English, and in a format which is user-friendly for overseas investors. Sadly, many foreigners dont speak Chinese: so investors welcome the chance to deal with staff who speak good English too. It helps if a local authority offers clear and consistent advice on local regulations, and that helpdesks are set up for those who still have quires hese may seem like small points, but they can make the difference between winning, and a lagging environment for investors Other issues which we have found important in growing our business include Having adequate and reliable procedures in place to resolve disputes. Equality before the law is important wherever your business is based in China Many compan ies which come here have a unique product to offer. But attracting oroducts at the forefront of technology also means offering protection to the owner against copying and illegal use. Any local government which takes serious its commitment to enforce IPR protection will win over those who pay lip-service to the law Provide guidance on the opaque nature of the decision-making process in China Understand ing the lines of authority, both with partner organizations and within government is very difficult to the outsider. This applies equally in Eastern as Western China This is the key message I would like to leave you with today: the overseas compani which tend to be those flexible enough to adapt to different environments:this is the key to their success. Western companies cannot come to China with hard and fast ideas on doing business here; rather they need to be pragmatic4 English, and in a format which is user-friendly for overseas investors. Sadly, many foreigners don’t speak Chinese: so investors welcome the chance to deal with staff who speak good English too. It helps if a local authority offers clear and consistent advice on local regulations, and that helpdesks are set up for those who still have quiries. These may seem like small points, but they can make the difference between a winning, and a lagging environment for investors. Other issues which we have found important in growing our business include: - Having adequate and reliable procedures in place to resolve disputes. Equality before the law is important wherever your business is based in China. - Many companies which come here have a unique product to offer. But attracting products at the forefront of technology also means offering protection to the owner against copying and illegal use. Any local government which takes serious its commitment to enforce IPR protection will win over those who pay lip-service to the law. - Provide guidance on the opaque nature of the decision-making process in China. Understanding the lines of authority, both with partner organizations and within government is very difficult to the outsider. This applies equally in Eastern as Western China. This is the key message I would like to leave you with today: the overseas companies which succeed in China tend to be those flexible enough to adapt to different environments: this is the key to their success. Western companies cannot come to China with hard and fast ideas on doing business here; rather they need to be pragmatic