摩根 2009年8月30日

我照常以4小时的中文课开始这个平常的周六，随后我直接回到使馆办公室开始工作，在路上，两个茴香包子成了我的午餐。我往往会在办公室多待上一段，但今天碰巧电脑打不开，加上外面阳光明媚，微风习习，在办公室工作一小时后，我决定回家在院子里阅读。

刚回到家，就接到了一个英资工厂中国经理的电话。这家工厂开在中国一个地区性城市，主要生产家装产品输出欧洲和日本，是一家英国公司从一家本地公司手里连同员工和设备一起购得的。中国公司同时还在继续使用周围的厂房设备。这位经理在电话中听起来惊惶失措。中国公司要求她交付大额款项，却只愿意开具三分之一金额的发票。她坚持只有获得全额发票才付款。双方对峙开始有点失控。本周五，中国公司老板扣押了从英国运来的一批货。他还威胁要关掉工厂，扣押器材。英国工厂经理只得报了警，警察赶到了现场，却以这是一起经济纠纷为由拒绝干预。

在这样的情况下，我只能尽我能力帮忙，我答应经理的要求，通过我在当地政府联系人寻求帮助。我坐公交回到使馆，希望在名片盒中找到今年早前在另外一家英国公司签约活动上认识的政府官员的名片。我原以为我有他们的手机号码，结果却只有办公电话，只好等到办公时间再与他们联系。没有人能保证此事会有积极结果，但若是结果不理想，这个城市的英国投资者信心将受到打击。

虽然这发生在被认为有投资潜力的35个中国城市之一。对于我而言，这次事件反映出了一个普遍问题：我们如何才能更好的向英国企业宣传中国商机，同时让他们更清楚的了解其中的风险。

未完待续 请关注事件进展

I started as usual with four hours Chinese study, two fennel "baozi" (dumplings) eaten on the road between my language school and the Embassy, followed by one hour in the office.  I would normally stay longer, but the computers were switched off, the sun was shining and the air was cool at 27 degrees in the shade.  I went home to read outside.

I had only just got back when I took a call on my mobile phone from the Chinese manager of a small British-owned factory in a Chinese regional city. The company manufactures for the home improvement market in Europe and Japan.  Their site in China was acquired, together with equipment and employees, from a Chinese company that continues to use the rest of the premises. The manager was distraught. The owner of the Chinese company was requiring her to make a payment for a relatively large amount, but would only provide an invoice for one third of that amount. She had refused to pay unless he invoiced for the full sum. Things were turning nasty. On Friday, The Chinese company owner had blocked a shipment by lorry from the British plant.  He was threatening to close the factory and seize the equipment.  She had called the police.  They had come, but declined to intervene, stating that it was an economic dispute.

We do what we can help in these situations and I agreed to the manager's request that I should try to speak to some of the people I have met in the city.  I got back on the bus to the Embassy to look through my business cards for officials who I met earlier in the year when I visited for a contract signing for another British company.  I thought I had personal mobile phone numbers but I only have office numbers, so I will make an approach through their offices when they open, which may take longer.  There is no guarantee of a positive outcome, but a bad one would have a wider effect on investor confidence in the city.

This is happening in one of the 35 regional cities we have identified as particularly promising for British business. For me, it raises a general issue we often face: how best to promote the great opportunities in China for British business while at the same time giving a fair picture of the risks.