Anti-corruption campaign

Wong MNC Center Executive Director Dr. Jean-Marc F. Blanchard delivers keynote address at the “New Developments for Japanese and Chinese Firms” Conference

At opening of the “New Developments for Japanese and Chinese Firms” conference, Dr. Jean-Marc F. Blanchard, Executive Director of the Wong MNC Center, delivered a keynote address entitled “Patterns in Chinese Outward FDI and its Implications for Japanese Firms.” Dr. Blanchard started by providing background information on Chinese outward foreign direct investment (OFDI) from the 1970s through the 1990s, covering its volumes, sectoral destinations, geographic patterns, and drivers at the macro- and micro (firm) levels.

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Chinese Companies and the Changing Business Landscape

Dr. Scott MacDonald
Posted: Feb 28, 2016

Chinese multinational corporations (MNCs) are finding the new global business landscape daunting. In their transformation from being domestic-oriented firms into companies expanding into foreign markets and acquiring foreign enterprises, Chinese MNCs have benefited from easy access to international capital markets and foreign and Chinese state-owned financial institutions. However, this is changing. Looking at the turmoil in international financial markets, access to capital likely will be harder to obtain as foreign investors are now more risk-adverse and taking a harder look at corporate risk profiles. Furthermore, many state-owned Chinese companies have relatively high debt portfolios compared to many of their Western counterparts.

MNCs in the News-2015-02-27

Foreign firms and industry associations struggle to determine how to deal with Chinese regulators. Foreign information technology firms lose place on China’s official list of approved products. Despite political challenges, Google salivates over China opportunities created by massive Android user base. China’s anti-corruption campaign and other factors disrupt payback from Sino-Myanmar pipeline investments. Japanese Prime Minister Abe Shinzo plans to release measures in March to boost inward foreign investment into Japan. Japan’s weak yen policy encourages Japanese firms to invest abroad. Japan’s railway consortium likely to win bid to build Doha subway system. Japan concludes major loan agreement with Kenya to fund expansion of Mombasa port. Korean lobbies foreign companies to invest more in Korea. Indonesian policies to promote its domestic auto sector push out GM. Vietnam’s opening of retail sector to foreign firms intensifies challenges for domestic retailers.

Dr. Jean-Marc F. Blanchard's picture

A corrupt anti-corruption campaign?

Dr. Jean-Marc F. Blanchard
Posted: Mar 30, 2014

After he became China’s President, Xi Jinping made fighting corruption a central part of his domestic policy agenda. In line with this, state anti-corruption organs have investigated tens of thousands of Chinese Communist Party officials and government bureaucrats and numerous high-ranking officials at the central and provincial government levels have lost their posts or party membership, or have been put in jail. Many foreign companies welcome the anti-corruption campaign in concept because it means, if it works, they do not have to offer “gifts” or find “middlemen” and that they will not be at a competitive disadvantage if home country laws, scruples, or both preclude them from providing a gift.