Dozens of business leaders attended a Chinese banquet in Bristol to learn about a major opportunity to trade with the Far East.
During the special reception at the city’s Zen Restaurant, they heard about a a week-long Bristol and South West Institute of Directors (IoD) trade mission to China this November which will allow South West directors to target one of the world’s most important markets.
IoD Bristol chairman Tom McCarthy said: “November’s IoD China Trade Mission will encourage exports and inward investment for Bristol and the South West."
Richard Lowe, IoD Bristol committee organiser, added: “Up to 30 delegates will be networking, attending receptions, meeting government officials and touring business districts of major cities Guangzhou and Hangzhou. There will be appointments with potential clients.
“The South West has great expertise and skills in demand in these areas and, with Guangzhou being Bristol’s sister city, we already have established friendships there.
"The Zen reception and banquet was both a celebration of the Chinese New Year and an opportunity to explain the benefits of this mission. It generated a great deal of interest and we have a number of expressions of interest as a result.”
Guests included Councillor Geoffrey Gollop, the Lord Mayor of Bristol and president of the Bristol China Partnership.
He was joined by experts from organisations such as UKTI, the China-Britain Business Council, universities and Chinese regional government.
The evening’s host was media consultant and presenter Susan Osman who has experience of working in Bristol and China and guests were entertained by violinist Julia Hwang, pictured.
