Association Shows Important in China
-- Tradeshow Week, 2/25/2008
A report from Hong Kong-based Business Strategies Group found that, even as more of China's economic sectors are privatized, trade associations continue to play an important role in business events in that country, with some organizing major events of their own. The report, which examines how associations choose venues, how they earn money from events and how this is changing, offers information and data for companies with an interest in China's business events market.
Paul Woodward, BSG principal and managing director of the Asia/Pacific office of UFI, the Global Assn. of the Exhibition Industry, said some Chinese associations have been involved in event organizing for a long time, and it is only in the last 10 to 15 years that independent tradeshow organizers have emerged. Prior to 1990, most shows were organized by government organizations like the China Council for the Promotion of Intl. Trade.
Woodward pointed out that there is now little reason why a foreign organizer cannot run an event with or for a Chinese association. For the past two to three years, Chinese law has allowed foreign companies to own 100 percent of their operating entities in the country. Still, the number of companies that have take advantage of the opportunity is small.
BSG focused its research on trade, rather than professional, associations, finding a predominance of medical industry associations involved in organizing meetings and conventions. Trade associations represent nearly all key businesses activity in China, playing a major role in the exhibition business.
Almost all Chinese business associations began as functions of the government and remain so. Most association officials are former government officials who act as bridges between industry and government, not as representatives of private industry.
BSG interviewed key trade association managers and executives of event organizers operating in China for the report, which features data on 80 major trade associations and the top 50 exhibitions in China.
