Professional Documents
Culture Documents
and investing
in China
A compilation of insider knowledge
and advice, whether youre entering
the China market for the first time or
growing your existing business.
www.pwccn.com/investchina
The content in this book is rich, well organised The China market has tremendous growth
and detailed. It offers a uniquely independent and potential. By sharing our experience and
practical perspective, showcasing PwCs perspectives, we look forward to collaborating
professional standards and extensive on-the- with investors from all over the world to grow and
ground experience in the China market. It serves develop this market.
as a solid reference for foreign investors looking to
grow their operations in China.
Regards,
Frank Lyn
Managing Partner, PwC China and Hong Kong
Doing deals 38
Good deals in China are hard to come by. Investors need to be flexible, patient and persistent.
Managing risks 50
Adopt a holistic and China-specific risk management framework one that addresses both
strategic and sustainability drivers.
Internal control 66
Consider incorporating internal audit functions in an advisory role during due diligence and
post-deal integration.
Appendices 160
City tier and regional overview
CAS and IFRS comparison chart
Illustrative financial statements
Brief summary of China tax categories, tax rates and tax bases
Brief summary of tax filing patterns
Summary of withholding taxes for foreign companies resident in treaty countries/regions
Minimum registered capital of a foreign-invested enterprise (FIE)
Contents 3
How PwC can help
Executive summary 7
Flexibility and persistence As mentioned, adaptability is crucial in In an environment of higher valuations,
China. Align your business to match long deal processes, and an expanded
There is no single business model that is your treasury, tax, regulatory, and role for government, youll need a fair
key to unlocking the China market. In market growth strategies, so you can amount of patience and persistence.
fact, there is no single China market. capture market opportunities and Conduct due diligence as early as
The different markets, geographies and mitigate risks as new channels and possible, and test how ready your target
industries within China can be as policies emerge. For instance, a dynamic is for integration. A proactive
diverse as each company.3 Local and flexible treasury strategy needs to assessment of your targets internal
regulations and local enforcement of account for an environment of controls and corporate governance can
central regulations can also differ constantly changing regulation, so that help prevent implementing new
greatly, so cultivating a wide network of low cash flow scenarios may be avoided procedures and processes without due
local contacts in government, while in the face of sudden opportunities or consideration for Chinese cultural
gaining an understanding of local threats. When forecasting cash flow, differences, practicality and the
practices, will help lower your over-engineering the planning process regulatory environment.
compliance risks. Maintaining positive may be counter-productive in a complex
and sustainable relations with system. Too many changes have Other types of due diligence potentially
government departments and the people unknown consequences in this market. relevant in this environment include
youre comfortable with can help you Try instead to gain a better insight into environmental, information technology,
stay on top of new regulatory changes as the drivers of cash flow and various and human resources. But again, while
they happen. scenarios in order to find the right investors should be careful to identify
capital structure to absorb external all potential risks, getting a broader
And while regulatory reforms strain to view is critical. Investors must
keep up with market growth, consumer changes.
remember to put all risks in the right
attitudes in China continue to shift on a Investors should also be guided by context, and take calculated risks based
regular basis. Your approach towards flexibility when finding potential joint on informed decisions. Finally, there
China therefore requires that you venture partners or M&A targets. The may be more stakeholders than you may
regularly update your business China deals environment can be a think. Mapping them out can give you
strategies to match competitor, challenge, as good deals are harder to an understanding of which
customer, economic and regulatory find, and the process can be complex and organisations have a say in your
changes. protracted. Investors must make sure business interests.
M&A is the right entry and growth path
for them. Make sure you look at all
options before proceeding down an
acquisition path.
Executive summary 9
New leadership,
new agenda for growth
Foreign investment in Chinas
new political and economic landscape
China has made remarkable progress consistent message that the new
over the past decade. Its share of global leadership remains committed to
GDP has risen from 4.4% in 2002 to deepening reform and opening up.2
around 10% in 2011. Currently, China is
the worlds largest exporter and its Led by Party Secretary General Xi
second-largest importer, and holder of Jinping, Chinas new leaders are
the biggest foreign currency reserves. veterans with long service records in
And despite Chinas slowdown in local and central governments. Each
growth, it is expected to overtake the US brings a wealth of experience in
as the worlds largest economy handling tough situations. Theyve been
(measured by GDP at purchasing power deeply involved in Chinas economic
parity) as early as 2018, according to transformation over the past three
PwC estimates.1 decades as direct policymakers,
caretakers and participants. Their
As the nation stands on the cusp of an experience will allow for policies that
economic transformation, the newly- follow a continuation of current reform
elected fifth generation of leaders will and liberalisation. The diverse
not only need to ensure its existing path backgrounds of the new leadership Xi
of reform and liberalisation continues holds a doctorate of law, while Li
but also bring about a more balanced Keqiang has a doctorate of economics
growth. In November 2012, the 18th contrasts with the engineering-
National Congress of the Communist focused backgrounds of the previous
Party of China (CPC) sent the leadership. These credentials will add
international community a clear and new dimensions to future policy
making.
$7.5
trillion
Chinas GDP value
in 2011
trillion
38%
$3.2
Size of foreign Domestic consumption as a % of GDP
reserves by June
2012
trillion
$116
Value of foreign
investment into
China in 2011
billion
$60
Value of Chinas
billion
outbound
investment in 2011
18.4 million
Units of car production in 2011
Three key themes stand out: As China moves towards the new normal of
Restructuring the economy single-digit growth, investors should focus on
Boosting domestic demand Chinas growing domestic market and rising
Spurring green growth incomes, as well as green projects and the
movement of labour-intensive industries
towards the central and western parts of the
country.
Single-digit growth: The new In Chinas 12th Five-Year Plan, the growth over the next eight years. While
normal target growth rate has been set at 7% the economy will pick up in 2013, slower
between 2011 and 2015. While this growth is expected over the longer term
As President Hu pointed out in the stands in stark contrast to the double- if the country is to successfully shift its
report, China also faces many digit growth rates of previous years, the growth patterns towards consumption.
challenges that include an unbalanced government can still achieve its new PwC forecasts that Chinas GDP will
industrial structure, resource and goal of doubling Chinas 2010 GDP by grow 7.8% in 2013 and 8.0% in 2014.
environmental constraints, large 2020 by maintaining this rate of
development gaps between urban and
rural areas and between regions and
income, social problems in various areas
that affect peoples immediate interest,
bureaucratism and corruption, and
systemic barriers that stand in the way China GDP growth rate
of promoting development in a scientific
way. 9.2%
3. Ministry of Environmental Protection of the Peoples Republic of China. Chinas growth in environmental
losses have overtaken that of GDP. China Business News, 2 February 2012
5.4%
3.4%
2.6% 2.9%
2.2%
6. Xu, Xiaofeng. China Private Sector Report Released. Yangtse Evening Post, 12 March 2012
7. National Bureau of Statistics of China. Private Investments in Fixed Assets for January to September. 2012
8. IFC and World Bank. Doing Business 2013: Smarter Regulations for Small and Medium-Size Enterprises. 2012
9. European Union Chamber of Commerce in China. Business Confidence Survey 2012
10. See also Market entry and growth chapter for a discussion on the revised catalogue
11. For information on the 12th Five-Year Plan (2011-2015), see also PwCs 10Minutes: Commentary on
Premier Wen Jiabaos 2012 Government Work Report
Kunmin g Guangzhou
Population: 6.3 6 Population: 8.06
GRP: RMB 212,037 GRP: RMB 1,074,828.28
PCI: RMB 14,482.00 (FY 2008) PCI: RMB 27,609.60
Source: WindInfo and China Statistical Yearbook. 2011 figures, unless otherwise stated
Shenyang
Beijing
Tianjin Dalian
Qingdao
Xian
Nanjing Suzhou
Shanghai
Anqing
Wuhan
Chengdu
Jiujiang
Chongqing
Wenzhou
Xiamen
Kunming Guilin
Shantou
Guangzhou Shenzhen
Recommendations
30%
they are looking to China as one of their
top three important regions for their
overall growth prospects over the next
22% 15% 14%
Brazil India
12 months.1 In a 2012 American
USA
Chamber of Commerce in China
China
(AmCham-China) business climate
survey, 82% of respondents surveyed
plan to increase investment in their
China operations in 2012, with 66% 12% 8% 6% 5%
saying their goal is to produce goods
UK France
and services for China, an 8% increase Russia
Germany
from two years ago.2 Thats why China
is and will be a compelling place to do Source: PwC 15th Global CEO Survey 2012
business.
Businesses setting strategies for
entering or growing in the China market
should seek out proper market analysis,
capability building and investment
structuring. This chapter will discuss
these and other considerations for
market entry and growth.
4. See also Appendices for a quick overview of Chinas regions and city tiers
5. PwC. Building a presence in todays growth markets: The experience of privately held companies. 2011
6. Yum! Brands. Yum! China. 2012. http://www.yum.com/brands/china.asp
7. PwC. 15th Annual Global CEO Survey. 2012
8. Xinhua. GE to build innovation center in Chengdu. 18 January 2011
9. See also Supply chain strategies chapter for a discussion on the benefits of R&D centres
Whats the size and growth of the addressable market? What are
your target geographical markets? Does your research address
regional and city tier variations?
Market How do your products or services fit in? Whats driving demand
assessment and growth in your market?
What are the regulatory and/or technological trends to consider?
What are the key success factors? How does it compare with other
Market analysis:
opportunities?
Should we enter?
What does the competitive environment look like? Fragmented?
Consolidated? How technologically sophisticated are your
competitors?
Are you sufficiently differentiated? How much can you localise?
Competitor
What are your competencies and competitive advantages? What
assessment are your disadvantages and regulatory restrictions?
Can you achieve sustainable growth and profits?
Entry options Whats the best way to enter the market, considering your goals
and resources? Sales vs agents? Onshore vs offshore?
Do you or your partners have the right relationships and advisers
Investment to facilitate market research and entry? Who are your key
structuring: How stakeholders in government?
should we enter?
Is your business model sufficiently localised? Are you committed
to allocating resources to localise and compete against local
players?
What are your initial resource needs? Have you adequately
considered cash repatriation issues?
Business model
Is your proposed business model flexible enough to account for
changing regulatory policies, crises and opportunities? Is it
economically viable?
Are your tax and legal strategies aligned with your business
Entry: How do we strategy?
ensure successful
entry? What are the steps to implementing and completing market
entry? Do you have skills and competencies needed for execution?
What are your gateway markets?
Industries not listed in the three basic categories of encouraged, restricted Permitted
and prohibited are considered permitted, which acts as a default category.
These industries are open to foreign investment, unless other PRC regulations
state otherwise.
Restricted industries include financial services, mining and media, where the
government controls foreign investment. Foreign investors in the banking industry,
for instance, are barred from owning more than 20% of a local bank, while
commercial banks cannot be more than 25% foreign owned. Further, foreign
investors can only invest in up to two commercial banks in China. These policies
are designed to restrict foreign investment that will impair Chinas sustainable
development. Foreign investment in low-technology, resource-intensive and heavily
Restricted polluting sectors are no longer encouraged.
Tighter restrictions are placed on foreign investors on the approvals process and on
the amount and nature of a companys capital contributions. In order to access these
restricted industries, multinationals may be required to enter into a joint venture
with a Chinese enterprise or other partnership with local shareholders. Setting up
an investment project in restricted industries in China requires careful planning
particularly in areas such as raw material sourcing and distribution and an
assessment of the tax implications.
The sectors that are prohibited from foreign investment are quite specific. They
include cultural, sports and entertainment industries, certain types of scientific
research, and education. Prohibited
10. See also Tax management: planning and compliance chapter for tax implications
Typical investment Representative Wholly foreign Foreign invested Joint venture (JV)
vehicles office (RO) owned commercial
Typical options
enterprise (WFOE) enterprise (FICE)
for business operation
Greenfield
(alone or with a partner)
Acquire an
existing business
(minority, majority or
100% interest)
Licensing to
distributors / franchise
The encouraged category describes sectors in which China will push for
dominance. It shows where the Chinese government wants foreign investment
to go. In the same way, the catalogue shows which sectors the Chinese
government has decided to limit or reduce. The restricted and prohibited
categories show the sectors that are limited to foreign investment. Even for
those who are not considering investment in China, the catalogue gives insight
into the governments strategies.
For the developed regions of China, the goal of the catalogue is to steer foreign
investment towards: 1) investment in high-value-added, non-labour-intensive
businesses, 2) investment in technically advanced manufacturing, and 3)
investment in low pollution and energy saving technologies.
Figure 3. Major revisions to the Catalogue for the Guidance of Foreign-Invested Industries
11. National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) and the Ministry of Commerce of China. The
Revised Catalog of Industries for Guiding Foreign Investment. 24 December 2011. http://www.gov.cn/
flfg/2011-12/29/content_2033089.htm (accessed November 2012)
Investors are often faced with an That said, an increasing number of Greenfield (going it alone, or
essential question when deciding on companies coming to China have chosen with a partner)
their business operation model in China. to look beyond a purely organic method
That is: of growth. They are starting to consider Once youre certain that the
the possibilities of working with (or even opportunity is in China, your team on
Do you plan to work with buying into) local companies, in their the ground will need to engage in a
partners (inorganic) or attempts to pursue faster growth or market and competitor assessment,
eliminate competition. and build relationships. You might
without them (organic)?
want to first set up an entity, whether
Typical trade-offs between organic and On the other hand, local private in the form of a representative office or
inorganic growth include speed to companies that had once been small a wholly foreign-owned enterprise
market, upfront investment, control and enough to acquire have now grown too (WFOE).
management, competition, leveraging of large for outright acquisition and
After an assessment of the competition
existing customer base, and valuation management. These companies now
and resources available, companies
and integration requirements. Some seek attractive value propositions from
may decide to pursue greenfield
cases involve companies having to foreign partners before entering
investments out of a lack of available
pursue greenfield investments due to partnership discussions. Well discuss
resources or capabilities on the ground.
either a lack of existing acquirable this in further detail in the Doing deals
At this stage, they can opt for either
businesses that have similar business chapter.
one of two choices:
models or the need to build a new
production site using specific 1. Going it alone in the greenfield
technology. No one-size-fits-all guide investment, or
exists to help companies decide on the 2. Finding a local partner to work
proper route to take. with you on that greenfield.
16. See also Tax management: planning and compliance chapter for more on representative offices
17. American Chamber of Commerce in China. AmCham China Business Climate Survey Report. 2012
18. See also Finance and treasury chapter for more on cash repatriation
19. McMahon, Dinny, and Bob Davis. Beijing loosens some foreign ownership limits. Wall Street Journal,
4 May 2012
20. American Chamber of Commerce in China. AmCham China Business Climate Survey Report. 2012
21. Provisions of the Supreme Court on several issues concerning the trial of disputes involving foreign funded
enterprises. Article 11 (Supreme Peoples Court of the Peoples Republic of China, 5 August 2010)
22. The Economic Times. Starbucks acquires control of China JV. 25 October 2006
23. Mok, Vincent, Xiudian Dai, and Godfrey Yeung. An internalization approach to joint ventures: The case
of Coca-Cola in China. Asia Pacific Business Review, 2002
Recommendations
1. Investors must make sure that a 4. Buyer deal teams should work with
merger or acquisition is the best experienced locally based advisers
growth strategy for them and make to leverage their experience and
sure they evaluate all options before manage key deal execution
proceeding with any acquisition challenges, perform due diligence,
plan. assist with negotiations and resolve
issues identified.
