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Leaving no Stone Unturned: Foreign Investment Sought Worldwide

With the global economic crisis still ongoing, some enterprises have reported having difficulties in getting financing, and opportunities to diversify abroad to hedge losses or to expand markets are limited. Companies worldwide are struggling because of shrinking demand, the tightening of capital markets and uncertainty about the future. High-risk investors are lying low.

However, not all investment vehicles have been overturned by the financial storm; there are investors in the hunt for a good opportunity, but even for these wizened investors avoiding unnecessary risk is the name of today’s financial game. “Safety first” can be heard from lips of financial commentators everywhere.

The annual survey of the American Chamber of Commerce-China showed that 78 percent of its members still consider China to be among the top-three investment destinations in the world. And despite financial turmoil, Beijing has maintained stable growth in its foreign investment since 2008, with realized foreign investment of US$6.08 billion, up 20.1 percent year-on-year, according to the Beijing Municipal Commission of Commerce (BMCC).

In February 2009, Siemens announced a new first tranche of 1.35 billion yuan (US$202.5 million) in investment in Beijing. The funds will be used in the alternative energy sector.

China is still the major driving force in Siemens’ global business operations, according to Siemens CEO Peter Loescher. China offers not only lower production costs but a huge domestic market for investment.

Richard Hausmann, president of Siemens Limited China, said China needs to replace obsolete technologies that are not environmentally friendly and to ensure the safe operation of its power system while reducing energy consumption. This means China’s demand will continue to grow for environmentally friendly and energy-conserving technologies.

Many other multinational companies have expressed high confidence in China. At the beginning of 2009, the world’s largest online book retailer Amazon injected US$45 million into its Beijing company. Genzyme, a bio-science company in the United States, recently made its first move in Beijing with an investment of US$33 million. At a time when US auto giants are facing a risk of collapsing, the world’s largest auto-leasing company Hertz has made an investment of US$10 million.

In the first two months of 2009, Beijing received contracted investment of US$1.61 billion while realized investment totalled US$1 billion, according to Liang Jingyuan, director of Foreign Investment Development Department of the BMCC. Much of the growth in realized investment came with the addition of capital allocated to existing projects. 

Liang said not every sector of the economy was badly hit by the crisis. “Take the added investment of US$50 million by the Korean financial leasing company Doosan (China) Financial Leasing Corporation: they made their move because they noticed the shortage of capital in the market under the current situation. Besides, the crisis has exerted less of an effect on the manufacturing sector, where many existing and large-scale projects continue to get investment injections, driving the continual growth of foreign investment for Beijing in the beginning of 2009.”

In 2008, foreign investment flowed mainly into the services industry, with contracted and realized investment accounting for 82 percent and 72.9 percent of foreign investment. Investment in the producers’ services industry grew the fastest, accounting for 72.9 percent of the realized investment in the tertiary industry. At the same time, secondary industries achieved an increase of 74 percent year-on-year in realized foreign investment.

Beijing’s foreign investment in the beginning of 2009 continued the 2008 trend with money flowing mainly into the services industry, especially the producers’ service industry such as information services, high-technologies, finance, logistics and the biomedical sectors. 

Still, Beijing is taking nothing for granted in pursuing stable growth in foreign investment. According to Liang, contracted foreign investment showed signs of declining or slowing down in the latter half of 2008, which may continue.

In an interview with Business Beijing, Liang outlined plans for keeping foreign investment stable in the remainder of 2009.

Foreign investment examination and approval authorities have continued to improve their procedures and services, making them more efficient. The BMCC has entrusted “rights of approval” in certain sectors, such as retail, to district- and county-level authorities, so that the processes can be shortened.

The BMCC will undertake more initiatives to promote Beijing’s business environment, such as small-scale but targeted business invitation activities, according to Liang. “As with this year, the biomedical sector is one of our focuses, and the Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area (BDA), Daxing County and Zhongguancun Science Park have accommodated many companies in this area. We will concentrate on promoting our biochemical industry industrial clusters to potential investors in the United States and Japan, which we believe are the most developed in this area."

