Thriving China is Ever More Open for Business
Editor: 管理员 Date:2010-07-29 Hit:3887
%3CFONT%20face%3DVerdana%3E%0D%0A%3CP%3E%3CFONT%20face%3DVerdana%3EFor%20the%20last%20year%2C%20China%20has%20expanded%20domestic%20demand%20and%20worked%20to%20attract%20foreign%20investment%2C%20contributing%20to%20the%20global%20recovery.%20However%2C%20concerns%20have%20recently%20been%20floated%2C%20not%20least%20among%20foreign%20businesses%2C%20that%20China%20is%20now%20less%20welcoming%20of%20foreign%20investment.%20In%20fact%2C%20China%20will%20open%20wider%20in%20the%20future.%20%3C/FONT%3E%3C/P%3E%0D%0A%3CP%3E%3CFONT%20face%3DVerdana%3EChina%20has%20kept%20its%20market%20open%20throughout%20the%20financial%20crisis.%20In%20late%202008%2C%20we%20adopted%20a%20Rmb4%2C000bn%20stimulus%20package%2C%20along%20with%20readjustment%20programs%20in%20sectors%20such%20as%20information%20communication%20technology%2C%20logistics%20and%20equipment%20manufacturing.%20Companies%20have%20followed%20strict%20tender%20rules%20to%20ensure%20a%20level%20playing%20field%20for%20all%20businesses%20%u2013%20Chinese%20or%20foreign.%20In%202009%2C%20of%2012%2C439%20tenders%20for%20procurement%20of%20electromechanical%20products%2C%2055%20per%20cent%20went%20to%20foreign%20investment%20enterprises.%20%3C/FONT%3E%3C/P%3E%0D%0A%3CP%3E%3CFONT%20face%3DVerdana%3EOver%20the%20last%20three%20decades%2C%20foreign%20direct%20investment%20has%20brought%20capital%2C%20advanced%20technologies%20and%20business%20know-how%20to%20China.%20We%20understand%20that%20FDI%20fosters%20innovation.%20That%20is%20why%2C%20in%20April%2C%20we%20held%20a%20public%20consultation%20to%20review%20the%20criteria%20we%20use%20to%20accredit%20%u201Cinnovation%20products%u201D.%20The%20results%20emphasized%20that%20all%20foreign%20enterprises%20are%20given%20equal%20treatment%20and%20that%20all%20their%20products%20are%20considered%20to%20be%20%u201Cmade%20in%20China%u201D%2C%20while%20the%20same%20rules%20of%20origin%20are%20applied%20to%20them%20as%20to%20Chinese%20products.%20%3C/FONT%3E%3C/P%3E%0D%0A%3CP%3E%3CFONT%20face%3DVerdana%3ESince%20joining%20the%20World%20Trade%20Organization%2C%20China%20has%20continually%20lowered%20the%20entry%20threshold%20for%20foreign%20investment.%20We%20have%20revised%20our%20catalogue%20for%20the%20guidance%20of%20foreign%20investment%20industries%20%u2013%20the%20official%20list%20of%20industries%20in%20which%20FDI%20is%20encouraged%20or%20restricted%20%u2013%20four%20times%20since%201997.%20Each%20time%20we%20have%20provided%20greater%20market%20access.%20Writers%20such%20as%20Thomas%20Friedman%2C%20author%20of%20The%20World%20Is%20Flat%2C%20and%20Robert%20Shapiro%2C%20former%20US%20undersecretary%20of%20commerce%20under%20President%20Bill%20Clinton%2C%20have%20spoken%20highly%20of%20our%20efforts%20to%20open%20up.%20%3C/FONT%3E%3C/P%3E%0D%0A%3CP%3E%3CFONT%20face%3DVerdana%3EChina%20remains%20a%20top%20destination%20for%20investment%20by%20multinational%20companies%2C%20particularly%20in%20services%20and%20outsourcing.%20In%202009%2C%20global%20FDI%20dropped%20by%20nearly%2040%20per%20cent%2C%20but%20investment%20into%20China%20fell%20by%20only%202.6%20per%20cent.%20Reacting%20to%20worries%20in%20the%20west%2C%20China%20has%20also%20strengthened%20intellectual%20property%20protection%20with%20new%20laws%20and%20a%20%u201Cdouble-track%u201D%20system%20of%20administrative%20and%20criminal%20enforcement.%20%3C/FONT%3E%3C/P%3E%0D%0A%3CP%3E%3CFONT%20face%3DVerdana%3ECrisis-hit%20multinationals%20have%20found%20new%20sources%20of%20profit%20growth%20in%20China.%20In%202009%2C%20General%20Motors%20filed%20for%20bankruptcy%20in%20the%20US%2C%20but%20its%20sales%20in%20China%20grew%20by%2067%20per%20cent.%20It%20sold%20more%20than%201m%20vehicles%20in%20China%20in%20the%20first%20five%20months%20of%20this%20year%2C%20meeting%20half%20of%20its%202010%20target%20of%202m%20ahead%20of%20schedule.%20Siemens%20will%20invest%20%u20AC1bn%20%28%241.29bn%2C%20%uFFE1843m%29%20in%20the%20next%20three%20years%2C%20with%20Volkswagen%20adding%20%u20AC1.6bn%20by%202011.%20In%202010%2C%20there%20were%20690%2C000%20registered%20foreign%20companies%20in%20China%2C%20investing%20more%20than%20%241%2C000bn.%20%3C/FONT%3E%3C/P%3E%0D%0A%3CP%3E%3CFONT%20face%3DVerdana%3EThese%20companies%20drive%20growth%20abroad%20through%20their%20Chinese%20operations.%20They%20create%20valuable%20trade%20surpluses%20for%20neighbouring%20countries%20by%20importing%20intermediate%20goods%2C%20and%20create%20jobs%20in%20developed%20countries%20by%20buying%20capital%20goods%20and%20services.%20%3C/FONT%3E%3C/P%3E%0D%0A%3CP%3E%3CFONT%20face%3DVerdana%3ESuch%20growth%20will%20continue%20as%20China%20expands%20its%20internal%20market.%20Sales%20of%20consumer%20goods%20rose%20in%202009%20to%20Rmb12%2C530bn%2C%20contributing%20more%20than%20half%20of%20gross%20domestic%20product.%20This%20year%20China%27s%20domestic%20market%20will%20grow%20by%20Rmb2%2C000bn%20%28%24295bn%2C%20%uFFE1193bn%2C%20%u20AC229bn%29%2C%20outstripping%20exports.%20The%20US%20is%20set%20to%20ga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