2. Investors must be sure to perform
adequate due diligence as early as 5. Foreign investors need to be flexible,
possible in the deal process to patient and persistent throughout
uncover deal/target risks. the negotiation process to be
successful at doing deals.
3. Although investors should be careful
to identify all potential risks, 6. Post-merger integration needs to be
putting them into the right context considered early on and carefully
can allow a buyer to make informed planned with full management
decisions and take calculated risks. buy-in from both sides. If integration
is not properly planned or executed,
it can have a significant impact on
the value of the entire deal.
Doing deals 39
Buying a company in China can be Foreign investors will encounter a Despite these challenges, having an
tough. But for many investors, its number of significant challenges when informed approach can lead to a
critical to their future growth, and could making an acquisition in China. To successful closing and pay off in the long
be a challenge worth considering, as make the process smoother and improve term.
buying existing companies, or growing chances for success, theyll need to:
through mergers and acquisitions, and
entry into other cooperative-type Do their research, understand the
partnerships can be more effective than environment and perform due
starting from scratch. Doing deals in diligence as early as possible during
China means access to Chinas high- the deal process
growth economy, large population, Understand the nature of the
rising affluence and innovation bureaucracy and approvals required
potential.
Be aware that negotiations can be
long and drawn-out, especially
when dealing with key deal terms
and pricing
Develop a strategy for dealing with
management and integration issues
early on so that when the deal is
successfully completed, new
problems do not surface later on
down the line
1. Ministry of Commerce
2. PwC. 2011 M&A Review and 2012 Outlook
3. PwC. 2012 M&A Review and Outlook
4. See also Market entry and growth chapter for further considerations about these acquisition options,
advantages and disadvantages
Doing deals 41
Deal considerations
The deal structure isnt completely up to Deal sizes tend to be relatively How to find the right target
just the foreign buyer and the local modest
partner. There are regulatory The ratio between deals considered and
constraints in some restricted industries Compared with that of other developed deals executed is referred to as the deal
in China that will limit foreign countries, deal sizes in the China market funnel.5 In some emerging market
companies to minority stakes. are generally smaller, below US$50 countries, the deal funnel ratio is about
Additional obstacles or variables in the million on average. This is largely 50:1. That is, of the 50 deals that a
deal landscape can influence how the because Chinese companies willing to company considers, one will go through
deal comes together. Investors need to take on foreign investment or with the to completion. In China, the deal funnel
consider and prepare for differences (in greatest potential for growth are often in ratio is much larger, at over 100:1,
the China deals market compared with earlier stages of development. meaning that companies looking to
other developed markets), especially in Depending on the sector, the market can make deals may need to try that much
the following areas: be fragmented in China, with many harder to find the right one.
players spread out over a large
The size of the deals themselves geography, and regionally divided. In
The number of quality deals order to meet growth objectives and
available reach adequate scale, foreign investors
may need to consider some form of
The role of government roll-up strategy, buying a number of
Valuation smaller companies in a series of
acquisitions to combine into one larger
Length of time required for the deal
firm.
process
5. PwC. Getting on the right side of the delta: A deal-makers guide to growth economies. 2012
6. According to PwCs 2012 Global CEO Survey, 63% of Chinese CEOs believe emerging markets are
more important to their future than developed markets
Doing deals 43
The government plays an Some government and regulatory bodies particular size, and must also approve
important role in the deals that play the most important roles are any major new investments in China.
the National Development and Reform SASAC approves any deal involving a
market
Commission (NDRC), the State-owned state-owned enterprise (SOE). In
As the government must consider its Assets Supervision and Administration addition to the aforementioned, there
domestic interests, it maintains a very Commission (SASAC) and the Ministry may also be some regional industry-
influential role in managing all aspects of Commerce (MOFCOM). These central related or situation-specific approvals
of national development, including the government bodies are heavy that will play a role.
management of investment into China influencers on the nature and direction
by foreign investors. Its long-term of foreign investment into China. Certain sectors are covered by
strategic outlook will influence policies additional industry-specific regulations.
regarding which areas of investments MOFCOM is responsible for foreign For example, for banking-related
are permitted and to what extent trade policy, export and import investments, investors need approval
foreigners can invest in companies of regulations, foreign direct investments, from the China Banking Regulatory
various industries. Most transactions market competition, and negotiating Commission (CBRC). In addition,
involving a foreign investor will require bilateral and multilateral trade transactions that may end up with the
approvals from various central agreements. SASAC has responsibility resulting entity controlling over 50% of
government or regional/local bodies. over managing Chinas state-owned the market share of that industry will
enterprises, and drafting related laws require approval of MOFCOM as the
and regulations governing them. The antitrust regulatory body, while the
NDRC is responsible for overall China Securities Regulatory
macroeconomic planning and policy.7 Commission (CSRC) needs to review any
deal involving listed companies. The
The NDRC, as the states economic complete set of approvals required will
planner, must approve all deals of a depend largely on the deal structure, the
7. See also Government relations, regulatory compliance and stakeholder alignment chapter for a detailed
list of key regulators
Doing deals 45
Successfully doing a deal in China
While there is no simple solution to Due diligence is critical to Multiple sets of records/data for
ensuring success, it is critical to be any deal operating results and financial
mindful of key aspects of doing deals in position, some of which will deviate
China. The information obtained during due significantly from actual results and
diligence is critical in determining the financial position
Strategic focus and target deal structure, validating the valuation
selection and supporting any negotiation Unrecorded transactions and
discussions. In China, conducting due liabilities, as well as undisclosed
It is critical for investors to think financial commitments
diligence as early as possible is
through its corporate strategy to make
necessary to identify any potential A significant volume of related-party
sure that doing a deal is the most
challenges that investors may face transactions, many of which may be
appropriate course of action and that it
during the M&A process, as well as at non-market terms
will contribute to long-term goals.
identify issues for post-deal integration.
Finding a suitable target is critical and Due diligence may also uncover
While there are many issues that could
this can be a difficult challenge in China something more fundamental, such as
be uncovered during the course of
because of the nature of the current deal operational problems, and highlight key
conducting due diligence, it is
market where opportunities may be areas where additional effort and work
particularly common to find issues or
limited. Even navigating the sheer size are required to make the target
risks in the following areas:
of the country can be a challenge, and companies ready for imminent takeover
understanding the many regional or Significant deficiencies in corporate and allow for integration work to begin.
geographic differences will require local record-keeping, spanning financial Compared with Western companies,
insight. Foreign investors trying to find transaction records, legal Chinese companies may have less
the right target in this environment may agreements, tax documentation and experience in using financial metrics to
need a full team designated to corporate employee records measure their performance and lack the
development, including on-the-ground necessary analysis and business
Insufficient detailed operational and
professional advisers and agents to seek information. There may even be issues
financial performance measurement
out appropriate targets. The investment with the quality of audits, financial
data potentially impairing a buyers
team and advisers primary function records, taxes, governance, and proper
ability to conduct various types of
will include conducting a market documentation of policies and practices.
detailed business analyses
analysis of players, understanding the These types of risks are more common
basics of target uptakes, meeting Failure to have complete ownership in privately owned businesses, but they
stakeholders and officials, and building of all necessary tangible and also occur in state-owned enterprises.
the relationships necessary to begin intangible assets for the business
discussions for any deal. operations, including title to Although investors should seek to
building and equipment, as well as identify and be aware of all the risks,
There are a number of factors to understanding their context can allow a
land-use rights and intellectual
consider when shortlisting targets for buyer to take risks that are informed or
property rights
due diligence. It will be important to calculated. Having a strong adviser
have visibility of the targets key Issues with tax filing compliance as experienced in doing deals in China will
operational status and financial well as outstanding tax liabilities help with this assessment. Professionals
performance, locations, corporate who are familiar with the China market
Failure to properly calculate and/or
affiliations and major stakeholders, and can advise on what practices may or may
fully pay up employee social benefits
finding out whether or not an acquisition not be typical for a particular industry
and other related obligations
is possible with the potential target. and provide context on the levels of risk
Some of this information may be Business practices such as and recommend solutions to issues
publicly available, but some may require facilitation payments that are identified.
the buyer to approach the target inconsistent with US or EU
company for further information. This regulations
process will require local experience
with the market, along with an
understanding of local rules and
regulations.
Doing deals 47
Negotiating A good advisory team can be a strong Closing
asset during the negotiating process, to
At the negotiations stage, both the buyer manage the financial, legal, tax and In preparation for the deals closing,
and the seller must try to come to an valuation issues that will be considered buyers will need to ensure that all the
agreement on how the deal will be in determining the right price and required approvals have been issued,
structured and what the price will be. In structure. The advisers will also be and all relevant supporting documents
terms of structure, a key part of the valuable when assessing any issues that are correct and agreed upon by both
discussion will centre on the degree of may have come up during due diligence parties. Deal parties will need legal
ownership between the partners, and as and recommending whether they impact advisers to draft and finalise the sales
a result, what roles they will play after the pricing strategy or if there are key and purchase agreement (SPA). This
the acquisition is complete. Additional agreement terms to be inserted into the document is typically a detailed contract
considerations involve the levels of contract during negotiations. As that addresses the transaction
actual effective control, day-to-day mentioned earlier, the chief reason that parameters and should also address all
decision-making, revenue consolidation, deals do not go to completion in China is the issues identified during the due
contribution of assets, intellectual the inability to bridge the price diligence process. For instance, it would
property and company culture. Foreign expectations between the foreign buyer contain rights or indemnifications to
buyers should decide if they want to set and Chinese seller. An adviser will be protect the buyer from any unexpected
up a new joint venture or wholly foreign- helpful in managing valuation and post-deal results. In addition, many
owned enterprise to take over the contract term negotiations. deals also require both parties to agree
sellers business (i.e., as an asset deal) or to a post-deal transition services
to purchase the equity interest of the agreement or other associated
target (i.e., as an equity deal).11 Other agreements to make the deal work
considerations may involve the items to post-completion.
be included in the actual purchase, such
as real estate or other fixed assets of the
target company.
Doing deals 49
Managing risks
Recommendations
Managing risks 51
Guy McLeod, the President of Airbus If multinationals are to be successful, Multinationals with a properly
China, once said this about China: they should have an integrated China integrated China strategy one that
Nowhere in the world is there a market strategy in place to address the addresses growth, compliance and
like this nowhere. To me, the 21st significant and unique risks and business infrastructure risks have
century will be the Chinese century. challenges that come with operating in established sustainable competitive
China will change the economic balance this high-growth, dynamic advantages, while minimising the time
of the world.1 With the onset of the environment. This strategy should and resources spent reacting to issues.
global financial crisis and its subsequent include a robust, China-specific risk
slow recovery, China has emerged as a management framework that addresses In the following sections, we will discuss
key growth market for multinationals. strategic drivers (such as growth and some of the key China-specific risks
Having a presence in China is now a cost rationalisation) as well as facing multinationals. Well first address
competitive imperative multinationals sustainability drivers (such as their own risks associated with strategic drivers in
that had tried to set up operations in business infrastructure and the section value creation, and then
China and left in failure are now coming compliance) (See Figure 1). delve into sustainability risks in the
back, and those that have been section value protection and
aggressively expanding in the country sustainability. For a more
for years are being forced to adapt, as comprehensive overview of risk in
their traditional competitive advantages China, please see Figure 2 of this
have begun to erode.2 chapter. Other chapters in the book also
cover risks in China in more detail.
1. Fernandez, Juan Antonio, and Laurie Underwood. China CEO-Voices of Experience. 2006
2. Economist Intelligence Unit. Multinational companies and China: What future? 2011
Strategic drivers
Value creation
Cost
Growth rationalisation
Integrated
China
strategy
Business
infrastructure Compliance
Value protection
S u sta
inability drivers
Managing risks 53
Value creation: Entering China a cost
rationalisation or growth story?
3. Barboza, David. China shifts away from low-cost factories. The New York Times, 15 September 2010
4. PwC. 15th Annual Global CEO Survey: The view from China. 2012
5. PwC. 15th Annual Global CEO Survey: The view from China. 2012
Managing risks 55
Growing pains Cost rationalisation Are mergers and acquisitions a
Apples growth has not come without its (optimising cost efficiencies) good channel?
hiccups. It has come under scrutiny Despite the rapidly rising cost of labour In China, multinationals often seek to
because its primary supplier, Hon Hai and aging workforce, China is still acquire or form alliances with Chinese
Precision Industry (trading as Foxconn), viewed as one of the most attractive low- companies to gain access to their
was in violation of Chinese labour laws. cost sourcing destination countries, sourcing arrangements as well as access
Foxconn, a Taiwanese manufacturer of drawing in new market entrants from all to a myriad of relationships (see Guanxi:
electronic components with factories in over the world hoping to capitalise on A double-edged sword, later in this
several locations across China, made the low cost of labour and natural chapter). This approach can be
headlines after a number of labour- resources, and the massive, flexible extremely beneficial to multinationals, if
related incidents. The news drew work force. China has become an successful. However, finding the right
international attention to Foxconn and important player in global supply partner and managing that alliance can
its labour practices. Its poor working chains, and as a result, is a primary be a considerable challenge in China.
conditions included excessive overtime, driver for many multinationals global Due diligence processes, financial
unpaid wages and salaries that werent cost rationalisation strategies. While the reporting systems and levels of
enough to cover basic living expenses.9 benefits of such a strategy are well transparency can vary widely.
