A WESTHOUGHTON firm is on a mission to China to search for clients looking to invest the UK property market.

Gibbs Investment, part of the well-established chartered surveryors P R Gibbs and Co joined a multi-sector trade mission to the Far East taking which set off last Monday and is set to return this Saturday.

The ambitious firm recently established an office in Hong Kong in order to help Chinese clients who may want to invest in the UK property sector and has assembled a team of professional service providers in China, including accountants, lawyers and immigration advisors.

The mission, which was organised by UK Trade and Investment (UKTI), sees 21 industry leaders from the North Est visit three major Chinese business destinations, Wuhan, Chengdu and Hong Kong.

Gibbs Investment owner and chairman Phil Gibbs is meeting with a range of potential strategic partners in order to explore opportunities, joint ventures and collaborations with firms and consultants.

Mr Gibbs has been helped by UKTI Asia Pacific, Trade in the Northwest and the China-Britain Business Council (CBBC), with organisations securing meetings and making introductions to prospective partners.

“We are already generating significant business from Chinese clients, and this trade mission will allow us to further capitalise on this exciting opportunity,” he said. “I’m deeply grateful to UKTI for organising this essential mission, and to CBBC for their support in developing our relationships with businesses in China.”

UKTI is a Government organisation set up to boost British trade abroad.

Gibbs Investment and P R Gibbs surveyors’ office is in Market Street, Westhoughton and there is a head office in Manchester.

Last year a delegation from Guangdong in China visited Bolton to improve educational and business links between the two regions.

Jack Zhang, originally from Zhongshan, the Special Envoy for School, Culture and City Links, was aiming to improve commercial connections between Bolton and Chinese businesses, as part of The Manchester-China Forum.

Zhaoqing University, in the Guangdong Province, also shares an academic and strategic relationship with the University of Bolton.