On 14th March 2018, Kaitlin Zhang attended the 6th Annual CBBC China Business Conference at the Queen Elizabeth II Centre in Westminster, London. The conference was hosted by the China Britain Business Council (CBBC). It is one of the main China Britain Business Council events for 2018.
The event started with a warm video message from UK Prime Minister Theresa May. H.E.
Ambassador Liu Xiaoming, the Chinese Ambassador to the UK, gave an opening address.
Here are the 3 things I learned from the China Britain Business Conference 2018:
Take Away 1: Belt & Road: Project of the Century
There is rising demand for British products and services, in particular for the emerging middle class in China. And the “One Belt One Road” initiative will strongly support this growth. “Described by President Xi as the ‘project of the century’, the Belt and Road Initiative is now gathering momentum as driver of global economic growth. $50 billion has already been invested into BRI projects to date, across a wide range of infrastructure projects throughout region” (CBBC). As the UK prepares for Brexit, it can look towards the East and take advantage of the $50 billion investment in better trade connections.
Take Away 2: 1000 Villages Form the Future Cities of China
Millions of Chinese citizens are moving into cities every year. At the 19th Party Congress, President Xi Jinping discusses a new model for urban planning which includes green technology and environmental safeguarding. There are plans for thousands of “characteristic villages” or “feature towns” that cluster around large cities. Each village will be known for a specific characteristic, such as tech, culture or tourism etc. Prospective investors into China could consider these villages as an alternative from over-populated and expensive first tier cities like Beijing and Shanghai.
Panel Discussion: Selling Services Into China
Take Away 3: Work with Reputable Experienced Firms When Entering into the Chinese Market
For companies that want to enter into the Chinese market, the most important thing is to get advice from reputable and experienced firms. The Chinese market is more complex than you might think. Government regulations can change without warning. Whether it’s legal advice, HR advice or branding & marketing advice from a firm like ours, it’s important to find a reputable firm to work with.
Learn more about our branding & digital marketing services in China.
Don’t forget you need a localized Chinese brand name. And you need to register to your trademarks, logos, and IP to protect yourself in the Chinese market.
Are you interested in expanding your business into China?
We are a branding & marketing agency with a local China team. And we have partners in other industries to help you set up your business including:
Legal (IP, Trademark etc.)
Company set-up
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The China Britain Business Council Twitter account is @ChinaBritain.The event hashtag is #ChinaBizConf.
Related Twitter accounts for the event are @ChinaBritTech @Tradegovuk @UKinChina @BritishChambers @EUChinaBA.
