Read our blogs to find out what our Business Development Manager in Ningbo has been up to...
At last I have time to take a small rest, after a busy period of three months.
Metafocus, a Nottingham based IT company specialising in e-business is interested in the Ningbo market and Ningbo partners for collaboration. They plan to come to Ningbo in the autumn to hold a promotion seminar. And I am active in talking with CCPIT Ningbo,, encouraging a delegation of gardening companies to Nottingham after their visit to Birmingham Gardening Exhibition in Sept.
Right after the raining Plum Season finished on 2 July, Ningbo’s temperature soared to 35 degrees. Mr. Jacky Gao of Edexcel Beijing came to Ningbo on 3 July, under the request of Nottingham Further Education Group. Edexcel is a third-party professional accrediting body that sets up education guidelines, checks education quality and awards certificates in UK academic and vocational studies. He met Wanli International School, Zhejiang Textile and Fashion College and Ningbo FAO school, in order to understand each other better and discuss the feasibilities of collaboration models.
I am taking some leave during the hot summer, so I will say goodbye and wish you a relaxing summer vocation.
Every June Ningbo government is busy with a grand event – this year the 7th Consumer Goods Fair and 10th Zhejiang Investment Symposium. As a Sister City with Ningbo, Nottingham City Council set up a booth in the Overseas Exhibition Area to promote Nottingham as an investment destination. A delegation from Nottingham City Council – Mr. John Connelly, Ms. Yiyun Ling, Ms. Helen Mincher and Ms. Louise McAuley – came to visit Ningbo. They had a discussion with Ms. Sue Bishop, Director of Research Centre of Finance UNNC, visited Ningbo Hi-tech Park and attended Yinzhou Investment Promotion Conference.
Though Nottingham Forest Football Club postponed the visit to China, the Club has maintained interest in the Chinese market. Three football coaches came to deliver training in 6 schools, with the help and support of Linx International and Ningbo Sports Bureau. Their vivid teaching style and practice sessions inspired both pupils and teachers.
Our Rep. Office is one year old. We held a grand celebration banquet in Crowne Plaza Ningbo on the night 6 June. We invited about 90 guests from government, education professionals, associations and business people, as well as friends who gave us a lot of assistance. On the dinner I made a report of achievements in the past year. This is just a start, and we hope we will do better next year.
My fortnight on business in the UK has finished. ON 17 May I flew back to Ningbo and buried myself in work.
18 May, Nottingham based law firm Freeth Cartwright LLP came to visit Ningbo. The partner Mr. Paul Balen had a fruitful meeting with Mr. Zhao Yongqing, Head of Liaison Dept. of Ningbo Lawyer Association about initial collaboration.
And then I was busy with visit of the new Lord Mayor Councillor Gul Khan, who, invited by UNNC (University of Nottingham Ningbo China), came to attend the opening ceremony of CSET (Centre of Sustainable Energy Technologies) on 23 May. A conference was held on the morning in the University International Conference Hall, followed by a visit to the building.
Professor Sir Colin Campbell, Vice Chancellor of Nottingham University UK, chaired the ceremony and delivered a speech of congratulations. Ms. Claire Farrar, Market Development Manager of BASF, and Mr. Bill Dunster, Principal and Architect of ZED factory Ltd gave speeches respectively about construction concept sand technologies with vivid examples. In the summary, Professor Yang Fujia, Chancellor of University of Nottingham and President of UNNC reiterated the responsibility of universities for sustainable development, energy conservation and emission reduction. "What our country and mankind are most concerned about is what we universities are most concerned about and need to shoulder the responsibility to address".
The research centre will be committed to the sustainable development of China and devoted to close cooperation with Chinese universities, research institutes, companies and media to create a better future.
On the same day I saw off the Lord Mayor, I flew to the UK to attend Ningbo Week that was held in Nottingham from 6 May to 10 May.
Ningbo Week was held by Nottingham City Council and supported by the Ningbo government. Over 60 members of four delegations - government officials, education professionals, cultural groups and business people – came to Nottingham to take part in exchange activities. The twinned sister cities signed an agreement to work together on climate change. The education delegation visited local schools and learned from each other. The cultural group presented wonderful performances in Lakeside Art Centre and the Nottingham Old Market Square for three days. The business people visited local video workshops and learned about creative industries in Nottingham.
The following week saw a horrible earthquake in Wenchuan, China. Every night the 10 o’clock news on BBC 1 reported this news at the very beginning for three days. Nottingham City Council, East Midlands China Bureau and Chinese communities and charity organisations were active in fund raising for the victims. Chinese Ambassador Mm. Fu Ying came to Nottingham to attend Sino-UK Business Competition Award, and made a key note speech to show gratitude for the positive media and helpful friends.
