Made in China 2025: Market Opportunities for EU SMEs

Made in China 2025 (MIC 2025) is a national strategy announced by China’s State Council in May 2015, to comprehensively update, consolidate and balance China’s manufacturing industry. It has a very specific objective to 2025 and in the longer term with general objectives onwards to 2049 (the 100th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic in China).

MIC 2025 details nine strategic tasks, including: to encourage innovation and the use of digital technology in manufacturing; to improve the quality and efficiency of manufacturing; to enforce green manufacturing methods; to globalise Chinese brands; and to improve service-oriented manufacturing and manufacturing-service industries.

Despite its theme of Chinese technological independence, Made in China 2025 is in reality a source of great opportunities for EU SMEs that can help China to implement the changes required. The EU has extensive expertise in all areas of manufacturing and experience of moving up the value chain and transferring basic low-cost manufacturing to new locations.

Specific opportunities for EU SMEs arise in:

• Technical and management consultancy services to improve productivity, quality and efficiency and to minimise risks through process design and optimisation, and operation and project management;
• Standards, testing, compliance and certification to support Chinese companies to comply with and influence international standards and achieve international certifications;
• Joint R&D and joint bidding (in China and globally) as a channel for EU companies to build early-stage partnerships with new and growing Chinese enterprises;
• Outbound investment to work with Chinese partners on third-country projects and EU-based R&D centres;
• Financial and professional services, including accounting, auditing, consulting and HR, where Chinese projects have an overseas element;
• Industrial and architectural design, virtual reality modelling, prototyping and testing to build better infrastructure and to increase output quality and efficiency;
• Education services to build vocational skills and expertise in standards, management and software.

In this guideline prepared by the EU SME Centre and the China-Britain Business Council, you will learn:

Key Contents

• New Opportunities, Risk and Challenges
• The State Council’s Plan – The Nine Strategic Tasks
• Ten Priority Sectors
  • Advanced Marine Equipment and High-tech Vessels
  • Advanced Rail and Equipment
  • Agricultural Machinery and Technology
  • Aviation and Aerospace Equipment
  • Biopharmaceuticals and High-end Medical Equipment
  • Integrated Circuits and New Generation Information Technology
  • Power Equipment and Technology
  • High-end Manufacturing Control Equipment and Robotics
  • Low and New Energy Vehicles
  • New and Advanced Materials

• Five Nationwide Initiatives
• Opportunities by Sector
• Specific MIC 2025 Objectives

About the Authors

Orestes Georgiou Daniel, Research Analyst, China-Britain Business Council (CBBC)

Orestes joined CBBC in 2016. He conducts macroeconomic research and provides analysis on the Chinese business environment. His more recent work focuses on market access issues for British businesses in China. Orestes also researches the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), and co-wrote and co-edited CBBC’s most recent report on the BRI, titled: “Belt and Road Initiative – Southern Routes: UK-China Cooperation and Opportunities”. He has previously worked in the commercial foreign exchange industry. He holds a BA in Business Management and Chinese from the University of Central Lancashire, as well as a MSc in International Relations from the University of Bristol.

Mark Hui Xu, Assistant Director, Sector lead for Advanced Manufacturing and Transportation, China-Britain Business Council (CBBC)

Mark Xu is Assistant Director for Advanced Manufacturing and Transportation (AMT) at China Britain Business Council (CBBC). He has spent over twelve years in a UK engineering company which over ten years as the company’s Chief Representative and General Manager for their China subsidiary office. Mark is bilingual in Chinese and English, has a BEng in Manufacturing Engineering and BCom in Commerce from the University of Birmingham, an MBA from Business School Netherlands and is a CFA II Candidate.

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