The British Chambers of Commerce in China British Business in China Member Sentiment Survey 2018/2019

On 18 December 2018, the British Chambers of Commerce in China release the inaugural British Business in China: Member Sentiment Survey.  The survey captures the views of 212 British businesses operating on the ground in China, representing over £3 billion (US$3.8 billion) of revenue in their China operations. The survey looks at views on the business environment, market access, Brexit and US-China trade tensions.

At a time of flux in international economic relations for both the UK and China, British business is expressing overall confidence in the Chinese market. However, market access barriers remain and must be addressed. Despite progress in the opening up of a number of sectors over the last 12 months, the British business community is still waiting for further progress on other sectors that are still restricted to UK business. An open market will allow British businesses to realise their potential in China and benefit both economies.

Key takeaways

The Sentiment Survey presented the following observations:

• The British Chambers of Commerce in China cite cybersecurity legislation and internet restrictions as most significant challenge to members.
• While more than 40% note an improvement in intellectual property protection, it remains the second most significant concern with calls for more concerted focus.
• Businesses are optimistic about their future in China and intend to increase investment in 2019.

Levels of optimism are highest among businesses that are relatively new to the market. 75.0% of respondents whose company has operated in China for less than a year are optimistic about the outlook for the next two years, as opposed to 54.1% of respondents whose company has operated in the market for more than 15 years.