China Visit Shines Light on Export Opportunities

27 November 2024

British businesses of all sizes are likely to see increased opportunities in 2025, says Chamber International senior associate Matthew Grandage (pictured below, backrow, right), who has been visiting three of China’s provinces from this November.

UK business delegation visiting a large lithium battery facility in Shandong

The trip included a number of important business events, as well as extended time with two companies: one a wholly UK-owned enterprise, and the other a delivery partner for another UK business.

In the city of Zaozhuang, Shandong province, a two-day dialogue on 21-22 November brought representatives of UK industrial companies together with potential local customers, suppliers and partners, primarily from the chemical and manufacturing engineering sectors.  Participants included major players such as Johnson Matthey and WanHua Chemical, as well as SME manufacturers such as Crowcon, Renishaw, and LMK Thermosafe.  Organised by the UK’s Department for Business and Trade (DBT) and the Shandong provincial government, the carefully-targeted nature of this event ensured that the opportunity for companies to meet suitable partners was real.

In Chengdu, Sichuan province, the new heads of the China Britain Business Council (CBBC) – chair Sir Sherrard Cowper-Coles and CEO Peter Burnett – were the special guests of honour at a roundtable discussion hosted by British Chamber of Commerce Southwest China on 18 November. 

Around 20 Chamber member businesses – including HSBC, Smith & Nephew, Akzo Nobel and Sigma Precision Components - took part in lively discussion, sharing news about developments and plans, as well as some of the challenges they face in China’s rapidly changing market.  Sir Sherrard spoke candidly about the potential impact of a second Trump presidency on UK-China trade, and about positive changes that have happened during the last six months in relations between the British and Chinese governments, that should lead to improved market access and opportunities for UK business.

A few days earlier, Chengdu was also the location for an event hosted by the EU SME Centre, another well-respected and long-established source of information for companies doing business with China. 

“Though China’s growth has slowed significantly in recent years, it still outstrips most major economies.  Inbound investment, especially from the US, has also slowed greatly – the fact that some large western law firms have reduced or closed their in-China operations is a symptom of this development”, said Matthew.  “However, western businesses are still entering China successfully, through exporting and other means of expansion.  It’s by no means certain to happen, but if Trump follows through on his commitment to hit all imports from China with 60 percent tariffs, Britain will be well-placed to benefit as China looks for alternative partnerships and suppliers.  If UK-China relations are thawing under the current government, and it appears that they may well be, then that could be happening at a very helpful time for British business.”

Chamber International assists a wide range of businesses with exporting to, and importing from, China – including those that are new to the market there. Contact us for advice and practical assistance.

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