China trip to help forge new trade links
9th May, 2016
A DELEGATION from law firm Ward Hadaway is heading to China this week to take part in a major international business conference.
The event, which takes place from May 12 to 14, will see delegates from around the world meet up with representatives of more than 600 companies across China to help forge new trade links.
In China, the Ward Hadaway delegation will be holding face to face meetings with delegates with a number of Chinese businesses.
The firm was invited to the event by Bank of China and will be among more than 50 delegates from the UK attending the conference.
Elaine Chan (pictured), Partner in the Commercial Litigation team at Ward Hadaway, said: “This is a great opportunity for us as a firm to form new relationships and create links with a wide range of different companies in China who are looking to do business in the UK and Europe.
“We will be there to see if we can help facilitate trade, co-operation, investment or joint ventures between these companies and the UK so it promises to be an interesting and exciting trip.
“Xi’an where the conference is taking place is the capital city of Shaanxi Province and is known as the starting point of the ancient Silk Road – the famous trade route between China and the west – so it is quite an appropriate venue.
“These days Xi’an is the permanent site for the Euro-Asia Economic Forum and an economic powerhouse in Western China with industries including engineering, aerospace, agriculture and in particular a thriving hi-tech sector.
“It is also the home town of the current Chinese President Xi Jinping and is recognised as an important location for overseas companies and investors.”
Elaine has a range of experience working with businesses in China and those trading with China, including recently working on cases representing a UK household name retailer involving a product liability recovery from a Chinese supplier, and a major UK plumbing supplies company on a dispute with a Chinese manufacturer, both of which were successfully resolved.
During their time out in China, the Ward Hadaway delegation will be discussing potential opportunities with Chinese companies in a range of sectors including pharmaceuticals, engineering, agriculture, food production and textiles.
Colin Hewitt, Partner and Head of Commercial at Ward Hadaway, said: “Whilst these discussions are the very start of potential commercial developments, it is clear that there is a real appetite amongst companies in China to do more business with the UK and through the UK, Europe.
“We have a significant number of face to face meetings already lined up with companies operating in a wide range of different sectors.
“It promises to be a fascinating and productive visit and we are looking forward to spreading the word about our capabilities as a law firm to further international trade and commerce.
“We have a strong track record of supporting inward investment projects in the UK and we hope that this latest initiative proves to be equally successful.”
Elaine Chan added: “With Chinese investment in the North rising noticeably and the opening of the first direct flights from Manchester to Beijing, this conference is ideally timed and will hopefully prove to be a useful visit for the firm and for business in the region.
“We are very grateful to Bank of China for the opportunity to take part in the conference which we are now really looking forward to.”
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