Trade with China has always had its ups and downs, but it has been good for all in the main. Despite the current fit of bad temper with the US, which may yet produce a more equitable situation, as issues are resolved, life goes on as it always has.

While the China trade has lost some of its momentum in recent years, it is still well within positive growth territory, and barring catastrophic developments, it is likely to continue that way.

There are three, often neglected trends, that are worth noting at this point, and ways in which lesser corporate lights in commerce can shine in the China trade.

First, there is the small- and medium-sized (SME) business, which given the scope of the Internet and the rising affluence of Chinese people, are increasingly ready to buy what were once unaffordable western products.

On a mega scale, this is already happening to growth of commodity imports into China. For example, in Australia's case, the growth has been well nigh spectacular.

Then there is the increasing - in some cases, massive increases - in outbound direct investment (ODI), much of it attached to China's global Belt and Road infrastructure initiative.

And finally, there are the yawning opportunities for SMEs to take advantage of the ways and means of accessing the China wholesale and retail markets for western products and services.

As Anita Zhang, founder of Leeds-based Acolink Ltd that advises British companies on trade, sees it, small firms are missing out by not making the most of trade opportunities with China.

Speaking to the Yorkshire Post, Ms Zhang said: "At the moment there are a lot of opportunities between the UK and China. I don't think enough SMEs are realising it or knowing how to trade with China."

China's growing middle class presents an opportunity for British firms to tap into, she said, demand for the most popular fast moving consumer goods. Businesses that do take the tentative steps in engaging in conversation with potential Chinese trading partners need to follow up and convert these discussions into sales, she said.

Language barriers may sometimes get in the way, leaving British traders optimistic of sales but no concrete guarantees of conversion.

"For example, interest may be shown in your product at a trade show, and they are genuinely interested, but you would need follow-up to understand what you can do to close the sale," she said.

UK firms also need to be cautious of the way they market their products in the Far East. There are stricter rules on advertising.

"To describe a product as 100 per cent something, one must have facts to back up claims. You can't just use it as advertising or marketing language," she said.

"At the moment there is high demand for high quality, fast moving consumer goods. Things like baby and mum's products, healthy food and cosmetics. They're also looking for fashion and luxury products.

"This is because in China now you have an increasing middle class. You have a lot more disposable income to consume those kinds of products," said Ms Zhang.

But there are many other countries that are vying for China's attention, a fact highlighted by recent trade visits by French, American and Canadians delegations.

She also told the Yorkshire Post that the British still have a reputation for quality and UK firms should continue to focus on this.

Ms Zhang, who came to Britain as a student in 2002, said: "First of all the UK has a long heritage of high quality products. That is something it should continue producing."

She said more young entrepreneurs would be even more welcome. "In China entrepreneurship and innovation is a big thing. If the UK and China can develop a dialogue between entrepreneurs, that will be important in future. That brings more dynamic to trade as well," she said.

Her big take away was "don't wait" - start laying down the groundwork now. "You have to be fast. If you explore that opportunity what could be the worst case scenario? You try and it didn't work or you tried it this way and it didn't work but let's find a way it does work."

E-commerce is a good way for SMEs in particular to test out demand for its products and services in the Chinese market.

"By trying online you don't have the high risk associated with trade and you can test the market. You can then get market feedback telling you whether this product will sell or not and how to adjust it or if the price point is right or not. E-commerce is the easiest way for any brand to sell in a foreign market and I would recommend SMEs to start looking at this and use this as a route to test the market."

Working on a larger scale, the China Australia trade is a good example, now worth US$129 billion a year, an increase of 16 per cent compared to 2016.

Statistics quoted by China Trade News show that by September 2017, Australia had overtaken France to become China's biggest bottled wine exporter, with sales up 61 per cent to $393 million in the first nine months of the year. Exports of skin care products and unwrought refined lead also saw substantial growth during the same period.

Australian Trade Minister Steve Ciobo said that the massive jump in exports was mainly attributable to the signing of a bilateral free trade agreement, which took effect in December 2015.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) stated that trade with the world's second largest economy hit a record high in 2017, accounting for nearly 28 per cent of the country's overall foreign trade volume, Xinhua reports.

Specifically, Australia's annual exports to China surged 22 per cent to $78.6 billion, representing one third of its total export volume, while imports increased eight per cent to $50.5 billion.

In 2016, Australia maintained its export growth to China for the fourth consecutive year, with the State of Tasmania recording an unprecedented growth figure of nearly 50 per cent.

By January 2018, China's outward direct investment had maintained its double-digit growth for three consecutive months, reports news portal China News.

Chinese enterprises target Belt and Road countries with $1.23 billion of new investments made in January this year in 46 countries, including Singapore, Malaysia, Laos, Vietnam, Indonesia, Pakistan and Sri Lanka - representing an increase of 50 per cent compared to the same period last year.

In addition, investment in overseas mineral products by Chinese enterprises has soared since the beginning of 2018. Outbound direct investment in the mining reached $3.75 billion in January - a figure almost nine times higher than the same period in 2017.

China's ODI has seen rapid growth in recent years. However, noting "irrational tendencies" in outbound investment, authorities have now implemented stricter rules, such as the carrying out of special inspections concerning outbound investment over $300 million, with companies advised to be more careful when making investment decisions.

Wherever and whatever the Belt and Road initiative goes, there will be plenty of business opportunities for firms large and small throughout Asia, Africa and the Middle East. The time of government mega projects there is much money spent and not all of it wisely as it is more important for civil service to do too much than too little and then fall short.

So businesses in the proximity of Belt and Road largess should thoroughly study its dreams and schemes so one can fashion one proposal in sync with its Beijing's best hopes for the initiative.

Illustrating such extreme inclusiveness of the project was last year's embrace of the unlikely mass use of the Arctic sea route, now dubbed the "Polar Silk Road".

In June 2017, the Arctic route was, for the first time, included in China's Belt and Road initiative via a document entitled "A Vision for Maritime Cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative", which was published by the National Development and Reform Commission and the State Oceanic Administration.

This declares China's willingness to work with all parties to build a Polar Silk Road by developing Arctic shipping. Chinese companies have been encouraged to participate in the infrastructure development of these routes and conduct commercial trial journeys in accordance with the law. But these Chinese companies may subcontract expertise and Russian companies may well be in line for Belt and Road funds.

China has actively conducted studies on these routes and continuously run hydrographic surveys to improve navigation, security and logistical capacities in the Arctic.