Although Foxconn has many understood, companies lacking insights Information accuracy and quality of
multinational clients, the resulting into the local business practices and management are the most important
backlash against Apple, as one of its culture sometimes find themselves criteria, says Lily Hsieh, chief financial
largest customers, was severe. wholly unprepared for the underlying officer of Yum! Brands China, on her
risks. organisations approach to finding local
To try and repair some of the resulting
partners. We find that companies
reputational damage, Apple engaged the Due to Chinas sheer size and already listed or on the path to be listed
not-for-profit Fair Labour Association geographical diversity, it is not have better disclosure standards. We
(FLA) to audit major Foxconn factories. uncommon for multinationals to rely also spend a lot of time with senior
According to the FLA report, Foxconn heavily on local suppliers, dealers, management in order to understand
was in violation of a slew of Chinese distributors, agents and other their mind set, sense of integrity, ground
labour laws: over half of Foxconns middlemen to manage their China-side rules and behaviour styles.12
employees worked more than the legal operations. This reliance on local
limit, most of the audited facilities did partners poses a challenge for In general, acquisitions in emerging
not pay proper overtime wages required multinationals, as it is difficult for them markets are risky, with a fairly high
by law, and more than 43% of workers to maintain full control over the chance of not meeting all deal
said they either experienced or sourcing, production and distribution objectives, even for proven deal-makers.
witnessed some kind of work-related process in such an arrangement. This As mentioned in the Doing Deals
accident.10 challenge, coupled with a lack of reliable chapter, between 50% to 60% of deals
infrastructure, weak quality controls that go into due diligence in emerging
This is a prime example of the vital
and inadequate intellectual property markets fail to complete.13 In China
importance of anticipating and
protection, may in fact counteract the specifically, a target companys business
mitigating risks associated with
cost rationalisation benefits that models, supply chain advantages and
expanding to a new market. In this case,
accompany setting up operations in relationship networks are neither
Apple did not adequately monitor its key
China.11 readily transferable nor easily integrated
suppliers compliance practices.
into the multinationals global
Foxconns labour malpractices therefore
operations. This is the case despite the
caused Apple reputational and financial
fact that deal valuation often factors into
loss. For Apple to mitigate the risk of
most of these elements as key value
future reputational damage, they had to
drivers in the due diligence and deal
look beyond growth and cost
negotiation process. Multinationals
rationalisation, and place equal
should therefore assess the risks and
emphasis on compliance and business
impact of rationalising costs via mergers
infrastructure.
and acquisitions, and pay attention to
soft aspects such as guanxi, which can
be embedded into all Chinese business
9. Reuters. Foxconn worker plunges to death at China plant. 5 November 2010 to a certain degree.
10. Pepitone, Julianne. Apple supplier audit finds major wage and overtime violations. CNN Money, 29
March 2012
11. See also Supply chain strategies chapter for more on supply chain risks
12. PwC. Doing business in a changing China. The View, 2010
13. PwC. Levelling the playing field: avoiding the pitfalls of the past when doing deals in emerging markets. 2012
Managing risks 57
Value protection and sustainability
Business infrastructure Why systems and controls In one recent case, a US multinational
matter ran into recurring problems with
As multinationals become increasingly components sourced from China.
global, their operations and underlying In the past, due to their comparatively Vendor management at this company
business processes rise in complexity. less sophisticated business and was centrally controlled and monitored
For executives to execute their strategies operational environment, many Chinese at the US headquarters. In accordance
across multiple regions, they must enterprises would simply rely on with global standards, all potential new
ensure that their business model is manual processes instead of deploying vendors had to first undergo a robust
suitable on a global, regional and local enterprise resource planning (ERP) technical and engineering vendor
level. Multinationals cannot assume systems to handle management and qualification and testing process before
that they can simply transplant their operational issues. With the increasing approval. However, a breakdown
home business model to a new market. complexity in running businesses, ERP occurred somewhere during the process,
systems, which integrate multiple and substandard components made
In the case of China, the volatility of the
business processes to facilitate process their way into the supply chain.
market means that business agility is
optimisation by automating procedures
especially important. Multinationals Eventually, the source of the sub-
and control points, are becoming more
need to emphasise business standard components was discovered
widely adopted. By the end of 2010,
infrastructure at the China level, taking the China-based general manager had
approximately 90% of large-and
into consideration both the local culture bypassed the vendor qualification
mid-scale enterprises in China had some
and the increasing competitiveness of process completely by splitting the
kind of management software (pan-
the market. A company that gets off to a purchase orders and allocating a
ERP) in place.17
good start in China may be caught off significant portion to vendors with
guard if it assumes the situation can And although ERP systems in China are which he had personal ties. Despite the
remain constant it should reassess its lower on the agenda than in developed significant amount of management time
business model on a periodic basis by countries, companies in China are and resources invested in the vendor
collecting data, monitoring the business increasing their level of investment to selection process, the ERP system was
environment and weighing the evolving enhance business infrastructure and not effectively configured to ensure that
risks against the benefits of maintaining operational efficiency. Nevertheless, the purchase orders could only be issued to
or expanding their presence. This is implementation of internal controls over vendors certified by US headquarters. As
crucial to ensuring that the integration end-to-end business processes (as a part a result, the quality of the final product
of China into global operations does not of an ERP implementation) is sometimes dropped sharply, and the multinationals
threaten the ultimate quality of the either overlooked or not well monitored. reputation was negatively impacted,
product at a regional or global level. This can have far-reaching implications resulting in financial losses.
for multinationals in China, especially
considering Chinas growing importance This case illustrates how important it is
in the global value chain. to have a strong foundation and business
infrastructure in the form of the right
systems and controls. Although the
business invested time and money at the
front-end, they gave an insufficient
amount of attention to infrastructure
controls, resulting in negative
consequences for the business.
Managing risks 59
Figure 2. Integrated China risks strategy
Managing risks 61
Building an effective which cannot be certain who the senior management who report to
compliance programme end-user is and how much they are management in the multinationals home
paying. Other challenges are mentioned country, as the local senior management
The experience of many multinationals in the compliance section. will be better equipped to navigate the
clearly demonstrates that global Chinese business culture while at the
compliance policies, training and Multinationals response to these same time are accountable to
procedures have proven largely challenges investment in localised headquarters. Thus, setting an
inadequate to the task of identifying red compliance procedures to ensure they appropriate tone from the top and
flags and assessing risk in China. keep pace with rapidly increasing sales reassuring local country managers that
Instead, multinationals are adapting volume comes from the realisation compliance is the priority even if it
their global or generalist approach to that compliance is no longer a luxury to could have a significant impact on the
compliance and investing in more which a firm can just pay lip service. The bottom line is necessary.
localised procedures and specialist most proactive and effective compliance
teams. China-based Mandarin-speaking programmes are led by China-based
compliance staff, more country-specific
training and straightforward codes of
conduct translated into Chinese are now The current China environment necessitates
the norm for most multinationals.
adopting a risk management approach
These localised compliance programmes
must deal with a series of cultural whereby risks can be managed across a
practises within Chinas opaque business range of different areas of expertise. A
environment which can pose potentially
serious compliance challenges to comprehensive risk assessment goes beyond
multinationals. Distribution channels,
for instance, are a simple, convenient
silos, geographic distances and cultural
and often the preferred entry point into differences.
China for many multinationals.
However, these channels also present Jasper Xu, PwC China Risk and Controls Solutions Partner
significant challenges to multinationals
Managing risks 63
The war for talent Taking an integrated approach 4. Reassess your control framework
to the China risks environment annually; review existing controls to
As well discuss in the Human resources ensure they are still relevant and
and talent management chapter, the With the evolving competitive landscape effective for the business, and develop
China labour market is one of high in China, multinationals have to use an new controls to address any newly
employee turnover and labour integrated approach to critically review identified risk areas. As control
shortages. This can pose a substantial how well they are managing their risks. effectiveness tends to degrade over time,
risk for multinationals in any country. The key to successfully managing risks an annual assessment of the internal
While in previous years, foreign lies in taking a holistic approach, control framework is critical to
multinationals in China had access to a wherein executives first identify the root effectively managing risk in China.
massive labour pool and were thought of causes for their business risks in China,
as the preferred employers for local and then develop a risk management 5. Create risk registers at the business unit
Chinese workers, this perception is now approach that is tailored to their China level that outline strategies for mitigating
beginning to change. For example, in business strategy. As multinationals may risks.
2007, only 13% of Chinese people not be able to address every potential 6. Implement monitoring systems/early
indicated they would prefer working for risk they face, they must be clear which warning systems to help identify red
domestic companies (versus risks they are willing to take and avoid, flags. Ensure that any issues identified
multinationals). But this figure rose to and their overall risk management are investigated on a timely basis and
55% in 2009, as many Chinese believe approach must be consistent and clearly have a clear escalation process.
that domestic firms now offer broader communicated throughout the
career paths.20 This shift in perception organisation. 7. Business unit leaders should prepare a
makes competition for talent even statement of governance for the China
fiercer as career and salary Multinationals in China may take the CEO or general manager annually.
expectations of local Chinese steadily following approach when designing their 8. The China CEO (assisted by a local risk
increase, Chinese employees may China risk management strategy (note management team) should summarise
exhibit comparatively lower loyalty to that this process may vary depending on the governance statements and present
their companies than their counterparts the needs of each individual to global headquarters. Having a local
in developed countries, resulting in organisation): risk management team enables the
frequent employee turnover. organisation to have localised
1. The C-suite needs to review and
approve their universe of risks in procedures and specialist teams that are
Finding and retaining key talent,
China, including the overall risk better equipped to assess risks locally
particularly at the mid-to-senior-
appetite of the organisation (extent and can support the China CEO to
management level, is ranked as the top
of risk that an organisation pursues/ modify the China business strategy as
business challenge facing multinationals
is willing to take on) and the risk needed.
in China, and this shortage in requisite
talent makes it particularly difficult for tolerance for each strategic business Once the right integrated strategy is in place,
multinationals to execute their business unit (i.e., the degree of risk in multinationals will be able to establish
strategies locally.21 This poses a association with specific business sustainable competitive advantages, and
significant risk to multinationals in objectives that an organisation is minimise time and resources spent reacting
China, who oftentimes make willing to accept). to issues. As China transitions from a
considerable investments in training its 2. Develop the China risk management destination for cost rationalisation to a
people, only to have them leave shortly strategy and ensure it falls within growth engine, it is vital for multinationals to
thereafter, which may therefore impact the organisations agreed-upon risk plan and execute the integration of their
their business overall profitability appetite. developing business infrastructure and
locally.22 Additionally, as mentioned in compliance efforts with their business
the compliance section, rising career 3. Each year, risk areas facing the strategies to grow in this massive market.
and salary expectations, guanxi, and business need to be identified and Chinas 1.3 billion consumers and its massive
other soft aspects in Chinese business prioritised, and each risk area must labour pool will continue to be an attractive
culture may ultimately serve as a have an assigned owner. incentive for multinationals, despite the
justification for fraudulent activities. rising costs.
20. PwC. 15th Annual Global CEO Survey: The view from China. 2012
21. American Chamber of Commerce in China. AmCham China Business Climate Survey Report. 2012
22. See also Human resources and talent management chapter for more on this issue, as well as relevant
retention strategies
Recommendations
1. Internal audit functions should play 4. Locally based advisers can serve
an advisory role in both pre-deal bridging roles between foreign IT
due diligence and post-deal directors and China IT staff during
integration teams. the systems integration process.
Internal control 67
Re-assessing internal controls
for due diligence
Many years ago, a European The report, produced some months later, company lacks effective internal
multinational acquired a Chinese offered some intriguing insights into the controls, all exceptions to the rule may
company, for which they went through nature of the China business and its simply be passed to senior management
the motions of completing the controls environment. A number of for approval. Your primary areas of
mandatory financial due diligence. Once these issues were quite pressing: Some focus can include order to cash,
the books seemed to be in order, the internal procedures and best practices treasury, procurement, capital
deal closed, and a solitary manager was were not followed, and systems were expenditure and regulatory compliance
sent from the head office to oversee the improperly implemented in some places. for environmental and social
countrys operations. A few years down Even more problematic was the fact that considerations.
the road, things began to go wrong. The the entity was not in compliance with
China chief, who operated without many local tax and environmental rules, For mergers and acquisitions, internal
much communication with the head and the non-compliance risks were great audit functions should be involved in the
office, had completely lost the trust of enough that the company could have merger and acquisition process from
the local staff, and operations were in faced substantial regulatory challenges. pre-acquisition due diligence to post-
disarray. As the subsidiary began to On the strength of the reports findings deal integration. Businesses should look
unravel, the European head office and recommendations, the company at the governance; risk and control
contracted an external adviser, PwC, to was able to focus its resources in China, environments; primary business
conduct an independent review of all of and turn around the operation. processes controls; information
the companys systems and processes. technology (IT) systems; compliance
This review included an investigation on This is not an uncommon story in programmes; environmental and health
everything about its operations, from its China, says John Barnes, a PwC Risk and safety processes; and the risk and
internal controls on sales and key and Controls Solutions Partner. But its control culture of the target company.1
business cycles, to its tax and one which could be easily avoided with By understanding the differences in
environmental compliance. due diligence thats focused on the right culture and audit and risk management
internal and environmental controls and strategies in China, the company can
corporate governance structures. To then develop a plan to integrate internal
remedy this, foreign investors could audit, systems, risk management,
simply opt to conduct an evaluation of a Sarbanes-Oxley compliance and other
target companys internal and compliance functions, or even use best
environmental controls and corporate practices from the target, should they be
governance procedures in their due more practical. Generally speaking,
diligence, a practice which is still quite internal controls evaluations tend to be
rare in this market. Processes in which reactionary, as in the case of PN21 Hong
to delegate authority, allocate Kong listing rules on internal controls
responsibility, as well as standards and reporting.2
procedures, are often very different in
China. For example, if a Chinese However, a proactive assessment of a
1. See also Doing deals chapter for a discussion on due diligence considerations
2. The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Ltd. Practice Note 21: Due diligence by sponsors in respect of
initial listing applications
Internal control 69
Considerations in systems and
process integration
Integrating systems requires more than parallel with computer systems. proposed to match the work flows of the
just a change in process and procedure: Therefore, many of the efficiencies and system. Chinese domestic companies
it involves wide-scale culture change for synergies that foreign investors may also tend to have fewer systems overall,
the target. With cultural change, buy-in expect to achieve in combining systems but these systems are relatively new and
and engagement from staff is critical, as may not be realised, as the Chinese advanced another potential point of
the acquiring company is asking that preference has been to maintain the departure.
they work in different ways and follow a status quo. Global headquarters should
set of different rules. Businesses must take into account the time needed for Global policies and standards must be
ensure leadership and staff support, to staff to adjust to a migration from a tailored for local application, says John
ensure the success of any cultural system of physical documentation and Barnes. Otherwise, they will lose their
change in a target company.5 signature to a paperless system, as a relevance and be ignored. While global
degree of organisational change is standards can be quite extensive,
The Chinese work environment could inevitable. Chinese businesses often operate under
potentially influence systems different regulatory and work
implementation in a number of ways. In addition, language may precipitate environments, and custom tailoring will
While most Western firms use internal the need for a Chinese front-end be required.
checks and automated systems, for interface. More importantly, systems for
instance, they are not universally relied domestics may at times be drastically You may need to look at your targets
on in China. Manual systems that dissimilar from global products, with occupational health and safety policies,
incorporate chops, stamps and processes and work flows that are also for example, as China has very specific
signatures are preferred, and some quite different. Work flow arrangements rules and guidelines on health and
companies might appear to be slightly would have to be reorganised within the safety, including overtime, engagement
over-staffed, as manual systems run company and a suitable strategy controls, leave and social security
5. See also Doing deals chapter for a discussion on deal integration considerations
Internal control 71
The state of systems and IT in
China
Compared with the IT environment China and Hong Kong CEOs have made technology and innovation a priority
about 10 years ago, data and
information systems in China such as Respondents who stated some or a major change
100
enterprise resource management (ERP)
are no longer outdated, with many 90 87
systems in China even surpassing the 78
80
technology of legacy systems found in 72 72
many Western multinational companies. 70
The new Chinese systems are now
60
streamlined and efficient, and many
domestic companies are technologically 50 China and Hong Kong (160)
very flexible, using international 40
systems and standards to meet the
30 Global (1,258)
demands of constantly shifting market
conditions and a high growth rate. 20
Innovation in the field of information
10
technology is now commonplace.
