The following is an article we wrote for Shanghai’s Settling Magazine about our experiences launching ETP in China. It was published in October 2011 and covered three pages of their ‘City Business Focus’ section. Into the Unknown – Finding Our Feet in Beijing Starting a new business anywhere is tough. Having the idea and motivation to get started is a big step, but as anyone who has attempted it will tell you, it...

Why are these financial services companies offering trading consultancy and trade fair assistance? In Hong Kong and Asia, much like the rest of the world, the financial services market is very competitive. Recently there have been many new start-up companies in the wake of the global financial crisis pertaining to offer you the best wealth management and financial services. These companies are mainly made up of individuals with a rich...

I have noticed recently a spate of financial services firms advertising and promoting new services that relate to ‘trade fair assistance services’. Firms that offer finance company setup and tax efficiency services should be very knowledgeable in their own industry. When this crosses over to ‘trading assistance and trade fair assistance’, be very wary. These two industries are very different and just because a financial consultancy...

What is Trade fair assistance? Deciding to get on a plane and fly to China to a trade show can be a daunting concept. Taking on the cultural barriers of some of the world’s largest annual fairs can seem impossible. This leads many to reach out to one of many companies claiming to offer Trade Fair Assistance, companies that claim to offer on the ground support for your visit. Be warned! Many of these companies do not offer any real value...

An opinion from a foreign trading company in China We live in a small world these days. World markets rely on each other and what affects one country will invariably affect another. We have become so intertwined with who owes what to whom, and whose debt is held by whom to the point that the current looming European financial crisis has further unveiled the intricacy and co-dependency between Europe and China. Europe is China’s largest...

  I was in Shanghai over the National Holiday and while I was there some friends suggested I check out the Shanghai International Carnival. After researching online (http://www.freij.com/news/ecs.aspx) and reading some press releases, I decided to give it a go. Happy Valley in Beijing and Shenzhen, though permanent fixtures, are good fun so logic dictates this carnival couldn’t be that bad. Ah, logic, I remember you…   We...