A CASE OF GEO-INNOVATION IN THE 21ST CENTURY: Italy’s Science, Technology and Innovation Partnership with China.
The report is structured as follows. Section 1 frames the Sino-Italian STI partnership against the backdrop of geo-innovation and introduces the recent developments of China’s domestic STI scenario following the adoption of two new strategic plans – the Belt and Road Initiative and the Made in China 2025 – under the new presidency of Xi Jinping. Then a brief account of the implications resulting from the two new plans on China’s STI bilateral relations with the West is given, with a focus on the Italy-China STI bilateral relations. Section 2 first illustrates the history of Italy-China STI relations and provides deeper insights on the type of STI initiatives and collaborations between the two countries at the institutional level, involving universities, research institutes as well as start-ups and SMEs. Section 2 then provides an analysis of the trends in FDI flows between Italy and China in the years 2010-2020, and the results are elaborated to give an account on the current state of affairs in the major industries where FDIs are realized. Section 3 illustrates cooperation between Italy and China in the green industries as a case study, first by looking at the new Chinese market for environmental protection as the result of the reform policies introduced by the three most recent Five Year Plans. The Section then discusses business opportunities for Italian firms in the Chinese green industry market and in the context of sustainable development of PR China.
As hubs of social development, cities are faced with a myriad of diverse opportunities, bolstered by economic growth and scientific advances, as well as multiple obstacles and challenges. 2020 has brought challenges and uncertainty for a great number of cities, and has also presented us with a chance to slow down the pace of modern life and reconsider whether cities, in the midst of this rapid development, really possess the resilience to stave off risks and overcome challenges. Since 2014, the annual Chinese Cities of Opportunity report, jointly published by PwC and the China Development and Research Foundation has continued to monitor opportunities arising from China’s urban development and track the progress of its urbanisation from different angles and perspectives. For each edition, we adjust our research priorities subject to the social and economic priorities of the year in China. This year, against the extraordinary backdrop of the COVID-19 outbreak, the 2020 edition pays attention to urban resilience and the sustainable development of cities, while incorporating some additional key elements and angles such as the refined management of cities and smart cities.
We have all witnessed how digital advancement and eCommerce have transformed China’s retail landscape and brought incredible growth. Yet, increasingly the question on everyone’s minds now is how much longer digital innovation can further fuel the growth in retail, and what the next growth driver might be. Some would suggest that in the future “new retail” might be the key catalyst to unlock the next wave of retail growth.
Through our extensive retail work in China we have increasingly observed that new retail has extended into broader meanings and applications across the entire industry value chain. It is the mean rather than the end to reflect the constant evolution of customer needs and preferences as driven by social, demographic and technological trends. In this article, we set out to explore three core propositions from our first-hand dialogue with many leading internet giants, retailers and investors.