The BMCC will also take advantage of opportunities that come with participation in international exhibitions such as the electronic toy exhibition in Tokyo in October and an international medical exhibition in Düsseldorf, Germany, in November, along with other fairs where global companies get together.

The BMCC will also make use of the information and resources available via international consulting companies such as PricewaterhouseCoopers, Deloitte, and law firms to seek and recommend quality investors and to follow up with governmental services. 

To attract more small- and medium-sized foreign investors, the BMCC will cooperate with chambers of commerce and industry associations to make connections with those companies.

Beijing is launching two policy initiatives designed to attract multinational companies to establish headquarters in Beijing and to promote the development of its services outsourcing industry. This will promote foreign investment growth in accordance with Beijing’s economic transformation.

The Beijing Municipal Government will continue to improve the city's business environment for development to encourage  companies already in Beijing to increase capital injections. Senior officials of related departments have been authorized to make contact with the top-50 companies in each sector to understand their situations, difficulties and needs and to improve governmental services.

As for the preference of foreign investment, Liang said it coincides with the needs of the municipality’s development. “We welcome investment in the high-tech sector, in the commercial services sector such as in information, financial, science and technology and logistics, and of course, the cultural and creative industry. In addition, we also encourage investment in the modern manufacturing sector, another focus for us. Other investment opportunities exist in the air quality and food safety areas and in many areas involving environmental issues. Many Japanese companies have shown interest in these programmes and are preparing to invest in Beijing.

多项措施助力北京市利用外资保持平稳增长

文/薛京晶

2008年利用外资再创历史新高

2008年，北京市利用外资取得跨越式新发展。北京市商务委员会的统计数据显示：2008年，北京新设立的外商直接投资项目1897个，实际利用外资金额60.8亿美元，增长20.1%，增幅比2007年提高8.8个百分点，创历史新高，而这一数字相当于北京市在1986—1995年10年间利用外资的总和。

第三产业尤其是生产性服务业，继续成为北京利用外资最为集中的领域。统计资料显示，在超过60亿美元的外商投资中，有超过70%都流向了第三产业，而其中又有72.3%的外资投向了以商务、信息、科技、金融、物流等为主的生产性服务业。其中，以投资性公司等总部企业为主的商务服务业实际利用外资13.2亿美元，同比增长了60.7%；外商投资集中的信息传输、计算机服务和软件业领域，实际利用外资9.85亿美元，同比增长30.8%；中铁联合国际集装箱有限公司在2008年大幅入资，带动了交通运输和仓储业增长60%；荷银租赁(中国)有限公司的入资带动了金融业实际外资增长107.5%。

跨国公司在北京投资和增资的势头也保持强劲。截至2008年末，世界500强企业已有159家在北京投资。共设立投资性公司113家，约占中国的60％。设立地区总部19家、各类研发机构50多家。目前，北京市已累计批准外商投资企业170929家，合同外资金额350.9亿美元，实际利用外资256.1亿美元。外商投资涉及18个行业门类、86个行业大类、317个行业中类，形成了全方位、宽领域、多层次利用外资发展的格局。

外商投资的来源地相对集中

目前，北京市利用外资主要来源于香港、英属维尔京群岛、开曼群岛，分别占全市实际外资的28.5%、20.6%和12.4%。

香港投资保持双增长，是北京市利用外资主要来源地。2008年，来自香港的合同外资为46.5亿美元，同比增长51.4%，占56.8%；实际利用外资为17.3亿美元，同比增长16.1%，占28.5%。实际投资主要集中于4个行业，分别是房地产业，占22.8%；租赁和商务服务业，占15.2%；信息传输、计算机服务和软件业，占15%；交通运输、仓储和邮政业，占14%。

美国在北京的投资总体发展也趋于良好。2008年，来自美国的合同外资3.1亿美元，同比增长68.2%，占3.8%；实际利用外资1.8亿美元，同比下降2.1%，占2.9%。投资主要集中于生产性服务业领域，其中商务服务业占21.3%，金融业占16.8%，科技研发服务业占13%。

