Partner on board succeeded in China (8)

I believe the answer is:

shipmate

I'm a little stuck... Click here to teach me more about this clue!

'partner on board' is the definition.
'shipmate' can be an answer for 'partner' (thesaurus). I am not sure about the 'on board' bit.

'succeeded in china' is the wordplay.
'succeeded' becomes 's' (genealogical abbreviation).
'in' becomes 'hip' (both can mean fashionable).
'china' becomes 'mate' (china plate is Cockney rhyming slang for mate).
's'+'hip'+'mate'='SHIPMATE'

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for shipmate that I've seen before include "Colleague on board" , "Fellow crewman" , "Friend on board" , "Fellow seaman" , "Fellow crew member" .)

I've seen this clue in The Independent.

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