SWINDON firms have been invited to see what is offer in the Orient.

China Showcase events, organised by UK Trade and investment, are coming to Wiltshire to give businesses a taste of the way of the dragon.

Swindon's is on Wednesday, March 2 at a venue to be decided.

The events are aimed at those companies which already have experience of international trade, and firms from the south west that have already tasted export success in China will be on hand to give presentations to relay their experiences first-hand.

It had been hoped that Swindon would lead the region in creating links with China.

A delegation sent by the Chinese government went as far as applying for and getting planning permission to turn the former Renault building in West Swindon into a trading post that would give Chinese firms a foothold in northern Europe.

However, this plan, which would have seen the still-empty building be bought for £17 million, has now been put on ice. Recently it has been rumoured that an American electronics firm might also take over the building, but that plan is also unlikely to come to fruition.

Nobody from Jubilee International, the firm from Chinese Commercial City in south Gloucestershire that was dealing with the trading post plan, was available for comment yesterday. The events have been set up by the Government organisation UK Trade and Investment.

Each will explain to businesses the opportunities that exist in China, the best routes to take to get access to the markets, give clues on how to make sure that no cultural differences get in the way when trying to set up business.

There will also be guidance on how to protect intellectual property rights in a new market and there will be experts on hand to give business-specific one-on-one advice.

The day-long gathering will include speakers with a wealth experience of Chinese markets including representatives of the China British Business Council, HSBC bank, lawyers Veale Wasbrough, and Benjamin Schmittzehe, of Far East business consultants Schmittzehe and Partners, as well as UK Trade and Investment's international trade director Stephen Phillips, who has wide experience of Far East markets.

It is part of a wider push to strengthen links and trade between the south west and the Guandong region of China.

A trade mission took place in the autumn, which marked the start of a push to help businesses in the south west make the most of the potentially lucrative market.

Anyone interested in attending must register in advance for the event by writing to Business to Business Exhibitions, 377 Camden Road, London, N7 0SH. Call 020 7700 0008 or email laura@business-business.co.uk

Yesterday saw an increase in interest in the Chinese economy.

Virgin Atlantic announced an expansion in its services to China, with seven flights a week to Shanghai from Heathrow from October 30.

Meanwhile, China Southern Airlines said it would be requesting five A380 superjumbos tomorrow, in an order worth £750 million for the 555-seater planes.

China factfile

China is the world's most populous country with 1.29 billion inhabitants.

The UK is the sixth largest investor in China and the largest from the EU.

Exports to China are predicted to grow at more than 35 per cent a year.

Up to 2008, the growth of exports to China is likely to contribute a fifth of the growth of all exports from the south west.

In 2003 Guandong's GDP grew 13.6 per cent, more than five per cent higher than the national average its economy is now bigger than the economies of most south east Asian countries.