Where do foreign companies do business in China?
Due to a large development effort to bolster a business friendly climate, China offers an abundance of regional and provincial options outside the primary tier one cities for locating or conducting business.
Understanding the Chinese regions and provinces landscape can help you make more informed decisions when choosing to do business with a Chinese company.
While you may assume that most of the business being conducted in China is concentrated in its largest and most famous cities – Beijing and Shanghai – there are many other regions that also witness a significant volume of business activity. In this article we provide you with an overview of the nine most active business centers and regions in China.
Although there isn’t any singular official data source that indicates where the most significant business volume occurs due to the myriad of factors that could be used to calculate that volume (imports, exports, transpiration, registrations, capital flow), a broad-based survey of several third-party sources reveals these top nine regions as the most active.
Top 9 Provinces where foreign companies do business in China
| Province | Fast facts | Capital | Significant cities | Transportation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guangdong (广东) | Population: 109,990,000 (7.8%) GDP per capita: USD $12,909 | Guangzhou (广州) | Shenzhen (深圳) Dongguan (东莞) Foshan (佛山) Huizhou (惠州) Zhongshan (中山) | Guangzhou Baiyun (CAN) Shenzhen Bao'an (SZX) |
| Shanghai Municipality (上海) | Population: 24,200,000 (1.7%) GDP per capita: USD 19,671 Largest city in China World’s busiest container port China’s largest metro system | Huangpu (黄浦) Xuhui (徐汇) Changning (长宁) Jing'an (静安) Putuo (普陀) Hongkou (虹口) Yangpu (杨浦) Pudong (浦东) | Shanghai Pudong (PVG) Shanghai Hongqiao (SHA) | |
| Zhejiang (浙江) | Population: 55,900,000 (4.1%) GDP per capita: USD 14,630 Key manufacturing hub Wholesale market capital in Yiwu | Hangzhou (杭州) | Ningbo (宁波) Jiaxing (嘉兴) Jinhua (金华) Shaoxing (绍兴) Taizhou (台州) Wenzhou (温州) | Hangzhou Xiaoshan (HGH) |
| Beijing Municipality (北京) | Population: 21,730,000 (1.5%) GDP per capita: USD 20,356 Highest concentration of companies in Mainland China One of four 1st tier Chinese cities Main port for imports and exports: Binhai port in Tianjin | Dongcheng (东城) Xicheng (西城) Chaoyang (朝阳) Fengtai (丰台) Shijingshan (石景山) Haidian (海淀) | Beijing Capital (PEK) | |
| Shandong (山东) | Population: 99,470,000 (7.2%) GDP per capita: USD 11,543 Second most populous province Industrial and agricultural strengths | Jinan (济南) | Qingdao (青岛) Weifang (潍坊) Yantai (烟台) | Qingdao Liuting (TAO) Jinan Yaoqiang (TNA) |
| Jiangsu (江苏) | Population: 79,990,000 (5.9%) GDP per capita: USD 16,965 18 high-tech zone Yangtze River Delta economic region | Nanjing (南京) | Suzhou (苏州) Wuxi (无锡) Changzhou (常州) Nantong (南通) Xuzhou (徐州) | Nanjing Lukou (NKG) |
| Fujian (福建) | Population: 38,740,000 (2.8%) GDP per capita: USD 13,171 Light industry sector Costal proximity | Fuzhou (福州) | Quanzhou (泉州) Xiamen (厦门) | Xiamen Gaoqi (XMN) |
| Hebei (河北) | Population: 74,700,000 (5.4%) GDP per capita: USD 7,606 Home of the future Xiong'an New Area (雄安新区) | Shijiazhuang (石家庄) | Baoding (保定) | Beijing Daxing International Airport (under construction) and slated to be the world’s largest |
| Tianjin Municipality (天津) | Population: 15,620,000 (1.0%) GDP per capita: USD 18,807 Tianjin is one of mainland China's 4 municipalities - the others are Beijing, Shanghai and Chongqing | Heping (和平) Hedong (河东) Hexi (河西) Nankai (南开) Hebei (河北) Hongqiao (红桥) Binhai (滨海) | Tianjin Binhai (TSN) |
Additional Resources
Nuna Network is the partner of choice and go-to resource for businesses or individuals seeking guidance in researching, developing, and establishing relationships with companies in China. Check out our valuable guides, helpful tips, and other practical information to help you navigate the complex landscape of Chinese Businesses.