Inquiry into the Scottish Government’s Country Plan for China and International Framework – call for views
The Committee has agreed to conduct an inquiry into the Scottish Government’s Country Plan for China and International Framework. The China Plan has been refreshed three times since its original publication in 2006. The most recent update was published on 4 December 2012.
This strategy sets out the Scottish Government’s priorities and targets for the development of Scotland’s relationship with China over the next five years. It is intended to provide a framework for any Scottish organisation that wishes to engage with China.
Inquiry remit
The Committee will focus its inquiry on the Government’s strategy for economic engagement with China. The Committee will consider the latest China Plan update and compare it with the previous version to assess the progress made in implementing and achieving the targets. The Committee will be interested to see the impact of the Plan on the businesses it has been designed to support.
The inquiry will also take into account the findings and recommendations of a report on the original strategy for engagement with China, published a previous European and External Relations Committee during Session 3 of the Parliament.
Timescale
The Committee will be conducted in two phases, the first of which will be visits by members of the Committee to businesses across Scotland with significant investment from, or trade with, China. These visits will allow the Committee to gain a first-hand understanding of how the objectives of the China Plan are being implemented and what improvement and support is needed by the Government and the relevant business development organisations to enable it to meet the refreshed China Plan targets and allow Scottish businesses to expand their engagement with the country.
Phase two of the inquiry will be the taking of oral and written evidence from relevant stakeholders. The Committee will invite representatives of key organisations and companies with a specific interest in Scotland’s economic engagement with China, to give formal evidence at its meetings.
In addition the Committee is now inviting written evidence from stakeholders.
The 2012 China Plan states its principal priority “of increasing trade opportunities for Scottish business in China and encouraging more Chinese investment in Scottish industry and infrastructure.”
The Committee is interested to hear stakeholder’s opinions on:
- How successful was the previous China plan in meeting its economic objectives?
- How effective has the implementation of the economic aspects of the China Plan has been and whether it has reached and assisted the intended businesses?
- Are the targets for economic engagement with China outlined in the 2012 China Plan achievable, do they go far enough, and have they been sufficiently tailored to address the new economic climate?
- What more will be needed to support the development of trade and investment with China?
- Would the absence of the China Plan be a potential disadvantage to trade and investment and does the existence of the Plan as it stands, raise any concerns for stakeholders?
The above points are meant as a guide for responding and submissions need not provide an answer for all the questions.
Submitting your views to the Committee
Before making a submission, please read the Parliament’s policy on treatment of written evidence by subject and mandatory committees.
To allow the Committee to take account of any views received, submissions should be sent to the address below, no later than Friday 12 April 2013.
Written submissions should be submitted electronically (preferably in Microsoft Word format) to—
[email protected]
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