China: UK in Shenyang week
Published 21 November 2014
© Crown copyright 2014
This publication is licensed under the terms of the Open Government Licence v3.0 except where otherwise stated. To view this licence, visit nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3 or write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gov.uk.
Where we have identified any third party copyright information you will need to obtain permission from the copyright holders concerned.
This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/china-uk-in-shenyang-week/china-uk-in-shenyang-week
0.1 This publication was archived on 4 July 2016
0.2 This article is no longer current. Please refer to Overseas Business Risk - China
0.3 Summary
Major week of UK activities in Shenyang, northeast China’s largest city. A week-long series of 21 events, focussed on British capabilities in sustainable urbanisation and the creative industries. A new model of engagement for us –early results promising.
0.4 Detail
Last week we mounted an ambitious and wide ranging “UK in Shenyang” week. Shenyang is the largest city in China’s North East – the hub of a region with a population of 110 million and a GDP the size of Indonesia. Shenyang itself has a total population of 8.1 million. It is a lot less sophisticated than Beijing or Shanghai but it is bursting with money and aspiration. Bentley sold more cars in Shenyang last year than they did in the whole of Japan.
Our activities showcased the UK in fields from sport to car manufacturing, film to social entrepreneurship, and tourism to green planning. But we branded the week with two clear themes where we see most overlap between local priorities and UK expertise: sustainable urbanisation and the creative industries. 16% of the cost was covered by commercial sponsorship.
We officially launched the week at a GREAT brands festival at Palace 66, a brand new downtown shopping centre, after which weI discussed the challenges of sustainable urbanisation with the Vice Mayor and opened two events run by engineering firm Atkins. We attended a big reception attended by 400 government and business leaders and the British community.. Later in the week we briefed provincial leaders on plans for Shanghai’s GREAT Festival of Creativity, and secured their agreement to help invite the regions’ most creative businesses. He opened an automotive inward investment workshop at the Aston Martin dealership, and gave a keynote speech on UK creativity to students at Northeast University.
The week also provided a platform for partners across HMG. Colleagues from the Northern Ireland Executive were able to access the highest levels of municipal and provincial government, helping to firm up a growing sister regional relationship between Northern Ireland and Liaoning province. The Welsh Government hosted a lunch for the travel trade. UKVI pushed visa messaging to businesses, tour operators and students. British Council ran an ‘Education UK Day’ attended by 18 UK universities, as well as a social entrepreneurship event. The Science and Innovation Network brought UK researchers in nanomaterials together with Chinese counterparts at the National Institute for Metals Research. Visit Britain provided training to all the main tour operators in the region. Lastly, CBBC and UKTI provided invaluable support throughout the week – matching local companies to relevant UK partners, and helping to drive inward investment leads.
There was a strong public diplomacy element. MCC Ladies played China Ladies in a match we were told had ‘saved Shenyang, and possibly Chinese cricket’. Oscar-nominated British producers and film executives screened avant-garde shorts at the local fine arts academy. More than 13 leading TV, radio and print media partners reached an estimated audience of 5.5 million people; social media campaigns and online reprints reached 4.2 million people; and Shenyang Daily launched a special micro-site, reaching tens of thousands of netizens.
0.5 Comment
The week, and its precursor ‘UK in Kunming Week’, provides a useful model for future work in key cities and regions.
0.6 Disclaimer
The purpose of the FCO Country Update(s) for Business (”the Report”) prepared by UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) is to provide information and related comment to help recipients form their own judgments about making business decisions as to whether to invest or operate in a particular country. The Report’s contents were believed (at the time that the Report was prepared) to be reliable, but no representations or warranties, express or implied, are made or given by UKTI or its parent Departments (the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS)) as to the accuracy of the Report, its completeness or its suitability for any purpose. In particular, none of the Report’s contents should be construed as advice or solicitation to purchase or sell securities, commodities or any other form of financial instrument. No liability is accepted by UKTI, the FCO or BIS for any loss or damage (whether consequential or otherwise) which may arise out of or in connection with the Report.