31/01/2008

Brown explores China

Gordon Brown spoke of the "huge opportunity" for British businesses in China, on his recent first visit to the country as prime minister. During talks with Chinese premier Wen Jiabao, Mr Brown agreed to boost trade with China by 50% by 2010. Mr Brown has also offered China £50m to help the country tackle climate change. The two leaders confirmed they had agreed a joint target of increasing two-way trade to $60bn (£30bn) over the next two years.

Not everyone is as excited about China as Mr Brown, however. The world's biggest and most successful brands are knocking on the wrong door if they believe China is their long-term golden goose, believes Allan Biggar, head of All About Brands plc, one of Europe's leading brand and business development consultancies.

"China will be a short-term source of cash, India is a long-term investment,” he predicts. “Every brand and business with international growth plans should be looking at India rather than China for one simple differentiating reason: China looks inwards, but India looks outwards.

See the spring edition of Re:locate magazine for our feature on international relocation hotspots, 2008.

Back