STEHRING: A column of personal opinion by one of Australia's leading fishing industry entrepreneurs

摘要

So much has been written and said about the potential of doing business in China and that the only way to satisfy your curiosity is to go and have a look first hand. I admit, I have always been a bit apprehensive about entering one of the largest markets in the world, not only because of the difficulty in doing business and breaking into the seafood trade there, but also because of the problems of getting paid and repatriating funds. The trick being to get paid in the first place! Most of us in the trade are aware of the fantastic opportunities opening up in China. Cheap labour for processing seafood products, state-of-the-art factories and machinery, and management that possesses the appropriate know how and the willingness to make things tick. This alone is enough of a magnet for every serious fish exporter with tonnes of fish to sell or process. Where two years ago there was nothing but rolling countryside, is today a huge building site with superhighways in the making, and railway tracks and stations. This is complete with hotels, McDonalds and other western paraphenalia. Tens of thousands of people toiling away to yet again establish another satellite town with its own factories, sports centres and the latest European architecture to entertain the masses. When you pause for a minute and look around, the awakening of a giant springs into your mind. China will take its place as one of the biggest economies in the world.