All photos in this post were taken by Jamie during the trade mission
RJJ Software’s founder and lead consultant, Jamie Taylor, has returned from the West and North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce (WNY Chamber) trade mission to China and Hong Kong, which took place from Monday 20th to Friday 24th April 2026. Co-ordinated with Chamber International and supported by Gold Sponsors BYD and Teesside International Airport, the mission brought together a delegation of Yorkshire businesses across three cities: Guangzhou, Shenzhen, and Hong Kong. It was confirmed by the British Chamber of Commerce South China as the largest UK trade delegation to China in several years.
Five Days Across Three Cities
The delegation represented businesses from across the Yorkshire region, including European Cargo, Autohorn Fleet Services, Sound Leisure, Tudor International Freight, Richmond International Academic and Soccer Academy, China Marketing Corp, Jolene, QL Consulting, and RJJ Software.
James Mason, Chief Executive of the West and North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce, set out the commercial case for the mission directly:
Given that the total trade between the UK and China was £102.3bn last year and that China remains the country’s fifth largest trading partner, it makes complete sense why our members want to forge greater connections with these territories. In an ever-shrinking world, we want to ensure our members get all the support they can to trade internationally.
Guangzhou: Connections and a Historic Launch
The first day opened with a briefing from the British Chamber of Commerce South China, where delegates received a detailed overview of the current business environment and the opportunities available to UK firms. For Jamie, the most immediate impression was one that recurred throughout the entire trip: the pace and depth at which Chinese businesses have embraced artificial intelligence (AI).
The pattern of adoption is markedly different from what most UK technology professionals will recognise. Rather than licensing access to externally hosted services, companies across the region are training their own models, frequently running separate models for different departments and functions within the same organisation. Open-weight models such as Qwen, DeepSeek, and Kimi have provided capable starting points for this, giving teams foundations they can fine-tune for their own specific use cases without dependence on external infrastructure. Self-hosted platforms have followed, with OpenClaw emerging as a widely adopted tool for individuals running AI on their own hardware. The enthusiasm extended well beyond the boardroom: Jamie encountered groups on the streets of Guangzhou wearing lobster hats and carrying foam claws, promoting OpenClaw to anyone willing to stop and listen.
The view from Jamie’s seat as a distinguished guest
The evening brought the delegation to the Sinoport Brand Launch and URC-MME Route Inauguration, held in partnership with Teesside International Airport. Jamie attended as a distinguished guest. The event established a new air cargo corridor linking China and Teesside International Airport, and several delegates noted it as one of the more remarkable events they had attended in their professional careers.
Shenzhen: Speed, Scale, and a Client Call from the Hotel Room
Shenzhen earned its reputation almost immediately. On day two, Jamie bought a pair of prescription sunglasses. From choosing the frame to paying to collecting the finished product took no more than fifteen minutes. This is what the city calls “Shenzhen Speed”: the capacity to manufacture physical products, often to a high specification, at a pace that most Western supply chains would struggle to approach. This was certainly the case for one delegate, Rebecca Hunter - Founder & CEO of Jolene. Jolene’s products are produced in Dongguan, a city bordering Shenzhen.
When it comes to speed, quality and efficiency, China’s Greater Bay Area, spanning Shenzhen, Dongguan and Guangzhou, is simply unmatched. It’s exactly why we’ve chosen to partner in this region, allowing us to create the most premium product possible for our customers.
For a technology consultancy that advises clients on software delivery and build velocity, it was a useful point of reference.
Day three brought the delegation to the BYD headquarters in the Pingshan district of Shenzhen. BYD employs 110,000 research and development engineers, holds over 71,000 registered patents, and has sold 16 million plug-in electric vehicles worldwide. The site tour covered the company’s full product range: electric vehicles, rail transit systems, SkyRail, and its proprietary Blade Battery technology, which can charge from 10 to 96 per cent in under ten minutes and offers up to 1,000 kilometres of range per charge.