日本、韩国以及自由港的实际外资增长。2008年，来自日本和韩国的实际外资分别增长55.3%和14%。日本的实际外资主要集中于商务服务业，占到55.5%。韩国的投资主要集中于制造业，到占47.3%。

来自英属维尔京、开曼群岛、毛里求斯以及萨摩亚等自由港的合同外资下降59.6%，占全市的16.2%；实际外资增长12.7%，占全市的34.7%。其中，仅开曼群岛合同、实际双增长，分别为11.5%和9.9%；英属维尔京群岛实际外资增长20.1%，合同外资下降86.8%。自由港在京投资主要集中在信息传输、通信设备和化学原料制造业等领域。

跃升为境外投资的首选地

从2004年以来，北京市利用外资水平一年达到一个新台阶，始终保持着增长的态势。从2004年的30亿美元发展到2008年的超过60亿美元，创下了历史新高。然而，由于受到世界金融危机的影响，从2008年下半年开始，北京市利用外资的增长速度开始逐渐放缓。北京市商务委员会外商投资综合发展处副处长梁惊原分析了其中的主要原因：第一，全球股票市场缩水，影响了外商的投资能力。第二，由于受到金融危机的影响，许多外资企业的业绩出现下滑趋势，由此导致利润下降，使资金供给受到影响。第三，全球经济下滑产生的不确定性和高风险性，使外资公司的投资决策放缓，对其未来的投资产生负面影响。

但北京利用外资依然保持着温和增长的态势，梁惊原解释说，增长的原因主要是由于此前已有项目的外资企业的增资。2008年，北京市合同外资总金额为82亿美元。2009年1—2月，北京市合同外资增长7%，达到16.1亿美元；实际利用外资增长5%，达到10亿美元。

在全球金融危机面前，中国尤其是北京市场仍被许多跨国公司和境外投资者视为首选投资地。在2009年初召开的北京国际商务新春招待会上，沃尔沃（中国）投资有限公司、正大（中国）投资有限公司、赫兹汽车租赁（北京）有限公司等多家外资企业在京“大手笔”注资，新设和增资外资大项目合计金额近3亿美元。

在众多新设和增资外企中，世界最大的国际汽车租赁公司——赫兹公司首次进入北京市场，并一举注资1000万美元。此外，美国生物科技领域第二大企业——健赞公司也首次在北京新设投资3300万美元。“全球经济增长受金融危机影响明显放缓，2009年对于在北京投资的外资企业同样具有挑战性。但相信其中也蕴藏着重大机会，依然是充满希望的一年。”北京外商投资企业协会会长、加拿大蒙特利尔银行北京分行行长幸公杰表示。

2009年3月，北京市投资促进局局长张吉福在做客城市服务管理广播“市民对话一把手”节目时表示，在当前金融危机的影响下，跨国公司对北京的关注度反而增加，北京对外资企业的吸引力不降反升，这是由于北京巨大的市场潜力以及奥运会后影响力，投资工作的机遇与挑战并存。企业投融资能力的下降和一些投资项目的风险和不稳定性限制了企业投资的意愿。但由于2008年北京人均GDP达到9000美元，已经是中等发达城市向发达城市转换的重要战略基地。这使许多外资企业都对北京表现出了充分的信心，出现了许多逆势增资、投资的现象。进入2009年以来，以信息、科技、金融、物流、生物医药等为主的生产性服务业仍将是外资企业在北京投资的热点。

为外资企业提供全程信息化服务

2009年，北京在对外资企业年检工作中提出了更多的服务措施，继续优化“网上年检”系统，提高年检服务效率。为企业提供从年检提示、政策咨询、服务预约、社会评价、信息查询到远程办理的全程信息化服务。同时，利用商务楼宇管理制度，在外商投资企业入驻较为集中的商务楼宇、写字楼设立年检服务点，由专人负责现场办理，有效提高年检效率，切实为企业服务。

