On 11 April 2023, the British Chamber of Commerce Shanghai team paid a visit to Invest Shanghai. BritCham Shanghai Chair Ray Chisnall, Executive Director Stuart Dunn, Executive Committee Consultant Director Alex Roberts (Counsel at Linklaters LLP) and Executive Committee Member Eric Qin (Partner of Shanghai Government Affairs Leader at PwC China) and Mr Xue Feng, President of Invest Shanghai attended the meeting.
Ray Chisnall expressed the Chamber’s appreciation to Invest Shanghai for their great support to the members in 2022 during the COVID. He then reviewed the overall business performance of British businesses in China in the previous year and shared their outlook for 2023. Despite the impact of the epidemic, most British businesses in China remain optimistic about the China market; however, they are also facing some practical difficulties and challenges, such as the loss of some senior expatriate talent and concerns about increased uncertainty in the global supply chain.
Alex Roberts and Eric Qin shared the opportunities and challenges that British businesses are facing across different industry sectors.
Stuart Dunn introduced the Chamber’s main focuses in 2023 under its three pillars of Advocacy, Knowledge and Community. Key activities include the 2nd ESG China Awards, the 3rd Sustainability & ESG Business Summit and the inaugural British Day on 20 May. These activities aim to help Chinese and British businesses and communities to interact more in business and people-to-people exchanges, as well as to promote common development.
Invest Shanghai President Mr Xue Feng reviewed the achievements of Shanghai in attracting foreign investment in 2022 and foreign investment in the first quarter of 2023 was also positive. President Xue introduced the City’s latest four measures, issued in April, to increase the attraction and utilisation of foreign investment in Shanghai, including: promoting a high level of opening up to the outside world; enhancing the capacity to introduce foreign investment; increasing support for foreign investment development factors; and optimising foreign investment services.
Through the meeting, BritCham Shanghai and Invest Shanghai exchanged their plans for the future. Both sides look forward to working together for more collaboration, strengthening the interaction between institutions and businesses, promoting mutual benefit, and jointly helping British businesses to thrive in China.
If you have any questions, please contact the Chamber at Lily.Shi@britishchambershanghai.cn
