by Xinhua writer Gao Lu

HOUSTON, Sept. 24 (Xinhua) -- "The idea that we should leave China is nonsense" as there is huge potential in the Chinese market, Rosana Ellis, chief operating officer of a U.S. high-tech company, has said here.

"It's an economy that (is) still growing. It's a huge market for us. We think we should create a win-win situation," she told Xinhua in a recent interview.

The Houston-based PhDsoft's entry into the Chinese market began thanks to the U.S.-China Innovation and Investment Summit held in Houston in 2017. Thanks to the opportunity provided by the summit, Ellis went to China for the first time in her life.

In multiple visits to China in 2017, she traveled to several cities and helped the company successfully expand some of its operations in the Asian country.

With the company's leading Digital Twin technology, the company's software monitors the structural integrity of oil platforms, bridges and other structures for corrosion and degradation, in order to reduce the risk of accidents and extend the life of those assets.

Ellis said the trade dispute between the United States and China has created a lot of difficulties and challenges for her work in China. Due to the unfavorable situation, the company decided to slow down its business, but never thought of leaving China for good.

"I don't think it's how it should be. I think China is a fantastic market and ... a lot of collaborations could be done between the U.S. and China. It's a win-win situation," she said, adding that PhDsoft plans to further cultivate the Chinese market during this time to make good preparations for the company's later business expansion.

"It's worth it for us to invest the time in developing that market, because our company has long-term projections and goals. We are not there for one or two years. We want to establish our PhDsoft brand in China," she said.

Ellis admitted that developing a new market is not easy, even for a company like PhDsoft which has branches in many areas of the world.

It's important to have a strong partner that can help to navigate the cultural divide and is willing to forge a successful business relationship, she said.

"One, you have to be very sensitive and adapt to the needs of the market, and secondly you have to find a good partner," Ellis said. "You have to give a chance for them to profit with your technology. It creates a win-win situation where ... everybody's going to be successful."

The more Ellis travels to China, the more she likes and understands the Asian country. Living in Houston, Ellis sometimes brings her family to Chinatown, about 20 km southwest of downtown Houston, or cooks Chinese food at home.

She said that building trust with Chinese partners necessitates an understanding of Chinese culture and values.

"We had everything set up. The key is ready. We just have to turn the key," she said.