CHINA

China remains important for sourcing, manufacturing, equipment, electronics, packaging, furniture, textiles, consumer goods, logistics and technology.

Companies travel there to:

• meet existing and potential suppliers;
• inspect production before placing an order;
• compare several factories;
• review samples and packaging;
• discuss quality control;
• negotiate price, payment and delivery terms;
• find private-label manufacturers;
• attend exhibitions;
• visit showrooms and warehouses;
• meet regional offices and technology companies.

Several objectives can be included in one trip. The route should be based on the actual location of each office, factory and exhibition venue.

A supplier’s commercial office and production site may be in different cities. Before the programme is built, Baltic Business Tour confirms where the goods are actually manufactured and who will meet the delegation.

Visits can be arranged to:

• electronics and hardware manufacturers;
• furniture factories;
• packaging producers;
• textile businesses;
• automotive-component plants;
• cosmetics manufacturers;
• food-equipment companies;
• warehouses and logistics facilities;
• showrooms;
• research and development centres.

The client’s objective should be defined before contact is made with the host. A factory visit may focus on production capacity, certification, quality control, private-label options, packaging, delivery terms or technical competence.

We coordinate:

• the company name in English and Chinese;
• the exact production address;
• the host contact;
• the meeting agenda;
• participant names;
• the working language;
• interpreter requirements;
• transport;
• time on site;
• photography restrictions;
• the expected follow-up.

A brief showroom presentation is not enough when the client needs to assess production. The schedule must include access to the relevant facility and the people responsible for manufacturing or quality.

Entry conditions are checked for each passport. Teams based in Europe may include employees with different nationalities and different visa requirements.
Depending on citizenship and route, a traveller may qualify for visa-free entry, require a visa or use an eligible transit arrangement. These options are not interchangeable.

Before flights are confirmed, we review:

• passport nationality and validity;
• visa-free eligibility;
• visa and invitation requirements;
• transit conditions;
• arrival and departure points;
• onward tickets;
• hotel information;
• domestic travel plans;
• arrival formalities;
• commercial samples and equipment.

A transit exemption requires a qualifying onward route. A return journey to the same country may not meet the conditions, even when the traveller stays in China for only a few days.

Mobile payments are widely used in China. Travellers should prepare the required applications before departure.

Useful preparations include:

• Alipay;
• WeChat;
• a linked international bank card where available;
• a backup bank card;
• some RMB cash;
• mobile data or an eSIM;
• addresses saved in Chinese;
• a translation application;
• a clear company reimbursement procedure.

For groups, many services can be paid centrally in advance, including hotels, transport, interpreters, trains, domestic flights and restaurants.

Access to some European services may be restricted or unreliable. This can affect email, messaging, maps, cloud storage and corporate documents.
Before departure, the company should confirm with its IT team how travellers will access essential systems and whether approved corporate solutions will work in China.

Baltic Business Tour prepares:

• offline itineraries;
• Chinese addresses;
• hotel and transfer details;
• local coordinator contacts;
• WeChat contacts where used;
• alternative communication channels.

Important documents should also be available offline.

A China itinerary is built around confirmed meetings and production addresses.
International flights may arrive in one city while the first factory is located several hours away. Internal travel can involve high-speed trains, domestic flights or a vehicle with a driver.

Baltic Business Tour compares:

• international routes and fare conditions;
• connection times;
• baggage allowances;
• domestic flight schedules;
• high-speed train options;
• travel between airports and stations;
• road time to industrial areas;
• the consequences of a delayed arrival.

High-speed rail is efficient on many city pairs, but the station, baggage and onward road transfer still need to be included in the schedule.
Factories that appear close to Shanghai, Guangzhou or Shenzhen on a map may require a long drive. The visit time and return journey should be calculated before another appointment is added.

Shanghai
Shanghai suits international meetings, regional offices, CIIE, professional services and large corporate events. It also works as a starting point for visits to Suzhou, Hangzhou and Ningbo. Depending on the factory location, a separate overnight stay may be more practical than returning to Shanghai.

Beijing
Beijing is used for meetings with headquarters, associations, universities, research organisations and government-related institutions. Appointments may require additional registration details and longer transfer times.

Guangzhou
Guangzhou is a major base for the Canton Fair and supplier programmes in southern China. The fair is divided into product phases. Dates must match the relevant category before flights and hotels are booked.

Shenzhen
Shenzhen is central to electronics, hardware, smart devices, manufacturing technology and digital business. It is often combined with Dongguan, Guangzhou and other locations in the Greater Bay Area.

Other production centres
Hangzhou, Suzhou, Ningbo, Yiwu, Dongguan and Foshan are included in routes connected with manufacturing, ports, warehouses, textiles, furniture, packaging and e-commerce. The choice between train and road transport depends on the final address, not simply the city name.

Hotel location follows the business route. A central hotel may add hours of travel if most visits take place in an industrial district outside the city.
Baltic Business Tour reviews:

• acceptance of international guests;
• address in English and Chinese;
• distance to factories and exhibition venues;
• airport and station access;
• early check-in;
• breakfast arrangements;
• meeting rooms;
• deposits;
• accepted payment methods;
• invoice format;
• coach access;
• name-change deadlines.

For some routes, changing hotels once is more practical than making the same long journey on several consecutive days.

Local transport is a major part of a multi-city China programme.

Baltic Business Tour can arrange:

• airport and station transfers;
• private cars;
• executive vehicles;
• minibuses and coaches;
• full-day transport for factory visits;
• daily exhibition transfers;
• travel between cities;
• driver waiting time;
• vehicles for luggage and samples.

Addresses are provided in Chinese to drivers and participants. The itinerary also includes host contacts and alternative meeting points when the site is difficult to find.

A trade-fair trip may involve badge registration, supplier appointments, interpreters, transport, sample handling and factory visits after the event.
For Canton Fair, the first step is to confirm the correct phase. For exhibitions in Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen, hotel location should be considered together with after-fair meetings.

Baltic Business Tour can coordinate:

• participant registration details;
• flights from several departure cities;
• hotel room blocks;
• daily venue transfers;
• interpreter schedules;
• supplier lists;
• meetings at stands;
• factory visits after the fair;
• sample and baggage arrangements;
• business dinners;
• individual extensions and return routes.

The programme includes reserve time for delayed meetings, traffic and changes to supplier availability.

Baltic Business Tour can manage:

• entry and transit checks;
• international flights;
• domestic flights and trains;
• hotels;
• airport and railway transfers;
• factory and supplier visits;
• communication with host companies;
• Chinese-language addresses;
• interpreters and coordinators;
• exhibition travel;
• business dinners;
• meeting and event venues;
• individual itineraries;
• support during changes;
• company invoices and post-trip documents.

To prepare a proposal, we need:

• travel dates;
• departure cities;
• passport nationalities;
• number of participants;
• planned destinations;
• target suppliers or factories;
• exhibition name and phase;
• interpreter requirements;
• preferred hotel category;
• approximate budget.

Based on this information, Baltic Business Tour prepares a route connecting entry requirements, flights, trains, hotels, supplier meetings and factory visits.