Q: When China began to attract foreign investment, some
people maintained that the absorption of foreign capital in certain
industries would attack "national industry." What is China's
viewpoint about it? Does such situation appear?
A: Debate on whether the absorption of foreign capital will
attack "national industry" and "national economy" began immediately
after China implemented the open policy and has never stopped. But
experiences of other countries have proved that a country could not
develop its national economy if it does not open up to the outside
world.
China is a developing country. National industry is the basis
for our subsistence and development. It is true the opening-up and
absorption of foreign investment will bring certain attacks to our
national industry, but up to date no countries or regions in the
world come to their end owing to their opening-up to the outside
world. On the contrary, most of them have benefited from their
opening-up. Also China has achieved more benefits than it has
suffered in its absorption of foreign capitals in the two-decade
opening-up.
Statistics show that during 1980-2004, China absorbed a total of
US$560 billion foreign direct investment, which brought out 40
percent of China's GDP. Large amounts of foreign capital invested
in China has relaxed the shortage of capital in China's economic
development and guaranteed the construction of a large group of
projects for quite a long period of time since China implemented
reforms and the open policy. Also the absorption of foreign capital
and establishment of foreign-invested enterprises have sped up
renewal and upgrade of some pillar industries of Chinese national
economy, such as auto industry, television and electrical appliance
industry, computer industry and other high-tech products, greatly
shortening the time to catch up with developed countries. At the
same time, they have offered opportunities for us to learn modern
management and thus sped up China's integration into the
international economy and helped China prepare to enter the
WTO.
Of course, we must admit that the huge amount of foreign capital
flooding into China has to some extent affected certain national
industries. At present, more than 200 of the top 500 transnational
companies have already invested in China, bringing with them high
technology and huge projects. On the whole, the aggregate sales of
foreign-invested companies account for not a great proportion in
the Chinese market. But in certain areas such as chemicals,
beverages, tires and some mechanical or electrical products,
foreign companies have a much bigger market share and have posed
some challenges for competing Chinese companies.
A survey by a government department shows that, at present,
products of foreign-invested companies account for not much in the
Chinese market and do not impact the safety of China's national
economy. More positive utilization of foreign capital and upgrading
of the international competitiveness of Chinese enterprises are a
must for future economic reform and development.