A leading representative of the Chinese Government has seen how UK Trade & Investment is helping West Midlands automotive firms beat the economic downturn.

Madame Jiang Fan, Minister-Counsellor (Economic and Commercial), who is based at the Chinese Embassy in London, visited the region yesterday to meet Coventry and Warwickshire manufacturing companies in this sector that are growing their export business, and to find out more about plans to regenerate Birmingham city centre.  

At Ricardo, based in Leamington Spa, which provides technology, product innovation, engineering solutions and strategic consultancy to global automotive, transport and energy industries, and has a subsidiary office in China, she discovered how the company is working with UK Trade & Investment to build additional business in export markets.

Its client base in the automotive sector ranges from passenger car, commercial vehicle and off-highway equipment manufacturers through to all forms of wheeled motorsport including F1 and WRC. 

Ricardo's most recent development successes include hybrid vehicles and all aspects of low carbon transportation technology and it is currently building further business in the renewable energy sector.

Madame Jiang Fan then visited Modec, in Binley Industrial Estate, Coventry, which is one of the world's first manufacturers of purpose-built zero emission vehicles. 

Heralded as the future of commercial transport, Modec was founded in 2004 by Lord Borwick and a team of automotive engineering experts and its vehicles are attracting significant interest in many sectors.

The company is expanding rapidly, with help from UK Trade & Investment, with international dealerships now being established in France, the Netherlands, Spain, Germany and Ireland. 

The final part of Madame Jiang Fan's visit was to Birmingham City Council to meet Clive Dutton, Director of Regeneration and Planning, and learn about the Birmingham Big City Plan, followed by a tour of the city.

This master plan is aimed at creating a greener and more appealing city centre to increase employment, training and leisure opportunities for future generations. 

Doug Mahoney, UK Trade & Investment's International Trade Director for the West Midlands, said: "I was delighted to welcome Madame Jiang Fan to our region and showcase two manufacturing companies that are leading the way with cutting-edge technology.

"China is a hugely important business partner for the UK. Despite the present economic downturn, its economy is continuing to expand and develop, with the result that the demand for energy resources, infrastructure, technology and goods and services is still growing very rapidly."

Madame Jiang Fan said: "I am very impressed by the pioneering work being carried out by Ricardo and Modec, which has global potential, and the plans to reshape and revitalise Birmingham city centre.

"I look forward to visiting the West Midlands region again soon."

For more details about how UK Trade & Investment can help your business expand into new markets overseas, visit the website www.uktradeinvest.gov.uk .