Delegates were given access to the advanced testing facilities, including the electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) testing chambers. For Jamie, who earlier in his career worked at TRaC Global (now trading as Element) alongside EMC test engineers and on the official ZigBee test harness, that part of the visit carried a particular resonance. The delegation also had the opportunity to test drive a range of vehicles on site. BYD manufactures every component in-house, with the exception of rubber and glass, an approach that has shielded the company from the component shortages that have disrupted production lines and extended lead times across the wider automotive and electronics industries.
The first thing visitors see when approaching BYD’s headquarters in Shenzhen is this very impressive sign.
Not all of the Shenzhen itinerary went as planned. On day two, the full delegation visited Shenzhen Yantian Port, one of the most significant container ports in the world, with 281 gantry cranes, 100 weekly services to destinations worldwide, and the capacity to process 200 boxes per hour. Jamie was not there. A client had encountered a critical system failure and needed it resolved. He fixed it remotely from his hotel room in Shenzhen, within two hours.
This is not unusual for RJJ Software. As a remote-first technology consultancy, the infrastructure and working practices that make it possible to support clients from any location are built into how the business operates, not added on when required. The technical foundations of that approach have been documented elsewhere, but the trade mission to China provided a practical demonstration: a client’s production system was restored to full working order from thousands of miles away, without disruption to their operations.
The connections continued forming in his absence. Christina Xu, a delegate and China business specialist, introduced Jamie to a contact from SumeruAI who had attended the Yantian port visit and specifically wanted to speak with him. That conversation is ongoing over WeChat.
Hong Kong: Meetings at the Highest Level
The final two days were spent in Hong Kong, opening on Thursday with a morning session hosted at the British Consulate-General Hong Kong. The programme, facilitated by Chris Woodward of the Department for Business and Trade, brought together briefings from Invest Hong Kong, where Loretta Lee presented the plans for Skytopia, a proposed world-class airport city development, and from the British Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong, where Paul McComb outlined the chamber’s priorities for 2026, including the Asia’s World City campaign.
The room which held the Consulate event had a very impressive union jack on the wall.
The delegation then moved to the China Club for lunch with HSBC, hosted by Jaime Marti, Director of Global Network Banking, and Yanis Lo, Vice President of Global Network Banking. The session included an economic briefing from Aris Dacanay, Senior ASEAN Economist and Director at HSBC, covering the regional outlook, risk management, and the opportunities available to UK businesses across the ASEAN markets. The China Club, housed in the Old Bank of China Building in Central Hong Kong, provided a fitting setting for what was, by all accounts, the most substantive formal meeting of the week. The delegation rounded off Thursday with a visit to The Peak by tram, which delivered sweeping views of the city.
On Friday, the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP) provided a guided tour of part of its innovation campus, led by Kristie Wong of the New Ventures Development office, followed by a panel discussion in which three HKSTP-supported businesses gave first-hand accounts of operating and scaling within Hong Kong’s innovation ecosystem. The mission closed with a sunset networking cruise aboard the Aqua Luna, connecting the delegation with Hong Kong industry peers as the harbour lights came up.
The famous ‘Golden Egg’ symbolising innovation and techological advancement.
A Delegation That Became a Team
Within five days, a group of Yorkshire businesses became a genuinely cohesive unit. That may be the most lasting impression of the week.
Delegates were consistently looking out for one another’s commercial interests alongside their own. When one person missed an event, those who were present would pass on relevant contacts and flag introductions worth pursuing. Jamie sent a number of messages to fellow delegates along the lines of: there is someone at this organisation you need to speak to, and I will track down their card. The SumeruAI introduction, facilitated by Christina at Yantian while Jamie was resolving a client issue from the hotel, is one example of that same spirit working in the other direction.
Image taken by trade mission videographer Andrew Taylor, outside of Guangzhou International Finance Center.
