This past year has been one of great progress and development, both for China and for CRCC Asia. We have watched China overtake Japan in the global GDP tables, explore more outbound investment opportunities than ever before, and become an increasingly integral part of world politics and economics.

China’s rise shows no sign of slowing. We see not only the new consumers in the big cities, queuing for the latest mobile phone or spending thousands of RMB on the latest handbag, but also keep in mind the millions in the countryside or in second-tier cities striving to reach the same goals. This makes us confident that China continues to demonstrate great development potential.

Businesses in China are looking increasingly competitive both at home and abroad, adopting international norms whilst retaining Chinese characteristics.  Many outward-looking Chinese companies and the deals they are making remind us of Zheng He, the famed Chinese explorer, and hark back to China’s historical place as a world leader in economic prowess. This seemingly unstoppable momentum of China’s economic empowerment does not mean we need to make less effort to engage.  It is still crucial to maintain high levels of local knowledge and keep abreast of developments across the entire country in order to be successful as a foreign entity in China.

CRCC Asia strives to mirror China’s successful development model with ongoing commitment to the acquisition of new knowledge, improved infrastructure and a focus on human capital. This incorporates our long-term development as much as our short term needs, and has given the company a strong foundation from which to progress in its three core areas of business.

The CRCC Asia Internship Program, bringing students and graduates from around the world to undertake internships in Chinese companies, saw record numbers in 2011 and gained worldwide publicity through coverage on BBC News, Bloomberg and in the Wall Street Journal. We believe that the Internship Program encourages international dialogue and exchange of ideas, and contributes to an increased understanding of life and work in China.

Our China Finance and Legal Courses enable CRCC Asia to work in partnership with organizations such as KPMG, The Institute of Chartered Accountants, Norton Rose and China’s number one law firm, King and Wood. We are proud to be working alongside such prestigious corporations who share our pursuit of excellence, and our commitment to educating graduates and professionals about China’s economic and cultural landscape.

The newly introduced CRCC Asia Work and Study Program in Hainan gives participants the chance to understand the hospitality sector in China, of huge significance as China’s inbound and outbound tourism continues to surge.  It allows participants to spend up to six months on a beautiful island and gain a level of Mandarin that will enable them to welcome the increasing number of Chinese travelers overseas. We are so convinced of the importance of travel and tourism in China that we also made a strategic decision to invest into and partner with The Dragon Trip, a company dedicated to backpacking tours in China. We look forward to helping the company to grow over the coming years and serve the domestic and international desire to travel across China.

Another trend that we have identified is the rising significance of Entrepreneurship in China. In response to this, we have developed a new program for Chinese entrepreneurs, based in San Francisco and offering Chinese entrepreneurs the opportunity to visit companies in Silicon Valley and pitch their business ideas to VCs. We look forward to helping foster this spirit of Entrepreneurship in China and we will be on hand to assist these entrepreneurs with their projects going forward

The consulting side of the business has stood firm in a difficult global climate, highlighting China’s role as a stalwart during these times. All three CRCC Asia Directors are keen to widen the company’s, and their own, investment portfolios, and we have been looking into a range of opportunities including start-ups and mature companies in oil and gas, high technology, education and property. An investment into Sino-Geo, a Chinese oil exploration company, has reaped the greatest success thus far and the company listed on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange in 2011.

Our new offices in Shanghai and San Francisco have been a huge success and we plan to extend our reach further in 2012 and better meet our clients’ needs.

The CRCC Asia team remain committed to connecting both people and businesses with China, and we look forward to continuing with this in the future.

Yours Sincerely,

Daniel Nivern, Edward Holroyd Pearce and Thomas Kirkwood