British Chamber of Commerce in China (BritCham China)

British products are in the limelight at home and away, with challenges and opportunities in UK-China trade on full show this week. Read all you need to know – on British Steel, the Hainan Expo, and how Wong Kar-Wai's still keeping fans on the edge of their seats – in this week's China in 5!

We're just one week away from Earth Day 2025, where we'll be taking a deep dive into ESG and sustainability – an important topic for the Chamber and its members. Join us for a crucial Trends Update on ESG and Business in the Trump Era, followed by a wide-ranging discussion on clean energy, setting sustainability standards in business, and an update on cooperation between the UK and China over energy and climate. Our experts Daisy Shen 沈莹 (KPMG China), Katherine Morton (Schwarzman Scholars), Sam Chen (ACCA China) and Ying Ding (Voyager Carbon) will be guiding us through what sustainability looks like for businesses and governments in 2025, answering your questions on how clean energy and climate change might impact your business. Reserve your seat now below! https://lnkd.in/gPFV_7ec

Last week was one of the most intense weeks I’ve seen for geopolitics and trade policy in a long time — historic developments seemed to land daily. Working in policy at the British Chamber of Commerce in China (BritCham China) puts you right on the front line when it comes to understanding how global tensions affect businesses on the ground. I wrapped up the week in Shenzhen, where we accompanied 30 British companies on a tour of Yantian Port — the world’s largest single container port and the departure point for roughly a quarter of all Chinese exports to the US. Our excellent team at The British Chamber of Commerce South China brought together a number of companies directly in the firing line to discuss supply chain resilience, share perspectives on the fast-moving situation, and talk frankly about how businesses are coping as the risk of large-scale trade disruption intensifies. Fittingly, our meeting was even interrupted by a further announcement of new tariffs. I also had the chance to speak with the Yantian Port team about broader economic trends — from shifting global supply chain patterns to the future of Chinese outbound investment and the Belt and Road Initiative. To round off the week, I visited two British companies making their mark in China. First, meeting Aeren Liu at DURAGREEN LIGHTING UK LTD — a brilliant Leicester-based manufacturer of high-quality lighting fixtures — for a tour of their facilities and a discussion on their in-market operations. Then, over to City Football Group, who’ve recently established a new team in Shenzhen. Beyond grassroots football in the city, we also found time to chat supply chain issues... namely on Wembley tickets and hotels for next week. Always a privilege to hear directly from British businesses about the real-world challenges and opportunities in the China market. Thanks again to our great team in South China Chris Chen, Rachel Y., Mark Clayton FCMA CGMA FMAAT MSc Benjamin King for organising.

Reflecting (slightly belatedly) after my first month at the British Chamber of Commerce in China. It's been a whirlwind of meeting members and key interlocutors in the British and Chinese governments, with the occasional moderately terrifying speaking engagement thrown in. I am immensely humbled and excited to take the baton as custodian of this fantastic (and growing!) organisation. With the welcome return of high-level bilateral UK-China engagement, it's set to be another packed few weeks that will include plenty of briefing visiting officials and executives, delivering great knowledge and community events, and furiously commenting on, and editing Position Papers. As I type, our GA team and policy associates are hard at work convening roundtables and interviewing members to ensure this keystone output reflects the on-the-ground reality and needs of our members.

Trump tariffs take effect, green bond launch and a China ‘grand bargain’. It's all here in this week's China in 5.

With the Chamber’s growing membership, we’re happy to announce that membership fees will be frozen again this year – the sixth consecutive year we’ve frozen prices for membership. This decision reflects our focus on creating long-term value for our members, and enabling more British businesses to connect, grow, and thrive in China – something we’ve been doing since our founding in 1981. Supporting our businesses’ growth has never been more important, amidst continuing global economic uncertainty across the business landscape. Whether you’re a small business with operations in one city, or a multinational with longstanding ties to the world’s second-largest market, British Chamber membership is tailor-made to each individual company, supporting you on forging stronger business links in this important market no matter your business’s industry or size. Chamber membership starts from RMB 415 (£45) a month, offering leading business advisory, government advocacy, and community building for your business throughout China. To learn more about getting the most out of BritCham membership, get in touch with our membership team Wei Han and Charlie Williams 魏家礼 or visit our site at britishchamber.cn. #UKChina #WhereBusinessBelongs #PlanForGrowth

What does ESG mean in the Trump Era? How can green economies grow equitably? How can the UK and China work pragmatically to both reduce emissions and protect their economies? Join a distinguished panel of business leaders and academics to discuss these questions and much more at the British Chamber's Earth Day Event on Tuesday 22nd April! With a trends update on ESG and CSR and a deep-dive panel discussion on "Growing Economies, Growing Green Energy," we'll be examining how the UK and China's green growth agenda is playing out in the face of global economic uncertainty. Book your ticket at https://lnkd.in/gPFV_7ec.

This week, BritCham members are hiring in teaching, education, marketing, and business development! Check out these jobs – and many more from our member companies – at our website, https://lnkd.in/gc7GJ4Sx.

US tariff impact, back-to-back forums and a 26 day roadtrip. It's all here in this week's China in 5.

As we begin a new financial year at BritCham, we're excited to give a big BritCham shout-out to the 40 members who joined our business network over the past year – growing our membership base by 15%. From multinational corporations to micro startups, we're delighted to welcome members across education, food and beverage, creative industries, retail, and more. Our new members this year have helped us expand our advocacy, knowledge, and community offerings to new heights this year, including in our annual advocacy publishings, panel discussions with top journalists, experts, and politicians, and our largest community events ever. If you'd like to join them, learn more about our offerings at britishchamber.cn, or reach out to our membership team Charlie Williams 魏家礼 and Wei Han. Joining our vibrant community of British businesses starts from RMB 420 a month, and gets you access to our nationwide offerings in business support, community building, market insights, and much more besides.