As a new member to the Chamber of Commerce, we joined the trade mission to investigate new markets for student and player recruitment. As an international football and academic programme with the world’s only US/UK degree, it was exciting to work with the delegates, who I feel (although from all different industries) shared a common goal to explore the Greater Bay Area and its offerings. During the visit to Shenzhen and Hong Kong, I introduced how we can become a leading football and education degree pathway. We made valuable connections and I look forward to future opportunities.
Jing Cao, who went by the nickname CC throughout the trip, and Christina Xu provided invaluable informal translation support whenever the group encountered language barriers on the road. Their contribution to the delegation extended well beyond the formal programme.
What Comes Next
The mission has concluded, but the activity it has generated is ongoing. An informal debriefing gathering for the delegation is currently being arranged.
The trade mission was a valuable opportunity for Tudor International Freight to strengthen existing relationships, meet new contacts and gain first-hand insight into China and Hong Kong. Face-to-face engagement remains incredibly valuable in our industry, and the visit gave us the chance to build connections that will support our customers, our long-term growth and future collaboration with fellow participants from businesses across Yorkshire.
Jamie is in the process of following up with contacts made during the trip, including Jaime Marti and Yanis Lo at HSBC, the director of the British Consulate-General in Hong Kong, Invest Hong Kong, and the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation. Conversations are also underway regarding a separate technology-specific trade mission planned for later in 2026, and involvement in hackathons in the region.
I’m genuinely struggling to find the words for what the last week has been like. Guangzhou, Shenzhen, and Hong Kong are extraordinary, and if you are considering making this trip, my advice is simple: go. The connections you make, and the perspective you gain, cannot be replicated from a distance. Look at what we get to do.
RJJ Software extends its thanks to James Mason, Nikki Clow, Liz Wood, and Donna Morris at the West and North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce, and to the Chamber International team, for organising a mission of this quality. Thanks are also due to Christina Xu and Jing Cao (CC) for their translation support throughout, and to all fellow delegates: Scott Jenkins, Chris Black, Adam Johnson, Charlotte Firth, Heather Houseman, Rebecca Hunter, Mark Ellis, Phil Forster, Bob Matharoo, Lee Jones, and official videographer for the mission Andrew Taylor.
About the West and North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce
The West and North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce is one of the UK’s leading chambers, supporting businesses across the region with networking, advocacy, and international trade opportunities. Their trade mission programme provides businesses with structured, supported access to new markets around the world.
More information about the chamber and their international trade activities can be found at wnychamber.co.uk.
About Chamber International
Chamber International provides international trade services and expertise to businesses across the UK, working in partnership with the West and North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce to support businesses in building global connections and navigating international markets.
More information can be found at chamber-international.com.
About RJJ Software
RJJ Software is a technology consultancy based in the north of England, offering fractional CTO services, software development leadership, and technology strategy to businesses of all sizes. The team works across a wide range of industries and technology stacks, helping organisations make confident, informed decisions about their technology.
To find out more about RJJ Software, visit rjj-software.co.uk.
About Tudor International Freight
Tudor International Freight is a Leeds-based freight forwarder providing trusted air, sea and road freight solutions for businesses shipping goods internationally. Established in 1991, the company supports customers with imports, exports and specialist shipments, combining global reach with a personal, service-led approach.
To find out more about Tudor International Freight, visit tudorfreight.com.
About Jolene
Jolene is a premium body care brand founded by Rebecca Hunter, partnering with manufacturers in China’s Greater Bay Area to bring high-quality products to customers. To find out more about Jolene, visit jolenebody.com.
About Richmond International Academic and Soccer Academy
Richmond International Academic and Soccer Academy (RIASA) is an international football and academic programme offering the world’s only combined US/UK degree pathway. With bases in Leeds and London, RIASA provides student-athletes with the opportunity to develop their football alongside internationally recognised academic qualifications. To find out more about RIASA, visit riasasoccer.org.
If you would like to discuss AI adoption, search engine optimisation (SEO), or generative engine optimisation (GEO) for your business, or simply want to find out more about what RJJ Software can offer, please get in touch.