Scores of UK businesses have set their sights on trading with Asia, after attending a masterclass about working on the continent.

Hosted by UK Trade and Investment (UKTI), Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) and NatWest, the sell-out conference boasted experts in finance, trade and the Asian market.

Held at St Phillips Place offices in Birmingham, 74 local businesses were given vital guidance on operating in Asia. Many of them had traditionally been reluctant to trade overseas.

According to Graham Handy, director of NatWest Commercial Banking in Birmingham, “with the challenges in the UK economy and the growth in Asia, it is something every business needs to look at”.

He said: “There has never been a better time for small businesses to look at exporting to Asia. UKTI and banks can and will provide all the expertise needed, and will remove the mystery of trading in Asia.”