In China, intellectual-property rights are hard and costly to defend, especially for small and mid-sized companies.

Analyst Insight: Both the public and private sectors in China are taking bold steps to respond to challenges of the new consumption-driven economy. Government measures, though stuck at a policy level in many cases, are addressing the right issues. At the same time, domestic companies are rising up to meet new demands. In 2014, China will see big changes in its core logistics and manufacturing industries. Some of the top areas seeing change include domestic transportation, distribution, import and export, as well as sourcing. - Jim Serstad, Managing Director Asia, Tompkins International

Every month, XportReporter produces a report on new and opportunities in China's transport and aerospace sectors.

It's supposed to be a trade dispute between the U.S. and China over solar cells. But that's not the real story.

Cabotage regulations for cargo moving to and from Shanghai have been formally liberalised. Whilst this should be positive for the port's transhipment activity, the effect is likely to be limited.

Chinese brands are aiming for a hefty slice of the U.S. consumer market. And they're liable to succeed a lot more quickly than you might think.

It is not enough for global businesses to know that in coming years China's economy will move away from an over-reliance on investment and toward more consumption. They also must know that the potential costs and benefits of rebalancing the world's second-largest economy are high and will affect industries not only domestically but also around the world.