Chinese business representatives come to the Thames Valley to investigate commercial opportunities to Invest in Oxfordshire

Nearly 100 business representatives travelled to the Thames Valley from China to participate in the 2012 UK-China Business Conference organised by the UK Link to China initiative.

The one day Conference held in Slough on Monday 17^thSeptember attracted Chinese companies from Beijing, Jinan and Sichuan to Shanghai, Xi’an and Zhejiang. The Conference was designed to build partnership and discuss prospective business propositions. Speakers included Minister Counsellor Zhou Xiaoming of the Chinese Embassy in London and Ministry of Commerce as well as Phil Clement, Invest in Oxfordshire, and Paul Britton, Thames Valley Chamber of Commerce, who highlighted what the Thames Valley has to offer potential investors from China.

The event was followed by breakout sessions to Slough, Bracknell Forest and Oxfordshire for those interested in making business connections and investing in the respective locations.

Invest in Oxfordshire took delegates to the £9 million purpose-built Engineering Centre at Oxford Brookes Wheatley campus to showcase one of the key automotive and motorsport facilities based here in the county. The group then travelled to central Oxford for a guided tour of some of the University of Oxford’s assets. The tour attracted local media interest with coverage from BBC Oxford on television and the radio.