0
At the moment, chief information Technology Research & development
officers are working hard to keep up investments and innovation capacity
with the current wave of business Source: PwC 15th Global CEO Survey 2012
technological innovation in China.
Information and communications
technology, and in particular, cloud
computing and mobility, have enormous
potential to improve the productivity of
the small and medium enterprises
There have also been significant In China, cloud computing, as a
segment in how they create,
advancements in channel systems, replacement for traditional data centre
commercialise and collaborate on
customer management systems, infrastructure technologies and
innovations.7
marketing, background data, management processes, are no longer
The new wave of systems implemented management accounting and SIPs. just theoretical, and are starting to be
over the last five years has taken on Another wave is also emerging from the used in the real business world. Hong
increased sophistication. Chinese and e-commerce industry, with traditional Kong in particular is becoming a
Hong Kong domestic firms have made channels expanding to mobile and popular cloud computing hub for China
technology improvements a priority, e-channels. and the rest of the Asia Pacific.8 The US
with 78% of CEOs stating that they telco giant, Verizon, also opened a new
would be making technology 3,000-square-metre Hong Kong-based
investments in their company in the data centre as a hub to roll out IT cloud
next 12 months. services to multinationals and local
companies in China and India.9
0 10 20 30 40 50 60
Global (1,258) China/Hong Kong (160)
A total of 42% of Chinas CEOs in 2012, higher than the global average, expressed
willingness to make technology investments to circumvent skills shortages. This
may be a signal that CEOs in China are prepared to accept a move towards more
automation and systems, though partnerships with other organisations remain a top
priority, which may also suggest a rise in the use of service providers.10 While labour
of this nature may still be relatively cheap, these numbers suggest that domestic
companies may be beginning to consider relying more on technology and
automation, instead of manual checks, due to growing wages.
10. Also see a discussion on service providers and shared service centres in China in this chapter
Internal control 73
Bridging the skills gap
Businesses operating in China will need But while the market is rich in young Locally based advisers can also be
to consider attracting IT talent to and technologically savvy professionals invaluable in acting as bridges between
support its systems integration and and systems engineers, it lacks in staff foreign IT directors and China staff in
management, as key infrastructure, with sufficient years of experience in the project management of systems and
such as data centres and support managing information technology. A process integration. A neutral party
infrastructure, may have to be put in global survey of chief audit executives11 sensitive to the personal and
place to support the business. listed soft skills, in addition to professional cultural gaps from both
Fortunately, information technology is technology expertise, as invaluable in sides in a merger, acquisition or joint
not an area in which China is lacking in todays environment: critical thinking venture can go a long way in ensuring
talent, as this technical skill is arguably skills, understanding the strategy and that personal and professional culture
easier to develop in this market than business model, communications and differences are smoothed out, and
capabilities in management and leadership. Businesses might therefore properly mediated.
strategy. wish to contract local advisers to fill in
the gap, or send IT managers to the
country to work with the local IT team
on implementation.
Internal control 75
Sustainability reporting
Obtaining sustainability data and What youll need to consider Make this a consideration when
information thats reliable, measured purchasing or renting capital
and balanced requires robust internal Getting this information, however, is infrastructure, and when entering
controls and monitoring systems and often not straightforward, due to less into relationships with your
processes. Effective and audited developed local market conditions and suppliers and partners.
measurement and reporting systems the current state of the talent pool for
monitoring and reporting. Companies Transparency over your value
and processes for energy consumption,
should therefore consider the following chains. Due to practical
paper use, water efficiency, waste-water
issues and challenges: considerations and reputational
and carbon emissions should be
issues, substantiating claims of
developed as early as possible in the Access to the relevant data. reliability for China-sourced
lifecycle of your China operations. They Working with local partners and non-financial information can
should also be considered when suppliers to access relevant data or sometimes prove difficult. The
undertaking due diligence for joint establish the required monitoring challenge lies in obtaining reliable
ventures, mergers and acquisitions. systems and processes can be information across your whole
challenging, given their relative supply chain that account for an
lack of awareness in this field. accurate overview of your
While theres little complexity in reputational risks.
China pricing models for electricity
or water, internal monitoring IT Balanced information from
systems and processes for energy Chinese partners. Due to the
and water use may also be poor to still-emergent conditions for
non-existent, particularly in older non-financial reporting and the low
plants, buildings and factories. cost-related incentives for
increasing energy and water
efficiency in China, foreign
investors will need to work pro-
Traditionally, sustainability reporting has actively with partners to encourage
framed the creation of the report for balanced data reporting, should
they miss sustainability key
stakeholders as a primary objective. performance indicators such as
However, the process of developing the report energy efficiency targets.
1. Set up a baseline year for 2. Identify your skills and 3. Address reporting deficiencies.
measurement. Arriving at this infrastructure gaps, and build a Take the time to invest in training,
preliminary baseline can yield team with the right experience. while raising awareness with
several benefits. It can jump-start With a comprehensive reporting business partners and suppliers.
the process of implementing infrastructure in place, you can now Once youve understood your
adequate internal controls, while look more closely at your specific deficiencies and assembled an
allowing you to discover various systems and processes. Companies experienced team with the right
ways to improve your operations. can consider how to tighten up skills, you can begin to address
Another potential advantage is the reporting, verification and these gaps. Invest the time to train
increase in visibility for your tax monitoring processes. Management your partners and suppliers in
positions, which, depending on your can then determine what they need monitoring and reporting their
industry and geography, may to do to take their reporting to the inputs, outputs and performance.
encompass a wide range of China- next level (whether through third This becomes particularly crucial
specific environmental, social and party assurance or the layering or should your China presence take the
governance-related taxes and streamlining of checks and form of a joint venture or acquired
levies. As businesses increase their balances). One particular concern, subsidiary. If your partner does the
transparency with a range of however, is that the skills necessary bulk of the heavy lifting in your
stakeholders on these tax positions, to implement and maintain the China operations, youll need to
they can also demonstrate their reporting and monitoring of these assign additional resources and
wider social and economic impact systems may lag behind that of people on the ground to assist in
and better monitor and manage other economies, so time and training and awareness raising on
their tax risks. patience are necessary to finding the the importance of sustainability
right expertise. reporting.
Internal control 77
Human resources
and talent
management
1. The talent market has become 4. Market realities may require that
increasingly competitive. expatriates and Chinese returnees fill
talent gaps in the short term.
2. Local employees are increasingly
choosing to work for state-owned 5. Chinese workers value career
enterprises over foreign advancement opportunities over
multinationals. salary considerations.
3. Mid-to-senior-level managers in
China are relatively young, compared
with their Western counterparts,
while turnover is high.
Recommendations
Designated as one of Chinas Special When a parent of one of their staff An innovative strategy like this can make
Economic Zones, an area with a free members comes to Shenzhen to visit, a key difference in competing for talent. In
market-oriented economy, Shenzhen administration sends a car from their China, where theres a significant talent
attracts a large amount of foreign Mercedez-Benz fleet to pick them up and shortage, youll need to be creative to
investments, as well as economic take them to company headquarters. This attract talented workers and to keep them.
migrants, hailing from every region in the gives the workers a sense of pride.
country. Today, the average age of the Greeting their parents in an expensive car Foreign firms dealing in China should
population in Shenzhen is less than 30, is a sign of how well their company treats realise that culturally sensitive human
mostly comprising migrant workers whose them. Their parents, in turn, feel assured resource policies are fundamental to the
families do not live there. that their children are in good hands with success of their talent strategies. Besides
a family-focused firm. This policy has considering prevailing labour conditions,
A telecommunications equipment become one of the defining planks of the wage increase policies and social security,
company based in Shenzhen maintains a firms strategy in engaging its employees. investors need to look at the shortage of
fleet of Mercedez Benzes in their stock of The measure, sensitive to and reflective of skilled workers, who tend to value social
company cars as a form of transport for the socioeconomic and geographical benefits and job security over money.
their clients, dignitaries and other VIPs, realities of China, has become very
including parents of staff workers. effective.
70
59
60
50
43 44
40
31
30
20
12
9
10
0
More difficult Unchanged Less difficult
Global (1,258) China & Hong Kong (160)
28
Senior management team
43
Younger workers 31
45
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70
Importing talent
Companies who cant find the talent With cultural and language differences, Another growing segment of workers
they need within China often import it foreigners tend to have distinct are Chinese returnees and sojourners
from other places. For many disadvantages to their local who have studied and worked abroad
multinationals, expatriates offer the key counterparts, who have an innate but have later returned to their own
skill sets that they need to fill gaps in understanding of the local business country. Known as sea turtles, Chinese
their business and management practices and work culture. This also returnees offer a unique skills set and an
strategies. The number of expatriates means that the Chinese employees in the understanding of both Chinese and
coming to China from places such as firm will have to spend an inordinate Western working cultures.
Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore is amount of time translating the language Multinationals looking for this
increasing every year. Global exchange and explaining the market situation to combination of skills find value in sea
programmes and secondments are also their foreign colleagues. turtles and employ them to fill
common ways for multinationals to managerial posts. Returnees already
bring in talent from their networks. Incorporating local talent should be the speak and read Chinese and are also
focal point of your corporate succession more likely to accept a local salary
Although expat wages can be much plans. At Newegg, American employees package.
higher than local packages, the focus on imparting skills and knowledge
investment can be worthwhile. Note to the local Chinese, who in turn have Although they might not have to adjust
that the traditional in-and-out approach the opportunity to work at the US to cultural differences, they are faced
of sending mid-level expatriates to headquarters on specific projects. with their own readjustment concerns.
China on short-period rotations may not Neweggs Executive Vice-President S.C. Reverse culture shock can be common,
help in building long-term sustainability Lee, feels strongly about developing as returnees try to familiarise
though. Leading companies send their their local managers: We employ themselves with the Chinese workplace,
best people, and keep them there for the several Americans who speak Chinese, after spending their formative years
long term. and we send them to China both as abroad. Companies that understand the
expats and for short-term projects, he needs of their staff offer specialised
says. But we are very clear that we are training or orientation programmes for
sending expertise to China because we returnees to help them reintegrate into
believe that general management the Chinese work setting.
responsibility resides locally.
Multinationals need to be aware that This also means that newly promoted Career paths in China also tend to be
succession planning in China has to managers lack the guidance of linear, which means that people who are
start early: recognising promising local experienced senior management, so good at what they do are promoted
staff and devote resources to developing theyre often faced with a lot of pressure. quickly. But this means technically
their potential before others can get to Many of them end up leaving, as higher proficient workers, who may be
them. Keep in mind that domestic salaries and job titles are easy to find recognised for their practical skills, may
companies in China often promote elsewhere. But this becomes a cycle, as be thrust into managerial roles, even
faster than most companies outside the the problem is not solved. A 2010 survey when they are not ready or able to
country. Even senior managers lack the of over 2,200 mid-to senior-level manage people. This is also an
experience compared with their peers in managers in mainland China found that inefficient use of talent within the
other parts of the world. The average two-thirds had received at least one company. China managers can consider
age of a Chinese CEO is just over 47 competing job offer in the last 18 introducing multiple career paths to
years, almost ten years younger than months, and that nearly half (46%) had corporate HR strategies.
CEOs in Europe and the US.4 moved to a new role with a more than
30% rise in compensation.5 Wages are
going up over all, and salaries in China
are predicted to rise to US$16,300 by
2021, from US$3,828 in 2011.6
4. Chief Executive Officer. Enter the dragons. September 22, 2007. CEO/Cass Business School survey
5. PwC. Millenials at work: Shaping the workplace. 2011
6. PwC. APEC CEO Survey: Addressing challenges, expanding possibilities. 2012
In many surveys, Chinese employees Such managers should listen carefully to Other companies follow similar family-
often list career development employee feedback its the small things friendly policies that are of negligible
opportunities as the single most that matter. Many employees want more cost to the company, but are of great
important factor in choosing a career personal engagement from their symbolic and emotional value to staff. In
(after job security, compensation and company. For example, one China-based China, all employees are required to
benefits). Some leading companies have employee at a multinational investment undergo health checks before entering
developed employment value bank complained that their annual employment. Some companies have
propositions to help employees bonus was delivered as mail to their chosen to offer the same health checks
understand what it means for the new internal mailbox. We get this letter, to their children, spouse and parents.
recruit to work for their company. These informing us about our raise for the During the Mid-Autumn Festival,
propositions list the expectations of the coming year, said the respondent. But mooncakes and thank-you letters may
employer, and what the employee theres no human or personal touch to it. be sent to parents of staff, as a show of
should expect from working with the It would have been much better if the appreciation for the hard work that their
hiring company. This includes monetary manager could call us to their office and children have contributed.
and non-monetary rewards, details of tell us what our raise would be for that
work environment and benefits. year. In major cities, one benefit that can raise
your competitiveness is a private health
Such talent retention principles might A new strategy is to shift the focus of package (comparable with that of
be similar to that of other markets, but compensation and benefits from the expats) for senior management.
should be tailored for China and its local individual to the entire family. In China, Compared with local hospitals, the
talent environment. Dave Whan, John many employees lack proper social added privacy, better sanitation and
Deers Director of Talent Management safety nets and families have to take higher service standards of private
Strategy and Policy design, says, In care of more than one generation of international hospitals can make a
developing the employee value dependents. Showing cultural distinct difference to local employees.
proposition in China whether its sensitivity to the socioeconomic
compensation, recognition, or the situation of employees in China is
intrinsic value of the work itself where crucial to employee engagement.
we place emphasis can vary region by
region. To become an employer of choice Lets go back to the example of the
in every region, our approach will be Shenzhen firm at the start of this
similar, but well have to customise it chapter. Putting a focus on the family
based on feedback we receive from both helps to build a community around your
current employees and the markets. employers and their families, while
encouraging a more nurturing work
Appointing a human resources manager environment. Another company in the
who has an understanding of local chemical industry offers regular
culture and conditions can go a long community classes such as yoga and
way in offering the right combination of cooking for employees kids and parents.
non-monetary rewards to encourage This is an intangible benefit for family-
higher retention. oriented employees and this also works
as an effective retention strategy. By
building a deep sense of community
with employees family members and
building ties that go outside the
workplace, employees have much more
incentive to stay.
