Doing Business in China 2020
Foreword 04 Chapter I Economy profile of China 06 1. Global & China economy outlook 07 2. China's 14th Five-year Plan 09 3. Growth drivers 10 Chapter II Shaping a new era: the evolving business environment in China 11 1. A more open China 12 2. An impartial China 36 3. An innovative China 40 Chapter III Where to invest: tap emerging opportunities 59 1. Free trade zones in China 66 2. China's high potential locations 72 3. Greater Bay Area 75 Chapter IV About Deloitte Global Chinese Services Group 73 1. The business enabler between China and the world 80 2. Our activities in the market 81 3. Global Belt & Road Initiative 2.0 71 Chapter V Acknowledgement 79 Endnotes 81 Doing Business in China 2020 | Foreword Foreword
The Doing Business in China 2020 handbook comes at an important moment for foreign investors. In the wake of a pandemic and rising geo-political tensions, the global trade environment has changed and the world markets are in an unprecedented period of uncertainty. In response, multinationals have to think differently about how and where they do business. As we move towards a post-pandemic world, companies in search of growth or diversification need to adapt. They need to look beyond John Hung traditional ways of doing business and focus their sights on Chairman emerging opportunities in the new normal. In this context, China Deloitte Global Chinese has become more important than ever. Services Group [email protected]
Since 2003, Deloitte's Global Chinese Services Group (GCSG) has been advising Chinese companies on expanding their global presence and multinational companies on operating in China. We believe the uncertainties of today represent a moment of real opportunity. For many, China is seen as an unconventional and complex market. The prospect of doing business here could be daunting even before the pandemic. Certainly it poses great challenges in the current climate, but as Beijing further lifts restrictions on foreign investment to stimulate economic activity, many foreign investors are well-placed to benefit from a market where new opportunities continue to emerge in a range of different sectors. China's growth playbook, the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025), also targets a greater opening up and improved business environment for foreign investors.
04 Doing Business in China 2020 | Foreword
There is great potential for companies with the right support in place. This is where the Doing Business in China has such an invaluable role to play. You will find in this updated version a wealth of the latest market information and practical advice produced by Deloitte's subject matter experts across different industries and sectors. The handbook highlights major growth drivers for China's economic transformation and examines newly introduced policies leading to a foreign capital–friendly business environment. It also dives into some of the China hot topics with an emphasis on retail, mobility, smart city and FinTech. Last but not least, it explores the different investment location offers including regional free trade zones, economic zones, and the Greater Bay Area for newcomers as well as those looking to expand their existing presence.
This handbook provides an excellent reference for anyone considering a China market entry strategy, and also for multinationals as they expand their operations within China. I hope you will find it useful. I wish you all the best as you connect with exciting new opportunities in the new norm.
05 Doing Business in China 2020 | Chapter I Economy profile of China
Chapter I Economy profile of China
06 Doing Business in China 2020 | Chapter I Economy profile of China
1. Global & China economy outlook 1.2 Economic transformation 1.1 Trade war and geopolitical complexity In the period of rising global uncertainties, Over the past 20 years of globalization, the China's economy has also shifted from a stage global supply chain has developed into a highly- of high-speed growth to a stage of high-quality interconnected network among countries; development. Besides GDP growth, regional meanwhile, the deepened international labor coordination, improvement of people's livelihood, division has further widened the gap between the social progress and ecological environment are rich and the poor, and impacted the multilateral also important factors constituting the system trade system and policy coordination mechanism. of indicators used to measure high-quality Currently, the protectionism and populism are development. gaining ground. The economic friction between the United States and its trading partners is While transforming to high-quality development, deteriorating, causing the global geopolitical China's economy is experiencing both cyclical uncertainty. In this context, the global trade, as slowdown and structural adjustment. Despite an important driving force for global economy, is the decline in growth rate, China's economy is facing tremendous downward pressure. gradually releasing more growth potential and momentum. Firstly, the development of digital The COVID-19 pandemic further cast a shadow on economy has led to the increasing investment in the global economy. The International Monetary "new infrastructure". On the strength of strong Fund predicts that the global GDP will fall into market capacity and technological development, negative growth in 2020 and will not see signs of China's digital economy accounts for nearly recovery until 2021. As countries take measures 35% of its GDP (2018). The “New Infrastructure" to deal with the pandemic, both market supply proposed in 2020, will put more efforts on and demand are squeezed, causing severe impact the infrastructure construction of the science on the normal operation of the global supply and technology, with a focus on 5G, artificial chain. Thus, many countries began to reflect on intelligence, industrial Internet, Internet of Things their positioning in the global value chain and to and other fields, accelerating the development explore new modes of cooperation. As a result, and penetration of digital economy. Secondly, the countries will transfer their production capacity of economic growth has shifted from investment strategic goods to local regions; and multinational driven to consumption driven. In 2019, the final companies will consider striking a new balance consumption expenditure contributed 57.8% to between efficiency and resilience in supply chain the GDP growth and has been the first driving distribution. force of economic growth for 7 consecutive years.
07 Doing Business in China 2020 | Chapter I Economy profile of China
Figure 1: Slowdown of economic growth