Shanghai is mainland China’s commercial capital and is known as its most international city with a population of just over 24 million. With the highest GDP of any mainland Chinese city and half of its economic activity contributed by non-public enterprises, Shanghai is an economically vibrant and popular destination for private and foreign investment. It is also a core port for domestic and international trade, with the value of its imports and exports accounting for around 20 percent of the country’s total. It is located at the mouth of the Yangtze River on China’s east-central coast and is surrounded by Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces.

Hangzhou is the capital of Zhejiang province with a population of approximately nine million people. Although it is not a Tier 1 city, it is the e-commerce capital of China and home to Alibaba Group’s headquarters. It is also a city at the forefront of digital economy and has strong manufacturing capabilities, with the aim of becoming a global hub for advanced manufacturing by 2035. Its focus is on the innovation and application of digital technologies, making manufacturing more environmentally-friendly, attracting more foreign investment and strengthening administrative streamlining reforms.

Glasgow Chamber will be hosting a delegation of Scottish companies for a virtual trade mission to the cities of Shanghai and Hangzhou between the 13th-16th of July 2020. The mission will be focussed around the following three key sectors:

• Life Sciences
• Digital technology and fintech
• E-commerce

If you are a Scottish company within these sectors and are interested in joining our trade mission to China, please email seren.porteous@glasgowchamberofcommerce.com for an application form and more details. The application deadline will be the 23rd of June 2020 and there will be a restriction on the number of spaces available.