Businesses urged to target China in the Year of the Horse

30th January 2014

Highlands and Islands businesses interested in exporting to China have an opportunity to access specialist information and advice at a free event in Inverness in March.

Organised by Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE), in partnership with Scottish Development International (SDI) and the China-Britain Business Council (CBBC), the event comes a matter of weeks after China celebrates its New Year, the beginning of Year of the Horse, on January 31.

The �Doing Business in China� event, held at Eden Court, Inverness on 5 March, will highlight the opportunities and considerations for businesses in this fast growing market. It will also provide information on routes to market, an understanding of Chinese culture and advice on how to protect your intellectual property.

Attendees will also have the opportunity to access free export advice and one to one sessions with experts from SDI, the CBBC and European patent and trade mark attorneys Murgitroyd & Co, organised through the Smart Exporter programme.

Laura Robertson, Development Manager at HIE, said: �China offers huge opportunities for Highlands and Islands companies in sectors such as food and drink, renewable energy and financial services to name but a few. It�s a fast growing and exciting market but it does come with its own specific challenges so we hope this event will help companies know what to expect and how to approach it.�

Delegates will also hear first hand experience from Madeleine Clark, Key Account Manager for seafood company, Marine Harvest, which has been trading in China since 2010. Madeleine said, �We recognise that China represents a key market for Scottish salmon. Our exports have grown by 20% since 2011 and we are anticipating a further 10% growth year on year. China is a very interesting and exciting market and there are many more opportunities out there for Scottish companies. "

The half-day event which is free to attend will take place at Eden Court, Inverness on March 5 and includes a networking lunch. After lunch companies can meet on a one to one basis with experts in a series of pre-booked business clinics.

For more information on the Inverness event, please visit www.hie.co.uk/china or call Euan Bayliss on 01463 244212.

A second �Doing Business in China� event will be held on 6 March in Edinburgh. For further information on the Edinburgh event, visit: http://www.scottish-enterprise.com/events/2014/03/doing-business-in-china-2014

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Wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Chinese_draak.jpg