I read CM with a fair amount of interest as I feel it covers current industry issues and topics pretty well. Rod Sweet’s May leader article (‘A Chinese Institute of Building?’) was of particular interest, although sadly I felt it gives the wrong message in that it highlights issues without giving any real direction of what we should be doing as an Institute.

I agree that the CIOB should get some mileage through a lead role in Chinese construction, but honestly how can we expect anything to materialise if we are not seen as anything less than world leaders in construction and the built environment? The letter on page six of the same issue (‘CIOB? Sorry that just won’t do’) sadly sums up our position. We would like to be world leaders, but if we cannot even convince a UK local authority that we are in the premier league of UK professionals, what possible chance do we have of convincing the Chinese?

The only hope is that UK-trained Chinese personalities - the people interviewed in your ‘Re-enter the Dragon’ piece - are influential enough to direct China’s professional accreditation requirements to and from the CIOB. But we cannot wait for it to happen. We must try to influence their decisions, and if that means closer collaboration with RICS, then let that be. Why not a joint venture with RICS for the Chinese market?

Source

Construction Manager

Postscript

Alan C Watson, Tingewick, Bucks