China belongs to the World; the World is watching China.
April in China is one of the best months to enjoy pleasant weather. On 22 April, I flew to Beijing to attend a conference about opportunities for Chinese enterprises going out. The conference was organised by National CCPIT (China Council for Promotion in Trade) and lasted two days. Senior officials from National Reform and Development Committee, and Ministry of Commerce made keynote speeches to show support from the central government, and also point out status quo challenges and opportunities. British Chamber of Commerce led a business delegation to attend. Mr. Kegang Wu, Advisor for Chinese Business by the Chamber made a speech proposing several opportunities for UK companies to work with Chinese partners.
May Day saw a great event in Ningbo – the opening ceremony of Hangzhou Bay Bridge. With the length of 36km, the bridge shortens the road travel to Shanghai from 4 hours via Hangzhou to 2.5 hours. It definitely promotes the collaboration between Shanghai and Ningbo.
Lord Mayor of Nottingham, Councillor Mohammed Munir, invited by Ningbo Municipal Government, came to Ningbo to witness the momentous occasion. During his stay, he met Vice Mayor Mr. Wu Hemin, and discussed current developments and future collaboration. He also visited the University of Nottingham Ningbo campus and Nottingham City Council Ningbo office.
Life science is well developed in Nottingham that has been designed as one of the Six Science Cities in the UK. How about Ningbo? In the past, Ningbo Cixi boasted the large number of pharmacy stores because shrewd Cixi merchandisers always felt optimistic about business opportunities in pharmaceutical.
Mr. FU Rancheng, Secretary of Ningbo Pharmaceutical Industry Association told me that Ningbo government had determined to give support and promote the pharmaceutical industry, but now Ningbo lagged behind Hangzhou, Taizhou and Shaoxing in Zhejiang province in terms of total output. Most Ningbo pharmaceutical companies are small in scale and lack of good products. However after visiting some companies I have found they have advantages of their own.
Ningbo Smart Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. Is a wholly-owned Taiwan companies that has been here for over 15 years. It provides chemical raw ingredients to world giants like Pfizer and Wyths. The management has decided to expand to have more capacity to meet clients’ needs.
Huajian Group makes baby beds and offers medical solutions for hospitals. Their main market is local market, but they have planned to clime into high-value added products like lab instruments and purified blood machines.
This week, Prof. XU Jin, from Nottingham University Collaboration of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NUCCAM) came with East Midlands business delegation. This is his first time to come to Ningbo but has found the trip very fruitful. He visited Ningbo Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital and Zhejiang Pharmaceutical College, and had a good talk with Ningbo pharmaceutical experts at the dinner. He had expressed wish to help conduct clinic trial of external use TCMs in the UK.
Lots of opportunities in a promising industry.
Ningbo and Ningbo-nese
Ningbo is a typical water-village in China, near East Sea and close to Shanghai. Green mountains and clear waters have brought much intelligence to this land. It is no exaggeration at all to describe as a glory place with great people. Ningbo is a place of civilization in China; moreover many well-known artists and politicians came from here. Hemudu, Tianyi Library and Chiang Kaishek’s former residence are one of the few examples.
Though not very abundant in natural resources, Ningbo enjoys a high status for Ningbo-nese who are intelligent, hard-working, brave and honest. Looking in the Chinese history, Ningbo people had a good reputation of doing business well. In the early 20th century, quite a few left home for Shanghai to start business, and some even went farther to Hong Kong and became successful industrialists at last. Ningbo people are good at grasping big pictures and don’t care too much about trifles. They are smart and open-minded. There are two major roads in Ningbo named Heyi (sensible) and Kaiming (open-minded), more or less expressing the personalities of the people here. Ningbo people have a loud voice, and it feels like they are quarrelling. But of course they are very rational.
It is obvious that Ningbo people haven’t get used to writing down every detail in black and white. However, they are stick to everything that has been agreed. UK Businessmen may take enough patience to persuade Ningbo partners to think it again for details and then write it down to avoid future trouble. Ningbo people will always show large hospitality to arrange dinners and tours when UK businessmen come here.
Company Introduction
Zhejiang Shining Law Firm is the earliest partnership organization that transferred away from the government. With 23 staff, it specializes in foreign-related affairs, corporate and securities, Intellectual Property, marine affairs, finance and real estate and construction projects. It has established relationship with US, UK, France, Japan and HK partners.
Mr. ZHAO Yongqing, Managing Partner, holds both Master degree from University of Birmingham (Chevning) and Shanghai East China University of Political Science and Law.
