POSTING FROM SHANGHAI
March 24, 2009
I attended the first reception of this visit, organised as part of the
SCDI mission which is here at the same time. An excellent profile-
raising event for the organisation and for Scotland as a whole.
Seen from here, Scotland is an intriguing but small place on the
other side of the world and we need to work hard and co-operatively
to get our message across.
Jim Murphy, Secretary of State for Scotland,spoke very well and
succinctly. What he was saying was, rightly, identical to what I have
heard Ministers in the devolved Scottish Government say -he
highlighted our flair for innovation and our appetite for new business.
Talking to people working in financial services here, Chinese and
westerners, business has certainly declined but there is still more than
enough to do. The backlog has just got smaller. Interesting too talking
to the people participating in the SCDI mission, working in a wide range
of businesses, from nautical training to web technology. Many of them
are here to get some initial insights, while others have been working
in China for years. Overall mood is very upbeat.
And a quick word on the timing of Scotland Office and Scottish
Government visits to China. Ministers open doors and there are many,
many doors to knock on. This visit confirms what we have said before -
the more Ministers in China using government clout (government
matters here more than at home) to push Scotland, the better.
I will post again soon.
Owen
