It seems that everyone is now waiting for a corona vaccine. When will it become available? Will it save the world? More than 250 vaccine candidates are being pursued globally, with thirty already in clinical testing phase and another twenty-five poised to enter human trials in Q4 2020. What we've heard so far sounds promising, but the effectiveness remains to be seen. Early data suggest that the novel coronavirus is mutating slower than seasonal influenza virus, but long term effects are uncertain. The value of a COVID-19 vaccine will also be influenced by the severity and infectiousness of the disease in the future. But if we can live normally despite the virus with the help of a safe COVID-vaccine, it's worth it. We are optimistically awaiting for the vaccination to become available - perhaps during the first quarter of 2021 - and being able to enjoy quarantine-free travel once more.

What new business opportunities await us in post-COVID China? During the 2020 National People’s Congress, the CCP announced that it would spend approximately 2.5 trillion USD on a digital infrastructure public spending program 2020-2025 (China Daily). The new infrastructure includes seven key areas: 5G networks, industrial internet, inter-city transportation and rail system, data centers, AI, ultra-high voltage power transmission, and new-energy vehicle charging stations. China has also released an exposure draft of the Catalogue of Industries for Encouraged Foreign Investment, 2020 Edition, which further encourages participation in the high-tech development of the manufacturing industry. Foreign-owned enterprises that choose to invest in encouraged industries will be subject to tariff exemptions, preferential land prices, looser regulation of land uses, and lowered corporate income tax at least in some areas.

We in the FBCB, together with Team Finland China, do our best to offer plenty of new opportunities. At the end of August we had a business matchmaking event in Chengdu, Sichuan province, with a total of 23 Finnish companies. The delegation was led by Ambassador Jarno Syrjala. The trip was our first after the Covid outbreak, and very successful. More provincial trips are still to come this autumn. If you want to expand your business in China, don't hesitate to tell us where you wish to go. In September we will participate in the China International Forum for Trade in Services, combined with the World Winter Sports Expo where 11 Finnish companies are presented. FBCB will have their own booth provided by IDG, where member companies Suomen Tekojaa, Icepro, and Mobie Sports Academy are represented. Learn more about the journey of Mobie Sports Academy China from our guest writer. Mid-September we'll be visiting the Zhongguangcun Forum to take part in the Nordic Sustainable Development Forum, and Qingdao Sino-European Entrepreneurs Summit. Read more about these in upcoming events -section. After somewhat quiet and limited business activities during the spring, we have plenty opportunities to catch up. Let’s keep in touch and help each other’s back to track.

On the behalf of FBCB I wish you all a very successful autumn!

 

Sincerely Yours,

 

Ulla Nurmenniemi

Executive Director

Finnair has received permission from Chinese authorities to begin operating one weekly flight as of 23 July between Helsinki and Shanghai with its Airbus A350 aircraft. The flight schedule will be published in all Finnair sales channels. Finland has opened its borders for work-related travel from China but entry to Finland is still restricted for the time being pending an EU level decision on reciprocity. Finnair currently offers smooth connections to 24 European destinations from Helsinki.

 

Business Finland´s Winter Sports Activities is organizing a monthly online meeting to connect with piers, and share information and ideas.

Next meeting will be held September 23

To receive invitation to these meetings and to join Business Finland Winter Sport contact list, please send a message to sari.paavilainen@businessfinland.fi

Tsinghua FinLab program offers Finnish companies a tailor-made market-entry plan for China. Read more HERE and apply before 27.11.2020.

More information: sanorita.li@businessfinland.fi

Health technology is one of Team Finland China priority themes. Business Finland organizes a webinar for all interested in expanding health technology business to China. Read more and register: https://www.businessfinland.fi/en/whats-new/events/2020/health-tech-business-in-china-for-finnish-companies-2nd-edition/

More information: tan.liwei@businessfinland.fi

Mobie Group is an international, Finnish-rooted group of companies building world’s leading LXP, digital learning and training solutions. With offices in Hong Kong, Germany, China and Finland, as well as data centres and webshops in fourteen countries, we are positioned to take advantage of opportunities in the future of learning.

