工資上漲:美國公司在中國的愛與恨
It's not that American multinationals don't love China. They do. But for different reasons now. They like the growing middle class. They like the data on luxury spending and on car loving Chinese. What they don't like is rising wages.
並不是說美國跨國企業現在已經不再喜歡中國。其實恰恰相反，只不過原因不再跟以前一樣了。他們喜歡不斷壯大的中產階級，喜歡中國蒸蒸日上的奢侈品銷售勢頭以及熱愛汽車的中國人。然而令他們感到反感的是不斷上漲的工資。What brought them to China in the first place, cheap and abundant labor, is no longer the case. And that has American businessmen souring somewhat on China, according to the U.S. China Business Council (USCBC), a Washington DC-based lobby firm for American multinationals.
據美中貿易全國委員會（U.S. China Business Council）稱，跨國公司一開始被中國吸引是因爲這裏的勞動力豐富且廉價，但這種情況已一去不復返了。這使得美國企業對中國的喜愛之情多少打了些折扣。“Tempered optimism sums up corporate America's view of the China business environment for the second year in a row, ” said John Frisbee, president of the USCBC. While most respondents to the U.S. China Business Council's annual survey said China remains among their company's top five priorities, fewer respondents this year ranked China as their number one priority.
美中貿易全國委員會會長約翰?弗里斯比(John Frisbee，中文名：傅強恩)表示，“概括起來說，美國企業對中國商業環境的看法是樂觀的，不過這種樂觀情緒已經連續第二年出現下滑。”雖然大多數接受該商會年度調查的受訪者表示，中國依然是他們公司前五大優先拓展業務的國家或地區之一，但今年表示將中國列爲首選國家要少於往年。
“For the second consecutive year, respondents suggested that companies' optimism about the prospects for the market in the next five years has moderated, ” Frisbee said in a statement Thursday. Rising costs for labor, lax intellectual property rights enforcement, competition with Chinese companies, and challenges with the licensing and business approval process continue to rank as the top issues of concern to foreign companies doing business in China. But the number one issue was the fact that Chinese workers are earning more than ever.
“根據受訪者反映的情況看，美國公司對中國未來五年前景的樂觀態度連續第二年下滑，” 傅強恩在週四發表的聲明中說道。用工成本高企、對知識產權保護不力、與中國企業的競爭以及在執照和業務審批流程中遇到的種種困難一直是國外企業在中國經商面臨的最主要問題。但其中的首要問題是中國工人比以前掙得多了。One company in the survey, which was not named, said that, “Costs, particularly in major metropolitan areas, are moving to a point that China is no longer world-competitive.”
在這次調查中，一家未透露名稱的公司表示，“用工成本，尤其是在主要大都市，正向中國失去全球競爭力的轉折點逼近。”Despite higher labor costs, more than 90% of survey respondents report that their China operations are profitable, the highest percentage reported since USCBC began surveying its membership.
雖然用工成本越來越高，但九成以上的受訪者表示他們在中國的業務是盈利的，是自該商會對其會員開展這項調研以來的最高水平。But looking into their crystal ball shows a future China that's radically different from its past. This is no longer a Happy Meal toy economy, and corporate investors know it.
但是，他們的預測卻顯示出一個未來與過去截然不同的中國。它再也不是世界經濟的 “開心樂園餐”了，公司的投資者對此心知肚明。The vast majority of respondents have expressed concern about rising costs since the question was first asked in 2007.
自2007年以來，絕大多數受訪者都表示，最擔心的問題是成本上升。Only in 2009 as the global recession was at its height and wage pressures eased did that number dip below 80%. Human resources costs have consistently been the specific cost of most concern, reaching 92% in this year's survey.
只有在2009年，當全球經濟陷入嚴重衰退，工資壓力緩解的時候，這個數字才跌倒過80%以下。人力資源成本一直是在華美企最爲擔心的問題，在今年的調查中，這個比例達到92%。Top Ten China Concerns
在華美企最爲擔心的十大問題1. Cost Increases
1. 用工成本上升2. Competition with Chinese Companies in China
2. 在中國與中資企業的競爭3. Administrative Licensing
3. 行政許可4. Human Resources: Talent Recruitment and Retention
4. 人力資源：人才招聘和挽留5. Intellectual Property Rights Enforcement
5. 知識產權保護6. Uneven Enforcement/Implementation of Chinese Laws
6. 不公平的法律實施和執行7. Nondiscrimination/National Treatment
7. 非歧視性原則/國民待遇8. Transparency
8. 透明度9. Standards and Comformity Assessment
9. 標準和合格評定10. Foreign Investment Restrictions
10. 外國投資限制In 2007, 88% of respondents were worried about rising labor costs, dropping to 70% in 2009.
2007年，88%的受訪者擔心用工成本上升，2009年這個數字曾一度降至70%。