7. PwC Saratoga Asia-Pacific. Breaking out of the talent spiral: Key human capital trends in Asia-Pacific.
2012
8. Ariely, D. The upside of irrationality-The unexpected benefits of defying logic at work and at home. New
York: HarperCollins 2010
Another issue that might pose an even However, those incentives may not be Finally, reverse transfers, or moving top
larger challenge is the supply of enough, given family obligations and performers from China to developed
experienced talents in second and third hukou (household registration) markets for a short period of time to
tier cities and the interior regions of restrictions. Its estimated that only a become credentialised have become a
China, where many companies may third of all Chinese graduates move to very popular retention and development
wish to expand their operations. In such other provinces for work. measure. However, its important too
cities, the home-grown talent pool does that these transfers are done with
not match industry needs for a market What firms have found effective is the cultural sensitivity. Some Chinese
growing at such a rapid pace. provision of relocation packages to employees might develop homesickness
managers who are from the target cities or a fear that they are missing out on
Relocation programmes will require a or regions. These employees would have developing the right relationships in
robust raft of incentives and benefits to increased motivation to return to their China. A programme to send local staff
attract managers to locations that are hometown, given the package is to work in the headquarters and other
far from family and where standards of attractive enough, as it allows them the regions must be systematic, with proper
living might be comparatively low. Such opportunity to be closer to family. support structures in place to ensure
incentives could be in the form of a hefty there is room to grow within the
salary increase or promotion. company.
Although many multinationals still pay We like to cultivate our own human Developing talent in China and
premiums to bring expatriate talent to resources, with the belief that talent can addressing the talent shortage must be
China, such a move can cause local staff only be discovered when given the factored in a companys long-term
to lose confidence in their abilities and opportunity, says Cheung Yan, growth plans. In the long run, ensuring
prospects for promotion. In China, 44% Chairlady of Nine Dragons Paper that local hires take over management
of CEOs said they would prefer that their (Holding) Ltd. If not, you cannot retain from expatriates must be part of a
regional management teams are native good people. Such a human resources long-term strategy. This is because
to the markets they are managing.9 And management philosophy must be winning the local talent war in China
because Chinese workers tend to value supported by an ever-innovating remains the key to success in this
opportunities to advance in their current management system.As [middle market.
position over higher salaries, firms managers] become decision makers in
should make sure that theres a clear and their own operations, they make their
defined path of career advancement, a best efforts to learn and improve
challenging environment, as well as continually, think proactively and
opportunities to develop their skills and innovatively, and maintain a high level
abilities. of energy in their work.
Recommendations
4
need to have the right treasury and cash
management foundations in place to Value / Return A strategic treasury
allow them to effectively execute their
strategies. Developing a dynamic and
flexible treasury strategy and planning
ahead are key measures in an
environment of ever-changing market
conditions and constantly shifting
3 A value-enhancing treasury
2
important for foreign firms in China to
transform their treasury function. A process-efficient treasury
Businesses will need to move up the
treasury development curve, from a
model thats focused on processing
transactions and reacting to new
regulations to one thats strategic: 1 A transactional treasury
flexible, automated, standardised and
well planned (see Figure 1).
Organisational reach
1. National Development and Reform Committee and Shanghai Municipal Government. Detailed plan to
develop Shanghai as an IFC during Chinas twelfth five-year period. 2012. The Stock Exchange of
Hong Kong Ltd. Practice Note 21: Due diligence by sponsors in respect of initial listing applications
2. Treasury & Risk Magazine. How to map your moves in China. 1 November 2004
4. See also Human resources and talent management chapter for more on hiring and retaining talent
Chinas complex treasury landscape is tend to be more comprehensive and Key regulators
driven, of course, primarily by the seamless. That gap is closing though.
combination of the banking and Because of their branch networks, In developing an effective treasury, its
regulatory environment. While there relationships with the State crucial for businesses to cultivate a good
has been much progress, the banking Administration of Foreign Exchange relationship with SAFE, the state agency
and regulatory system in China is still in (SAFE) and overall way of doing that sets foreign exchange policies
its development stage. business, local banks will often have (along with other responsibilities).
better capabilities within China to Companies in good standing with SAFE
Comparison of foreign and process transactions such as foreign may have better insight into managing
the approval process and may be able to
domestic banks exchange and local collections.
Domestic banks also have a much larger contribute to new policies as they are
China is set to overtake the US as the developed and introduced. In addition,
deposit base a tremendous source of
worlds largest banking market by 2023, as the government is inclined to
capital. They are therefore not as
based on projected growth of domestic experiment with new liberalisation
constrained as foreign banks in their
banking credit assets, according to a policies, working closely with SAFE may
lending caps.
PwC report.5 As international banks provide some perspective, in assisting
have a less-than-5% share of the China One major challenge in effectively SAFE in its reform efforts, while also
market,6 companies will typically need leveraging the domestic banks more improving treasurys effectiveness.
to work with local banks. Local banks, broadly arises when dealing with their
fortunately, are eager to grow individual branches, which are often Depending on what theyre trying to
internationally (in our recent survey, operated quite separately from the head accomplish, treasuries must also pay
66.5% of domestic banking respondents offices. The experience of working with attention to a number of other
are committed to expanding overseas, different branches might therefore seem regulators. For instance, establishing a
while 9% want to speed up overseas like working with completely separate finance company will require
development).7 As a result, they are keen banks. Finally, the domestic banks are involvement from the China Banking
to lend to multinationals, and have more also still developing their services, Regulatory Commission (CBRC).8
resources than foreign banks within technology, customer support and
China with which to give credit. relationship management models, which
can be a challenge for companies that
Foreign banks have an advantage over
are used to working with international
their domestic peers, however, in the
banks.
areas of technological sophistication,
relationship management, transparency
and global expertise. For instance,
foreign banks cross-border services
Compatible system
of taxation, credit,
regulation & law
Globally competitive
financial institutions
and financial market
RMB for international investment/debt
system
Develop re-insurance market
Regulatory trends While nationwide regulations are And despite the liberalisation and
introduced centrally, interpretation of economic reforms, government policies
Chinas improvements over the past rules such as tax, customs and foreign remain stringent in its control of foreign
decade, including the introduction of exchange regulations by the various exchange and other transactions. This
entrusted loans (making indirect provinces and cities can vary. This leaves treasuries engaging in much
inter-company loans possible through makes executing a completely documentation and bureaucratic
banks, and upgrades a companys ability standardised treasury structure and finessing. And while Beijing is gradually
to execute cross-border payments in process a bit more challenging, although adopting the long-term policy of
RMB), have all been steps in the right this is changing quickly. The ability to relaxing these controls, due to the
direction in facilitating the management manage cash and treasury well within governments trial-and-error approach
of cash. More and more cross-border each province, while aligning with the to implementation, policies are often
transactions are now becoming possible. business strategy, are just two of the subject to interpretation. Therefore, the
Trade-related accounts payable and reasons why American company Yum! fluidity of such policies is a significant
receivables, foreign direct investment, Brands, owners of KFC and Pizza Hut, factor in successful long-term cash flow
shareholder loans, inter-bank bond have adopted a treasury approach thats planning.
investments, overseas direct province focused.
investments and cross-border lending
are just a few of them.
Managing cash, liquidity and funding is Any heavily regulated environment Optimising cash and liquidity
very much an art in China. But when typically means that the ability to react
done properly, it can be efficient and will require time. For China, the Significant growth and investment and
effective. combination of regulation, growth and the sheer scale of businesses in China
cultural norms that affect business are driving a need to optimise cash and
Looking into the future: cash practices creates an interesting liquidity management. This is also
driving a move towards centralisation,
flow forecasting dynamic: On one hand, advance
planning is unavoidable. But too much standardisation and automation for
Significant company growth plans, new treasury, in order to free up cash thats
planning may be irrelevant in such a
acquisitions and joint ventures, new either idle or tied up in working capital,
complex system, as a number of changes
plants, a broader country footprint, and particularly in accounts receivable and
will have unknown consequences.
evolving business, regulatory, political inventory. The number and type of bank
and social environment all make for a Treasury therefore has to strike the right accounts, bank partners, collection and
near-insurmountable task for treasuries balance. Their forecasts must be disbursement techniques, and liquidity
trying to forecast future cash flow. sufficient to support key decisions, but structures are all tools used by leading
However, because of the limited tools without over-engineering the process. If companies.
available to financing the business, as businesses can gain better insight into
well as an uncertain regulatory the drivers of cash flow and various Bank accounts and relationships
landscape, it is nonetheless necessary to scenarios, they can better prepare with Cash optimisation starts with a
make the attempt. the right capital structure to absorb streamlined and effective bank account
changes in the business and China structure. This structure is often
The point is not to predict cash flow
environment. Cash flow forecasting is a unnecessarily complicated at many
with a high degree of accuracy, although
lens into the future and is crucial to multinational corporations, which are
that would be ideal. The desired
minimising your trapped cash issues. constrained by previous regulations and
outcome should rather be an
They can also ward against the risks of business practices. Various account
understanding of a range of potential
not being able to finance your business types are necessary in China in order to
scenarios, so that management can
growth. comply with regulations that are
make decisions and develop financing
intended to control the currency and
and investment plans A and B (and
speculation, accounting for the
perhaps even plans C and D).
complexity and the need for many
account types (see Figure 3).9
Regular account Onshore payments and collections Capital account Capital contribution
Special purpose Loan, tax, customs duty, RMB FCY intercompany (including parents) and
Loan accounts
accounts reinvestment capital verification etc. bank loans
Fundamentally, the objective should be end of the day, individual policies may across the country when using
to minimise the number of your differ. Some may require businesses to commercial notes and cheques have
accounts and banking relationships to move their money by 3 pm each day, contributed to the development of
drive efficiency and effectiveness across while others have a later cut-off time. electronic payment tools.
your cash conversion cycle, while Banks with earlier cut-off times present
improving the services your business an opportunity cost for your business. Bank acceptance drafts (essentially
units receive. Having more accounts and Some banks are more automated, while post-dated checks) are also common
relationships raises complexity and cost, others are cheaper. Others still have practice in certain industries, and their
and reduces your level of visibility, better technology solutions. use increases or decreases with the state
transparency and control. But there are of the economy and the availability of
pitfalls to oversimplifying an account During the past decade, disbursement bank funding. Managing them
structure in China. A customer, for and collection types have shifted effectively, given the associated working
instance, may require that a company gradually from the traditional cash, capital, finance and risk dimensions, is
have an account with a bank at a commercial paper and cheque payments important for many companies. Finally,
particular branch. Or a local tax to electronic payments. A recent report while cash is still prevalent in some
authority may prefer that an account be from the State Administration for segments, the high growth of credit and
opened at a certain location, even if Industry & Commerce (SAIC) indicates debit cards is changing the payment
such an account would not be strictly that the ratio of cheque business, once a landscape rather quickly.
required under regulation. dominate payment tool, is declining
significantly year over year, while Foreign currency processing remains
In addition to the differences between electronic payments are experiencing overly manual and micro-managed
foreign and domestic banks discussed steady growth. As of 2010, more than across China. But significant efforts are
previously, one must consider the 90% of payment value is conducted via under way to improve efficiency,
policies and sophistication of the electronic means. This trend is expected consistency and automation. A number
domestic banks core capabilities. For to continue as technology security of pilots are currently under way to
example, while many domestic banks infrastructure develops further. In refine new processes, which should be
have the ability to automatically sweep addition, the inefficiencies experienced welcome news to most multinational
funds from corporate accounts at the treasury functions.10
11. Under CSRC 2003 Reg 56, listed companies are prohibited from lending to controlling shareholders or
related entities under entrustment loan arrangements. As a result, the group company should be very
careful in designing pooling structure when listed entities are concerned
Finance companies are a type of weighing the feasibility of a finance Alternatively, companies can also
business licence that can further enable company. Finance companies have the establish in mainland China a regional
more effective treasury management in ability to perform many other financial headquarters (RHQ), another vehicle
China. These companies enable treasury services common to a centralised available to treasury. An RHQ can play
to be more efficient and effective across treasury, on behalf of your groups an active role in centralising the
a range of activities. Finance companies, entities. These include settlements, regional treasury by taking advantage of
as defined by the CBRC, are relatively collections, payments, providing local favourable policies. Lastly, a
new. They are non-bank financial guarantees, and dealing with loans and Chinese holding company (CHC) can
institutions that provide financial lease financings. This structure also help enhance group cash management,
management services to the group allows for better corporate governance, as it can achieve cash concentration via
members entities in order to strengthen funding capacity and lending authority. the entrustment loan arrangement.
centralised cash management and Unlike the finance company and RHQ,
improve efficiency in the use of cash. However, a finance company is strictly the CHC is regulated by MOFCOM, not
regulated by the CBRC and faces CBRC, and the regulation is less
Finance companies are essentially stringent compliance and reporting stringent in its compliance and reporting
regarded as a virtual in-house bank, and requirements. One downside is that a requirements. Multinationals would
represent an alternative financing finance company also exposes a business commonly set up a CHC to hold various
vehicle within the group. They act as an to a larger number of regulatory investments in China, which can
in-house financial institution in compliance activities, and the potential enhance tax efficiency where dividends
executing treasury functions such as for additional taxes. As finance are distributed by subsidiaries in China
foreign exchange transactions, companies are relatively new and to the holding company.
entrustment loans, and accepting/ developing in China, this is usually
discounting bills and deposits. primarily an option for larger Usage of finance companies may not be
companies. Only companies with a as common as that of other countries
But basic liquidity management should sufficient amount of scale and financing with better tax incentives and less
not be your sole business need when consider them worth the extra time and regulated currencies. But the financial
effort. system continues to evolve in the right
direction in making finance companies
more attractive in China.
Depending on the economic and To repatriate cash, multinationals tend However, some of these challenges are
investment climate, as well as the to face three common external issues: internal to the companies themselves:
prevailing value of the RMB, it may
make sense for multinationals to take 1) For outbound payments on non- The company may fail to properly
their cash out of China. Depending on trade services alone, there are justify their overseas payments, or
the method of repatriation, however, currently almost 50 different do not clearly state the nature of
certain regulatory restrictions can crop regulations and circulars governing their payment
up. outbound payments of non-trade
Lack of supporting documentation.
items at the moment, which makes
Sometimes, the company may have
For example, if a company wishes to them hard to keep track of
misplaced a key document, such as a
repatriate funds through dividends, the
2) Local practices at banks (the customs declaration form
company may be constrained by the
gatekeepers of SAFE) vary on
China units retained earnings. Wholly Prerequisite applications (such as an
occasion
foreign-owned enterprises have to keep import licensing or foreign
10% of their retained earnings from 3) The various local branches of SAFE registration) were not made
distribution until the accumulated might have varying interpretations
The lack of a sound transfer policy,
reserve reaches 50% of its registered of the regulations, which makes it
or documentation to justify the
capital. A China business with US$50 hard for a company to standardise
rationale for the payment
million in net income would not be able their own practices
to dividend more than that amount. In The corporate structure may not be
addition, the wait time for approvals suited for cash repatriation
from MOFCOM and SAFE also tends to
be long, bringing with it the
accompanying opportunity costs.
12. See also Tax management: planning and compliance chapter for more on withholding taxes
1. Rising productivity and moves 4. Product quality risks can stem from
inland are offsetting declining cost Chinas pricing pressures and low
advantages. profit margins.
2. Due to the countrys size, proper 5. Lower costs, talent, incentives and
location selection for your supply proximity to market are compelling
chain is critical for corporate reasons to move research &
strategies that position China as a development functions to China.
key market.
3. China still boasts unsurpassed
flexibility and robust infrastructure.
