RAMAT GAN, ISRAEL, JULY 27 - The 2011 Annual Conference on Business in China held in cooperation with the Israel Export Institute and the Israel Manufacturers Association gathered more than 550 business owners, senior managers and academics in Leonardo City Tower.

Among the subjects discussed were the:

• Latest economic and commercial developments in China
• Business models applicable to the Chinese market
• The Chinese 12th five-year plan (2011 - 2015) - its principals and the implied business opportunities
• Chinese investments in Israel: source of apprehension or an opportunity?
• Credit insurance - what are the possible courses and available solutions for Israeli companies?
• Intellectual property issues - what is new in China in this aspect?

Among the Speakers were:
Avi Hefetz, director General at the Israel Export and International Cooperation Institute, Dan Katarivas, head of the foreign trade department at the Israel Manufacturers Association, Nili Shalev, head of supportive tools formation at the Foreign Trade Administration at the Israeli Ministry of Industry Trade and Labor, Adv. Ashok Chandrishikar, Haim Cohen, CEO at D&B - Dun and Bradstreet, Yacov Pedhatzur, CEO at Netafim Asia, Zvi Halamish, CEO of Ashra and more.

Zvi Shalgo, founder and CEO at PTL Group, participated in a panel of CEOs from Israeli companies already active in China. He presented the Changzhou Industrial Incubator Initiative (CI3) as a way of dealing with local competition, and explained how this new model helps foreign manufactures to reduce the initial investment and risks associated with entering a complex and unfamiliar market.

He also mentioned that "foreign companies now require local manufacturing investments to maintain their competitive edge, but many Israeli companies shy away from investment in manufacturing in China because of uncertainty regarding the success of sales. The new Industrial Incubator allows the beginning of production in small series and subsequent increases depending on the volume of sales in the Chinese market, without the high investment required for setting up a factory."