Safeguarding Swedish interests in trade and promotion in China has a high priority at the Embassy of Sweden in Beijing. The economic development in China creates many opportunities and challenges for Swedish businesses. China is Sweden's most important market in Asia. The country serves as an important hub for Swedish companies of various sizes within the areas of production, purchase and R & D.
Many business decisions in China require some kind of contact or interaction with an authority. The Embassy often works as a first contact point with Chinese authorities and seeks to promote Swedish companies and highlight how they can contribute to Chinese society. The purpose is to provide Swedish companies with communication channels and, in the long term, direct business opportunities.
The Embassy works with promotion on a daily basis as well as on a project basis. Promotion on a daily basis consists of offering support of different kinds, such as assistance and consultation in specific company cases. Project based promotion is devised and executed together with Team Sweden in China (Business Sweden, the general consulates in Shanghai and Hong Kong and Visit Sweden).
Project based promotion focuses on strategic areas, where Sweden has a high level of expertise and competitive advantage and where there are opportunities in the Chinese market. Currently, the Embassy has three project based promotion initiatives; the Embassy CSR-centre and the platforms for Life Science and Sustainable Transport Solutions.
Every year the Embassy of Sweden in collaboration with the Swedish Chamber of Commerce and Business Sweden in China conduct a survey among the members of the Swedish Chamber of Commerce in order to collect information about trade issues, trends and challenges. Swedish companies are also given the opportunity to come with suggestions on how the Embassy further can support companies. Based on the results of this survey, a report is written which is then used in connection with Chinese authorities.