Recommendations
1. Make sure you balance your China 4. Work with your suppliers, and
cost considerations against other provide them with the tools to
supply chain attributes such as asset monitor the quality standards of
performance, flexibility and their operations and that of their
responsiveness. contractors.
2. Align tax considerations with supply 5. Be prepared to make commitments
chain models such as SCOR to drive to train new research staff on
operational sustainability and cost practical analysis, standard methods
savings. and processes.
3. Consider multiple manufacturing
hubs as a potential solution,
factoring in global logistics, transfer
pricing and local incentives.
In late 2011, PepsiCo sold its Chinese Prior to this joint venture The following are top supply chain
bottling operations to Tianjin-based announcement, PepsiCo had limited considerations for multinationals in
Taiwanese beverage company, Tingyi access to national distribution networks, China. Well address each in turn.
Holding.1 To some, the deal didnt look a fairly rudimentary requirement for
great on paper. PepsiCo gave up its Chinas food-and-beverage market. But 1. Cost
bottling operation, valued at US$600 with the right distribution channels, 2. Location
million, and in return received a 5% PepsiCo could now restore its China 3. Flexibility
indirect stake, worth US$55 million, in growth strategy by improving on the
4. Quality and supply assurance
Tingyis affiliate bottling company a strength and reach of its supply chain,
US$545-million loss on a single deal. and increasing the speed with which it 5. Sustainability
brings its product innovations to 6. Research and development
But this was a strategic sale for PepsiCo market.
which, after a couple of years of
straight losses in its bottling business, Supply chain performance in China is
had not been faring well in the Chinese important to those who perceive China
market. By having a local Chinese primarily as a low-cost sourcing or
partner take over its bottling services, manufacturing region. But for those
PepsiCo gained Tingyis well- targeting the China market, getting
established and extensive distribution your supply chain right can give you a
channel. And with a new channel to sell competitive advantage. Not getting it
more volume, PepsiCo gave itself a right can be the difference between
chance to get its China business back in success and failure.
order.
1. Zacks Investment Research. Pepsi Partners Tingyi in China. Zacks Equity Research Analyst Blog, 7
November 2011
1. Zacks Investment Research. Pepsi Partners Tingyi in China. Zacks Equity Research Analyst Blog, 7
November 2011
Labour and material costs have been, for Labour productivity growth-emerging economies
many multinationals, the initial driver
of supply chain considerations in China. GDP per persons employed, annual average
Yet these low-cost benefits are eroding
1995-2005
through a combination of cost increases
in China, particularly in the coastal 2005-2009
areas (which are frequented more often
by multinationals), as well as exchange
rate migration. 9.6%
3. Accenture. Wage increases in China: Should multinationals rethink their manufacturing and sourcing
strategies? 2011
Plan
Return Return
6. Duhigg, Charles, and Keith Bradsher. How the U.S. lost out on iPhone work. The New York Times, 21
January 2012
7. Murphy, Maxwell. Pitting costs against control. The Wall Street Journal, February 28, 2012
Making sure data from your suppliers Factory audits and inspections should
are reliable can have an impact on also be thorough. High-profile cases in
product quality. Companies are now the past have involved public discoveries
looking for more quality reassurance of numerous violations of ISO9001
from their suppliers for reliable work standards, despite frequent audits by
flows, quality of work, environmental multinationals. However, primary
and health standards, labour practices, suppliers often contract many sub-
and trust from their business partner. suppliers or parts suppliers, and periodic
and snap inspections can only pick up on
A high degree of vigilance is needed a certain amount of quality issues. And
both within China and foreign markets, these issues may multiply in relation to
and regular audits are recommended. As the technological complexity of your
mentioned, the accuracy of the product. Again, working with your
information provided by your suppliers supplier benefits both parties, and they
cannot be compromised, and should be encouraged and given tools
collaboration with suppliers is important with which to monitor the quality
to ensuring integrity. Levi Strauss, for standards of their own contractors.
instance, has a zero-tolerance policy Making quality demands and imposing
for suppliers who provide inconsistent or sanctions may foster an environment of
false reporting. After two or three bad faith, and encourage suppliers to
warnings, the apparel company would conceal and fudge data wherever
end their contract with the supplier. possible.
They do, however, offer its full support
and cooperation to suppliers who flag Overall, its now much easier to find a With food and drug safety concerns also
their problems.8 partner that can deliver quality than it trending high in China, consumers are
had been 10 or 20 years ago, as markets increasingly looking to foreign
gain greater transparency and multinationals for their perceived higher
efficiency. But concerns over the quality safety standards. Preserving consumer
or standards of goods produced in China trust and confidence should take priority
still loom large, as procurement over price concerns in an environment
departments demand faster turnaround in which safety and quality
times, lower prices and increasing considerations are rising in tandem. But
volume. Cutting corners can be the multinationals should be aware that
result of the pressure of meeting many product quality risks are also
demands in scaling up, accelerating linked to Chinas high-inflation
production or cutting costs. More risks environment.
can also crop up over time, even for
those with supplier relationships
maintained over long periods. Ensuring
there are plenty of backup suppliers can
be critical in case quality problems need
to be remedied on tight deadlines.
8. MIT Sloan Management Review. Improving environmental performance in your Chinese supply chain.
December 21, 2011
As China becomes a major component of Fortunately, lowering greenhouse gas Li & Fung, for example, installed
many global supply chains, ensuring emissions and bolstering environmental upgrades to their lighting technology,
that your China suppliers are aligned records is still a comparatively easy win ventilation, heating and air conditioning
with your sustainability agenda can in China. A BSR Insight report estimates at factories where it does business, while
make a difference to your energy that Chinese factories use approximately implementing other energy efficient and
efficiency strategies and green 11 times more energy than their water management measures. Carrefour
reputation. According to Hewlett- Japanese counterparts.14 Moving China is also conscious of its
Packards supply chain policy, the operations to Leadership in Energy and sustainability practices, introducing
company is prepared to terminate Environmental Design (LEED)-certified recycled shopping bags, and adopting a
contracts with suppliers who do not premises could position you at the new purchasing model for buying
comply with its corporate policies and forefront of sustainable practices. The commodities directly from farmers.
code of conduct on energy efficiency and Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural
corporate footprint management.12 It Development (MOHURD) is also China is central to Walmarts
pioneered a China-specific energy promoting their own 3-Star system, sustainability strategy, which it relies on
efficiency initiative in 2010 to engage its which is quickly gaining momentum to boost its reputation globally.
major suppliers in developing their because of increased enforcement and Approximately 20,000 Chinese suppliers
energy improvement plans and sharing 3-Star specific subsidies. However, account for 70% of American-owned
best practices. Currently, 76% of its according to the 2012 China Greentech Walmart goods sold globally every year,
suppliers have greenhouse gas reduction Report, green building materials are and in 2002, the company moved its
goals, while close to 50% are looking at often not available in China, and many global sourcing headquarters from Hong
their own supply chains, an impressive products are prohibitively expensive.15 Kong to Shenzhen in mainland China.16
achievement in this market.13 Nevertheless, a focused energy and In 2008, Walmart announced that it
sustainable procurement programme would improve the energy efficiency of
could reduce costs and overall energy its top 200 Chinese suppliers by 20% by
demand by a large margin, boosting the the year 2012. They would eventually
environmental sustainability of your require these suppliers to be subject to
supply chain practices, your bottom line third party audits. In April 2011, it
and your relationship with the announced 119 factories had surpassed
government. that target.17
21. UNESCO. UNESCO Science Report 2010: The current status of science around the world. 2010
22. PwC. Global R&D Tax News: Issue 5. 2011
23. China Daily. China plans to enlarge talent pool to 180 million by 2010. 15 May 2012
24. PwC. 2012 outlook for the retail and consumer products sector in Asia. 2012
Recommendations
4. See also Tax management: planning and compliance chapter and Finance and treasury chapter for further
examples of regulations that differ between central and local governments
5. PwC. Establishing a business presence in China. 2011
6. PwC. Building a presence in todays growth markets: The experience of privately held companies. 2011
7. See also Finance and treasury chapter for further details on cash repatriation
8. Pierson, David. Trademark squatting in China doesnt sit well with U.S. retailers. Los Angeles Times,
28 March 2012
The Presidency of
the Peoples
Republic of China
State-owned Assets Ministry of Foreign Affairs General Administration of Overseas Chinese Xinhua News Agency*
Supervision and Ministry of National Defence Customs* Affairs Office of the Chinese Academy of
Administration State Administration of State Council Sciences
Commission of the National Development and
Reform Commission* Taxation* Hong Kong and Macao Chinese Academy of
State Council Affairs Office of the
(SASAC)* Ministry of Education State Administration for Social Sciences
Industry and Commerce* State Council
Ministry of Science and Chinese Academy of
General Administration of Legislative Affairs Engineering
Technology Office of the State
Quality Supervision, Development Research
Ministry of Industry and Inspection and Council
Information Technology Center of the State
Quarantine* Research Office of the Council
State Ethnic Affairs State Administration of State Council
Commission China National School of
Radio, Film and Administration
Ministry of Public Security Television
China Earthquake
Ministry of State Security General Administration of Administration
Press and Publication
Ministry of Supervision (National Copyright China Meteorological
Ministry of Civil Affairs Administration) Administration
Ministry of Justice General Administration of China Banking
Sport Regulatory Commission*
Ministry of Finance*
State Administration of China Securities
Ministry of Human Resources Work Safety Regulatory Commission*
and Social Security
National Bureau of China Insurance
Ministry of Land and Statistics* Regulatory Commission*
Resources
State Forestry State Electricity
Ministry of Environmental Administration Regulatory Commission
Protection*
State Intellectual National Council for
Ministry of Housing and Urban- Property Office* Social Security Fund
Rural Development*
National Tourism National Natural Science
Ministry of Transport Administration* Foundation
Ministry of Railways State Administration for Taiwan Affairs Office of
Ministry of Water Resources Religious Affairs the State Council
Ministry of Agriculture Counsellors Office of the Information Office of the
State Council State Council
Ministry of Commerce*
Government Offices State Archives
Ministry of Culture Administration
Administration of the
Ministry of Health State Council
National Population and Family National Bureau of
Planning Commission Corruption Prevention
Peoples Bank of China*
National Audit Office
Recommendations
The China tax environment may be in business models, each of which can be
constant flux, but one thing is clear: tax subject to different sets of tax policies
management, both planning and and benefits. Investors need to
compliance, are rising on the corporate understand which model is best for the
agenda. Investors need to take tax laws business, in light of the overall business
and regulations into serious strategy, and the tax implications.
consideration and ensure that their tax
strategies are aligned with overall Tax and business strategies should also
business strategy. They need to make be aligned when a business is looking
sure that the two complement each for locations in China. While some
other. Doing this can help investors regions offer financial subsidy and/or
minimise tax exposure, control costs refund in respect of taxes, other
and avoid reputational risks. Software business factors should be taken into
firms, for example, can be set up in consideration, including the availability
China under one of several potential of a skilled labour force, proximity to
major markets and infrastructure.
Since 2008, tax reforms in China have will help reduce the multiple taxation
moved forward at a steady pace, issue associated with goods and
especially in the realm of corporate services. On the tax administrative side,
taxation. Foreign-invested enterprises with the improvement in resources,
(FIEs) and domestic-invested enterprises technology and organisation systems,
now apply to the same corporate tax the Chinese tax authorities have
laws and regulations in China, including strengthened tax administration on
the Corporate Income Tax (CIT) and large and key taxpayers, non-China
other applicable taxes. Further to CIT resident enterprises and anti-avoidance
reform, the Chinese government is issues.
rolling out a turnover tax reform, which
Unlike common-law countries, the Since the local level tax bureaus
taxation system in China is based on effectively act as windows for the tax
law, not precedent. Chinas major tax authorities to interface with taxpayers
laws are passed by the Peoples and to implement the tax laws and
Congress, and regulations for regulations, businesses need to stay up
implementation are formulated by the to speed, not only on the ongoing
State Council. The Ministry of Finance development of laws and regulations,
(MoF) and the State Administration of but also on how they are practised by
Taxation (SAT) are then responsible for their local level-tax bureaus.
interpreting and implementing these tax
laws and regulations. Finally, the
branches of the local-level tax bureaus
collect the tax revenue from the
taxpayers, and then report back to the
higher-level authorities.
Taxpayers will inevitably have to face a Taxpayers may want to plan ahead for In case of a tax dispute, there is a set of
tax audit or investigation as part of the such events, by conducting a tax risk appeal procedures to the higher-level
lifecycle of their business. These audits/ assessment on a periodical basis. That tax authorities. In China, tax disputes
investigations are carried out by way, a business will be able to identify are normally settled in this way rather
independent tax audit/investigation the areas of tax risk and have them than through court proceedings.
teams at the local level or provincial tax remedied before the actual tax audit/ Cross-border double taxation issues
bureaus, or even in rare cases, by state investigation. resulting from, say transfer pricing
level authorities. The tax audit/ adjustments, however, may be resolved
investigation may be driven by issues When handling a tax audit/ through Mutual Agreement Procedures
such as the types of taxes, geography, investigation, the taxpayer should try to between the State Administration of
types of taxpayers or different specific find out what the tax authorities are Taxation and the competent authority of
tax administration purposes. Selection actually after. In order to submit the the treaty country.
criteria for these audits/investigations right information and documents to the
can touch on the taxpayers financial authorities, the taxpayer needs to know
and tax position, level of sales, industry exactly what the tax authorities motives
and the nationality of the parent are, as well as their underlying agenda,
company. Even an informant can trigger if any.
an audit.
The following two main forms of Operation Business Tax (BT) is imposed on
investment in China will have both most services provided, as long as
After setting up in China, an FIE will
income and turnover tax implications: either the provider or recipient of
need to pay turnover tax once it comes
the services is within China. BT is
1. FIEs registered in China, and into operation. This, of course, depends
also imposed on the sale of
on the nature of their business and the
2. Non-China resident enterprises. immovable property and the
type of products or services involved.
transfer of intangible assets in
Taxes for FIEs Types of turnover taxes include:
China. The rate of BT ranges from
Under normal conditions, foreign Value-added tax (VAT), which 3% to 20%, depending on the nature
investors who want to set up businesses applies to importation, production, of the business, while the most
in China will opt for FIEs as their distribution and retailing activities common rate is either 3% or 5%.
operational vehicles. FIEs, from a CIT in respect of tangible goods and a Limited exemptions may apply to
standpoint, are tax-resident enterprises few prescribed services. The general some prescribed services. At the
of China. This means they will need to VAT rate is 13% or 17%. If an FIE moment, the Chinese government is
use worldwide income as their CIT base qualifies as a general VAT payer, the pushing forward a reform of the
for reporting purposes. input VAT that it incurs (that is, the existing turnover tax system to
VAT paid on goods and certain gradually replace BT with VAT for
The key tax management issues of an prescribed services to the suppliers) industries that are currently subject
FIE during its lifecycle can be classified can be credited against its output to BT. From 1 January 2012, a pilot
into planning and compliance. Below, VAT (that is, the VAT collected from programme for turnover tax reform
well discuss the lifecycle for entry and the customers) in calculating the was formally introduced to selected
operation, and then talk about corporate VAT payable. Enterprises regarded industries in Shanghai and other
restructuring and their tax implications. as small businesses are subject to a selected cities. Depending on the
Well also highlight the process of more simplified VAT calculation, effectiveness of this pilot
withholding individual income tax for which is 3% of the gross sales programme, the reform may be
employees, of which foreign businesses amount, without the input VAT rolled out across the country in the
should take particular note. credit. The export of goods from near future.
