A three-day trade delegation with the Prime Minister has resulted in a number of new leads from CEOs of leading Chinese companies according to ConnectChina.

The international business consultancy, which is based in Huddersfield, was among a host of British businesses that joined Theresa May on her trip earlier this month.

During the visit, the Prime Minister made an announcement that there would be about £9 billion of new deals for UK companies.

According to the Home Office, UK exports to China have seen growth of 60% since 2010, meaning that trade is already at record levels.

The aim of the trip was to build on existing commercial partnerships while also supporting the delegation to take advantage of new trade opportunities in China.

The Department for International Trade chose ConnectChina to be part of the multi-sector delegation, comprising more than 40 businesses from across the UK, because of its recent contract win with Yunnan Investment Bureau. The contract will which will see ConnectChna work with UK companies to develop cooperation and investment opportunities in Yunnan Province in South West China.

The company has expanded its team to meet the requirements of its growing client base.
Joanna Lavan, managing director of ConnectChina, said: “Having been a part of the PM’s delegation to China, we are delighted with the opportunities that have arisen; the visit has raised our profile in both the UK and China and the credibility it has given us is invaluable.

“During the visit, we attended high profile business events in Wuhan, Beijing and Shanghai, in which we were introduced to a number of CEOs from leading companies and this has resulted in a number of new business leads.

“In addition to the contacts we were able to establish during the visit, we also had a great opportunity to interact with other business delegates which we hope will lead to further business.”

Established in 2004, ConnectChina has offices in Huddersfield and Shanghai. The organisation specialises in providing business support services to both the public and private sectors in the UK and overseas to help develop trade and investment opportunities with China.