The Tata connection with China stretches back to 1859, when a young Jamsetji Tata, the Founder of the Tata group, was sent to Hong Kong to open a branch for his father's banking firm. Jamsetji Tata relocated a few months later to Shanghai to trade in cotton, silk and tea, where he remained till 1863.

There are 10 Tata companies operating in China currently - Tata Steel, Jaguar Land Rover, Tata AutoComp Systems, Tata Communications, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), Tata Refractories, Tata Global Beverages, Tata International, Tata Projects and TKM Global Logistics - and the Tata group is pursuing ambitious plans to expand its presence in the country.

Highlights of the Tata presence in China:

• The Tata group's business in China has grown from $1 billion in 2008 to approximately $3.7 billion in 2011 ($3 billion in sales and $0.7 billion in procurement).
  
  
• Jaguar Land Rover had a turnover of $2 billion in China in 2010 and Tata Steel generated close to $1 billion.
  
  
• TCS has set up a joint venture to develop a software business in China in collaboration with the Chinese government and Microsoft.
  
  
• Tata Global Beverages' joint venture with Zhejiang Tea has begun to manufacture and market green tea.
  
  
• Tata Steel has two rolling mills in China following its acquisition of NatSteel.
  
  
• Tata Refractories has opened a plant in Liaoning province; this is the Tata group's first greenfield project in China.
  
  
• Tata AutoComp has a factory in Nanjing that manufactures auto components for customers in China and overseas.

(See: ''China's expectations have changed'')

(Courtesy: Tata Review)