Research & Analysis

PRC government policies and consumer preferences are going green, presenting new opportunities for US companies to sell sustainable products in China.by Julia KanThe economic downturn has affected business operations and consumer preferences significantly. Many companies are looking for ways to cut costs and maintain profitability, while most consumers are choosing lower-cost items over luxury goods. […]

The United States and China have long disagreed on the size of the bilateral trade deficit. To determine why large discrepancies exist between US and PRC calculations of bilateral trade statistics, US and PRC agencies formed the Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade Statistical Working Group, which recently released a report. The report used trade […]

Recent developments have raised concern among foreign-invested enterprises that want to tap the country’s government procurement market.by US-China Business Council staffSome foreign companies in China have reported increasing difficulty in making sales to government entities in China—whether a government agency, school, hospital, or state-owned enterprise—in recent months. According to the US-China Business Council, some member […]

Foreign companies considering whether to invest in China’s rapidly growing telecom value-added services market must understand the regulatory environment.by Christine Kahler and Weizhen LiChina’s relatively young telecom industry has grown rapidly since 2001, fueled by rising incomes and cheaper technology. From 2001 to 2009, total telecom services revenue more than doubled, from ¥357 billion ($43.1 […]

A Pennsylvania battery company makes its first foray into China.by Virginia A. HulmeEast Penn Manufacturing Co. Inc. began to explore investing in China in the early 2000s, drawn in part by new opportunities and customers that had made the move already. For several years, the company studied major China markets—logistics, supply chain, and other customers—and […]

China’s preference for domestic products continues to worry foreign firms, but companies can take steps to improve their chances of succeeding in China’s government procurement market.by Jason Matechak and Brett GersonSince China first opened its gates to foreigners, US companies have sought to sell goods and services to China’s ruling government—first to the imperial dynasties […]

China aims to expand its nuclear power industry to reduce air pollution and meet rising demand for electricity.by Ryan OngNuclear power accounts for a small but rapidly growing portion of China’s overall electricity mix and is an area that has received considerable central government attention and effort. At the end of 2009, nuclear power represented […]

China’s growing retail market offers a range of opportunities for foreign investors, but some sectors are easier to access than others.by Sheng LuChina has one of the most lucrative and rapidly growing retail markets in the world. Despite the global economic downturn, China’s retail sales hit ¥12.5 trillion ($1.8 trillion) in 2009, up 15.5 percent […]

Changes to China’s patent regime provide greater clarity.by Douglas Clark, Geoffrey Lin, and Alex XiaDuring the past year, legislative and regulatory changes have clarified China’s patent regime and improved its transparency. The amended PRC Patent Law took effect October 1, 2009 and contains a few important changes and several new provisions. Next, the Supreme People’s […]

In a recent conversation with some US-China Business Council (USCBC) member companies in Shanghai, the question arose of how to identify and capitalize on business opportunities in China while meeting the challenges of serving the China market, which is so different from most of the rest of the world. The conversation ranged from why companies […]