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 这些算海归吗？（ATimes) China's lure for young professionals |
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暗八仙
头衔: 海归上校
声望: 院士
性别: 
加入时间: 2005/08/19
文章: 5359
来自: 北京
海归分: 76190
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作者：暗八仙 在 海归商务 发贴, 来自【海归网】 http://www.haiguinet.com
China's lure for young professionals
By George Zhibin Gu
SHENZHEN - Regardless of how one feels about globalization, it has unquestionably led to an unprecedented level of international interaction around the globe, as national economies become increasingly interwoven. And as the world's biggest developing market, China has become a top destination for foreigners to work
and live: expatriates in China now number in the hundreds of thousands.
These latter-day Marco Polos come from anywhere and everywhere. They generally value their China experiences highly: being in a rapidly developing society such as China can often expand their horizons in many ways. Equally significant, they act as bridges between China and the world. At the same time, the Chinese public is, by and large, delighted to have them here. The Chinese people are well aware that China has departed firmly from its past isolation and entered a new era, and the expatriate presence shows that China has taken a giant step in joining the global community. Overall, China's foreign workers are a great blessing both for China and for the world. The change from 20 years ago has been dramatic.
From here, there and everywhere
It is becoming easier and easier to find foreign-run firms in Chinese cities. One such case is the import-export business of Ibrahim Othman, a Syrian consumer products merchant. A veteran China player, he has maintained an office in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, for several years. His business model is straightforward: he buys made-in-China products and ships them back to the Middle East. To Othman, Chinese products are cheap and quality is fast-improving. He said China has "a fast-growing market in [the] Middle East" and "selling Chinese products has better profit margins" than selling other products.
Other foreign nationals are experienced professionals. One of these is Sam Woollard, a native of Cambridge, England. Previously he worked as a marketing and media specialist for British Airways and several other companies in Europe and Australia. Nearly two years ago, he landed in Shanghai. Now he works as publications manager for the German Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai. He finds his new environment "stimulating and fun ... filled with daily interactions with local Chinese ... [I] especially enjoy chatting with my 80-year-old Chinese neighbor."
There is also a large contingent of entrepreneurs, who have found plenty of work to do in fast-changing China. Steve Kuhn, from the US state of Minnesota, exemplifies this group. After graduating from Harvard, he worked as a bond trader for Goldman Sachs for many years. Beginning one year ago, he started new ventures of his own in Beijing, while remaining a consultant to Goldman Sachs. He has given lectures at Peking University and Tsinghua University, two top Chinese schools, on his investment knowledge. "These Chinese students are very bright and I had a great time," he said.
Another Kuhn project is a new website called BeijingLives.com. This website is somewhat like a Yellow Pages for the city； local businesses and organizations can freely announce their events there. It goes further by providing general news coverage and analysis on China. He wants to bring the best possible information on China back to Americans: "Americans need to get [accurate] information about what is happening inside China."
Kuhn's team members come from Canada, the US, Australia and China. Nicknamed "can do" by his friends, Kuhn has found Beijing a perfect place for his ambitions. In particular, he attaches a long-term perspective to his website: "In 50 years, when people look at our archives, they will see how we really lived in Beijing back then."
Another business consultant is Melbourne native Les Lothringer, already in China for 20 years. Lothringer has traveled to more Chinese cities than most Chinese, and now divides his time among Australia, China and the rest of Asia.
Culture shocks
This writer can well remember his culture shock after moving to the United States in 1981 - the independent lifestyle of Americans, the absolute need for a car, the way even 80-year-olds often need to drive to get groceries. Visiting the UK was the same: the British treated afternoon tea like a religious ceremony, repeating everything the same way at the tea-table every afternoon. But culture shock is a double-edged sword. What shocks foreign nationals about living in China?
Thomas Podvin, a Frenchman now working as a writer and editor for a US magazine based in Shanghai, has been surprised by the openness of the Chinese around him. He noted: "Chinese people can be more open-minded than what we think, especially the older generation [who were] said to be conservative. They are warm-hearted and also can show their feeling easily. They can cry for happiness or sadness without any shame."
Kuhn had this to say about his life in Beijing: "My biggest surprise [was] the relatively large amount of economic freedom there is - [it is] relatively easy to start a business, [with] relatively low tax rates."
Othman was surprised by the friendly environment in China: "Though there are always bad guys around anywhere, Chinese people are very friendly in general."
