新加坡——通用汽車(chē)公司(General Motors)本月將國(guó)際部的總部從上海遷到新加坡,，此前，農(nóng)業(yè)企業(yè)巨頭阿徹丹尼爾斯米德蘭公司（Archer Daniels Midland,，簡(jiǎn)稱ADM）也將亞太區(qū)總部遷至新加坡,。IBM等跨國(guó)公司則將財(cái)務(wù)管理等一些部門(mén)的員工從中國(guó)轉(zhuǎn)移至新加坡。
ADM亞太區(qū)總裁羅逸銘(Ismael Roig)說(shuō),，“我將會(huì)花很長(zhǎng)時(shí)間來(lái)回往返,，五個(gè)小時(shí)的航程會(huì)成為我每個(gè)月的巴士通勤時(shí)間。”
這些舉措折射出中國(guó)廣泛的發(fā)展變化，中國(guó)現(xiàn)在是世界最大的汽車(chē),、平板電視及其他數(shù)十種商品的消費(fèi)市場(chǎng),。中國(guó)經(jīng)濟(jì)已經(jīng)變得如此龐大，以至于各大公司越來(lái)越多地以對(duì)待歐洲的方式對(duì)待中國(guó),，中國(guó)地區(qū)的報(bào)告可以直接發(fā)給公司總部,，不再與發(fā)展中國(guó)家的報(bào)告混在一起。
通用汽車(chē)國(guó)際部負(fù)責(zé)人史蒂芬·雅各比(Stefan Jacoby)表示,，“我們?cè)谥袊?guó)市場(chǎng)占據(jù)重要地位,，而且我們希望如此,。”他領(lǐng)導(dǎo)的國(guó)際部于8月5日正式遷至新加坡，不再負(fù)責(zé)中國(guó)地區(qū)的運(yùn)營(yíng)事宜,，而是負(fù)責(zé)管理通用在非洲,、中東、南亞,、澳大利亞及韓國(guó)的子公司。
一定程度上,，在中國(guó)經(jīng)商遭遇的不如意之處促使他們實(shí)施撤離在華高管的計(jì)劃——嚴(yán)重的空氣污染,，對(duì)本土企業(yè)有利的法規(guī)，知識(shí)產(chǎn)權(quán)保護(hù)舉措的孱弱,。而且相關(guān)部門(mén)開(kāi)展了大規(guī)模行動(dòng),，突襲了汽車(chē)、制藥及技術(shù)類跨國(guó)公司在中國(guó)的辦公區(qū),，突顯出不斷加劇的經(jīng)濟(jì)民族主義浪潮,。警方拷貝了大量電腦硬盤(pán)資料，并在不允許員工咨詢律師的情況下對(duì)他們進(jìn)行訊問(wèn),。
更重要的是,，很多跨國(guó)公司開(kāi)始重新關(guān)注東南亞地區(qū)，在亞洲金融危機(jī)結(jié)束17年后,，該地區(qū)出現(xiàn)了復(fù)興跡象,。它們發(fā)現(xiàn)，很難在上海或北京加強(qiáng)這些地區(qū)的業(yè)務(wù),。例如,，每天從中國(guó)大城市飛往印度尼西亞雅加達(dá)的航班不超過(guò)一個(gè)。而且中國(guó)堅(jiān)稱對(duì)南海幾乎所有海域擁有主權(quán),，導(dǎo)致中國(guó)與東南亞的外交,、貿(mào)易關(guān)系緊張。
新加坡投資促進(jìn)機(jī)構(gòu)——經(jīng)濟(jì)發(fā)展局(Economic Development Board)局長(zhǎng)楊吉全(Keat Chuan Yeoh)表示,，這些公司將總部遷至新加坡,，“與中國(guó)之外的亞太國(guó)家的發(fā)展機(jī)遇有關(guān)。”
前德國(guó)副總理,、瑞士達(dá)沃斯世界經(jīng)濟(jì)論壇(World Economic Forum)常務(wù)董事菲利普·勒斯勒爾(Philipp Rösler)表示,，令人吃驚的是，在過(guò)去幾個(gè)月中,，很多參與論壇的公司稱它們正在考慮將當(dāng)?shù)鼗騾^(qū)域總部遷出中國(guó)大陸,。
