Before 2030, China is predicted to have the largest economy in the world.

An integral market to modern trade and global supply chains, China represents immense opportunity for international partnerships with UK businesses. Established almost twenty years ago, our China-UK business group offers crucial support both to UK businesses trading, investing and operating in China – and Chinese businesses and investors coming to Britain. Where others see these borders, we see opportunities.

Our teams deliver a comprehensive range of services in collaboration with our local China member firm across restructuring and insolvency, regulatory support and distressed debt management. We are also the UK Department for Business and Trade’s contracted consultancy for The Export Support Service – providing support to UK exporters looking to grow in China.

Using our multi-disciplinary expertise, we support you on:

We’ll support you to ensure compliance with local obligations across various tax landscapes while keeping you updated on developments in cross-border tax, including transfer pricing and the management of cross-border structures.

We identify statutory reporting requirements and conduct local audits to ensure compliance with regulatory obligations.

We'll support your business with all aspects of M&A activity, from identifying opportunities to executing deals and transitioning post-completion.

We’ll review your operating framework to identify efficiencies and savings, while ensuring your business is structured appropriately to support growth when entering new markets.

Banner image
Guide

Your guide to doing business in the UK

Our guide to doing business in the UK supports you to grow your international operations here.

    Why Grant Thornton?

    We've witnessed China's shift from a manufacturing powerhouse to a consumer-driven economy. With our extensive experience in the UK and Chinese market, we apply these insights to assist you in navigating the challenges that new and established businesses encounter in a swiftly evolving market.

    Our support can help you navigate with sensitivity when you are in difficult or distressed financial situations and provide a range of solutions that support you when and where you need it most.

    We can help you: 

    • Evaluate new markets and opportunities, and select the best commercial models for seizing them
    • Plan and implement strategic transactions, including mergers, bolt-on acquisitions and disposals
    • Provide valuations and due diligence to support board decisions on organic growth, acquisition and joint-venture opportunities
    • Support new market entry with on-the-ground assistance
    • Structure your business in China effectively and efficiently
    • Set an employment strategy that ensures the right people are in the right roles and rewards are at the right level.

    To ensure a return on investment, it's important to plan how you'll maximise and protect the money you earn from China. We can:

    • Provide strategies to manage your position and help you ensure the flow of funds
    • Advise you on cash extraction and repatriating your money to the UK
    • Help move cash and profits out of China and reduce tax leakage, including supporting you with administration.

    Getting risk management wrong in China could damage your business and result in criminal prosecution. You'll work with a team that has considerable expertise in the complex business cultures of China and Hong Kong. We’ll help to:

    • Ensure your regulatory tax compliance and respond to investigations by regulators; we can also connect you to our local tax experts in Grant Thornton China and UK
    • Mitigate the risk of fraud, bribery and corruption
    • Implement control environments to manage the commercial and financial risks of operating overseas
    • Provide insightful, value-added audits to reassure your stakeholders.

    Streamlining your processes and behaviours will help you get more from less and realise your ambitions efficiently. We’ll support you to:

    • Plan your overseas tax structures and transfer-pricing policies
    • Improve working capital management through process improvement and innovative tax planning
    • Identify opportunities for direct cost savings
    • Optimise the efficiency of your finance function.

    Our support can help you navigate with sensitivity when you are in difficult or distressed financial situations and provide a range of solutions that support you when and where you need it most.