U.S. Firms Are Finding A More-Open China
Survey Result Shows
Regulatory Changes
Allow Many to Profit
BEIJING -- American businesses report they have more opportunities than ever before as China steadily opens its markets, even as the U.S. threatens tougher action over its record trade deficit with the world's most-populous nation.
A report and survey by the American Chamber of Commerce in China released Thursday shows that its members are introducing new products and services for Chinese customers and taking advantage of legal overhauls to expand and improve their operations. Most are profitable.
As further evidence that China is opening, the annual survey found that market competition in China is heating up. U.S. companies are battling other foreign businesses -- not just Chinese companies -- for market share, and they are being squeezed by imports, too.
The study offers a striking contrast to the political tone in Washington, where Beijing is coming under increasing fire as a result of its huge trade surplus with the U.S., which reached $201.62 billion in 2005, according to U.S. data. This week, U.S. Trade Representative Rob Portman criticized China for keeping American products out of the country through unfair competition and trade barriers. Mr. Portman also faulted China over piracy, and he promised tougher enforcement of trade laws.
The chamber report draws on an annual survey of hundreds of its members conducted over the past seven years, a period that straddles China's entry to the Geneva-based World Trade Organization in 2001. It indicates that China has gone a long way to make good on its WTO commitments to enlarge market access. In 1999, only 24% of respondents reported success in cracking the China market. But in 2005, 72% said they had expanded the range of their products and services since China joined the WTO.
The study highlights a growing gap between perceptions in Washington about trade with China, dominated by the debate over manufacturing outsourcing and job losses, and the experience of U.S. companies that have taken the plunge into China.
Some two-thirds of American companies said they are profitable or very profitable in China, and 42% said their China margins were higher than their world-wide margins.
Chamber President Charlie Martin said part of the problem for American exporters -- those based in the U.S. and seeking to make profits in China from afar -- was lack of experience and distribution networks in China. At a news conference to announce the study, he urged more U.S. trade associations to set up offices in China and called on the U.S. government to add commercial officers to its consulates to promote trade and investment.
Mr. Martin also warned about the danger of trade friction with China. "You don't want to cut off your own opportunities just when they're getting started," he said.
As an example of how regulatory changes are opening new opportunities for American businesses in China, 28% of respondents to the survey said they were likely or highly likely to acquire a local company. New legislation has made such acquisitions possible, including purchases of state-owned companies.
At the same time, U.S. businesses are enjoying more freedom to maneuver. China once required almost all foreign companies to set up joint ventures with domestic firms -- forced marriages that often ended unhappily. But in 2005, 60% of survey participants said they operated a wholly owned venture, up from 33% in 1999. During that period, the number of companies operating joint ventures dropped to 27% from 78%.
Even on the issue of intellectual-property rights, an area of growing friction between Beijing and Washington, the study praises Beijing for "dramatic progress" in bringing its laws into conformity with WTO standards. But 75% of U.S. businesses said China's protection of intellectual-property rights was either ineffective or totally ineffective, and more than half said piracy damaged their operations in China.
Chinese figures show that U.S. foreign direct investment in China last year fell to $3 billion, down 22.3% from the previous year.
Teresa Woodland, a Beijing-based consultant who compiled the research report, says that while China remains a tough market, "it is now possible to come in and import and sell in ways you were never able to before." She added: "A lot of companies haven't responded."
美国企业认为中国市场更开放了
面对对中国的创纪录贸易逆差，美国政府威胁要采取更强硬的立场。不过美国企业界却说，随著中国市场的稳步开放，他们的机会比以往任何时候都要多。
中国美国商会(American Chamber of Commerce in China)周四发表的一份调查报告显示，其会员公司不断面向中国消费者推出新的产品和服务，并利用法规政策的完善扩大和发展了自己的业务。另外，大部分美国公司是盈利的。
可以进一步说明中国市场开放的证据是，这份年度调查还发现中国的市场竞争正在升温。美国公司正在和其他外商企业──不仅仅是中国公司──争夺市场，而且还受到了进口商品的冲击。
这份研究报告和美国政府的官方表态形成鲜明对比。中国由于2005年对美国巨大的贸易顺差──美国公布的数据显示，这个数字是2,016.2亿美元──而遭到了美国政府越来越多的指责。美国贸易代表波特曼(Rob Portman)本周还批评中国政府通过不平等竞争和贸易壁垒阻碍美国产品进入中国。波特曼还指责中国打击侵权盗版不力，并表示将更严格的执行贸易法。
这份报告依据的是七年来对商会会员所作的调查。在此期间，中国于2001年加入了世界贸易组织(World Trade Organization)。报告显示，中国一直在积极努力实现自己对WTO扩大市场准入的承诺。1999年，只有24%的受访公司成功进入中国市场，而在2005年，72%的受访公司都表示它们在中国加入WTO后扩大了产品和服务种类。
这份研究报告彰显了美国政府和美国公司之间针对中美贸易的态度正在日益拉大。美国政府对制造业外包和失业问题忧心忡忡，而美国公司则纷纷涌向中国。
近三分之二的美国公司认为，它们在中国盈利甚至利润可观。42%的美国公司表示，中国业务的利润率高于公司的全球业务平均水平。
中国美国商会会长马诚礼(Charlie Martin)表示，那些远在美国并希望进军中国市场的美国出口商缺乏的是经验和中国的销售网络。在公布研究报告的新闻发布会上，马诚礼敦促更多的美国贸易组织在中国设立办公机构，并呼吁美国政府在领事馆增派商务专员以推动贸易和投资。
马诚礼还对中美贸易摩擦的危害发出了警告。他说，“谁也不想在业务刚有起色的时候就自断前程。”
中国的政策改变能为美国企业界带来新机会的一个例证是，28%的受访公司表示有可能或者非常有可能收购中国本地公司。中国的新法律为这类收购开辟了道路，其中还包括收购中国国有企业。
与此同时，美国企业界也享有了更多的自主权。中国曾要求几乎所有的外国公司必须和中国公司建立合资企业──包办婚姻通常得不到幸福。而在2005年，60%的受访公司是美国全资企业，在1999年这个比例仅为33%。在此期间，经营合资公司的美国企业比例从78%下降到27%。
即使是在中美矛盾日益激化的知识产权问题上，研究报告也赞扬了中国政府为达到WTO标准而在法律建设方面取得的“巨大进步”。不过75%的美国企业表示中国对知识产权的保护不力或者非常不力，一半以上的受访企业表示侵权行为损害了它们在中国的利益。
中国方面的数据显示，去年美国对中国的直接投资降至30亿美元，比上年下降了22.3%。
负责编制报告的咨询师特里萨?伍德兰德(Teresa Woodland)说，虽然中国市场仍然充满困难和挑战，“但现在做生意比从前更加自由了。”她补充说，“还有很多公司没有填写我们的调查问卷。”
