China is not only for big players. Even you are small players, you can still take part in the economic development in the country, amid in much smaller ways. If you are small, then go for small share of the market, which can mean big to us. I remember  there was a Malaysian ICT enterprise ventured into a small city in China of 200,000 population, offering a unique IT solutions that can benefit the whole city. In this case, though the market is small, but it is an achievement for this Malaysan enterprise gaining access into China market. It will take some time though but what is important is that you have a niche and special products/services and you have a reliable partner, which can be privately or state owned enterprises. The support from local partners is absolutely important in making sure that your business plan executes well.

A friend of mine recently asked my views on how to promote her 'special' tooth brush in China. This special item, with a special design, is claimed as a very effective tool to eliminate dirts and clean teeth. For a new product, a lot of work needs to be done in marketing and promotion. In this case, you  also need a good backup from medical point of view and work with reputable partners. Pricing is another issue, where market segment you want to target, the price cannot be too high though there are many customers who can afford to buy expensive imported products. If you  are nobody in terms of branding, the marketing and promotion task will be tougher. For internationally known brands, the brand itself can facilitate promotion of new products in the market, for these popular brands, consumers already associate any new products as reliable and high quality though prices may be expensive.

Competition is very stiff in China, regardless of what business you are in. It comes from local and foreign players and for marketing purpose, you need to have a deep pocket. It's better to ask ourselves whether our presence in China is crowding out the market or is giving us a competitive edge. If it is crowding out the market, the competition is very strong and may require deep pocket. If you have a competitive edge, then you may require less spending but what is required is how you position the product in the market. This is where your partner's cooperation in crucial since they normally understand the local market better, though we also need to do our own homework.