What Top China Officials Think of Their Economy

You can never separate business from governance. Some countries encourage lobbies in their national capitals. Large corporations and trade associations strike advantageous deals with politicians. This template is no good for China. Corruption invites death in this country. It is better to deal with China transparently and fairly.

Dialog is the China way of doing business. You have to listen carefully to what officials say. They will respond with the same courtesies for your views. You can do great business with China with this trade secret in mind. You must be nimble though, for there is no patent protection for this China business idea. Steal a march on your competition with a new approach to trade with China.

Ma Kai is responsible for the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC). He has recently spoken about the state of the economy in China. These remarks came during the annual meeting of the National People’s Congress. This key official has listed the issues which the government in China intends to address during 2008.

Directions for conducting trade with China are clear. Officials of other countries blame each other for trade imbalances. They make contradictory demands on their peers. We are part of the problem. We want world market access for our goods and services. However, no one should play on our home turf. How can we resolve the issue? Reflect on the following quote from Ma Kai:

“The key question is not the existence of surplus itself, but whether it is the result of fair play and beneficial to both sides of the international trade”.