Scottish Chambers of Commerce Network’s first full-scale Business Mission to China was a pioneering attempt to create a more direct business-to-business approach to the vast opportunity that China represents. We are proud to report that the Mission has received highly positive feedback from its participants, 20 Scottish companies and universities for whom it provided an opportunity to learn first-hand about the range of market opportunities in the world’s second-largest economy.

of language, culture and geographical spread, our achievement has been to help participants find the shortest route to engaging with Chinese counterparts, many of them hungry to do business with us. The Mission was a careful balance of necessary knowledge-building and practical engagement with individuals likely to advance the interests of our company participants. A good example of the former was a session with Alistair Michie, the doyen of Scots businessmen in China, and a close adviser to President Xi Jinping himself. Mr Michie gave the group the benefit of his overview, expressing his view that Mr Xi’s determination to excel in areas as diverse as green energy, electric cars and football, while gradually opening the Chinese market, should be seized on as an opportunity by Scots companies, with unique and market-leading products.
Content-rich and highly contemporary market information on hot issues such as IP protection were provided by British Embassy-based officials while Weber Shandwick China made clear the extent to which the ubiquitous combination of e-commerce and social media, largely through Tencent’s ubiquitous WeChat platform, had transformed the way China does business – and Chinese daily life in general. But the mission’s most significant achievement was to match member businesses with potential Chinese counterparts chosen for the closeness of their fit with our companies, and for their eagerness to exploit opportunities arising from market synchronicity between Shandong and Scotland.
It also provided a valuable lesson in the importance of connections and introductions, in a country where the nitty-gritty of commercial exchange is accompanied by formal pleasantries and courtesies. We learned the value of engaging with sincerity, and goodwill.
The Civic authorities in Yantai and in Jinan rolled out the red carpet for the Mission, whose leader Tim Allan skilfully expressed SCC’s reciprocal message in a form that was well-received by our hosts.


A trade mission that was all Embassy visits, civic banquets and noble sentiments would, however, be unlikely to satisfy its SME members. The high point of the B2B programme was the Yantai-Scotland Economic and Trading Cooperation Seminar, a triumph of Chinese organisation, in which our companies were thoughtfully paired with a succession of Chinese suitors, The flurry of exchanged business cards was accompanied by solid agreements, some of which are likely to bear fruit in the very near future.
Elsewhere a packed programme gave them the opportunity to forge strong business-to-business relationships, which were enthusiastically facilitated by our (by now) good friends among Shandong’s local and provincial governments and development agencies.
The generosity of spirit and warm hospitality with which the Scottish Chambers-led Mission was received in Shandong reinforced the wider sense that Scottish companies who have conducted their market research and who are prepared to invest the time and goodwill to securing close partnerships are likely to be the winners in this exciting market.
In China, perhaps more than anywhere, the power of personal interaction is a formidable force in inspiring collaboration and co-operation. Our Mission taught us that the opportunities are great, also that it takes close market knowledge, and willingness to commit to long-term relationships to make the most of them. Already, we are planning further two-way traffic between Scotland and Shandong, to ensure that the momentum is sustained.
SCC sees the 2018 ‘Business Mission China’ as a strong start, but only a start nevertheless. As part of a One Scotland approach, and with the support and encouragement of the Scottish Government, we have brought necessary additionality to the national effort to boost our achievements in exports. We have done so quickly, but with quality and with passion.
Much has already been achieved since we started to lay down the groundwork for this mission only 12 months ago. The reward for us is knowing that we have played a part in helping Scots companies achieve greater exports, growth and quality employment. Our April Business Mission has showed us a clear route to achieving those goals.