Cementing a Foothold in China

Hewlett-Packard was a pioneer for Western companies in the People’s Republic of China. In 1979, following a trip from Dave Packard, Hewlett-Packard received a license to sell products in the country and hosted a series of technology seminars, possibly a first for an American company. The relationship deepened with the opening of the China Hewlett-Packard Representative Office in 1981. The office was a government-sponsored entity created to facilitate the sale, service and distribution of Hewlett-Packard products in China.