Fast boat to china

With booming trade between the UK and China, exporting original equipment manufacturers from both regions will need product designers with up-to-date, local experience of these markets. And as China follows up its strength in manufacturing with a growing creative expertise, designers who collaborate across continents will be in the best position to help clients with global ambitions.

As a Cheshire-based product designer, I took advantage of this opportunity in 2004 by forming a cross-cultural design team that co-operates between the two countries, sharing skills, experiences, influences and clients.

From my experience I believe the time is right for joining up with Chinese counterparts. The country now boasts many professional, world-class product design consultants. Creative talent and regional success is giving them increasing confidence to export their services to the West and, rather than burying our heads in the sand, we should embrace this change by working in partnership with them.

Until recently, one possible drawback would have been China's reputation for copying designs. But Chinese companies and their government now see the economic benefits of working to professional international business standards, and the revision and improvement of their International Property Rights laws are now widely acknowledged by international observers.