Chinese firms show interest in local market
Green China
2020-01-31
China is the second largest economy in the world. It exports about 1,778 billion dollars and imports about 1,541 billion dollars, but Colombia's participation in that inexhaustible source of business is insignificant. In 2011, Colombia bought 7,378 million dollars from the Asian country, but only sold 1,697 million dollars.
Despite the barriers of language, distance and lack of products there are entrepreneurs, merchants and entrepreneurs who linked to the Chinese miracle before this country was the world's great factory. Juan Camilo Muriel and Ricardo Restrepo, are entrepreneurs who already talk from you to you with great entrepreneurs from both countries. His company JCR Consulting provides advice to do business in both countries, seeks suppliers and opens markets to those who want to export to China.
The source of big business with China is the FTA with the U.S. The Asian country is today the largest contributor to the U.S. foreign trade. and the one that pays the most tariffs. Many companies could achieve significant savings if they move their production to Colombia and export to the United States with the benefits of our FTA. What can bring large investments from China to Colombia.
"It is a great opportunity for them to take advantage of our strategic geographical position, and thus enter the United States market without paying the high sums in tariffs paid by what is produced in China," said Pablo Echavarría, director of the Eafit Center for Asian Studies.
For more than 20 years, some pioneers in the country bring containers from China to Colombian ports. From heavy machinery to buttons can be purchased at specialized stores, department stores, malls or popular bazaars in the country. Visionaries who dared to look at the Asian giant and see business options there, before that country was the world's biggest factory. Now it is the turn for those who dare to take there what has been done in Colombia.
Experts predict the commercial future with China in the agricultural industry, confectionery, flowers, specialty coffees, and designer underwear, among others. But thinking and producing big, which requires preparing, being creative and understanding a culture of more than 6,000 years of history and about 1.4 billion potential buyers.
