Why invest in Guangzhou

There is a reason why Guangzhou is so popular among foreign investors - good government initiatives

 

As one of the first cities in China to open up to the outside  world,  Guangzhou has long been known as a for ward-looking and pragmatic city.  With decades  of experience in international commerce,  it is also rapidly developing a mature legal system. In an evaluation of Chinese  cities conducted by the World Bank, Guangzhou topped the list of 23  cities with an A+ score for its “excellent overall investment environment”.

 

Profitability among foreign investors is clearly on the rise. Peter Kung, a senior partner of a Big 4 accounting firm, was quoted by local media as saying that statistics show some enterprises invested in China have reaped profits  here  10 times higher than what they are making in the US. Recent surveys among  foreign enterprises  invested in Southern China indicate that Guangzhou is  their most profitable base in the country.

 

Just look at the report from the American Chamber of Commerce in Southem  China. “Seventy-five percent of foreign-invested enterprises think that the  Pearl River Delta is a most ideal place for investment, and Guangzhou is their  first choice. Moreover, 86% of foreign-invested enterprises say that they will  increase investment in Guangzhou.”

 

To strengthen its role as a regional center and to better serve its investors, Guangzhou is sparing no effort to improve its regulatory and legal systems.

 

In order to provide  investors with the most updated and effective market intelligence , the municipal government established the Guangzhou Foreign

Economic Affairs and Trade Center in 1985, the first of its kind in the country. Relevant government organizations dealing with foreign affairs are stationed there in one building, providing a one-stop service for foreign investors.

 

In recent years, the center has shifted its functions from answering inquiries  to actually providing services in handling government formalities and  procedures for investors. A total of 16 governmental organizations, including  customs, foreign exchange, taxation,public security, foreign trade and economy, industries and commerce and environment are gathered in this center.

 

In accordance with  its goal to improve the “soft” investment environment , the municipal government has quickened the  establishment  of a pioneering E-government system, which has been specially promoted to improve the openness of government  information, public service  functions and interaction between government and the public. The website of the Guangzhou Municipal Government provides links to 115 government departments and service organizations with 1,840 on-line service items,  576 of which will facilitate online applications,  accounting  for 45% of all administrative licensing items in Guangzhou. Average daily visits have surpassed 300,000.