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In 2015 EU SME Centre published a report called Smart Cities in China. Its main objective was to illustrate a comprehensive overview of the market and the state of the art regarding Smart Cities in China. It also aims to work as an advisory tool for EU SMEs that want to expand their activity in Chinese market.
Due to the fact that China is in the early stages of Smart City development, in many cases existing urban infrastructure and networks are not adequate in order to further support Smart City applications. According to this report by April 2015, there were over 285 pilot Smart Cities in China, as well as 41 special pilot projects.
The Chinese government has introduced a number of policies characterised by data openness and development of leading technologies. These policies aim at promoting a people-centric approach in order to develop Smart Cities in China.
A list of barriers for EU SMEs is presented, covering aspects of legal and regulatory issues, as long as market and operational difficulties. Based on the results of this report, advice for EU SMEs include:
- Identifying Local Partners
- Business Model/Selling
- Learn from Others
- Product/Services Fit
- Be Flexible
- Be Aware of Competition
- Start with Smaller Projects
For EU SMEs, there are challenges as well as opportunities. The importance of gaining an understanding, insights, information, networks and contacts, forming an in-depth understanding are important to help EU SMEs succeed in China. It is also important to understand how to handle and work with various stakeholders and how a project or projects will bring gains and returns.
You can find the full report here.