This interview, and the previous one with Song Jin, raise some interesting questions. While both seem to take the entrance of Chinese investment as a given, I think there are political factors that can or may intervene in the process.

For example, will the US Congress (which takes every opportunity it can to poke China in the eye) be willing to simply sit by and watch American companies be bought up by Chinese investors? At a minimum, I wouldn’t be surprised to see calls for more reciprocity — that whatever restrictions apply to US investment in China also apply to Chinese investment in the US.

I would also be interested to know if the Obama administration has taken a firm position on this issue yet. Their leadership could make a difference in what Congress ultimately does, assuming Obama has enough political capital left over after Afghanistan and healthcare. And the incomes of consultants in this area will depend on what decisions get made in Washington.

Also, in part of the Song Jin interview, while he acknowledges that many things are done differently in the US, he seems to drop a subtle hint (unless I’ve misread him) that Americans need to learn how to do things the Chinese way (regarding development of relationships, etc.).

While I’ve been bending over backward to do exactly that in China, I’m afraid I would find myself very resistant to that idea in the US (as would most Americans, I’m quite sure). The US legal system isn’t going to change because Chinese prefer relationships over contracts.

On one point, however, I do agree with Song Jin. He says that Chinese companies will prefer to work with Chinese who have lived and worked in the US. My first thought was, “wait a minute, you guys can’t have this both ways!” Foreign companies that want to set up shop in China need the help of Chinese with local connections and cultural knowledge. And now he’s saying that Chinese companies that want to set up shop in the US need Chinese with US experience.

Where does that leave us laowai who have invested so much in learning Chinese language and culture? I’m not sure, but I think Song Jin has a good point.

The US system was designed to be (comparatively) easy to learn and understand. You hire experts in law and accounting to keep you legal, and you’re good to go (issues of managerial competence aside). In China, you need help navigating the complexity of Chinese society and the opacity of Chinese “law” — none of which most foreigners are truly able to do, at least not as well as the locals.

So, yes, they do get to have it both ways. Will we be relegated to shining their shoes?

but i feel there is a “pull” that is going to happen abroad that will lessen china company’s need to “push” …

(and it will be a kind of luck and of course the consultants involved will take the credit .. , but it was just the times)