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Aviation History
1985
1985 - 0019.PDF
High hopes at Beijing Beijing's first "airshow" was adjudged an unqualified success by its organisers. Julian Moxon reports. Clear skies and sub-zero temperatures greeted exhibitors to the first-ever aerospace show to be held in Beijing (formerly Peking). Aviation Expo/China '84 attracted more than 200 companies from the West and Japan, who exhibited their wares in the National Agri cultural Hall and associated buildings located on the east side of the city. Most exhibitors successfully conquered the complex web of organisational and bureaucratic problems and equipped their stands with hardware, video displays, models, and plenty of brochures. The latter were snapped up at an alarming rate by the Chinese, who demonstrated a vora cious appetite for technical literature, in whatever the language. Many companies had, in fact, produced Chinese trans lations of their brochures and business cards. The show was attended by an estimated 100,000 Chinese visitors, which meant that the halls were packed during the short opening times. Indeed, this must have been one of the only exhibitions in which the doors were closed for two hours during the lunch break. Another problem facing exhibitors was that of recognising those individuals who were present in an official capacity from those simply attending. This was because almost all the visitors, whether belonging to civil or military organisations, wore military-style uniforms in either green or blue. High ranking officers were only identifiable by a small red stripe worn on |f the chest, otherwise exhibitors had to watch for the sometimes considerable entourage—and for he who was not carry ing a bagful of brochures. Fortunately, the I show organisers had reserved one after noon especially for VIPs, which meant f?LIGHT International, 5 January 1985 it 1 i f J i r : • < sis ? ** »».» . Hit , , i & * ft *.: •» i ys Hi s Ji>. «**$ :• ' -! Ittfft *B5mt*eafi $m>£mr* - ^fifammilium 3wjtfttlk'"^?7^::' This Chinese BO 105 was the only complete aircraft exhibited at the show that at least some brochures will have found the right targets. Interestingly, a number of university aeronautical students were also present. They demon strated considerable knowledge of the Western aerospace scene (along with various other aspects of Western life). The show itself was surprisingly large, the exhibition halls being spread over several acres of land adjoining Beijing's National Agricultural Exhibition Hall, about 5min walk from the sumptous Great Wall hotel, where most participants stayed. Exhibitors from all fields of aviation reported intense interest in their products, the initial brochure hunt often being followed up by another visit in which specialised questions were asked. Igno rance is not a feature of the Chinese in aviation. All relevant literature published in the West is received, translated, and carefully digested, so much so that a few exhibitors were caught off guard by the amount of information the Chinese had already garnered about their particular products. While a great deal of behind-the-scenes talking went on, this was not meant to be a show for selling products, the Chinese organisers having placed specific restrictions on this. The aim, and certainly the achievement, of Aviation Expo/China '84 was to foster contracts and demonstrate what the West and Japan had to offer the rapidly expanding Chinese aerospace industry. For those with less experience of doing business in China the show was also something of an eye-opener, for in this country deals are not struck overnight. The Chinese prefer the old virtues of patience and long-term association, which means that business hopefuls have to be tenacious if they are to expect success. Because of its healthy foreign exchange position, said to be around $19,000 million (excluding gold reserves), China is in a strong bargaining position with respect to equipment purchases. This probably means that she will come out of most negotiating sessions in a favourable posi tion, having been able to pick and choose exactly the products she requires, and to dictate the terms under which they are sold. 17
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