Point 3/
Again true, but in the context of the proceeding passage.
Although there are many opportunities, knowing which is the RIGHT one is a skill learned from local experience. Having the right product in the right place at the right time is obviously important and you might get lucky, but wouldn't you want more than just luck working for you? A consultant can help eliminate the risk of being unlucky. Secondly though, once you have the knowledge and experience, there are other factors to take into account, such as Chinese laws relating to labour, tax, company registration, visa, ad nausea.
People may tell you, “Oh it is easy in China, there are few if any laws, just find an official and cosy up to them.”
Yes, that might work, in some places, for a while, but again, some businesses have found that inviting the fox into the chicken house is not a good deal in the long term.
In so far as Chinese laws, well, China does have laws, the laws have teeth, often they are not so strictly enforced, but the point is the government can do so at at any time it chooses, and has done so recently, the 2008 Olympic Games and Chinese visa issue is a very good example.
Using a consultancy ensures you are compliant with the required laws and lessens the chances of you being caught in an embarrassing and expensive mess.

Point 4/
Now we get into a tricky area and unlike the first 2 examples cannot be so easily or logically accepted. Many foreign companies come here with their own ingrained cultural rules or standards, understandably so as they have probably lived by them all their lives.
I hear many foreign people complain about Chinese goods quality, or the attitude of Chinese workers.
Ok, there are some internationally accepted rules, such as, “it is not good to put dangerous chemicals in food” and yes, if we are buying imported products in our own country, we have a right to expect that the general quality or health stands WE live by are adhered to.
But, in China, peoples standards may not be quite so rigid or high.
In time these probably will raise, but the given situations doesn't mean you are right and they are wrong.
It maybe nice to drink wine from a golden beaker, but when all you have is brackish water, have not eaten or drank all day and the closest container is a rusty tin can, are you still going to wait for the golden beaker to arrive?
A consultancy can give you good advice on where to draw the line, what to expect, what not to accept and stop you from repeatedly banking your head against the Great Wall.
It doesn't mean you lower your standards, cut costs or try to cheat the populace, just know what are the ACCEPTABLE standards here, and if they happen to be not quite as high as in your country, well, so be it!
As I told an American gent, there are 1.4 odd billion of them and one of you, who is the easiest to change?

Point 5/
Many factors come into play here, language is the most obvious, culture is another.
In a way it is related to the above, our own cultural centric point of view.
Ok, being honest, after I had been here a while and the shine had started to wear off I also was guilty of this thinking. Being objective, EVERY country, every race has those misaligned sods who are happy to take a short cut, either with a knife, gun or their wits and as there are rather a lot of people in China, it would follow that they probably have a higher number of visible said miscreants.
So yes, there are cheats, thieves and con artists in China, like there are in your country, and at all levels, including business.
Again being honest, it is easy to lose your shirt here, just as it is to become a millionaire.
Many Chinese businesses do have different rules or thinking, and that is really what it all boils down to.
Thinking.
You think you have been cheated, they lied. They think they got a good deal.
Think of it like shopping, you know Nike sell at 200 in a store, and later ask a seller in a market her price.
She responds 450!
Is she trying to cheat you?
Depends on your mind set.
Maybe, with help from a Chinese friend, you would get them for 140.
But, and think about this, would you have insisted you pay more had she said 140 to begin with?

So yes, practices are sharper here, it is easy to be taken advantage of and maybe not get such a great deal and then feel your partner, agent or whoever is not to be trusted, has shafted you or what ever.
In some ways, China is THE open market,the free market, dog eat dog, the strongest, fittest, smartest and shrewdest survives.
And yes, there is a level of dishonesty in some businesses here which you need to be aware of, people will try to take advantage of a situation if you have not covered all exits, Fonterra found this out to their extreme cost.
This is probably the strongest reason for using a consultancy, they KNOW the rules, they KNOW the values, they know what is a fair deal, and can negotiate smoothly and fluently on your behalf.
They also know where the loop holes are likely to be, which doors to secure and where you are likely to come undone.
As we say in scams not everyone here is out to cheat you but you are well advised to have someone "on your side" who is well versed in local business culture and dealings, at least during your early learning.
So chose a consultancy that offers a mentor or coaching service.

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Having BTi stand with you goes a long way to limited the damage caused from misunderstandings and eliminating mistakes.
OK, we can't guarantee you will become a millionaire, but we are darn sure we can save you a lot of time, money, heart stress and probably your shirt as well!