Just ten years ago it would have been almost inconceivable for small to medium sized enterprise to contemplate the opening of trade corridors into China.
China, once the strictest of communist countries - home to one fifth of the world's population - has now become a hotbed for British and foreign companies keen to latch on to the huge demand for western products.
Just this weekend Jaguar Land Rover JLR announced a joint venture with Chery Automobile to build a new plant near Shanghai as it was revealed car sales of JLR into China have risen 80% in the last year.
JLR now sells one in every five of its vehicles to China.
Political reform going back to the late 70s has seen China transformed into a vibrant trading nation and now the world's second largest economy, after the United States.
The new incoming Communist Part leader Xi Jingping, elected just last week, has promised further economic and political reforms.
China'a economy has slowed in the last three years but it's still expected to grow an impressive 8% in 2012.
China currently sucks in all of the spare resources the rest of the world has to offer and in return blows its products back to those countries who take advantage of China's lower production costs and a favourable exchange rate.
As China continues to grow and its people get wealthier the opportunity for British companies will also increase.
As the UK loses sixth place to Brazil in the ranking of the world's leading economies, the UK's growth is predicted to be fairly stagnant for at least the next five to ten years.
As the UK's economy remains sluggish, it's not just companies' growth opportunities that will be affected. Consumers who've previously had disposable income to spend on luxuries, such as gardening and landscaping, will not be buying from our landscapers and garden designers.
In an already congested market place, there will not be enough new products to sustain the existing infrastructure...something will have to give.
Many products we buy in the UK are sourced or manufactured in China. Although I don't necessarily approve of transporting heavy goods half way around the world, I don't see the problem in creating trading partnerships or even setting up a British base oversees.
Ambitious garden designers and landscaping companies now have an opportunity to develop links with Chinese businesses and individuals.
The success the Gardening World Cup has enjoyed is a fine example of how the Far East has embraced British and European gardening styles.
I am certain there would be steady demand for UK companies to export products and intellectual property to China: why not our gardening knowledge and landscaping skills too?
If you're ambitious and want to explore the possibility of trading in China or with Chinese partner then this guide from the China-British Business Council - China Doing Business Guide - is a good starting point.
I agree that it is amazing that from a closed country - it looks like a massive opportunity.
But opportunities need to have someone that can see them + willing to invest and work on it.
I know some of my ex- colleges in israel that offerd lots of technology in china gardening irrigation ( Israelis small one man firms ) so I am sure people in in the UK can offer to chineese market a lot.
England has a reputation of a gardening nation, that supply high standard quality so I am sure garden designers that are willing to teach garden design, or work on designing projects in china will be able to find enough work. and if thinking few years a head i think, Phil that you flagged here a very goodidea for some .
Posted by: Ofer | Nov 20, 2012 at 09:47 AM