Central Texas Global Business Pulse

Big Plan in China

Beijing Water Reclamation Plant Visit
Big Plan team had the privilege to witness cutting-edge advancements in wastewater management technology. We were invited to tour a water reclamation plant in Beijing, where a revolutionary distributed decentralized underground water reclamation system is implemented. This innovative technology not only manages wastewater efficiently but also enables the land above to be utilized for parks, stadiums, industrial and commercial spaces—free from noise or odor. A game-changer for urban planning, this approach offers a sustainable boost to city development. Thank you to our hosts, China Water Environmental Group, for this insightful experience!

News & Updates

International

Mexico has been taking a bashing lately for allegedly serving as a conduit for Chinese parts and products into North America, and officials here are afraid a re-elected Donald Trump or politically struggling Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau could try to leave their country out of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada free trade agreement.

Mexico’s ruling Morena party is so afraid of losing the trade deal that President Claudia Sheinbaum said Friday the government has gone on a campaign to get companies to replace Chinese parts with locally made ones.
German manufacturing orders jumped more than expected in September, driven by large-scale orders, offering a glimpse of hope that the recent downturn in the beleaguered sector may be abating.

Orders climbed 4.2% on month in September, according to data published Wednesday by Germany’s statistics agency Destatis. That was better than economists’ expectations for a 1.4% rise, according to a Wall Street Journal poll, and contrasts with the 5.4% fall in August orders.
Gautam Adani, the billionaire founder of one of India’s biggest business conglomerates, was charged by the Justice Department with orchestrating a massive bribery scheme to pay off Indian government officials to secure lucrative solar-energy supply contracts.
Steelmakers in the world’s biggest producer are leaning heavily on overseas sales to soak up a surplus caused by the country’s years-long property crisis. But they’re running into dumping accusations from importers and a protectionist Donald Trump will soon be back in the White House. The flare-up in tensions is starting to resemble the industry’s last trade crisis of nearly a decade ago.

USA

The U.S. leads the world in developing artificial intelligence technology, surpassing China in research and other important measures of AI innovation, according to a newly released Stanford University index.

There’s no surefire way to rank global AI leadership but Stanford researchers have made an attempt by measuring the “vibrancy” of the AI industry across various dimensions, from how much research and investment is happening to how responsibly the technology is being pursued to prevent harm.
The Biden administration is set to unveil new export restrictions on China as soon as next week, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce told members in a Thursday email.

The new regulations could add up to 200 Chinese chip companies to a trade restriction list that bars most U.S. suppliers from shipping goods to the targeted firms, the email from the powerful Washington-based lobbying group said, according to an excerpt seen by Reuters on Friday.
As part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today announced up to $2.2 billion in award commitments for two Regional Clean Hydrogen Hubs (H2Hubs) that will help accelerate the commercial-scale deployment of low-cost, clean hydrogen—a valuable energy product that can be produced with zero or near-zero carbon emissions. The two awardees—Gulf Coast H2Hub and Midwest H2Hub—are critical pillars of DOE's H2Hubs program, which was created by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to kickstart a national network of clean hydrogen producers, consumers, and connective infrastructure while supporting the production, storage, delivery, and end-use of clean hydrogen. Building a strong and equitable domestic clean hydrogen economy is a key component of President Biden and Vice President Harris’ plan to strengthen America’s economic competitiveness, create new good-paying, high-quality jobs, and slash harmful emissions that jeopardize public health and pollute local ecosystems.
The Biden administration is set to announce new restrictions on exporting sensitive technology to China soon, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce told members in an email November 21.

According to The Guardian, the new regulations could add as many as 200 Chinese chip companies to a trade restriction list that prohibits most U.S. suppliers from shipping goods to the targeted firms, the email said, according to an excerpt seen by Reuters on November 22.

Texas

The governor of Texas ordered state agencies to stop investing in China and sell assets there as soon as possible, citing financial and security risks, a sign of rising U.S.-China tensions starting to impact global capital flows.

In a letter to state agencies dated Nov. 21 and posted to his website, Republican Greg Abbott said "belligerent actions" of China's ruling Communist Party had increased risks to Texas' investments in China, and told investors to get out.
Texas authorities say they are prepared to offer President-elect Donald Trump 1,400-acres (567 hectares) of land along the US-Mexico border to build detention facilities for undocumented migrants.

In a letter, the Texas General Land Office said the plot could be used to build facilities for "processing, detention, and co-ordination of the largest deportation of violent criminals in the nation's history".
Lancium, the owner and master developer of the Clean Campus located in Abilene, Texas, is leasing approximately 90 acres to Crusoe, a company that specializes in data center development. Crusoe will build 998,000 square feet of data center space, which is scheduled to be leased to a Fortune 100 tenant in 2025. The Development Corporation of Abilene (DCOA), in continued partnership with the City of Abilene and Taylor County, recently announced this latest milestone in the growth and expansion of Lancium’s Clean Campus.

Austin

Houston-based Highland Resources Inc. has received the go-ahead from the Round Rock City Council to rezone a 57-acre tract for an industrial project that could include a data center.
The city of Austin has shelled out a hefty chunk of change — $107.6 million — to buy two office buildings along South MoPac Expressway in Southwest Austin.

It bought the two properties, called One Barton Skyway and Two Barton Skyway, from Philadelphia-based commercial real estate firm Brandywine Realty Trust, according to an announcement. The city the purchase in late October, with plans to use the buildings as a consolidated public safety headquarters for the Austin Police Department, the Austin Fire Department and Austin-Travis County Medical Emergency Services.
In December, Austin Energy is set to launch an initiative that will elevate the city’s clean energy future.

As a leader in renewable energy, the utility will roll out its Solar Standard Offer program — a major move to boost Austin Energy’s renewable energy capacity and unlock significant opportunities for local businesses. With extensive rooftop space, abundant sunshine and an innovative electric utility, Austin Energy has a unique opportunity to add megawatts of rooftop solar power to the grid.

Opinion Editorials

As the electric vehicle (EV) market expands, manufacturing processes must adapt to meet the growing demand for effectiveness, environmental responsibility, and localized production.

At my company, Manaflex, we see integrated manufacturing as an essential approach for the EV battery industry, as it allows parts such as current collectors, flexible busbars, and voltage sense harnesses (VSH) to be manufactured seamlessly in a single integrated process. This approach ensures that each component meets demanding performance standards and integrates into the larger system to maximize energy flow and longevity. Furthermore, localization is becoming an essential strategy for improving supply chains, lowering environmental impact, and aligning with national interests.

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