On 13 June, a delegation from the British Chamber of Commerce Shanghai (BritCham Shanghai), led by Executive Director, Stuart Dunn, and Policy Advisor at the Chamber’ Executive Committee, Chris Dunn, conducted a factory visit to Wuzhong District in Suzhou – one of China’s top manufacturing hubs.
The visit focused on industrial cooperation, cultural exchange, and government-enterprise dialogue, featuring tours to platinum member Haleon’s R&D and manufacturing facility and a leading Chinese enterprise, along with in-depth discussions with the Wuzhong District government on exploring more cooperation opportunities.
The Party secretary of Wuzhong District, Ding Lixin, warmly welcomed the delegation, highlighting the district’s dual advantages: “With a 2,500-year cultural heritage around Taihu Lake and modern industrial clusters, Wuzhong offers international partners both business opportunities and quality living.” He specifically mentioned preferential business environment policies for foreign investors in biopharma, smart manufacturing sectors as well as higher education.
Site Visits: Witnessing Manufacturing Excellence
At Haleon’s state-of-the-art facility, delegates observed how this British consumer health giant successfully integrates global expertise with local Chinese know-how. The fully automated production line—from tablet compression to bottling and packaging – demonstrated remarkable operational efficiency and quality control standards that impressed all attendees.
As a global leader in consumer health, Haleon (spun off from GSK in 2022) owns iconic brands like Centrum, Sensodyne, and Panadol—trusted by Chinese families for decades.
The visit to Veichi Electric showcased China’s advanced manufacturing capabilities. Company executives presented their development history, current industrial scale, and flagship products, offering valuable insights into the rise of Chinese enterprises over the past three decades.
Veichi is a leading industrial automation specialist enterprise headquartered in Suzhou’s Wuzhong District, with R&D centres in Shenzhen and Xi’an and an Indian subsidiary. Listed on Shanghai’s STAR Market (2020), the company produces frequency converters, servo systems, PLCs, and solar pump inverters for global markets.
Business Forum: Charting Future Collaboration
During the afternoon business forum, Stuart Dunn said that this year marks the 110th anniversary of the Chamber’s establishment – a journey that began with just a handful of UK enterprises and has grown into a robust network of over 280 member companies today.
Highlighting the Chamber’s strategic evolution, Stuart emphasised: “As the Yangtze River Delta integration accelerates, we have expanded our services beyond Shanghai to serve members across the entire region of East China. The opening of our Hangzhou office last year represents our commitment to delivering enhanced value and support to our growing regional membership base.”
FU Yue, Haleon’s representative and Co-chair of the Chamber’s Legal & Regulatory Committee, delivered a keynote speech titled “Connection”, detailing the company’s localisation journey in Suzhou. “Haleon’s growth has been inextricably linked with Suzhou’s development for more than 30 years,” FU noted, emphasising the importance of comprehensive ecosystem connections beyond mere market considerations.
The visit provided a multi‑dimensional understanding of Wuzhong District, from business environment to cultural context. FU stressed that future investments would prioritise synergistic relationships with local government, business communities, and consumers – building sustainable connections across the entire value chain.
The event attracted over 20 representatives from member enterprises across Shanghai and Hangzhou, including Domino China, Star Accounting & Consulting, INTO University Partnerships, Sino-British College at the University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Brunswick Group, Knight Frank, Shimizu Corporation (China), KD Theatrics, Modern Water, Gleeds, Octave, Hotel Indigo Hangzhou Tianmushan, Medterials Ltd., Jiahui Health, Freudenberg Filtration Technologies, Artyzen Habitat Suzhou, and Haleon China.