此外，北京市政府还编制和下发了《外商投资企业照后指导意见书》，从市场准入及退出、企业登记事项监管、年检制度、广告监督、商标监督等方面向外商投资企业提出了指导意见。利用“市场主体网格监管系统”的手机短信息群发功能，提前30天对尚未按期缴纳出资的外商投资企业进行行政提示，提醒其及时办理入资或延期登记，以行政指导手段规范外商投资企业的经营行为。

2009年保持利用外资稳定增长

2009年，北京市商务委员会将通过多种途径保持全市利用外资稳定增长，并且进一步扩大招商引资的规模和范围。为此提出了以下措施：

第一，提高审批效率。进一步下放审批权限，并且将一些特权下放到各区县。第二，吸引更多的外商和外资企业关注北京。为此，北京市商务委员会开展了主动性的招商引资行动，坚持小规模、专业化定向招商方式，增强针对性、实效性。针对2009年北京市产业发展重点发展方向，突出引资重点，提升生产性服务业、文化创意产业、高新技术产业等领域的引资比重。同时，继续加强与世界500强企业、境外知名招商中介机构、外国商会和外国驻华使馆联系，促进外商在京新设立投资性公司等大企业。第三，利用国际展会招商引资。利用世界著名大企业在国际展销会上聚集的机会，向海外中高端市场推介北京品牌产品和名牌企业。实现出口、进口、招商“三合一”的完美结合，打造“走出去”的“北京队”，为企业开拓海外市场提供多方位的服务。第四，大力发展服务贸易与服务外包，利用国际中介机构谏商。北京市商务委员会将会同有关部门共同建设北京服务外包公共信息平台、技术平台和培训平台，建立服务外包统计体系。规范和支持服务外包示范园区建设。同时，充分利用麦肯锡、普华永道、德勤等国际著名中介机构的服务，吸引知名跨国公司将更多的业务转移到北京，提高北京市利用外资的能力。

此外，据梁惊原介绍，根据北京市2009年利用外资的规划，要求北京市商务委员会的每位局长、处长都要到至少50家在京大企业中了解其目前的需求，解决企业的实际困难，为企业发展创造一个良好的投资环境。

零售外资企业纷纷进京“抢滩”

全球性的金融危机虽然给外资零售企业带来一定的影响，但并没有改变其在北京投资的信心，零售外资企业和港澳台企业纷纷在京追加投资，加快在京开设新店的步伐。

刚刚进入2009年，就有２家营业面积在3000平方米以上的零售外资店铺在北京开业。据悉，北京市在2009年还将有近20家外资零售企业在京开新店，新增营业面积将达到数万平方米，并创造上万个就业机会。

梁惊原对此表示，2009年1月开业的欧尚来广营大型综合超市，营业面积为12000平方米，开业以来销售业绩较好；2月新开业的台湾特力屋来广营家居用品专业店，营业面积也近4000平方米⋯⋯外资企业的进驻为京城百姓提供了更多的消费选择空间。另外，台湾的统杰法宝超市、美国的蕃麦士超市、美国苹果电子用品专卖店、美国耐克体育用品专卖店、西班牙服装专卖店、日本便利店、西班牙迪亚天天折扣店等世界著名品牌零售外资企业也将于2009年在北京开设新的店铺。据家乐福北方区负责人介绍，每开一家新店，就能直接为当地提供400余个就业岗位。

2009年2月，北京市商务委员会主任卢彦在做客城市服务管理广播时表示，北京商业领域不存在外资出逃问题，仅在进入2009年后的不足2个月时间内，已经有36家外商零售企业准备进入。2009年1月，北京的社会商品零售总额达到443亿元，是近年来单月销售最高点。

卢彦表示，自1993年北京商业领域允许外资进入以来，到2008年，累计进入外资商业企业2250家，仅2008年就有500家。从2009年的形势看，截至2月18日，外资已经比2008年1、2月增加了2000万美元，这同样反映出外商对北京的判断是良好的，认为北京有空间和机会，同时也印证了首都市场的发展活力。