【Shenzhen】Interview with the Local Subsidiary Post China Market Entry

This is the first interview with team members of Beyond Technology Shenzhen Co., Ltd. — the Chinese subsidiary of Beyond Co., Ltd.(Headquarters: Naniwa Ward, Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture; Representative Director: Masahiro Haraoka; hereinafter referred to as “Beyond”).
Founded in China on February 19, 2024, this subsidiary marks Beyond’s presence in the Chinese market.

The Opportunity to Enter the Chinese Market and Preparatory Work Undertaken

Around 2018, services from Chinese enterprises such as Alibaba Cloud (阿里云) began to enter the Japanese market one after another. At that time, we truly felt the strong momentum of China’s IT services, which also became the catalyst for Beyond to start exploring entry into the Chinese market.

To prepare for entering the Chinese market, the first thing we did was visit various regions across China for inspections. We conducted interviews and communications with local Chinese enterprises, as well as Japanese counterpart enterprises that had also entered the Chinese market, while continuing to carry out research. During the gradual process of advancing discussions on the feasibility of market entry, we also progressively pushed forward the specific planning and preparatory work for establishing a subsidiary in China.

What Are the Differences in Doing Business in Japan vs. China?

In Japan, when meeting a client for the first time, it is common practice to exchange business cards first, followed by in-person greetings and information sharing. After that, we often maintain a “contact only when needed” approach, and this is a very common way to sustain business relationships.

In China, however, there is a strong tendency to “cooperate or close deals through referrals from acquainted companies.” This difference in business customs has presented us with some challenges. On the other hand, China has a high penetration rate of IT services and various applications—for instance, many tasks can be completed directly via WeChat or its mini-programs. This aspect feels highly advanced and, in my view, is a significant difference between China and Japan.

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●【Shenzhen】Interview with the Local Subsidiary Post China Market Entry