BCBusiness survey: How China-connected are B.C. companies?

Our exclusive survey of you, our readers, on the biggest elephant in business: China

Despite all the talk about China and its importance to B.C.’s trade future, fully three-quarters of BCBusiness readers surveyed between April 20 and May 1—or 459 of the 608 people total—said neither they nor their company currently does business in China. Therein lies both a challenge—and also an opportunity—for B.C.-based businesses.

Of those surveyed who are doing business in China, it’s a mixture of relative newbies (35.6 per cent have been there less than five years) and more experienced operators (another third have been there for five to 10 years, and a final third more than 10 years). And without a doubt, the rising tide is lifting all boats in China, with over 75 per cent of respondents saying that business is growing steadily, or even booming.

And of those currently not doing business in China? Fully a third of them expected to be doing so within the next five years.

PLUS: You’re invited to the BCBusiness “Doing Business in China” breakfast on October 27 at the Rosewood Hotel Georgia in Vancouver, sponsored by HSBC. [email protected]