Woollard gave a detailed description about life in Shanghai as a foreigner: "Living in Shanghai/China is a really eye-opening experience. Every day is unique ... something new and interesting is always going on in this dynamic, fast-moving city. Living in the heart of a Chinese community brings me closer to the real way of life. It gives me a clearer understanding of the traditions and way of life of the Chinese people."
What has surprised him the most? "How rapid the business community and the city as a whole is moving forward, the drive towards modernization and the pace of visible changes to the buildings and daily life," he said.
To Lothringer, being in China can get some of the best things in the world: "Mainland Chinese food is better than anything in the West and the range of dishes is amazingly large. Also, Chinese people are very helpful and if they like you, they give you 110% of their efforts." His favorite place is Sichuan province, with its people and dishes.
Suggestions for the outside world
Living and working inside China, these foreign nationals have learned a great deal about the country and its vast changes first-hand, and are eager to pass on their knowledge and experiences to the world. But they also stressed the difficulty of becoming and remaining an expert on China given the extremely rapid pace of change.
Podvin said: "Many foreign countries see China as a virgin land, a land of huge opportunities, but to [do] business or to get a company [running] as a foreigner is the trickiest task. There are 1.3 billion people here, but one forgets that 70% of the population are from [the] countryside, and don't have much money to spend." What is his suggestion to foreign businessmen? "There is always a Chinese businessman smarter than you； you need to make friends with the right people."
Woollard feels the need for foreign businessmen to understand China's marketplace. That is what he tries to do daily to assist the 400 German companies in Shanghai: "Being on the ground, it gives me a really in-depth insight into the marketing and media world of Shanghai and brings me into contact with many interesting people, while at the same time helping me to learn a lot about different projects that are going on in the city."
Lothringer had this advice for international traders: "China is a great place to source products, but you have to be very ｓｅｌｅｃｔive about choosing suppliers and then ensuring that they adhere to product specifications." On the investment side, he cautioned: "Having a realistic business plan and finding [the] right managers is a must； otherwise, things can go terribly wrong. For this, nothing can substitute [for] first-hand experience."
He added: "The biggest disappointments come from foreigners who have no idea how to adapt [to China] and [try to] impose their ideas and methods, as well as hiring the wrong local staff."
Othman stressed the significance of right partnerships: "Finding right partners is the way for success. Otherwise, life can become a mess."
Kuhn painted a large picture: "Tremendous opportunities are everywhere in China today. Its economy is fast-expanding. So grasp your chances and grow with it."
Observing China's changes
The enormous scope of change in China is evident to its foreign residents, along with its imperfections. Most expatriates are open to expressing their opinions in this area as well.
One of China's biggest challenges is the fast-expanding gap between the rich and poor. But this issue has no easy solutions. To Lothringer, "wealth disparity is getting very serious, which demands quick action in order to ensure social stability".
Woollard went further: "China needs to be more resourceful in some areas of life and business. Money must be plowed into helping the poor people and educating the population, especially in the countryside."
Also, corruption causes concerns. Steve Kuhn said, "My big disappointments come from the daily stories and scenes of true sadness and tragedy that continue in Beijing and throughout China."
All in all, China's development has yet to catch up with Japan or the nations of North America and Europe. Podvin commented, "Living in China is okay, especially in Shanghai, although the country doesn't offer the same comfortable services as in Europe or the US for things like social insurance, health care, pensions, and many other aspects [of] a quality life."
Nonetheless, many foreign residents hope for China's continued overall development. For this to happen, environmental issues must be addressed. Woollard noted: "China must focus more energy [on] solving its huge environmental problems and into energy-saving itself. Three hundred million people drink contaminated water. Once these kinds of problems are solved, the country will really be able to stand proud [of] its recent achievements, development and success."
Despite all the challenges the nation faces, many expatriates agree that China's openness is bringing vast opportunities for the world. They also wish to have more foreign residents join them, and believe strongly that their involvement can make a difference in China's development. Even as China's expats pursue their own goals, as they disperse through every corner of the country, they have become a vital catalyst for change.
George Zhibin Gu, a business consultant based in China, is the author of a new book, China's Global Reach: Markets, Multinationals, and Globalization (www.Trafford.com), with an afterword by Andre Gunder Frank. He can be reached at [email protected].
作者：暗八仙 在 海归商务 发贴, 来自【海归网】 http://www.haiguinet.com
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 这些算海归吗？（ATimes) China's lure for young professionals -- 暗八仙 - (10916 Byte) 2006-1-19 周四, 06:48 (1000 reads)
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