Not many centuries ago, seafaring Dutchmen of the Dutch East India Company (VOC), transported elephants from Ceylon (Sri Lanka) to be sold in India, in addition to carrying huge cargoes of spices regularly.
Over the centuries, the Dutch have become specialists in such jumbo-sized transport jobs - whether across oceans, by rail and road networks, by air, or indeed, a combination of these modes of transport.
Logistics and transport services are a Dutch speciality, and their expertise is much sought-after in China, especially Shanghai, which is the next port of call for Jochum Haakma, the Netherlands Consul-General in Hong Kong.
Having opened many doors for Dutch expertise in transport and logistics in Hong Kong, Mr Haakma is moving to Shanghai as Consul-General.
He says he will be able to proudly tell his Chinese hosts that the Netherlands was recently described as the best place in the world to do business.
A study conducted by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) ranked the Netherlands ahead of the US, and gave top marks for the country's political environment, policies towards private enterprise, liberal foreign trade and exchange regime, and the quality of labour.
