陈平教授对GE老板Immelt的回应


The Ecnomist原文:

 

Immelt blasts China(Jul 2nd 2010, 13:10 by Schumpeter)

 

THIS week's plain-speaking prize goes to Jeff Immelt, the boss of General Electric.

He argued that China is increasingly hostile to foreign multinationals; he also gave warning that his company, the world's biggest manufacturer, is actively looking for better prospects in other emerging markets. "They don't all want to be colonised by the Chinese", he said, going rather further than was prudent. "They want to develop themselves".

Mr Immelt's broadside was undoubtedly significant. It reflects a growing mood of disillusionment with China among big Western companies. It came from the mouth of one of China's biggest boosters, a man who praised the Chinese leadership, only last December, for doing exactly what they say they will.

Is Mr Immelt right about the changing mood in China? The Chinese are certainly unusually self-confident at the moment, thanks to the financial meltdown. They have flexed their muscles against a succession of companies, including Rio Tinto and Google.

But the Chinese have always driven a hard bargain, and they have always made it clear that they will give only to get. The American Chamber of Commerce reported in 2008 that three-quarters of the foreign companies that they surveyed were finally making money in China, a big increase on the historical average. Many Western companies, notably Yum! Brands, have finally cracked the China code, and are becoming ubiquitous across the country.

It will be interesting to see how Immelt's comments play out in China, a country which puts a great store on "face", and which does not take kindly to even gentle criticism, let alone talk of "colonisation".

Google seems to be retreating, with its long tail between its legs, from its bold challenge to Chinese authoritarianism. It will therefore also be interesting to see if, sometime in the near future, Mr Immelt finds himself delivering a speech with a rather different message.

 

Ping Chen at PKU wrote: Jul 3rd 2010 1:29 GMT .

 

When Inmelt claimed that "China is increasingly hostile to multi-national companies", my observation is that Chinese companies are increasingly competitive to western multi-national companies but facing increasing barriers in entering western market.

When Inmelt warned emerging markets the danger of colonized by the Chinese,my question is that what GE can offer as a role model of a helping hand to developing countries?

If Mr.Inmelt really considers himself as a world citizen and friends of former colonies and now developing countries, not just a boss of an American giant multi-national company, I have two proposals for Mr. Inmelt to consider:

First, openly support an international anti-trust law to prevent the future world economy to be captured by western oligarchy; Second, turn military research into green technology with open access to developing countries. These two measures will prevent developing countries from being colonized by any multi-national companies or foreign powers.

Mr. Inmelt, I would like to see a real competition between GE and any Chinese companies in these two aspects.

My question is: Do you have a genuine interest and courage?

Dr. Ping Chen
Professor at Peking University

 

详情请见:http://www.economist.com/blogs/schumpeter/2010/07/general_electric_and_china?sort=desc