Address: 12/F, Tianzhihai Building, 48 Daliang Street, Ningbo
Telephone: 0086-574-87191555，87190333
Mobile：0086-13806679555
Fax：0086-574-87190555
Email：yqzhao@nbip.net
Ningbo is making every effort to build itself a reputation as one of the key exhibition cities in China. According to official statistics, there were 206 exhibitions and celebrations held in Ningbo last year, and this year, the figure will rise to 260, including 130 exhibitions, 60 forums and 60 celebration activities.
After the Chinese New year, I visited Ningbo Municipal Bureau of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation (BOFTEC). Mr. LI Xinhua, Deputy Director, introduced the 7th China International Consumer Goods Faire that is to be held 8-12 June. There will be 7 exhibition zones with 3,500 booths: household textiles, home appliances, consumer goods, gifts, foodstuff and yachts. Free shuttle bus will be provided for overseas visitors from Shanghai Pudong International Airport and Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport during the fair.
In the same building I also met Mr. GANG Yong, another Deputy Director, who told me about 10th Zhejiang Trade Fair that is to be held at the same date, same venue as Consumer Goods Fair. As a sister-city to Ningbo, Nottingham City Council will set up a booth and send representatives to attend.
Ningbo Garment Association and Ningbo International Exhibition Co., Ltd. are preparing 1st Outlets Exhibition to be held 23-26 May. The exhibition it aims to combine the whole industry chain to establish a platform for manufacturers, sales and buyers to meet together. I attended the first preparatory meeting. Ningbo Municipal government has showed great support because the exhibition presents a new idea.
The exhibitions in Ningbo have mushroomed, yet Ningbo businessmen are active in going out to attend East China Trade Fair in Shanghai from 1 to 5 March. The Ningbo business group reached contract valued 398 million, an 8% increase than last year.
After a busy Chinese New Year holiday, I returned to Ningbo, buried in exciting new work.
Last year I paid a visit to Ningbo Industrial Design Investment and Development Co., Ltd, learning that the government is going to invest in a ‘Creative Street’ project in Jiangdong District to attract foreign industrial design workshops. Last week I paid another visit to Ningbo Commercial and Industrial Assets Co., Ltd. who introduced Xinzhi No. 8 Creative Park. Rebuilt from an old factory of Ningbo Wheel Machinery, it consists of 17 workshops, 13 amongst which have rented out. The company hopes that well-known architecture, indoor design and animated cartoon workshops will come. The park will official open in March.
Without the protection of Intellectual Property, creative industry won’t develop in a healthy way. Last year Zhejiang Intellectual Property Bureau succeeded in applying Global Opportunity Funds from the British government, and organised a round-table conference of Ningbo Private Enterprise IP Rights Protection at the end of Feb. Dozens of well-known Ningbo private entrepreneurs attended and shared experience of how to protect IP rights. Meanwhile they asked questions and raised their wishes to the government.
The last week of Feb. saw Mr. John Connelly from Nottingham City Council and Mr. Peter Gao from Linx International in Ningbo and Jiaxing. They came to discuss with local Foreign Affairs Office, BOFTEC, CCPIT and media about Nottingham Forest Football visit in June, together with a big commercial delegation.
A good beginning is half done. A busy kick-off means great opportunities and challenges for 2008. Let us be ready.
Ningbo is famous for its active private economy that contributes around 70% of the whole GDP. However in the past a few months, a cloud has been cast over Ningbo entrepreneurs.
Since 2006, the Chinese government has amended preferential policies to exporting companies because China holds a very large surplus in trading with other countries. The changes have doubtlessly affected the small import and export companies. From January 2008, new labour and contract law has come into effect. The law further protects workers’ rights and expands their benefits, but in turn it causes the increase of labour cost. Also, the government has implemented tight monetary policies to fight against the high inflation rate, resulting in all the commercial banks reducing their loans to businesses. All of these issues have become a big challenge for private entrepreneurs.
We can still see a silver lining. Youngor Group, the leading fashion company in China, announced last week that it has completed acquiring US Kellwood's Smart Shirts business for approximately $120 million in cash. The business doesn’t only mean that Chinese companies have gone overseas, but also means that Chinese companies have started to climb up the industry chain.
The world is becoming flat with globalisation. For a long time now, Chinese factories have been working at the low end of the industry with a low profit. But look at the other end – design, marketing, branding , all enjoy great value. If Chinese companies want to become really strong and big, they will have to squeeze into the high end in the developed markets.
So glad to see that Chinese companies have realised and started thinking at the forefront of these challenges, and that Youngor, a leading Ningbo company, is quick to take action. Hope more followers will grasp such opportunities.