40th anniversary of the British Chamber of Commerce in China |
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Today, the British Chamber of Commerce in China celebrates 40 years of supporting the British business community in China.
Since the establishment of Chamber on 1 April 1981, we’ve seen the transformation of the Chinese economy after Reform and Opening Up first-hand. British businesses began to build their presence and came together to create a network on the ground in China to support the community, share knowledge and advocate for greater market access. UK companies have thrived in a steadily improving business environment and flourishing market. |
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Few could have imagined the extent of the changes that China would experience when its Reform and Opening Up policies were first launched. When the Chamber was established, China’s GDP stood at RMB 1.3 trillion (GBP 143 billion). Since then, it has soared by more than 75 times this size to RMB 102 trillion in 2020 (GBP 11 trillion).
Brand Britain Gaining Ground in China
The UK export of goods to the Chinese mainland really began to accelerate in the early 1990s, and since then has averaged 16% each year between 1993 and 2019. Much of this early growth was presided over by Tony Blair.
Blair’s policy towards China was one of engagement, broadly maintaining a positive relationship while addressing difficult issues, such as disputes in the WTO. Business delegations hosting anywhere between 50 and 150 British delegates visited China to explore partnership and export opportunities. The UK government and international businesses also set up one of the first international management training school in Beijing, providing vital skills to the Chinese workforce.
David Cameron continued this policy tack, famously calling for a ‘Golden Era’ in UK-China relations. During one visit to China in 2010 alone, more than 40 trade deals for companies in the agriculture, creative and built environment industries. Exports to China then nearly doubled to GBP 17 billion (RMB 154 billion) between 2010 and 2015. |
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Quality, expertise and green innovation |
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Despite a more sober UK-China policy in the post-Cameron era, trade has continued to flourish. In 2019, ‘Brand Britain’ continues to appeal to the average Chinese consumer, creating enormous opportunities for top-notch British products and generating GBP 22 billion (RMB 198 billion) worth of exports of goods, particularly cars, petroleum, pharmaceuticals, gas turbines.
Services sectors are all core elements of the UK industry, and in many cases businesses have found strong demand in China for their knowledge, innovativeness and experience in cross-border business and third markets. The UK services industry exported at least GBP 5 billion (RMB 45 billion) to China in 2019. |
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What do the next 40 years hold?
The UK government recently published its Integrated Review. The review echoes the post-1997 policy of engagement, highlighting the importance of a positive trade and investment with China while recognising other challenges in the relationship. China is the UK’s second-largest non-EU trade partner, and disengaging is not an option.
As the British Chamber of Commerce in China celebrates our 40th anniversary, we reaffirm our call for a constructive UK-China policy that recognises the need to continue cooperating in areas of mutual benefit. We are proud of the work we have done to support our community of 500 member companies across the Chinese mainland over the past 40 years. Going forward, we will continue to stand side by side with our other chapters, businesses and government as we help British companies thrive over the next 40 years. |
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Anika Patel Senior Policy Analyst |
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Mark Preen Economic Analyst |
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| Today the British Chamber of Commerce in China remains firmly focused on members operating on the ground in China and our three pillars: advocating for the best possible market access, sharing knowledge, and bringing the community together. These pillars have been at the heart of the Chamber since 1981 and remain firmly so.
We are excited to kick-start a year of celebration with the British business community. For the rest of 2021, we will take you back to the history of the Chamber’s establishment, key figures and founding members, and the stories and achievements from British entrepreneurs and businesses in China in the past 40 years. |
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BritCham China Sustaining Members |
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Copyright © 2021 The British Chamber of Commerce in China, All rights reserved. |
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Our mailing address is:
Prototype, 3F, Hotel Jen Beijing No. 1 Jiangguomenwai Avenue, Chaoyang District, Beijing 中国英国商会 新国贸饭店三层众·社 北京市朝阳区建国门外大街一号 |
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