Research & Analysis

Foreign companies that want to expand their business in China have more investment options than ever before—though they still face PRC government restrictions.by Lester RossThe time when foreign investors were restricted to entering China through representative offices and joint ventures (JVs) has long passed. Foreign companies in most industries now have a range of options […]

Companies with successful sales and distribution systems in China have adopted certain common best practices.by Hubert Hsu, Waldemar Jap, Carol Liao, and Vincent LuiConsumer wealth—and private consumption—is expected to grow markedly in the near future. Between 2010 and 2020, China’s economic growth will raise nearly 90 million new households to middle- or affluent-class (earning ¥60,000 […]

The China market offers opportunities for companies that can navigate its evolving sales and distribution landscape.by Bradley A. FeulingBefore the launch of economic reforms in 1978, the PRC government controlled China’s nationwide distribution channels, including the system of managed distribution centers, wholesale operations, and retail outlets. The State Planning Commission issued production requirements and allocated […]

by Robert Poole One way to look at US business and China in 2010 to date might be to see it as a year of many gaps, or spaces where common or agreed interests don’t quite meet. Despite these differences, the underlying interest of both countries’ consumers in each other’s products remains strong, and even […]

US Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner met with the US-China Business Council’s (USCBC) board of directors during its June 2 meeting at the Library of Congress. Geithner spoke on the results of the previous week’s Strategic and Economic Dialogue (S&ED) in Beijing and prospects for key economic and commercial issues. Geithner highlighted that China’s indigenous innovation […]

Three economists discuss their outlooks for China’s economy.Despite the global economic downturn and uncertainty about the health of the global economy, China’s economy remained a relative bright spot in 2009. Though global trade contracted 12 percent—and Chinese exports slowed—China’s economy as a whole remained fairly resilient. Now, as many major economies begin to emerge from […]

As the drafting process for China’s Twelfth Five-Year Plan (12th FYP) for Economic and Social Development (2011-15) continues, a clearer picture of China’s economic, industry, and social objectives—and the policy guidelines that will be used to achieve these goals—has emerged. The plan, which lays out national social and economic policies for the next five years, […]

Spurred by growth and evolving consumer expectations, car dealerships and finance companies have revamped their offerings.by Kyle SullivanChina has emerged from the global recession as the world’s largest auto market, with a total sales volume that eclipses the United States by a substantial sum. In 2009, China’s new vehicle sales reached 13.6 million units and […]

China must boost domestic demand to absorb new productive capacity.by Erik BrittonChina’s economy has achieved stunning growth since it entered the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 2001. Annual growth has averaged 10 percent in real terms over the last decade, and gross domestic product (GDP) was 162 percent higher in 2009 than in 1999 in […]

Western suppliers of Chinese businesses must understand and market to local needs to be successful.by Matthew Harrison and Mark HedleyThe opportunities presented by the China market are becoming increasingly difficult for Western businesses to ignore. With China expected to become an engine for global economic growth over the next decade, many Western companies are realigning […]