A new business is offering construction companies the chance to cut costs by helping them establish successful trade links with China.

Boscons, in Gloucester Road, Brighton, is run by Tim Regan and business partner Daqi Fan who hails from Qingdao in China's Shangdon Peninsula.

Qingdao is a large industrial port handling export and imports on a vast scale.

Boscons will use Mr Fan's local knowledge and contacts to help British firms establish cost-saving ties with Chinese suppliers and manufacturers.

Mr Regan, 40, said: "In a nutshell we help our customers to source products or materials at a price which should make their business more profitable.

"We can visit factories, arrange sample matching, resolve communication difficulties and if necessary remain involved with logistics management and quality control.

"The services we offer often evolve to suit the customer's needs."

Mr Fan regularly returns to Qingdao to meet business associates and is therefore a trusted intermediary, or zhongjian - a key concept in Chinese business dealings.

Another concept is guan xi - personal connections - which is a measure of status, trust and respect.

According to Boscons it is essential that the parties representing you have "guan xi" when a deal is being struck or relationships are being developed.

Mr Regan said: "We have a network of people in China. This enables us to work more efficiently in China than most Western businesses.

"In Qingdao there is very little English spoken beyond the initial pleasantries. Once you get into technicalities you really need someone with a higher level of Chinese."

Qingdao is a major city with a population of around seven million people.

Next year it will host sailing events for the Olympics.

Mr Fan, 29, said: "Doing business in China can be challenging and rewarding. The primary interest is cost savings and although there are risks and difficulties they can be mitigated with the right planning."

He added: "Our primary objective is to introduce our clients to cost saving opportunities whilst removing some of the risks."

Commercial property agent Mr Regan met economics graduate Mr Fan last year through a Korean businessman who wanted to open sushi bars in Britain.

That project fizzled out but the two kept in touch, determined that there were opportunities to exploit in China.

The website - www.boscons.

co.uk - was only launched a couple of months ago but has already had a steady stream of enquiries from businesses across Sussex.

Architects, interior designers and builders have all asked for assistance.

Some of the products and materials Boscons has helped import to Britain included flat pack homes, kitchen fittings, aluminium cladding, wind turbines and solar panels.