但迄今為止，還沒(méi)有出現(xiàn)大規(guī)模的撤離,。新加坡的兩大商業(yè)房地產(chǎn)中介機(jī)構(gòu)——總部位于紐約的高緯環(huán)球(Cushman & Wakefield)和總部位于芝加哥的仲量聯(lián)行(Jones Lang LaSalle)——都表示,，它們沒(méi)有看到跨國(guó)公司從中國(guó)大陸或香港大舉遷至新加坡的跡象。
仲量聯(lián)行新加坡地區(qū)負(fù)責(zé)人克里斯·阿奇博爾德(Chris Archibold)說(shuō),，“撤離中國(guó)的超長(zhǎng)名單并不存在,，我們沒(méi)有看到這種情況。”
一名不愿透露姓名的西方企業(yè)首席執(zhí)行官表示,，十年前,，很多美國(guó)企業(yè)沖向上海，將亞洲總部設(shè)在那里,，它們現(xiàn)在感到后悔,，但又擔(dān)心撤離舉措會(huì)激怒中國(guó)政府。
歷史的殷鑒并不遙遠(yuǎn),。在100多年的歷史里,，怡和洋行(Jardine Matheson)曾是香港地區(qū)主要的英國(guó)公司，它在20世紀(jì)80年代將公司注冊(cè)地遷至百慕大,，并于1994年,，也就是香港回歸中國(guó)之前，從香港證券交易所(Hong Kong Stock Exchange)退市,。這些決定導(dǎo)致北京方面做出報(bào)復(fù),，在十多年的時(shí)間里，阻礙該總司在中國(guó)大陸進(jìn)行大規(guī)模投資,。
目前,，與留在中國(guó)的業(yè)務(wù)相比，轉(zhuǎn)移到新加坡的業(yè)務(wù)規(guī)模很小，甚至可以說(shuō)是微不足道的,。
羅逸銘表示,，ADM在上海建立了一個(gè)大型團(tuán)隊(duì)，該團(tuán)隊(duì)負(fù)責(zé)與收購(gòu)中國(guó)農(nóng)企廠家相關(guān)的談判事宜,，盡職調(diào)查,，及審計(jì)工作。因此,，對(duì)于該公司來(lái)說(shuō),，在亞洲的當(dāng)務(wù)之急是在不斷成長(zhǎng)的印度尼西亞及越南市場(chǎng)發(fā)展同樣的能力。
從新加坡起飛,，兩個(gè)小時(shí)即可抵達(dá)雅加達(dá)或越南胡志明市,。新加坡也推出了利于大宗商品交易的稅法，并與其他國(guó)家簽訂了協(xié)議,，因此在與其他地方的公司發(fā)生交易糾紛時(shí),，問(wèn)題相對(duì)容易解決。
但羅逸銘的下屬大多數(shù)都會(huì)留在上海,。通用汽車(chē)也只有40名經(jīng)理和主管從上海搬到新加坡,，它的整個(gè)國(guó)際運(yùn)營(yíng)總部在市中心占據(jù)了一座寫(xiě)字樓的一層樓。
公司發(fā)現(xiàn),，勸說(shuō)管理人才搬到新加坡,，要比勸說(shuō)他們搬到上海容易一些，因?yàn)樾录悠碌目諝庀喈?dāng)潔凈,。SOHO中國(guó)是知名的京滬高端寫(xiě)字樓開(kāi)發(fā)商,，其首席執(zhí)行官?gòu)埿勒f(shuō)，她兒子參加了一個(gè)以歐洲青少年為主的北京足球俱樂(lè)部,，今年夏天,，五分之三的成員和教練都搬離了中國(guó)，令她深感震驚,，她將此事歸結(jié)于空氣污染。
本周二,，中國(guó)歐盟商會(huì)(European unio Chamber of Commerce in China) 在北京發(fā)布了一份內(nèi)容廣泛的年度報(bào)告,。文中稱，有八個(gè)成員公司表示,，勸說(shuō)優(yōu)秀員工搬到中國(guó)的難度增大了,，一個(gè)主要原因就是空氣污染。
在其他地方,，也存在缺少英語(yǔ)學(xué)校的問(wèn)題,。新加坡已經(jīng)在阻止當(dāng)?shù)丶彝グ涯钚W(xué)和初中的子女送到那里的國(guó)際學(xué)校，以免擠占位置。在中國(guó)大陸,，已有很多國(guó)際學(xué)校人滿為患,，而在香港，這個(gè)問(wèn)題則是由其嚴(yán)重,。