 

Mobie Oy is a Finnish software company that builds digital Webforum and learning and training solutions. Our customers include multi-national companies, publishers, schools and educational institutions all over the world and include all the government ministries of Finland, the fire and rescue sector, over 100 schools and educational institutions, as well as private companies, such as Valmet, Securitas, Empower and the Finnish Real Estate Federation. Our most notable international customers are the Independent Power Producers Forum IPPF and Deutsche Flugsicherung DSF.

 

Mobie Academy offers an opportunity to distribute and sell learning materials globally. It has been opened in fourteen different countries in the Autumn of 2020 (Finland, China, Hong Kong, Singapore, India, USA, Canada, Brazil, Spain, UK, Germany, Australia, Japan and the Arab Emirates.

The pedagogy of 21st century

 

Mobie Academy represents a new generation Learning Experience Platforms (LXP) for social education. It is the most versatile education and training environment on the market and also the winner of the EU evaluation on learning environments. With pedagogics developed in collaboration with over 100 Finnish schools and educational institutions, 2,500 teachers and 40,000 students, it is also superbly adapted to the needs of companies and organization.

 

Social Learning and Social Micro Learning can solve the training challenges of tomorrow. Micro courses are short, 2–3-minute training sessions which the employees can do while working, at times that best suit them. Add the social element in the form of various discussion forums, chats, video chats and real-time messaging applications, and you have what is called Social Micro Learning.

 

 

In China Mobie Sport Academy delivers Winter Sport Digital Courses from “How to start”-trainings to top level athletic training and coaching Materials via its unique MOBILE Learning Environment Platform. The courses have been pedagogically designed accordingly digital materials, which are the core knowledge of the experts of Finnish Winter Sport Training Cluster.

 

Mobie Academy is a modular and flexible online -system which easily accepts new features and tools. System includes an xAPI interface, enabling course elements created with xAPI-compatible external software to be incorporated into eSmart courses. The service has more than 70 different interactive tools, including 360-degree panorama pictures and interactive videos and has Artificial Intelligence (AI) based learning data analyses and reporting.

•      One of the securest learning environments in the world.

•      The learning solution of choice for many security-conscientious organisations, such as Securitas, Deutsche Flugsicherung DFS and the IPPF.

•      The default security level in the system is based on category E (critical online services, i.e. the highest category) of the Finnish JHS recommendations.

•      For maximum security, use a protected USB stick with eSmart Offline preinstalled (solution used by international intelligence agencies).

•      Mobie Academy supports lifelong learning and reviewing of the students learning progress from long period of time by providing learning record storage that stores all the learning activities happening inside and outside the system.

•      Mobie Academy also supports many ways for self-reflection and self-assessment, feedback and contextualization of learning.

•      Several different learning methods e.g. problem-based, experiential, theme based, phenomena, collaborative, networked learning, are supported in Mobie Academy.

•      The key is to nourish the intrinsic motivation and inner curiosity of learners, instead of focusing on external motivation, expectations and measurements of success. This means taking a step away from teacher-transmitter model of learning, and equipping the students with problem-solving and inquiry skills in meaningful and relevant real-world contexts.

petri.lounaskorpi@mobiesport.fi

Finnish Business Council Beijing is part of Team Finland in China, and an outstanding platform for all Finnish businesses in China. For those companies which need more visibility, we have launched a Premium Membership. It's an upgrade from normal membership, as you can see from the table below.

For those companies in Finland, who are planning to expand their businesses to China, or are in the early stage and don't have an office in China yet, we have a distant membership. It's called Proxy Membership. A very cost-effective way to make your company known to a large audience, and get essential contacts for your future.

See all membership options HERE

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