According to The Economist, China will surpass the United States to become the largest importer in the world by 2014. There are plenty of opportunities for companies to take advantage of China’s growing middle class. Here are a few useful tips if you are interested in exporting to China:

• Check out your local Chamber of Commerce or Export Assistance Center and familiarize yourselves with legal and regulatory issues in China. These facilities also have a lot of resources and services that can help you develop China market entry strategies and find the right business partners.
• Consider rebranding or repositioning your products in China. Remember, what works in your native country may not work in China. You really need to learn about Chinese culture, understand Chinese consumers, and adapt your products and services to the China market.
• For smaller brands, e-commerce is a great way to break into the China market without significant upfront cost. China’s ecommerce has been growing at 60 percent each year in recent years. More than 100 million Chinese shopped online last year. And China’s Internet users are expected to reach 750 million in 2015.

Read my full article on Forbes: China to Become the World’s Largest Importer by 2014.