Investment problem? Report it to Ministry By Dai Yan (China Daily) Updated: 2004-11-18 08:54
The Ministry of Commerce said yesterday it has set up a reporting mechanism
to report on obstacles faced by Chinese outbound investors, a move to intensify
China's emerging outbound investing.
The mechanism is being completed due to increasing obstacles investors are
facing at foreign destinations, a spokesman from the Ministry's Department of
Economic Co-operation said.
Commercial counselor's offices, other official commercial services,
industrial associations and outbound investors are encouraged to report
investment bottlenecks to the ministry, the official said.
"The ministry will compile reports about these problems and publish them
regularly to warn potential investors of the risks," the spokesman said.
More important, the ministry will start negotiations to find solutions to
solve issues as they crop up.
While China is gaining power to go abroad, problems blocking investment also
arise. A recent big problem was a gang of Spaniards who in September were part
of 500 demonstrators in the Carrus industrial zone in Elche, the capital of the
country's footware industry, who set fire to Chinese-owned warehouse under the
slogan "Chinese out."
The ministry recently has organized policies to support China's outbound
investment, which actually benefit the economies of investment destinations.
In October, the ministry issued a rule to streamline its approval procedures
for overseas investment by domestic companies. Enterprises only need to submit
application materials on five subjects, instead of the current 10 and additional
investment destinations only require the approval of local foreign trade
authorities.
In July, the ministry released the first industry-based guidelines on Chinese
investments in overseas markets, which cover 67 nations and a variety of
industries, highlighting the agriculture, mining, manufacturing and service
sectors.
The outward FDI of Chinese companies reached US$2.85 billion last year, up
5.5 per cent year-on-year. That number increased the country's total overseas
investment to US$33.2 billion by the end of 2003.
Some 3,439 mainland enterprises have established 7,470 companies in 139
countries or regions by the end of last year.
The overseas investment by Chinese companies requires more support at the
initial stages, said Qin Lin, a Siqiao Textile Co Ltd manager.
He said few companies master all investment policies in the destinations, not
to mention unfair practices they may face.
For example, some EU member states impose very strict controls on foreign
investments in chain stores. Investing in a new supermarket in France not
requires a vote of all local residents, it demands the approval of the local
retailer's association in the affected area.
A large supermarket group in Shanghai encountered great difficulties in
investing a Chinese supermarket in Brussels, Belgium.