labor Department, Conference Board, Business Council, Kent International, Jefferies, Thomson Locations: California, Union City , California, U.S, San Francisco, Norfolk Southern, downturns, Atlanta, New York, South Carolina, rehire, Los Angeles

For investors looking to weed out climate laggards from portfolios, these are vital questions but existing guidelines on emissions reporting and new rules due to come in for the United States and Europe are unlikely to provide hard answers. The United States is on track to announce similar rules this year and the corporate standard, first launched in 2001 and revised in 2004, is also embedded in other international emissions reporting standards. Nonetheless, many investors scrutinise carbon emissions data to gauge how polluting a company is, how it compares with rivals and how this might affect its bottom line and share price. Another area of investor concern is how companies account for their own energy use, or Scope 2 emissions. The GHGP allows companies to buy green energy to offset their emissions, using contractual instruments such as renewable energy certificates, and reflect this in their reporting.

Persons: Fabrizio Bensch, Vanessa Bingle, David Lubin, Subaru, SCA's Lubin, Laura Kane, Kane, Jimmy Jia, Jia, abrdn, Pedro Faria, Faria, Pankaj Bhatia, Douglas Gillison, Sumanta Sen, Dan Flynn, David Clarke Organizations: REUTERS, Toyota, Shell, Greenhouse, World Business, Sustainable Development, World Resources Institute, Reuters, Alpha Financial Markets Consulting, Analytics, Subaru, North, Voya Investment Management, Voya, EU, Sustainability, IFRS, Oxford Smith School of Enterprise, Reuters Graphics, U.S . Securities, Exchange, Thomson Locations: Berlin, Germany, United States, Europe, Japan, North America, U.S, Britain, British, EU

Search resuls for: "Business Council"

25 mentions found