Scottish firms host summit with Chinese business consortium

Forty delegates from the city of Tianjin will attend the Scottish Development International (SDI) workshops. The consortium will discuss economic and technological benefits of working with Scottish industry, SDI said. The visit follows an agreement between Scottish and Chinese officials to encourage joint business ventures. Frank Boyland, director of Asia for SDI, said: "We know Tianjin is actively seeking innovative partners to help transform its regional economy and develop its key industries, so we want to highlight the benefits that Chinese companies can enjoy through partnerships with Scotland." The countries enjoyed a "great strategic fit" in the electronics, engineering, chemicals and textiles sectors, Boyland added. Seven Scottish companies currently have operations in Tianjin, according to SDI. The city is based in north east China and has been labelled the new Shanghai because of its rapid economic growth, SDI claimed.