China may be entitled to a VAT
Entry exemption on the sales amount and
If a foreign investor wants to inject fresh a refund of a certain portion of the
cash into China to set up a new FIE or input VAT depending on the goods
increase the capital of an existing FIE, exported.
the cash injection is generally not Consumption Tax (CT) is levied on
subject to Chinese tax, besides stamp manufacturers and importers of
duties. However, should the foreign specified categories of consumer
investor choose to invest in the FIE goods that are largely luxury and
through non-cash assets, then it needs non-necessity or scarce resources
to review the CIT (and other tax) products. The tax liability is
implications, taking into account the calculated based on the sales
various facts and circumstances. amount and/or the sales volume
depending on the goods concerned.
CT is imposed on top of the
applicable VAT and CD, if applicable.
1. Chinese IIT imposed not only to the employment income but also to other personal income.
2. Up until the end of 2011, China has signed 97 double taxation treaties with other countries (regions).
3. See also Finance and treasury chapter on cash repatriation strategies
Recommendations
1. Make sure you have at least a 2. Pay attention to the accounting year
general understanding of the in China which must be from 1
differences among ASBE, CAS 2006 January to 31 December and may
and IFRS, and their different not be the same as your groups
impacts on the financial positions reporting packages.
and results. Ensure your companies
in China select an appropriate 3. Ensure your local accounting profit
accounting regulation system to is appropriately adjusted to the
adopt. taxable profit in the tax return in
accordance with the tax regulations.
1. The Accounting System for Business Enterprises, 16 specific accounting standards and other related
accounting regulations
2. The Accounting Standards for Business Enterprises (2006) and other related accounting regulations
(referred to informally as the China accounting standards 2006, or CAS 2006)
3. The International Financial Reporting Standards
The Accounting Law defines the roles of In China, your companies are required All accounting documents, books and
the governmental departments on to maintain accounting records and financial statements prepared by a
accounting matters and specifies the prepare annual financial statements in company must be written in Chinese.
fundamental requirements of accordance with the accounting They can also be written concurrently in
accounting practice, accounting regulations/accounting standards a foreign language. Companies are
procedures and accounting supervision. issued by MoF. The Accounting Law required to keep accounting records,
The Accounting Law empowers the stipulates that companies must keep financial statements and supplementary
department of finance under the State three kinds of primary accounting memoranda for at least 15 years.
Council, i.e., the Ministry of Finance records: journals, a general ledger and
(MoF), to administer nationwide sub-ledgers, as well as appropriate
accounting matters, including the supplementary memorandum records.
promulgation of uniform accounting Computerised accounting systems, if
regulations/accounting standards that used, can be regarded as the companys
must be complied with throughout the accounting records.
country by all the applicable companies.
1. Inventories
2. Fixed assets
At the moment, there are two parallel ASBE 3. Intangible assets
accounting regulation systems, both
ASBE is effective from 1 January 2001 4. Investments
issued by MoF:
and is applicable to all types of 5. Borrowing costs
1. The Accounting System for Business companies, until certain types of
Enterprises, 16 specific accounting companies are required to, or those 6. Debt restructurings
standards and other related companies have volunteered to adopt 7. Revenue
accounting regulations (ASBE), and CAS 2006 from 1 January 2007 or
thereafter, e.g., all listed companies are 8. Construction contracts
2. The Accounting Standards for
required to adopt CAS 2006 from 1 9. Leases
Business Enterprises (2006) and
January 2007. ASBE comprises the
other related accounting 10. Exchange of non-monetary
Accounting System for Business
regulations (CAS 2006). assets
Enterprises, 16 specific accounting
standards and other related accounting 11. Contingencies
regulations. The Accounting System for
Business Enterprises sets out the 12. Accounting policies, changes
accounting treatments for major line of accounting estimates and
items in financial statements, in the correction of errors
order of assets, liabilities, equity, 13. Cash flow statements
income, expenses etc.
14. Events after the balance
sheet date
15. Interim financial reporting
16. Related-party disclosures
The following discussion on the Notes to the financial Descriptions of any changes in
accounting regulation systems in China statements accounting policies and accounting
are based on the requirements under estimates, and corrections of errors
both ASBE and CAS 2006 (unless Notes to the financial statements must
include at least the following Additional descriptions of
specified otherwise).
information: significant items presented on the
face of the balance sheet, income
Financial statements
Basis of preparation of the financial statement, cash flow statement and
A complete set of financial statements statements statement of changes in owners
include: equity
Statement of compliance with CAS
A balance sheet 2006 (this isnt required under Disclosure of contingencies and
ASBE) commitments, non-adjusting events
An income statement (profit and
after the balance sheet date,
loss account) Description of significant
related-party relationships and
accounting policies, including the
A cash flow statement transactions
measurement bases for items
A statement of changes in owners recognised in the financial
equity statements and the bases for
selecting those accounting policies
Notes to financial statements
Description of the key accounting
Under ASBE, the statement of changes
estimates, including the bases for
in owners equity is not required. For
determining any accounting
sample financial statements under CAS
estimates that may have a
2006, please see the Appendices.
significant risk of causing a material
adjustment to the carrying amounts
of assets and liabilities within the
next accounting period (not
required under ASBE)
The Accounting Standards for Small The criteria for qualifying as a small Small enterprises that are the
Enterprises (ASSE), issued by MoF in enterprise, mainly in terms of the size parents or subsidiaries within a
November 2011, is only applicable to and nature of the enterprises, are set out consolidation group (For this
small enterprises that have not yet in a regulation issued jointly by five purpose, the parents or subsidiaries
adopted CAS 2006. It will be effective ministries under the State Council only refer to those companies
from 1 January 2013, and early (including MoF and the Ministry of incorporated within China)
adoption is encouraged. The ASSEs Industry and Information Technology,
Under ASSE, accounting treatments are
main objectives are to simplify the etc). Moreover, small enterprises that
more in line with tax laws and
bookkeeping of small enterprises and to fall into one of the following three
regulations. For example, assets are
eliminate the differences between the categories are not allowed to adopt
stated at cost and provision for
books and taxes as much as possible. ASSE:
impairment is not allowed.
Small enterprises that issue publicly-
traded shares or bonds
Small enterprises that are financial
institutions or have the nature of
financial institutions
Audited financial statements Accounting profession Only Chinese-registered CPA firms may
audit the statutory financial statements
Foreign-invested enterprises are The national regulatory authority for of foreign-invested enterprises, certify
required to engage a Chinese-registered Chinas CPA profession is the Ministry of capital contributions, certify the
certified public accounting (CPA) firm Finance. The Chinese Institute of financial statements upon the
(which includes approved Sino-foreign Certified Public Accountants (CICPA), liquidation and dissolution of a venture
joint venture CPA firms) to audit their which was established in late 1988, is and perform other attesting services on
statutory annual financial statements. It the organisation that regulates the financial statements in accordance with
is generally the duty of the board of profession. In addition to licensing Chinese standards. Many of the larger,
directors of a foreign-invested certified public accountants, the CICPAs international accounting firms have
enterprise to appoint the auditor. main functions are: established a presence in China through
Audits are required under the company To ensure that all CPAs perform Sino-foreign joint ventures and local
laws, financial reporting regulations their duties in accordance with the member firms. These firms generally
and income tax laws in China, and relevant laws and regulations combine qualified PRC accountants with
audited financial statements should be staff support from the firms overseas
To promote the development of the offices, particularly offices in Hong
filed with the tax authorities, together
profession Kong, Taiwan and the United States. The
with the annual income tax returns.
Foreign-invested enterprises are To enhance the professionalism of joint ventures and member firms can,
required to provide auditors with all the its members and maintain their with this support, provide most of the
enterprises documents, books and legitimate professional rights usual auditing, accounting and taxation
reports. The financial statements to be services offered by international
To promote the exchange of work accounting firms elsewhere in the world.
submitted for an annual audit include
experiences and business
the balance sheet, income statement, Although approved joint ventures and
information
statement of changes in owners equity, member CPA firms are the only foreign-
statement of cash flows and relevant To improve the association between
owned firms able to perform statutory
supporting notes. Chinese CPAs and their foreign
audits in China, other foreign CPA firms
counterparts
Audited financial statements must be may be engaged to perform certain
submitted to a number of government The registration of CPAs in China was audit and accounting work for
authorities, mainly: discontinued in 1952 and resumed again accounting and management control
in 1980, resulting in a shortage of purposes. This includes developing
The local offices of the State experienced and qualified professionals accounting and internal control systems,
Administration of Industry and and a general unfamiliarity with training local accounting personnel,
Commerce international practices. However, in reviewing specific financial information
recent years, with an increasing for accuracy and reliability, and
The State Administration of
emphasis on accounting education and performing full or limited-scope audits
Taxation
the encouragement of more people to to meet the audit requirements of the
The local Finance Bureau enter the profession, this situation is foreign partners parent company. If
improving rapidly. requested by the foreign partner and
The State Administration of Foreign
with the consent of the Chinese partner,
Exchange
in certain cases, they may also perform
Audited financial statements must be joint audits with the local CPA firms to
submitted to the relevant authorities ensure that the audits will satisfy both
within four to six months of year-end, the Chinese and the foreign partners
depending on local government home country auditing standards and
requirements. requirements.
Appendices 161
City tier and regional overview
Tier 2 city
Tier 2 Medium to large resident population
4,000 Resident population: 4 million to 7 million (top
29 cities 15% to 45%)
Medium to high economic development
GDP per capita: RMB 35,000 to RMB 65,000
(top 10% to 25%)
Tier 3 city
Tier 3 Medium to small resident population
94 cities
Resident population (in thousands)
Population measurement:
Resident population is used here in our methodology as it more accurately reflects the cities population size
The GDP per capita data from National Statistics Bureau is also calculated based on resident population
Heilongjiang
Changchun
Xinjiang
Beijing
Tangshan
Tianjin Dalian
Hebei
Ningxia Yantai
Shanxi Jinan
Qinghai
Qingdao
Gansu Zibo
Shaanxi
Zhengzhou
Tibet Yangzhou
NanjingWuxi
Hefei Nantong
Chengdu Suzhou
Wuhan Shanghai
Jiaxing
Chongqing Hangzhou
Nanchang Shaoxing Ningbo
Changsha
Taizhou
Guizhou
Fuzhou
Tier 1 city Yunnan
Quanzhou
Tier 2 city Guangxi Guangzhou
Dongguan Taiwan
Foshan Shenzhen
Hainan
Source : China City Yearbook 2010 (2009 figures), PwC analysis
Tier City
Tier 1 Beijing Shanghai Guangzhou Shenzhen
Tier 2 Changchun Shenyang Tianjin Tangshan
Dalian Yantai Qingdao Jinan
Zibo Zhengzhou Nanjing Yangzhou
Wuxi Nantong Suzhou Jiaxing
Hangzhou Shaoxing Ningbo Taizhou
Hefei Wuhan Nanchang Changsha
Fuzhou Quanzhou Dongguan Foshan
Chengdu
Appendices 163
From a regional perspective, the East and Central & South
regions account for over half of Chinas population and an even
larger proportion of GDP
Northwest Northeast
Rmb1,827bn 97mn RMB3,108bn 109mn
7% 9%
9% 8%
8%
5%
5% 7%
Heilongjiang
GDP%
GDP% Pop%
Pop% GDP% Pop%
GDP% Pop%
Hainan
Source: China Yearbook 2010, China City Yearbook 2010 (2009 figures), PwC analysis
Jilin
GDP%
GDP % Population%
Pop %
Inner Mongolia Liaoning
Xinjiang
*Yangtze River Delta Hebei
Yangtze River
Pearl River Delta Zhejiang
Jiangxi
Hunan
RMB 3,215bn 30mn
Note: *Since 2003, YRD has been defined Fujian
as 16 cities in Shanghai, south of Jiangsu, 9%
9% Taiwan
and north of Zhejiang. In 2008, the State Council Guangdong
issued a paper, [2008] No. 30, which defined Yunnan 2%
2%
YRD consists of Shanghai, whole Zhejiang and Guangxi
Jiangsu province. Here, we apply the traditional, GDP%
narrow definition. GDP % Population%
Pop %
Source: China Yearbook 2010, China City Yearbook 2010 (2009 figures), PwC analysis Hainan
Zone City
BER 26 cities Beijing, Tianjin
Liaoning province: Dalian, Dandong, Yingkou, Panjin, Shenyang, Fuxin, Jinzhou, Huludao,
Chaoyang
Hebei province: Shijiazhuang, Qinghuangdao, Chengde, Tangshan, Cangzhou, Xingtai,
Langfang
Shandong province: Qingdao, Yantai, Weihai, Jinan, Binzhou, Dongying, Zibo, Weifang
PRD 9 cities Guangdong province: Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Foshan, Huizhou, Zhaoqing, Jiangmen,
Zhongshan, Dongguan
Appendices 165
Combined, the top eight provinces by GDP contributed more than
50% of total GDP. Each province generated over RMB1,500
billion in GDP in 2009
Heilongjiang
Xinjiang Jilin
Tianjin
Hebei
Ningxia Shanxi
Qinghai
Shandong
Gansu
Shaanxi
Tibet
Henan
Jiangsu
Sichuan Anhui
Hubei Shanghai
Chongqing
Zhejiang
Hunan Jiangxi
Guizhou
Legend Fujian
Yunnan
in RMB)
Guangxi Guangdong Taiwan
> 1,500 billion
1,000 to 1,500 billion
500 to 1,000 billion
< 500 billion Hainan
RMB billion
Tibet 44
Qinghai 108
Ningxia 135
Hainan 165 4.4%
Gansu 339
Guizhou 391
Xinjiang 428
Yunnan 617
Chongqing 653
Jilin 728
Shanxi 736
Tianjin 752
J iangxi 766
21.0%
Guangxi 776
Shaanxi 817
Heilongjiang 859
I nner Mongolia 974
Anhui 1,006
Beijing 1,215
Fujian 1,224
Hubei 1,296 20.4%
Hunan 1,306
Sichuan 1,415
Shanghai 1,505
Liaoning 1,521
Hebei
Henan
1,724
1,948
54.1%
Zhejiang 2,299
Shandong 3,390
J iangsu 3,446
Guangdong 3,948
