Canadian Business Pursuits in the PRC, Hong Kong and Taiwan, and Chinese Perception of Canadians as Business Partners
研究了加拿大在中国大陆、香港和台湾的商业活动，并调查了中国人对加拿大人谈判风格和可靠性的看法，发现中国人认为加拿大人比美国人更诚实但不够直接。
This paper examines Canada's business pursuits in the People's Republic of China, Hong Kong and Taiwan, and reports the findings of a survey on Chinese perception of Canadians in their negotiation style and dependability as business partners. Compared to US-Americans, Canadians in negotiations are being perceived by the Chinese to be less individualistic, more formal, less direct, more honest, less legalistic, and less determined. The Chinese also believe Canadians are generally dependable, and are better in the human-related factors but not as good as US-Americans in the organizationrelated factors of dependability. INTRODUCTION Pacific Asia has had the world's fastest rate of economic growth in the last thirty years. Within the region, the People's Republic of China (PRC), Hong Kong and Taiwan together form a distinctive bloc of Chinese cultural heritage territories with eminent economic success. Since July 1, 1997, Hong Kong has become a `Special Administrative Region' of the PRC. Unofficial negotiations for reunification between the PRC and Taiwan were initiated in 1993. These negotiations were stalled in early 1997, but lately there are indications that the two sides would like to resume the process. When one day the PRC, Hong Kong and Taiwan are reunited to become one `greater-China' it will have a total population of 1.3 billion, and a GDP in purchasing power parity terms rivalling that of the U.S.A. This paper examines Canada's business pursuits in the PRC, Hong Kong and Taiwan, and the Chinese perception of Canadians as business alliance partners in their negotiation style and dependability as business partners. It starts off with a brief review of Canada's trade and direct investments in these Chinese territories. Next, the use of business alliances is examined. This is followed by a report of the findings of a survey on Chinese perception of Canadians in their negotiation style and dependability as business partners, and how they are being compared to US-Americans. Finally, the paper concludes with a short discussion of the limitations and implications of the findings. TRADE AND DIRECT INVESTMENTS Ever since the PRC introduced economic reforms and openness in the country in 1978, its economic structure and its business relationships with Hong Kong and Taiwan have changed dramatically. Coupled with the surge in domestic growth in the country and in Taiwan which also liberalized its economy in the early 1980s, trades among the three Chinese territories have increased by leaps and bounds. Presently, the PRC and Hong Kong are respectively each other's largest trading partner and 'foreign' investor. Taiwan's indirect trade with the PRC via Hong Kong has also increased many folds in the last ten years. The expansion and integration of the three economies have opened up many business opportunities for local and foreign investors, and this has not eluded the attention of Canada. Both the Canadian government and private companies have in the last ten years stepped up their efforts to foster a closer business relationship with the Chinese, and they have had some success. In 1995, Canada's trade with the PRC, Hong Kong and Taiwan totalled C$15.0 billion. This amount was about 50% higher than that of 1992 (C$9.9 billion), and more than three times that of 1985 (C$4.8 billion). Together, the Chinese territories are now Canada's third largest trading partner next to the U.S.A. and Japan. Apart from merchandise trade, Canada's business pursuits in the PRC, Hong Kong and Taiwan also include extensive direct investments and export of industrial services, mostly in infrastructure and resource development related industries such as telecommunications, transportation, energy, mining and environmental management. There are no government statistics on foreign investment earnings and service fees received by Canadian companies broken down by geographical areas; hence, it is impossible to tell how much income has been earned by Canadian direct investments and sale of industrial services in the Chinese territories. …