21 May 2026
Last week, Glasgow Chamber of Commerce was delighted to welcome a delegation from Shanghai alongside a strong turnout of our members for a focused and engaging international trade event.
The session provided a valuable platform to strengthen our growing relationship with Shanghai, while giving our members direct insight into the opportunities offered through the East China Fair and the wider Shanghai and Pudong area. From the outset, the discussions reflected a shared ambition to deepen collaboration and unlock new avenues for trade and investment.
A key highlight of the morning was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between Glasgow Chamber of Commerce and the East China Fair. This formal commitment marks an important step in building a structured pathway for businesses in Glasgow to access one of China’s most dynamic commercial markets.
Throughout the event, members heard directly from representatives of the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Commerce and the East China Fair, gaining a clearer understanding of how to engage, participate and benefit from the opportunities on offer. The presentations were complemented by first-hand insights from Glasgow-based businesses including from Vijay Madlani, CEO of Katrick Technologies and Andrew Falconer, Director of Prioto who have already participated in trade missions to Shanghai, bringing real credibility and practical perspective to the discussion.
Importantly, the session also created space for our members to share their own ambitions. During the trade matching and Q&A segment, businesses were able to showcase their expertise, explore potential partnerships and discuss the specific opportunities they see emerging in Shanghai and the Pudong area—particularly within the fast-growing new energy sector, life sciences and robotics.
The level of engagement and the quality of conversations throughout the morning demonstrated the appetite within Glasgow’s business community to build meaningful international connections. Events like this are critical in ensuring our members are not only informed, but actively positioned to take advantage of global opportunities.
We would like to extend our thanks to the Shanghai delegation for their collaboration and openness, and to our members for their active participation. Glasgow Chamber of Commerce remains committed to supporting our businesses to explore new markets, and we look forward to building on the momentum generated through this visit.
Glasgow Chamber is leading a trade delegation to the China (Shanghai) International Tech Fair in June and is also planning an outward tech focused trade mission to Singapore in the second week of October and a return visit to Shanghai for the China International Import Expo in November. For further details contact International@glasgowchamberofcommerce.com
Glasgow Chamber led international trade missions are part of the International Trade Partnership programme which is supported by the Scottish Government & Scottish Chambers of Commerce
