Doing Business in China: The Questions That Matter More Than Market Size
On 23rd October 2026, The Orangeblowfish in collaboration with UNSW Business School hosted the inaugural China Breakfast Series at UNSW’s CBD campus in Sydney, Australia. What began as a conversation over a year ago became a sold-out morning bringing together business leaders, entrepreneurs and China practitioners to discuss one simple question:
Are Australian businesses really ready to do business in China?
Moderated by UNSW’s Professor Barney Tan and featuring our CEO Natalie Lowe, Damien Maduri (Investment NSW), and entrepreneur Hong Huang (BMHP Group), the discussion was refreshingly practical. No buzzwords. No headlines. Just real-world lessons from people who have spent years working in-market.
Here are some of the biggest questions raised and the answers that matter most.
Q: What’s the biggest misconception Australian businesses have about China?
“Thinking it’s one homogeneous market.”
China is often treated as a single destination when in reality it operates more like a collection of markets within a market. Consumer behaviours, local government relationships, economic strengths and purchasing habits vary significantly from city to city.
For some businesses, Shanghai may be the wrong starting point. Chengdu, Hangzhou, Wuhan or other emerging cities may offer stronger opportunities.
Another common misconception is the belief that a successful product will automatically succeed in China.
It won’t.
Knowing about China and knowing how to operate in China are two completely different things.
As Damien put it:
“Reading the car manual doesn’t mean you can drive the car.”
Localising Moxy in Xi’an
Q: What is localisation and how can businesses get it right?
One of the strongest themes of the morning was that localisation is not a language exercise. It’s a cultural capability.
Too many brands assume they can simply translate their existing messaging and expect it to resonate. The reality is that Chinese consumers are increasingly choosing brands based on relevance, values and meaning.
Younger consumers, in particular, want to understand why a brand exists, what it stands for and how it relates to them
As discussed during the session, brands such as Alo have demonstrated that consumers often buy into a lifestyle and community, not simply a product category.
As Natalie explained:
“Localisation is not adapting the message. It’s adapting the meaning.“
Q: What does success actually look like on the ground?
Hong Huang’s story provided one of the morning’s most powerful examples.
For more than a decade, her business sold Australian opals through international jewellery exhibitions, attracting specialist buyers but struggling to reach mainstream Chinese consumers.
The breakthrough came after participating in the China International Import Expo (CIIE) in Shanghai.
Surrounded by thousands of brands, Hong realised:
“We were in China, but we hadn’t entered China.”
The turning point wasn’t the product. It was the story.
By sharing the authentic journey behind the brand and investing in local teams who could tell that story with passion and credibility, the business created deeper emotional connections with customers.
The lesson was simple:
“Products can be copied. Stories cannot.”
Q: How can businesses better understand Chinese consumers?
- Leave the boardroom.
- Visit stores.
- Read local social platforms.
- Speak to local customers.
- Conduct mystery shopping.
As Natalie pointed out:
“Many brands make decisions about China without spending enough time observing how their products, services and experiences are actually performing in market.”
The panel repeatedly returned to one theme:
Assumptions are expensive.
The businesses that succeed are usually the ones willing to listen first and make adjustments based on what they learn.
Trying to hire a partner in China? Read our insights piece.
Final Thoughts
Perhaps the biggest takeaway from the event is that China is no longer a market that rewards foreign brands simply for being foreign. Barney closed the session by emphasising that brands who want to enter and stay in the China market needs to:
“Focus on capability, not simply knowledge.”
Barney also mentioned that none of the advice shared by the panellists were about about knowing more facts about China.
“Being successful in China is about building the capability to sense change, adapt quickly and engage meaningfully.”
Success belongs to businesses willing to learn, adapt and commit. Or, as we often say at The Orangeblowfish:
Brand is the promise. Experience is the proof.
China isn’t asking whether you’re interested in the market. It’s asking whether you’re ready for it.
Special thanks to our partners and speakers from UNSW Business School, Invest NSW and AIE Club for making this event possible. And of course to our wonderful The Orangeblowfish community!
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