Market Entry
Location Selection
Location affects customer access, talent, suppliers, logistics, regulators and the recurring cost of managing a China operation. A defensible choice starts with the operating model and applies the same evidence to every candidate city. Incentives can improve a strong location, but they should not be used to justify a weak one.
China Location Decision Framework
01
Define operating requirements
Map where customers, employees, suppliers, logistics links and decision-makers need to be. The initial shortlist should come from these requirements rather than city reputation or a single introduction.
Required evidence: Customer geography / Talent / Supply chain / Management access
02
Build a comparable shortlist
Apply consistent criteria, weightings, source periods and assumptions to each city. The analysis should make trade-offs visible enough for management to challenge the recommendation.
Comparison basis: Criteria / Weighting / Sources / Sensitivity
From Operating Requirements to Shortlist
03
Test total operating economics
Compare payroll, rent, logistics, travel, utilities and management costs before adding grants or tax preferences. Verify incentive eligibility, duration, conditions and repayment risk.
Cost view: Recurring cost / One-off support / Conditions / Expiry
04
Validate the specific site
Confirm that the property supports registration, licences, staffing, customer access and daily operations. Final diligence should address the actual address and lease, not only the city.
Site controls: Registration use / Permits / Lease / Operational fit
From City Comparison to Site Commitment
Guide
Guidance on converting operating requirements into a city shortlist, cost model, site review and management recommendation.
Comparison
Evidence-based comparisons of cities, development zones and operating bases across customer, talent, supply-chain, cost and management criteria.
Review
Readiness reviews covering labour availability, lease exposure, licensing, logistics, policy assumptions, resilience and management reach.
FAQ
Direct answers on city choice, development zones, registered addresses, incentives, leases, staffing and relocation risk.
Resources
Official data sources, scorecards, site-visit records and approval materials for documenting a location decision.
Tool
Comparison tools for cost, talent, customer access, logistics, incentives and sensitivity testing when management priorities change.
Case
Location cases showing how companies balanced commercial access, operating cost, implementation speed and long-term management risk.
News
Regional policy, infrastructure and market developments that may change the relative case for a city or development zone.
How to Use the Location Selection Hub
Begin with Guide to define the location process. Use Comparison and Review to build and challenge the shortlist, then consult FAQ and Resources before site diligence. Tool and Case support the recommendation; News is used to verify changing regional assumptions.