Is China Systematically Buying Up Key Technologies? Chinese M & A transactions in Germany in the context of “Made in China 2025”. Bertelsmann Stiftung GED Study 2018

“Made in China 2025” (MIC 2025) is the Chinese central government’s main industrial policy strategy aimed at turning China into the global leader of the fourth industrial revolution. Chinese M & A transactions abroad explicitly belong to the instruments for implementing MIC 2025. Germany is an attractive location for Chinese M & A transactions and offers tailor-made know-how for MIC 2025 due to its large number of “hidden champions”, i. e. technological world market leaders in highly specialized niches. 64 percent or 112 of the 175 analyzed Chinese M & A transactions with a share of at least ten percent in German companies between 2014 and 2017 percent can be assigned to one of the ten key sectors in which China aims to assume global technology leadership with the help of MIC 2025. On the one hand, there is a clear focus on the MIC 2025 sectors of “energy-saving and new-energy vehicles”, “electrical equipment” and “high-end numerical control machinery and robotics” – i. e. sectors in which Germany can in part demonstrate significant competitive technological advantages. Even before the introduction of MIC 2025 in 2015, however, these sectors were already a focus of interest for Chinese investors in Germany. On the other hand, key sectors that played little or no role for Chinese M & A transactions in Germany have also become increasingly important since the introduction of MIC 2025. This is particularly evident in the MIC 2025 sector of “biomedicine and high-performance medical devices”. The majority of the 112 Chinese M & A transactions (just under 60 percent) that are relevant for MIC 2025 are distributed across only three German states: Baden-Württemberg (26), North Rhine-Westphalia (22) and Bavaria (18) – the very regions in which the majority of the German “hidden champions” are located. State-owned investors make up 18 percent of the Chinese M & A transactions examined, and are therefore a minority. However, taking into account only the M & A transactions that can be assigned to the MIC 2025 sectors, their share rises to around 22 percent – a possible indication of state stakeholders’ greater interest in acquiring know-how abroad for the implementation of MIC 2025. However, the formal type of ownership of Chinese companies does not show the full picture of potential state influence due to the complex interplay between the state and companies in China. Therefore, the great challenge for Germany consists in the forms of state influence that are not or only insufficiently reflected in the majority ownership type of Chinese investors

Conference Report The 16th Asia Europe Economic Forum. EU-Asia trade and investment connectivity

Global economic trends over the last decades have steadily increased the links between Asia and Europe. For both regions, a growing economic interdependency represents an opportunity to build strong, fair and sustainable relations. Nonetheless, constant global economic disruptions, political uncertainty and a rapid change in economic dynamics make cooperation no easy task for policy makers. With strong recognition of this challenge, the Asia Europe Economic Forum (AEEF) contributes to interregional cooperation with the diversification and consolidation of the links between Asia and Europe. The AEEF was established in 2006 by Jean Pisani-Ferry, the then-director of the Brussels-based think tank Bruegel, as a high-level forum to bring together Asian and European senior policy makers and experts. As such, the Forum is a platform for research-based exchange and discussion on global issues and mutual interests. It is here where Asian and European policy experts can learn from each other, thereby gaining a deeper understanding of the economic and political ties between Asia and Europe. The AEEF is all about bringing countries together and building partnerships with regard to shared interests—the AEEF is all about connectivity (see Box 1).

Globalization Report 2018: Who Benefits Most from Globalization? Bertelsmann Policy Brief #2018/02

There is growing uncertainty in industrialized countries as to whether globalization means more opportunity or more risk. Trump, Brexit and increasing populism are direct consequences of this development. However, our Globalization Report 2018 shows for the third time in a row, as in 2014 and 2016, that: when measured in terms of per capita gross domestic product, industrialized countries in particular continue to be the biggest winners as a result of increasing globalization

REPETIBILIDADE E DISSIMILARIDADE GENÉTICA EM CARACTERÍSTICAS BIOMÉTRICAS DE FRUTOS E SEMENTES DE Butia eriospatha (MART. EX DRUDE) BECC

