Direct Investment and Joint Ventures in China: A Handbook for Corporate Negotiators

Written primarily for business managers and government officials, this is a comprehensive handbook on how to successfully initiate and implement joint ventures and direct investments in China. The authors combine in one volume an appreciation of the nuances faced in the negotiation of U.S.-Chinese joint ventures, an examination of the investment environment in China and an assessment of its past traditions, present policies and emerging problems. Case studies of a variety of actual joint ventures are especially valuable for readers involved in or planning to open negotiation in China. Several chapters assess the impacts of the events in Tianamen Square on foreign direct investment in the country. The book opens with two chapters which examine the reasons for China’s open policy and the responses of foreign investors to the new policy. A group of chapters then explores the country’s investment, cultural and legal environment and their likely impacts on joint venture negotiations. Turning to an examination of Chinese markets and production capabilities, the authors assess consumption patterns, decision making, customer/supplier relations, local sourcing problems, transportation, the availability of skilled labour, management, and R&D. They go on to analyze the contributions of foreign direct investment, including the role of transnational corporations, and present a step-by-step guide to negotiating a joint venture in China and implementing the agreement reached. Finally, the authors look at prosects for development and modernization in China, particularly in terms of the trend towards recentralization following the Tianamen Square upheaval.