China is going global. In 2025, Chinese outbound direct investment reached $174.4 billion, up 7.1% year on year. By the end of 2025, Chinese investors had established over 50,000 enterprises across 190 countries and regions, according to the Chinese Ministry of Commerce.

Much of the public discussion around Chinese global expansion has focused on trade deficits and competition. Within government, efforts to capitalise on it have understandably concentrated on attracting Chinese investment: factories, offices, and jobs in the UK. That is a welcome and important part of the picture.

But there is another opportunity that receives relatively less attention: every one of those 50,000 enterprises also needs lawyers, accountants, tax advisers, governance specialists, branding agencies, and market entry consultants.