TCC(graduação) - Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina. Campus Curitibanos. Engenharia Florestal.Butia eriospatha possui grande importância alimentar, medicinal, sócio-cultural e econômica. Mas, devido às ações antrópicas, à degradação de seus ambientes naturais, à introdução de espécies exóticas e à presença do gado em sua área de ocorrência, a espécie encontra-se ameaçada de extinção. Portanto, há a necessidade de que seja realizado o processo de seleção de matrizes como procedimento do pré-melhoramento da espécie, para o uso sustentável e conservação genética da espécie. A primeira etapa deste processo é determinar o quanto as características da espécie se repetem nas próximas gerações. Ao se realizar a análise da repetibilidade das características, é possível minimizar o dispêndio de tempo e de mão de obra necessários. Diante do exposto, o objetivo deste trabalho foi determinar o coeficiente de repetibilidade de dez características de frutos e sementes, e assim determinar o número mínimo de medições para um eficiente processo de seleção e avaliação de B. eriosphata, bem como, analisar a dissimilaridade genética entre 13 matrizes. Para as características de frutos e sementes, de 13 matrizes, observaram-se coeficientes de repetibilidade de alta magnitude, indicando que a avaliação de 16 frutos é suficiente. De acordo com as características físicas de frutos foi possível verificar a formação de três grupos com o uso da análise de dissimilaridade genética através da distância de Mahalanobis, evidenciando uma base genética restrita das matrizes estudadas, sendo que as características com maior contribuição para esta dissimilaridade foram: DL (diâmetro longitudinal), DE (diâmetro equatorial), VF (volume do fruto), NS (número de sementes) e DES (diâmetro equatorial da semente)Butia eriospatha has great importance food, medical, socio-cultural and economic. But due to human activities, the degradation of their natural environments, the introduction of exotic species and livestock presence in its range, the species is threatened with extinction. Therefore, there is a need to be realized the process of selection of matrices as a procedure pre-breeding of the species, for the sustainable use and conservation genetics of the species. The first step in this process is to determine the extent to which species characteristics recur in future generations. When performing the analysis of the characteristics of repeatability, it is possible to minimize the expenditure of time and hand of work needed. Given the above, the objective of this study was to determine the coefficient of repeatability ten characteristics of fruits and seeds, and thus determine the minimum number of measurements to an efficient process of selection and evaluation of B. eriosphata and analyze the genetic dissimilarity between 13 arrays. For fruit characteristics and seeds of arrays 13, there were high repeatability magnitude coefficients, indicating that the evaluation of fruit 16 is sufficient. According to the fruit of physical characteristics was possible to verify the formation of three groups with the use of genetic dissimilarity analysis by Mahalanobis distance, showing a genetic basis restricted matrices studied, and the characteristics with greater contribution to this dissimilarity were : DL (longitudinal diameter), DE (equatorial diameter), VF (fruit volume), NS (number of seeds) and DES (equatorial diameter of the seed)

Economic Impact of Foreign-owned Firms in the EU and Germany. Bertelsmann Policy Brief #2020/02

In times of Trump and Brexit, protectionist tendencies seem to be a global trend. The advantages that economic interconnectedness implies are increasingly receding into the background. Foreign-owned firms in the EU and Germany, however, make a considerable contribution to employment and gross domestic product (GDP). Nowadays

Learning from Trump and Xi? Globalization and innovation as drivers of a new industrial policy. Bertelsmann GED Focus 2020

Technological innovations are essential drivers of longterm and sustainable growth. Accordingly, there currently is a debate in Germany and the EU as to whether a new, strategic industrial policy can be an answer to the complex dynamics of digitization. Products of this discussion are, for example, the Industrial Strategy 2030 published by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy in November 2019 and the Franco-German Manifesto for a European Industrial Policy for the 21st Century. The focus here is on the question of how the EU and its member states can maintain their innovative and thus competitive ability in the face of diverse challenges. However, there is no standard recipe for building and expanding the innovative capacity of an economy. Different countries rely on different strategies that can be equally successful. An important distinguishing feature is the role of the state. A clear example of divergent innovation models are China and the USA. Although both countries have completely different approaches to an innovation-promoting industrial policy, both models are characterized by major technological successes. With an analysis of the Chinese and American innovation system, this study highlights the main features and success factors of both innovation models and discusses whether and to what extent these factors are transferable to the European and German case. Five fields of action for an innovation-promoting industrial policy in the EU and Germany emerge from this analysis • Implementation of a long-term innovation strategy • Expansion of venture capital • Expansion of cluster approaches at EU level • Thinking and strengthening of cybersecurity at EU level • Creation of uniform and fair conditions for competition In addition to these fields of action, which are relevant both for the EU and for individual member states, industrial policy measures in the following three areas could be useful for Germany. In particular: • Improvement of framework conditions for research and development • Gearing the education and research system more strongly towards entrepreneurship and innovation • State as a pioneer and trailblazer in new technologies In their implementation, however, strategic European and German industrial policies face a trade-off between the protection and promotion of legitimate self-interests on the one hand and the defense against economically damaging protectionism and ill-considered state interventionism on the other. The so-called “mission orientation” can make a significant contribution here: Accordingly, industrial policy should serve to address specific societal challenges (e. g. globalization, digitization, demographic change, climate change) and be coherently targeted towards these objectives. Furthermore, industrial policy is to be driven in parallel by different actors. Above all, it is a joint task of business and politics to enable a competitive business location where the state ensures good competition- promoting framework conditions and the private actors implement concrete actions

