Liverpool firms’ link to Chinese markets

Aug 13 2007 by Alistair Houghton, Liverpool Daily Post

MERSEYSIDE businesses could be among the first in the UK to take part in two of China’s biggest trade fairs and boost their exports to the country.

Liverpool-based Chinalink is organising the UK’s trade missions to the Shanghai Fair next month and to the Canton Fair in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou in October.

The Chinese government is now actively encouraging importing into the country and Chinalink director Dr Kegang Wu said Merseyside businesses should take advantage of the missions to market their products in China for the first time.

He added: “People will be able to talk to the Chinese traders, distributors and users directly. It’s a rare opportunity of a kind just starting to appear now.

“We want to be the first in the country to take advantage. We’re fortunate as a city to be able to use our links to China. We have limited space, so I’d urge companies to come forward quickly and sign up.”

Both trade fairs being visited by Chinalink cover a range of industrial sectors. Previous Shanghai fairs have been attended by up to 100,000 people, while the Canton Fair is set to attract 12,000 Chinese traders and 200,000 overseas trade visitors.

Dr Wu said: “These two trade fairs are both very high-profile events. The Canton fair, originally the Chinese Export Commodity Fair, has been running for 50 years now. Guangzhou is the hub for the consumer market in southern China.

“The Shanghai event has been running for many years and is now all about imports.” Merseyside companies can also take advantage of Objective 1 European funding to help cut the cost of exhibiting.

Chinalink, an arm of Liverpool Chamber of Commerce, has taken on a UK-wide role offering expert help and advice to UK companies looking to trade with China and to Chinese companies wanting to get into UK markets.

Dr Wu said the Chinese government had focused on getting its companies to export to the West, but was now keen for foreign companies to import to China.

China wanted to reduce its trade surplus with the West and encourage domestic consumption of imported products.

“The Chinese government has recently changed its policy from emphasising exports to encourag-ing imports and exports at the same time.”

FOR information, visit www.chinalink.org.uk or call 0151 227 1234.

alistairhoughton