The Road to London via Tianjin

Sep 12, 2008

Chinese companies should set up business in London before the next Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games take place in London in 2012.

This is the message that Think London, the foreign direct investment agency for London, is taking to 12 Chinese cities, including Tianjin. Launched after the handover of the Olympic flag from Beijing to London, the three month “Road to London” road show enables potential Chinese investors to hear first hand about the commercial opportunities that London offers in the run up to and beyond 2012. An iconic London taxi will travel to each city conveying the message to Chinese companies looking to go global that the UK's capital is open for business.

Michael Gourlay, Director of Asia-Pacific, Think London said: "London is the number one destination for Chinese businesses seeking a gateway to Europe. Chinese companies with a presence in London are able to access capital from an unrivalled choice of funds, build a global brand that is truly powerful, and access the European market from a single point. In London, they can tap into a local economy set to grow by $80bn by 2012. $8bn of this growth will be created by the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Tianjin is home to a variety of highly successful companies who would strongly benefit from being present in London. We would be delighted to help them access the business opportunities.”

A Business Reception was hosted on 9th September for local business leaders at the Tianjin Sheraton to encourage Chinese businesses to invest in London and capitalise on London’s growing business opportunities. The reception provided a forum for Tianjin’s business community to question a panel of leading experts from Think London, Deloitte and China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) on London’s business opportunities in the run up to and beyond 2012.

Heather Hancock, Managing Partner for Innovation and Brand at Deloitte UK, and leader of Deloitte's services in support of London 2012, said: "Deloitte is delighted to be working with Think London again to further enhance the business ties between China and the UK. The Beijing Olympic and Paralympic Games are a wonderful demonstration of the achievements we can reach through cooperation and a global outlook, working together in pursuit of shared ambitions. We believe these values are as true for business as for sport, and are proud of our record in supporting Chinese businesses to maximise their global opportunities through their UK presence. We are looking forward to working with businesses across China by supporting Think London's "Road to London" road show, showcasing London as a destination for Chinese businesses.”

Lin Ning, deputy director general of the economic information department of CCPIT, said: "As the largest institution for promoting bilateral trade and investment in China, CCPIT strives to promote co-operation between the Chinese and international business communities, as well as encouraging Chinese enterprises to invest and expand their presence in overseas markets. In view of the phenomenal success of the 2008 Beijing Olympic and Paralympic Games, we would like domestic companies to leverage the opportunities presented by the 2012 Games in London to make inroads into the UK and European markets. We hope an increasing number of Chinese companies, through Think London’s “Road to London” road show, will be able to gain an understanding of the business environment in London and the UK and recognise the enormous opportunities created by the 2012 London Olympic and Paralympic Games."

The Road to London aims to identify 30 Chinese businesses interested in setting up or expanding their presence in London. The road show will visit Qingdao, Shanghai, Hangzhou and Ningbo in September.

Find out more about the cities we will visit during our 'Road to London'

Contact us today if you would like to know more about setting up business in London.