Appendices 167
Comparison of index of CAS 2006 and IFRS
Type China Accounting Standards Type International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS)
(CAS)
R Basic standard Framework for the preparation and presentation of financial statements
R Inventories G IAS 2 Inventories
R Long-term equity investments G IAS 27 Consolidated and separate financial statements
IAS 28 Investments in associates
IAS 31 Interests in joint ventures
N Investment property G IAS 40 Investment property
R Fixed assets G IAS 16 Property, plant and equipment
IFRS 5 Non-current assets held for sale and discontinued operations
N Biological assets I IAS 41 Agriculture
R Intangible assets G IAS 38 Intangible assets
R Exchange of non-monetary assets G IAS 16 Property, plant and equipment
IAS 38 Intangible assets
IAS 40 Investment property
N Impairment of assets G IAS 36 Impairment of assets
N Employee benefits G IAS 19 Employee benefits
N Enterprise pension funds I IAS 26 Accounting and reporting by retirement benefit plans
N Share-based payment G IFRS 2 Share-based payment
R Debt restructurings G IAS 39 Financial instruments: Recognition and measurement
R Contingencies G IAS 37 Provisions, contingent liabilities and contingent assets
R Revenue G IAS 18 Revenue
R Construction contracts G IAS 11 Construction contracts
N Government grants G IAS 20 Accounting for government grants and disclosure of government
assistance
R Borrowing costs G IAS 23 Borrowing costs
N Income taxes G IAS 12 Income taxes
N Foreign currency translation G IAS 21 The effects of changes in foreign exchange rates
IAS 29 Financial reporting in hyperinflationary economies
G General standards
I Specific industry standards
RD Reporting and disclosure standards
N New standards
R Revised standards
Appendices 169
Illustrative financial statements under CAS 2006
2013 2012
Assets
Current assets
Cash at bank and on hand 22,228 -
Financial assets held for trading 14,839 -
Notes receivable 9,449 -
Accounts receivable 3,672 -
Advances to suppliers 2,123 -
Interest receivable 331 -
Dividends receivable 423 -
Other receivables 3,456 -
Inventory 24,700 -
Current portion of non-current assets 311 -
Total current assets 81,532 -
Non-current assets
Available-for-sale financial assets 10,015 -
Held-to-maturity investments 7,800 -
Long-term receivables 2,322 -
Long-term equity investments 13,373 -
Investment properties 3,000 -
Fixed assets 149,895 -
Construction in progress 23,000 -
Construction materials 346 -
Intangible assets 20,631 -
Development costs 2,233 -
Goodwill 2,100 -
Long-term prepaid expenses 458 -
Deferred tax assets 3,319 -
Total non-current assets 238,492 -
Note: comparative figures are not presented in these illustrated financial statements
Appendices 171
(XYZ Co. Ltd.) Income statement
For the year ended 31 December 2013
(in RMB thousands, unless otherwise stated)
2013 2012
Revenue 211,034 -
Less:
Cost of sales (76,737) -
Tax and surcharges (5,416) -
Selling and distribution expenses (46,940) -
General and administrative expenses (28,786) -
Financial expenses-net (7,073) -
Asset impairment loss (4,650) -
Add:
Gains/(losses) from changes in fair value (550) -
Investment income/(losses) (174) -
Operating profit 40,708 -
Add: Non-operating income 1,963 -
Less: Non-operating expenses (90) -
Total profit 42,581 -
Less: Income tax expenses (10,005) -
Net profit 32,486 -
Other comprehensive income 350 -
Total comprehensive income 32,836 -
Note: comparative figures are not presented in these illustrated financial statements
2012 2013
Cash flows from operating activities
Cash received from sales of goods or rendering of services -
Refund of taxes and surcharges 2,210 -
Cash received related to other operating activities 1,420 -
Subtotal of cash inflows 3,630 -
Cash paid for goods and services (69,203) -
Cash paid to and on behalf of employees (4,509) -
Payments of taxes and charges (10,317) -
Cash paid relating to other operating activities (101,706) -
Subtotal of cash outflows (185,735) -
Net cash flows from operating activities (182,105) -
Cash flows from investing activities
Cash received from disposal of investments 880 -
Cash received from returns on investments 448 -
Net cash received from disposal of fixed assets, intangible assets and other
long-term assets 474 -
Subtotal of cash inflows 1,802 -
Cash paid to acquire fixed assets, intangible assets and other long-term assets (12,205) -
Cash paid to acquire investments (1,331) -
Subtotal of cash outflows (13,536) -
Net cash flows from investing activities (11,734) -
Cash flows from financing activities
Cash received from capital contributions 950 -
Cash received from borrowings 58,500 -
Subtotal of cash inflows 59,450 -
Cash repayments of borrowings (71,000) -
Cash payments for interest expenses and distribution of dividends or profits (21,503) -
Subtotal of cash outflows (92,503) -
Net cash flows from financing activities (33,053) -
Effect of foreign exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents 535 -
Net increase in cash and cash equivalents (226,357) -
Add: cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year 36,212 -
Cash and cash equivalents at end of year (190,145) -
Note: comparative figures are not presented in these illustrated financial statements
Appendices 173
Brief summary of China tax categories, tax
rates and tax bases*
(excluding tax treaty considerations, by order of frequency)
Tax-exempt income
Various deductions
according to tax rules
Allowable losses brought
forward from previous years
Taxable income
*The tax rates and tax base for each tax categories are based on the state policies, publicised as at 31 January 2012
Appendices 175
Brief summary of tax filing patterns*
In-charge tax
Tax Withholding bureaus
Taxpayers Filing periods
categories agent(s) collecting the
taxes
Corporate Tax resident enterprises and For income derived Provisional reporting to be made State Tax Bureau
Income Tax non-tax resident enterprises by non-tax resident on a monthly or quarterly basis in most locations,
(CIT) (non-TREs) which derive enterprises (non- (depending on the amount of tax and the Local Tax
income in the territory of TREs) which have payable) and payment in advance, Bureau in other
China no establishments to be settled within 15 days from locations
or places in China, the end of each month or quarter;
the payer shall be
Annual CIT return shall be filed on
the withholding
or before 31 May following the end
agent
of a year, subject to some earlier
due date set by local level tax
bureaus
Individual Individuals who have The unit or person Monthly basis; IIT tax return shall Local Tax Bureau
Income Tax domiciles in China or that pays the be filed within 15 days following
(IIT) (specific individuals who do not have taxable income to the end of each month
to Employment domiciles in China but have the taxpayer
Income) resided in China for one year
(tax residents); and
Individuals who do not have
domiciles in China but have
resided in China for less
than one year (non-tax
residents)
Value-added Enterprises engaged in the Where an overseas Monthly filing as general practice; State Tax Bureau
Tax (VAT) sales or importation of entity/individual
Tax filing and payment shall be
goods and the provision of provides taxable
completed within 15 days following
repairs, replacement and services in China
the end of each month/quarter
processing services; and and does not have
Enterprises engaged in the a business
provision of transportation establishment, its
service and certain modern agent in China shall
services in China (under the be the withholding
VAT reform pilot program) agent. In the
absence of such an
agent, the recipient
of the service shall
be the withholding
agent
*The tax rates and tax base for each tax categories are based on State Policies, publicised as at 31 January 2012.
Appendices 177
In-charge tax
Tax Withholding bureaus
Taxpayers Filing periods
categories agent(s) collecting the
taxes
Local Any unit or individual liable N/A Payment and filing simultaneously Local Tax Bureau
Educational for value-added tax (VAT), with VAT, BT and CT filing and
Surcharge business tax (BT) and payment
(LES) consumption tax (CT)
Customs Duty The consignee of import N/A The duty payer of the import Customs Office
(CD) goods; goods shall, within 14 days of the
vehicle of transports entry
The consignor of export
declaration, submit a declaration
goods; and
to the customs office of the place
The owners of entry articles of entry;
The duty payer shall pay the duties
at the designated bank within 15
days of the day when customs
issues a duty payment notice
Stamp Duty All enterprises and N/A The taxpayer should calculate the Local Tax Bureau
(SD) individuals who execute or payable amount, purchase and
receive specified dutiable properly attach a sufficient
documents number of duty stamps;
Where the payable amount is
relatively large or stamps are
required often, the taxpayer may
apply to use payment slips instead
of duty stamps, or to calculate and
pay the total amount due
periodically
Real Estate Tax Owners, users or custodians N/A Calculated on an annual basis and Local Tax Bureau
(RET) of houses and buildings paid by instalments, according to
a filing schedule determined by the
local government
Deed Tax (DT) The transferee/assignee N/A Technically, payment to be settled Local Tax Bureau
units or individuals on the within 10 days after the date of
transfer of ownership of signing the property transfer
land-use rights or real agreement;
properties within China
However, in view of the practical
difficulties, local practices may
vary, depending on the in-charge
tax authority
Land Units and individuals which N/A Technically, the tax return should Local Tax Bureau
Appreciation derive income from the be filed within seven days of
Tax (LAT) transfer of state-owned signing of the agreement for the
land-use rights, buildings transfer of the real estate property;
and other structures on that However, in view of the practical
land difficulties, local practices may
vary, depending on the in-charge
tax authority
Appendices 179
Summary of withholding taxes for corporations
resident in treaty countries/regions
(Mainland China has signed 95 tax treaties with 95 countries and two arrangements with two
Special Administrative Regions as at 31 Dec 2011)
Appendices 181
No. Jurisdiction Jurisdiction Dividends Interest Royalties Place of Effective Enforcement
(English) (Chinese) % (1)% (2)% signature date date
51 Malta 10, 5 (a) 10 10, 7 Valleta 25 Aug 2011 1 Jan 2012
52 Mauritius 5 10 10 Beijing 4 May 1995 1 Jan 1996
53 Mexico 5 10 10 Mexico City 1 Mar 2006 1 Jan 2007
54 Moldova 10, 5 (3a) 10 10 Beijing 26 May 2001 1 Jan 2002
55 Mongolia 5 10 10 Ulaan Baator 23 Jun 1992 1 Jan 1993
56 Morocco 10 10 10 Rabat 16 Aug 2006 1 Jan 2007
57 Nepal 10 10 15 Katmandu 31 Dec 2010 1 Jan 2011
58 Netherlands 10 10 10, 6 Netherlands 5 Mar 1988 1 Jan 1989
59 New Zealand 15 10 10 Wellington 17 Dec 1986 1 Jan 1987
60 Nigeria 7.5 7.5 7.5 Abuja 21 Mar 2009 1 Jan 2010
61 Norway 15 10 10 Beijing 21 Dec 1986 1 Jan 1987
62 Oman 5 10 10 Muscat 20 Jul 2002 1 Jan 2003
63 Pakistan 10 10 12.5 Islamabad 27 Dec 1989 1 Jan 1990
(Mainland China)/
1 Jul 1990
(withholding tax in
mainland China
only)/1 Jul 1990
(Pakistan)
64 Papua New 15 10 10 Beijing 16 Aug 1995 1 Jan 1996
Guinea
65 Philippines 15, 10 (3g) 10 15 (5b),10 Beijing 23 Mar 2001 1 Jan 2002
66 Poland 10 10 10, 7 Beijing 7 Jan 1989 1 Jan 1990
67 Portugal 10 10 10 Beijing 7 Jun 2000 1 Jan 2001
68 Qatar 10 10 10 Beijing 21 Oct 2008 1 Jan 2009
69 Romania 10 10 7 Beijing 5 Mar 1992 1 Jan 1993
70 Russia 10 10 10 Beijing 10 Apr 1997 1 Jan 1998
71 Saudi Arabia 5 10 10 Beijing 1 Sep 2006 1 Jan 2007
72 Seychelles 5 10 10 Beijing 17 Dec 1999 1 Jan 2000
73 Singapore 10, 5 (3a) 10, 7 (4a) 10, 6 Singapore 18 Sep 2007 1 Jan 2008
74 Slovak 10 10 10 Prague 23 Dec 1987 1 Jan 1988
Republic
75 Slovenia 5 10 10 Beijing 27 Dec 1995 1 Jan 1996
76 South Africa 5 10 10, 7 Pretoria 7 Jan 2001 1 Jan 2002
77 Spain 10 10 10, 6 Beijing 20 May 1992 1 Jan 1993
78 Sri Lanka 10 10 10 Beijing 22 May 2005 1 Jan 2006
79 Sudan 5 10 10 Beijing 9 Feb 1999 1 Jan 2000
80 Sweden 10, 5 (3a) 10 10, 7 Stockholm 3 Jan 1987 1 Jan 1987
81 Switzerland 10 10 10, 6 Beijing 27 Sep 1991 1 Jan 1990
82 Syria 10, 5 (3a) 10 10 Damascus 1 Sep 2011 1 Jan 2012
Appendices 183
Notes:
This table is a summary only, and does not reproduce all the provisions relevant in determining the application of withholding taxes in each tax treaty/arrangement.
The former Czechoslovak Socialist Republic is divided into the Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic.
The former Yugoslavia is divided into Bosnia, Croatia, Macedonia, Serbia, Slovenia and Yugoslavia.
There is no tax treaty signed between China and Bosnia and Serbia.
The numbers in parentheses refer to the following numbered notes.
(1) Nil on interest paid to government bodies except for Australia, Brunei, Cyprus, Israel, Slovenia and Spain. Reference should be made to the individual tax treaties.
(2) The lower rate on royalties applies for the use of or right to use any industrial, commercial or scientific equipment.
(3a) The lower rate applies where the beneficial owner of the dividend is a company (not a partnership) that directly owns at least 25% of the capital of the paying company.
(3b) The lower rate applies where the beneficial owner of the dividend is a company that directly owns at least 25% of the voting shares of the paying company.
(3c) The lowest rate (i.e., 0%) applies where the beneficial owner is a company that owns directly or indirectly at least 50% of the capital of the paying company and the
investment exceeding two million euros. The lower rate (i.e., 5%) applies where the beneficial owner is a company that directly or indirectly owns at least 10% of the
capital of the paying company and the investment exceeding 100,000 euros.
(3d) The lower rate applies where the beneficial owner of the dividend is a company that directly owns at least 25% of the capital of the paying company.
(3e) The lower rate applies where the beneficial owner of the dividend is a company that directly or indirectly owns at least 25% of the capital of the paying company.
(3f) The lower rate applies where the beneficial owner of the dividend is a company that owns at least 10% of the voting stock of the paying company.
(3g) The lower rate applies where the beneficial owner of the dividend is a company that directly owns at least 10% of the capital of the paying company.
(3h) The lower rate applies where the beneficial owner is a company (other than a partnership) which directly owns at least 10% of the capital of the paying company.
(3i) The lower rate applies where the beneficial owner of the dividend is a company (not a partnership) that directly owns at least 25% of the capital of the paying company
within at least 12 consecutive months before the payment takes place.
(4a) The lower rate applies to interest payable to banks or financial institutions.
(5a) The higher rate applies to trademarks.
(5b) The higher rate applies to copyright of literary, artistic or scientific work including cinematograph films or tapes for television or broadcasting.
(5c) The lower rate applies to royalties paid for technical or economic studies or for technical assistance.
(6) These tax treaties have not yet entered into force as of 31 December 2011.
More than US$30 million Higher of US$12 million or 33.3% of total investment
Appendices 185
PwCs offices in China
Macau
29/F, Bank of China Building, 323
Avenida Doutor Mario Soares Macau
T: +853 8799 5111
F: +853 8799 5222