How Hidden Protectionism Impacts International Trade. Bertelsmann Policy Brief #2017/09

Tariffs impede trade. They are the most visible instrument for protecting domestic companies against foreign competition. So-called non-tariff barriers to trade (NTBs) are less visible. NTBs include restricting import quantities, registration formalities for imports or state aid for domestic suppliers. Our study shows that NTBs implemented worldwide between 2010 and 2015 have been responsible for roughly 16 percent of missing global trade in 2015, amounting to about USD 512 billion. German exports could have been at least USD 43 billion higher in 2015 if these NTBs had not existed. The value of German imports in 2015 would have been at least USD 34 billion higher than the actual volume of imports

Food purchases: Impacts from the consumers' point of view investigated with a modular LCA

The goal of this research work was to assist consumers in considering environmental aspects of food consumption. A simplified, modular LCA approach has been used to evaluate the impacts from the consumers' point of view. Comparative LCA's have been calculated for five single aspects of decisions: type of agricultural practice, origin, packaging material, type of preservation, and consumption. The inventory for one module includes the environmental impacts related to one particular product characteristic. The modular LCA allows one to investigate the trade-offs among different decision parameters. It could be shown that most of the decision parameters might have an influence on the overall impact of a vegetable product. Greenhouse production and vegetables transported by air cause the highest surplus environmental impact. For meat products, the agricultural production determines the overall environmental impact. The total impact for vegetable or meat purchases may vary by a factor of eight or two-and-a-half. Different suggestions for consumers have been ranked according to the variation of average impacts, due to a marginal change of behaviour. Avoiding air-transported food products leads to the highest decrease of environmental impact

Life Cycle Assessment for Emerging Technologies: Case Studies for Photovoltaic and Wind Power (11 pp)

Goal, Scope and Background: This paper describes the modelling of two emerging electricity systems based on renewable energy: photovoltaic (PV) and wind power. The paper shows the approach used in the ecoinvent database for multi-output processes. Methods: Twelve different, grid-connected photovoltaic systems were studied for the situation in Switzerland. They are manufactured as panels or laminates, from mono- or polycrystalline silicon, installed on facades, slanted or flat roofs, and have a 3kWp capacity. The process data include quartz reduction, silicon purification, wafer, panel and laminate production, supporting structure and dismantling. The assumed operational lifetime is 30 years. Country-specific electricity mixes have been considered in the LCI in order to reflect the present situation for individual production stages. The assessment of wind power includes four different wind turbines with power rates between 30 kW and 800 kW operating in Switzerland and two wind turbines assumed representative for European conditions 800 kW onshore and 2 MW offshore. The inventory takes into account the construction of the plants including the connection to the electric grid and the actual wind conditions at each site in Switzerland. Average European capacity factors have been assumed for the European plants. Eventually necessary backup electricity systems are not included in the analysis. Results and Discussion: The life cycle inventory analysis for photovoltaic power shows that each production stage may be important for specific elementary flows. A life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) shows that there are important environmental impacts not directly related to the energy use (e.g. process emissions of NOx from wafer etching). The assumption for the used supply energy mixes is important for the overall LCIA results of different production stages. The allocation of the inventory for silicon purification to different products is discussed here to illustrate how allocation has been implemented in ecoinvent. Material consumption for the main parts of the wind turbines gives the dominant contributions to the cumulative results for electricity production. The complex installation of offshore turbines, with high requirements of concrete for the foundation and the assumption of a shorter lifetime compared to onshore foundations, compensate the advantage of increased offshore wind speeds. Conclusion: The life cycle inventories for photovoltaic power plants are representative for newly constructed plants and for the average photovoltaic mix in Switzerland in the year 2000. A scenario for a future technology helps to assess the relative influence of technology improvements for some processes in the near future (2005-2010). The differences for environmental burdens of wind power basically depend upon the capacity factor of the plants, the lifetime of the infrastructure, and the rated power. The higher these factors, the more reduced the environmental burdens are. Thus, both systems are quite dependent on meteorological conditions and the materials used for the infrastructure. Recommendation and Perspective: Many production processes for photovoltaic power are still under development. Future updates of the LCI should verify the energy uses and emissions with available data from industrial processes in operation. For the modelling of a specific power plant or power plant mixes outside of Switzerland, one has to consider the annual yield (kWh/kWp) and if possible also the size of the plant. Considering the steady growth of the size of wind turbines in Europe, the development of new designs, and the exploitation of offshore location with deeper waters than analysed in this study, the inventory for wind power plants may need to be updated in the futur