China's experience shows how they are reflecting on new
approaches to link business networks, transfer e-commerce knowledge
and synthesize business information.
Our main task is to promote the
exports of Chinese companies, especially small and medium-sized
enterprises (SMEs). Traditionally, SMEs have had limited access to
international market information sources. Even now, in an era of
information explosion, many of them don't know how to get what they
really need from the wilderness of information. Here is what our
TPO has done to deliver the business information that our firms
need.
Wiring up the offices and staff
In 1997, we set up separate local area networks (LANs) in the
various departments. In 1999, we installed an office auto-mation
system covering the whole headquarters, with features such as
paperless office processes and internal information sharing among
all departments and staff. The system has just become operational.
We expect the efficiency of our internal administration to improve
significantly.
Networks deliver information services
The Economic Information Department was the first in CCPIT to go
online to perform jobs such as information collection,
transmission, processing and delivery. Some examples:
• Trade leads network. In 1997, we established a "trade leads
network" to connect all the overseas representative offices of
CCPIT around the world, as well as all the sub-councils in China.
The trade leads collected by the overseas offices are directly
registered onto the network and transmitted to Chinese enterprises
via CCPIT's sub-councils' information networks. The trade leads
network has substantially shortened the handling time of
information. Every week, it delivers over 100 requests for business
information. Numerous international trade deals have thus been
achieved.
• Online applications. Companies can now apply for certificates
of origin via CCPIT's electronic data interchange (EDI) network. We
are also building a new network platform for online applications
for trademarks and patents.
• Recruitment of exhibitors. By using CCPIT's Internet site as a
platform, we now are able to conduct online recruitment of
exhibitors.
Encouraging e-commerce for Chinese firms
In recent years, we have promoted the concept and technology of
e-commerce among Chinese enterprises through web sites and an
e-commerce promotion campaign.
Web sites
The official web site of CCPIT (http://www.ccpit.org) is composed
of two parts: one part is in English, called "China Business
Information Net", for overseas visitors, the other part is in
Chinese, called "International Business Information Net", targeting
Chinese enterprises.
• China Business Information Net, an all-English site with trade
information for buyers. The English site, launched in August 1996,
includes economic news; foreign economic, trade and investment
policies; customs tariffs; economic and trade laws and regulations;
market trends; intellectual property rights' protection;
exhibitions and trade fairs; regional investment climate and
projects; business offers and demands; a China travel guide; and
other services.
• International Business Information Net, a Chinese-language
site for exporters. The Chinese section carries information like
country business profiles, international economic dynamics,
international product and market surveys, national economic and
trade laws and regulations around the world, international
investment climate, trade and investment opportunities, and other
features. The aim is to help Chinese businesses to develop
international markets.
• Chinaproducts.com, a portal for 120,000 exporters. In 1999,
CCPIT set up a professional B2B-type web site dedicated to the
promotion of China's exports. The web site, Chinaproducts.com, has a
large database of of Chinese export products. It contains
information on one million Chinese export products and 120,000
Chinese exporting companies. Based on the platform, an online
transaction system is being developed. When completed, all the
products registered on the site can be purchased and paid for
online.
• China Project Financing, a site targeting foreign investors.
We are also building a site called "China Project Financing", which
targets the global business community, and features projects from
various regions in China seeking investment.
These web sites have won international and national honours. In
1997, China Business Information Net, the English version of
CCPIT's web site, was selected as "one of the most useful web sites
to SMEs in the world" by the United Nations Economic and Social
Council for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP). In 1998, International
Business Information Net, the Chinese version, was recommended by
China Export Products Trade Fair (Canton Fair) as a "Renowned
Business Web Site in China". In 1999, Chinaproducts.com was
distinguished as "National E-commerce Pilot Programme" by the State
Information Office under the State Council.
E-commerce promotion campaigns
CCPIT sponsors major events every year to help improve Chinese
businesses' understanding of e-commerce and introduce practices in
international markets.
• China International E-commerce Conference. This is the
largest, most prestigious e-commerce event in China. CCPIT is one
of the conference sponsors. Held annually since 1997, it introduces
innovative ideas, expertise and successful models to Chinese
enterprises. Over 300 world-renowned multinationals in the IT field
participated in last April's conference, and over 300 Chinese and
international media reported on the event.
• E-China Forum. The forum is an annual touring event, begun in
1999. This year in June it was held in six cities in China,
including Hong Kong. The theme of the forum was "Successful models
of e-commerce". Over 300 attendees participated in the forum at
each of its stops. The forum was designed to be a reference point
for enterprises interested in carrying out e-commerce or converting
their conventional business models into more competitive e-commerce
models.
TPOs as network facilitators
We are also involved in other events sponsored by government
agencies and businesses. We feel, however, that these efforts are
far from enough.
There are issues worthy of further discussion. For example, in
the information age, a TPO has diminishing advantages over a
commercial agency in rendering services to businesses that will
make them more profitable and build their capabilities. A TPO may
increasingly feel pressure to operate like a commercial agency. On
the other hand, providing information may no longer be the most
important thing for a TPO to do since companies, even SMEs, are no
longer short of information sources. In fact, there is too much
information, even junk information, on the Internet.
TPOs now must focus on helping companies find useful information
easily, without wasting their time and energy. In this sense, TPOs
are not only providers, but also facilitators. It is important to
build trust in the information, as well as trust between parties
who meet each other in the virtual world. This may be a new field
where TPOs can play a role.
Mr. Yu Ping is the Assistant Chairman of the China Council
for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT). He can be
contacted at ypbjg@public2.east.cn.net
This article is based on a presentation given by Mr. Yu on the
theme of "New tools and mechanisms in trade promotion" at the third
World Conference of Trade Promotion Organizations (Marrakech, 25-27
October 2000).
Typical TPO services in the new digital
economy
The following sums up what many trade promotion organizations
(TPOs) offer:
• Information. TPOs provide information to both foreign and
domestic business communities through their web sites. The
information, generally speaking, includes market profiles, laws and
regulations, customs tariffs, practical guidance on doing business
in particular markets, etc.
• Online matchmaking. Companies can register their company
profiles, offers and requests in trade, investment, distribution
and other services with a publicly accessible database. Interested
parties can search data in the database through some powerful and
user-friendly search methods. Some sophisticated systems check the
offers and requests registered in the database and automatically
match those which fit each other and notify the parties involved.
Some even provide free translation services so that viewers at home
and abroad can upload and view information in their own languages.
Some TPOs are already providing such services, with various degrees
of sophistication.
• Virtual exhibitions. While the advantages of virtual exhibitions
are indisputable, traditional exhibitions still have their distinct
merits. Virtual exhibitions will prosper and traditional
exhibitions will continue to exist, with the two forms
complementing each other.
• Education and training. Most TPOs have been actively educating
their business constituencies, especially the SME community, on the
application of e-commerce through various activities such as
seminars, conferences, training courses, etc.