| Europe is too large to ignore. When asked, “What is Europe?” many businesses may point to the 27-member European Union. But Europe’s opportunities are much broader than that. For example, the European Economic Area and the European Free Trade Association countries have integrated many of their regulations with the European Union. The EFTA countries (Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Switzerland), though small in population, are among the wealthiest in the world. There are many cultural and economic barriers to successfully operating in Europe for Chinese companies. |
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China has become one of the leading world economies, attracting substantial foreign investments, which have transformed China into a highly competitive manufacturing and service providing source; as well as one of the fastest growing consumer markets. This has prompted many foreign companies to either manufacture their goods in China for export, or sell their Western products or services to Chinese corporate and retail consumers. What many foreign companies recognize, however, is that the differences in language, cultural traditions and business practices can be a barrier to successfully manufacturing or selling in China. |
