Almost 50 directors and senior executives from 40 local companies are seeking to develop business in Hong Kong and China on an Invest Northern Ireland organised trade mission this week.

The mission is one of the biggest ever from the United Kingdom to China and will be visiting the key commercial centres of Hong Kong, Guangzhou and Shanghai.

This is the second mission to Chinese business centres organised by Invest NI over the past year and is a further indication of the agency's commitment to helping companies to identify and exploit business opportunities in one of the world’s most dynamic economies. The extent of support for this mission from local companies also shows the scale of interest in the Chinese market.

The participating companies have been assisted by Invest NI's dedicated Asia Team, its office in Shanghai and commercial staff at the British Diplomatic Posts in Hong Kong, Guangzhou and Shanghai as well as bodies such as the China-Britain Business Council.

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Mission participants have a range of in-market objectives that include trade, joint ventures and the sourcing of component parts. Several already have substantial business in China, including Delta Print and Packaging, which has a successful joint venture and Andor Technology, which has an office in Beijing, as well as Alpha Environmental, Audio Processing Technology, Botanica International, Irish Polymers and TR Shipping. The University of Ulster and Belfast Metropolitan College are also participating in the trade mission.

Twenty-one of the companies are visiting China for the first time on an Invest NI mission including: Autogen, Clonallon, Laboratories, Glover Site Investigations; Hamilton Shipping, John J Doyle, Marlborough Engineering, Mindready Solutions, Scruttons (NI) and Wellington Computers.

"Among the most significant aspects of this mission is the breadth of products and services being presented to this immensely important marketplace." said Alan Hingston, Invest NI’s Trade Director.

Mr Hingston said Invest NI's missions to China continue to grow steadily, making the market among the most popular in their annual trade events calendar. He also noted that companies have been able to draw on the practical support and expertise provided by staff at the Invest NI office in Shanghai.

(GK/JM)