Download PDF

stars China symposium 2023

Re-Engaging with China – Business Opportunities and Challenges

22-25 October 2023

Shenzhen, Futian Shangri-La

Objectives:

  • Get on-the-ground impressions in Shenzhen and the Greater Bay Area (GBA) through visits and discussions with global high-tech champions
  • Understand the state of the Chinese economy, particularly the digital and green economy and the opportunities for foreign business, the demographic challenges and China’s foreign policy
  • Broaden the horizon to better understand major global trends, which will impact business and society over the next couple of years and act as a dialogue forum between China and the world
  • Engage in interdisciplinary and intercultural dialogue and contribute to the personal development to drive responsible and sustainable actions
Tentative Programme:

Sunday, 22 October 2023 - Shenzhen
09:00 Opening of Conference Check-in
  • Hotel Lobby, 1st Floor
09:30 Optional Early Bird Programme: Rendez-vous with China’s Youngest Metropolis
  • GAO Yan (高岩)  Co-Founder and Principal Architect EPlus Design Group; Adjunct Associate Professor, Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School, Shenzhen, China
  • Meeting Point: Hotel Lobby, 1st Floor
11:30 Welcome Buffet Lunch
  • Foyer, 3rd Floor
13:00 Welcome Address
  • Toni SCHOENENBERGER  Executive Chairman, stars Foundation, Stein am Rhein, Switzerland
  • Vice-Mayor, Futian District (tbc)  
  • Shangri-La Ballroom, 3rd Floor
13:45 Greater Bay Area – Playing Bold on China’s Chessboard of High Quality Development
  • XIAO Geng (肖耿)  Chairman at Hong Kong Institution for International Finance; Professor of Practice of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen; Founding Director, Brookings-Tsinghua Center for Public Policy, Beijing, China
15:15 Networking Coffee
  • Foyer, 3rd Floor
16:15 China and Aging – Growing Old Before Becoming Rich?
  • N.N.  
  • Shangri-La Ballroom, 3rd Floor
18:30 Cocktails, Dinner and Networking with Local Entrepreneurs and Business Representatives
  • Chairman's Room, 40th Floor
Dinner Speech
Monday, 23 October 2023 - Shenzhen
07:00 Breakfast
  • Café Zen, 1st Floor
08:00 State of Chinese Economy
  • Shangri-La Ballroom, 3rd Floor
V or L Shaped: Understanding China’s Economic Rebound and Outlook
  • WANG Dan (王丹)  Chief Economist, Hang Seng Bank; Former Chief Economist, The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), Shanghai, China
From Data as Factor of Production to China’s Digital Economy
  • XIE Danxia (谢丹夏)  Associate Professor, Institute of Economics, School of Social Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
VC in Shenzhen’s Tech Ecosystem – Venturing from Potential to Prowess
  • XIONG Hao (熊昊)  Partner and General Manager, South China Region of Sinovation Ventures, Shenzhen, China
10:15 Networking Coffee
  • Foyer, 3rd Floor
10:45 Building Businesses in China: Engineering Meets Entrepreneurship
  • Shangri-La Ballroom, 3rd Floor
12:00 Lunch
  • Guangdong Room, 3rd Floor
13:00 Departure
  • Meeting Point: Hotel Lobby, 1st Floor
Site Visit 1: Overtaking on the Bend: How BYD Builds your Dreams?
Site Visit 2: From STEM Talent to Innovation
Group Picture
19:00 Cocktails and Dinner
Tuesday, 24 October 2023 - Shenzhen
07:00 Breakfast
  • Café Zen, 1st Floor
08:00 China’s Green Tech – the Next Frontier of Competition and Cooperation
  • N.N.  
  • Shangri-La Ballroom, 3rd Floor
09:00 Daring to Win – Case-Study of BASF’s Mega-Investment in Guangdong
  • Joerg WUTTKE  Chief Representative, BASF China; Former President, European Union Chamber of Commerce in China (EUCCC); Member, stars International Board, Beijing, China
10:00 Networking Coffee
  • Foyer, 3rd Floor
10:30 Foreign Business in China – Success, Realities and Adapation
  • Jayne PLUNKETT  Group Chief Risk Officer, Member, Group Executive Committee, AIA; Member, stars International Board, Hong Kong, China
  • N.N. 1  
  • N.N. 2  
  • Shangri-La Ballroom, 3rd Floor
12:00 Lunch
  • Guangdong Room, 3rd Floor
13:00 Departure
  • Meeting Point: Hotel Lobby, 1st Floor
14:00 Site Visit 3: Leading the World with Tech-Powered Retail Financial Services
17:00 Site Visit 4: A SIX-Listed Chinese Champion
18:30 Departure
19:00 Cocktails, Dinner and Networking with Local Entrepreneurs and Business Representatives, hosted by Zhengxuan Investment
  • Park Hyatt, Futian District
Journalism on China – Recounts and Reflections
Wednesday, 25 October 2023 - Shenzhen
07:00 Breakfast
  • Café Zen, 1st Floor
08:00 China’s Foreign Policy – the World Through the Lens of Beijing
  • HAO Yufan (郝雨凡)  Director of Global Studies Program and Presidential Chair Professor at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen
  • Shangri-La Ballroom, 3rd Floor
09:00 Navigating a More Multipolar World – Where are we Heading?
  • HUANG Jing (黄靖)  Professor and Director, Institute of the US and Pacific Studies, Shanghai International Studies University (SISU); Member, stars Scientific Board, Shanghai, China
  • Jorge TOLEDO ALBIÑANA (tbc)  Ambassador of the Delegation of the European Union to the People’s Republic of China, Beijing
  • N.N.  
10:30 Networking Coffee
  • Foyer, 3rd Floor
11:00 A Wide-Ranging Conversation with Uli Sigg – Art, Diplomacy and Business
  • Uli SIGG  Art Collector, Business Leader, Former Swiss Ambassador to the People’s Republic of China, North Korea and Mongolia; Member, stars China Advisory Panel, Mauensee, Switzerland
  • Shangri-La Ballroom, 3rd Floor
12:15 Concluding Remarks
12:30 Lunch
  • Guangdong Room, 3rd Floor
15:00 Departure for Optional Programme
  • Meeting Point: Hotel Lobby, 1st Floor
17:00 Optional Programme: stars Hong Kong Alumni Chapter Meeting
  • M+ Hong Kong
Guided Tour of the M+ Museum
  • Uli SIGG  Art Collector, Business Leader, Former Swiss Ambassador to the People’s Republic of China, North Korea and Mongolia; Member, stars China Advisory Panel, Mauensee, Switzerland
Flying Dinner

Moderation:

  • Markus HERRMANN (陈瑞华), Co-Founder and Managing Director, China Macro Group (CMG); Strategic Advisor Europe, Caixin Global; Member, stars Foundation Board, Zurich, Switzerland
  • HUANG Shan (黄山), Senior Advisor, China Macro Group (CMG); Deputy Managing Editor, Editorial Board Member, Caixin Media; stars Alumnus, Zurich, Switzerland
  • LONG Jingjie (龙晶洁), China Liaison Head / Director, China Macro Group (CMG), Beijing, China

 

In cooperation with our Programme Partner China Macro Group (CMG), Zurich, Munich, Beijing.

Media Coverage and Chatham House Rules:
Media representatives may attend the symposium. The symposium is held under the Chatham House Rules.

stars reserves the right to make any necessary changes to the programme. The full terms and conditions of stars are available here.

31 May 2023

Programme Speakers / Moderators Partners Application