中國投資者在美不受歡迎
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????隨著中國公司走向全球、擴張進入美國市場，中資公司已在美國35個州創造了超過10,000個就業機會——僅2010年就在美國投資超過50億美元。 ????但紐約亞洲協會(Asia Society)和華盛頓威爾遜國際學者中心（Woodrow Wilson Center for International Scholars）本周三發布的一項研究稱，一個不幸的事實是由于政治因素，中國投資在美并不受歡迎，這阻礙了進一步的投資，導致更多的投資資金和就業機會被拒之門外。 ????這是華盛頓政客們以牙還牙舉動的一部分：鑒于有報道稱美國投資者在中國遇到了負面待遇，一些國會議員們希望能反擊中國，或者干脆就是利用對經濟衰退期失業現狀不滿的選民們的反華情緒。不過，具有諷刺意味的是在全美失業率仍接近9%之時，美國急需就業機會，不管就業機會是誰創造的。 ????“政治干預和制造恐慌可能令合法（且可能有益）的投資交易轉向，”報告稱，“如果不減少政治干預，中國投資可帶來的一些益處——如創造就業、消費者福利、甚至推動美國基建更新——可能落入美國的競爭對手之手。” ????換言之，為什么非要選擇在懷有敵意的美國投資建廠，如果相比之下在墨西哥華雷斯(而非得克薩斯州)或者加拿大安大略省(而非密歇根州)投資更為簡單，并能根據北美自由貿易協定(NAFTA)向美國市場出口產品？ ????出于很多理由(參見美國制造……中國所有)，中國公司希望更貼近美國消費者，了解他們的喜好和興趣；希望利用經濟衰退后美國制造成本的下降，相比中國沿海的廣東省和上海，美國已成為了一個廉價制造地。而且在一些個案中——比如中國天津鋼管集團正在得克薩斯州科珀斯克里斯蒂建造的一家生產石油鉆探用無縫鋼管的工廠——規避進口鋼材99%的關稅無疑合情合理。這家工廠最終將創造600個工作崗位，雖然完工時間已被延遲一年至2013年。 ????雖然大多數交易都無需審查，但美國監管部門已兩次阻止中國電信設備制造商華為收購美國公司。最近一次是在今年2月份，華為被迫取消去年已完成的對加州一家已不再存在的云計算公司的收購。華為表示，當初并不認為從該公司收購的技術如此敏感，需要監管審批，因為這不屬于美國技術出口限制范圍內。此外，美國國會議員們還發起了投書運動，希望阻止華為將設備售予美國電信公司Sprint Nextel和U.S. Cellular的行為。 ????此類舉動有潑冷水效應，亞洲協會的報告稱?！半m然作為法定的美國國家安全審查機構，美國外國投資委員會(CFIUS)通常行事公正，但國會干預帶來的負面印象將降低中國人投資美國的熱情，干預傳遞出了混淆的信息，”報告寫道，“中國投資者雖然心儀于美國富有的消費者群體、具有熟練技能的勞動者、完善的監管環境和一流的技術和經驗，但政策和政治之間的關系令人困惑和懷疑?！?/p> ????報告建議美國議員們應傳遞出一個清晰的、代表兩黨的信息，即中國投資在美國是受歡迎的。報告還建議華盛頓應更主動地吸引來自中國的投資，而不只是依賴于目前在中國設有辦事處的33個州和市政府各自為戰地招商引資。否則，美國將只能與這些中國投資資金以及隨之而來的就業機會揮手作別了。 ????本文作者Sheridan Prasso是《財富》長期供稿編輯及亞洲協會的副研究員。 |
????Chinese companies have created more than 10,000 American jobs in 35 states as they seek to go global and expand into the U.S. market -- investing more than $5 billion here in 2010 alone. ????But the unfortunate perception that Chinese investments are unwelcome in the U.S. for political reasons risks deterring further investment, turning away the opportunity for further capital inflows and job-creation, according to a study released Wednesday by the Asia Society in New York and the Woodrow Wilson Center for International Scholars in Washington. ????It's all part of political tit-for-tat in Washington, where some lawmakers are seeking to hit back at China in response to reports of negative treatment of U.S. investors in that market -- or simply to take advantage of anti-China sentiment among an electorate that's angry over job losses during the economic downturn. The irony, of course, is that with national unemployment still nearly 9%, jobs are badly needed in the U.S., no matter who is doing the creating. ????"Political interference and fear-mongering threaten to divert legitimate and potentially beneficial investment deals," the report says. "If political interference is not tempered, some of the benefits of Chinese investment -- such as job creation, consumer welfare, and even contributions to U.S. infrastructure renewal -- risk being diverted to U.S. competitors." ????In other words, why set up shop in a hostile United States when it's easier to take advantage of North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) provisions and head to Juarez, Mexico instead of Texas, or Ontario, Canada instead of Michigan, and simply export to the U.S. market instead? ????For a number of reasons (see "American Made...Chinese Owned," Chinese companies want to be closer to U.S. consumers to figure out their desires and interests. They also want to take advantage of the fact that the recession has made the U.S. a cheap manufacturing destination compared to coastal Guangdong province and Shanghai. And in some cases -- such as the construction of a plant to make seamless pipe for the oil-drilling industry, which Tianjin Pipe Group of China is currently building in Corpus Christi, Texas -- it makes sense to evade 99% tariffs on imported steel. That plant will ultimately create 600 jobs, though its completion has been delayed by a year until 2013. ????While most deals pass without scrutiny, regulators have acted twice to prevent the Chinese telecoms equipment manufacturer Huawei from purchasing U.S. companies. The latest move came in February of this year, when Huawei was forced to retroactively give up its purchase of a defunct Californian cloud computing company it had bought last year. Huawei says it did not think the technology it acquired from the company was so sensitive as to require regulatory approval, since it was not covered under U.S. technology export restrictions. U.S. lawmakers have also launched letter-writing campaigns against attempts by Huawei to sell its equipment to U.S. telcos, namely Sprint Nextel and U.S. Cellular. ????Such moves have a chilling effect, the Asia Society report says. "Though the legally mandated screening organ for national security risks, the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), generally has operated in a fair manner, bad publicity stirred up by the threat of congressional interference is having a chilling effect on Chinese readiness to invest in the United States by sending confusing and unclear messages," it reads. "Chinese investors, though attracted by the United States' wealthy consumer base, skilled labor, sound regulatory environment, and impressive technology and knowhow, are confused and cynical about the relationship between policy and politics." ????The report recommends that U.S. lawmakers send a clear, bipartisan message that Chinese investment is welcome here. It also recommends that Washington take more active measures to lure investment from China, rather than just relying on the 33 states and municipalities which currently maintain offices in China to seek investors on a piecemeal basis. Otherwise, we'll be waving those Chinese investment dollars, and the American jobs that could come along with it, goodbye. ????Sheridan Prasso is a long-time contributing editor at Fortune and an associate fellow at the Asia Society. |