新加坡美國(guó)學(xué)校(ingapore American School)是一所極具聲望的國(guó)際學(xué)校,，校長(zhǎng)奇普•金博爾(Chip Kimball)說(shuō)，越來(lái)越多的外籍人士正在搬往新加坡,，但在他的學(xué)校,，報(bào)名人數(shù)增幅很小，因?yàn)檫^(guò)去的五年中,，在政府的安排下,，新加坡已經(jīng)開(kāi)辦了一系列其他國(guó)際學(xué)校。
相比之下,，“香港現(xiàn)在的瓶頸是子女上學(xué)問(wèn)題,，”DHR國(guó)際公司(DHR International)在香港的金融服務(wù)業(yè)務(wù)部負(fù)責(zé)人董梅（音）說(shuō)。DHR總部設(shè)在芝加哥,，是一家高管獵頭公司,。
雖然只有幾個(gè)總部搬走了，搬走的工廠甚至更少,，但對(duì)于進(jìn)一步在中國(guó)增加研發(fā)中心,，跨國(guó)公司確實(shí)變得更加謹(jǐn)慎了。目前,，中國(guó)已經(jīng)擁有大量國(guó)際研發(fā)中心,。
寶潔(Procter& Gamble)和百特制藥(Baxter Pharmaceuticals)等公司雖然在中國(guó)仍保留著大量業(yè)務(wù)，但已經(jīng)在新加坡設(shè)立或增加了研發(fā)中心和高科技工廠,。
新加坡國(guó)立大學(xué)李光耀公共政策學(xué)院院長(zhǎng)馬凱碩(Kishore Mahbubani)表示,，百度和華為等中國(guó)科技公司正在發(fā)展，這意味著中國(guó)有一支正在壯大的力量,，將支持知識(shí)產(chǎn)權(quán)保護(hù)最終獲得改善,。
另外一家西方跨國(guó)公司的亞洲部首席執(zhí)行官說(shuō)，現(xiàn)在很多的公司“都已認(rèn)定,，如果在中國(guó)設(shè)立研發(fā)中心,，所有的技術(shù)秘密都會(huì)被復(fù)制，所有的專利都會(huì)被非法利用,。”這位首席執(zhí)行官不愿具名,，因?yàn)楣_(kāi)批評(píng)中國(guó)會(huì)面臨法律風(fēng)險(xiǎn)。
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SINGAPORE — General Motors moved the headquarters of its international division here from Shanghai last month. Archer Daniels Midland, the agribusiness giant, is gradually doing the same with its Asia and Pacific operations. Other multinationals, like IBM, have shifted staff members here from China for a few functions, like treasury operations.
“I’m going to spend a lot of time going back and forth — the five-hour flight is going to be my monthly bus trip,” said Ismael Roig, the president of Archer Daniels Midland’s Asia and Pacific operations.
The moves reflect the broader evolution of China, now the world’s largest market for cars, flat-panel televisions and scores of other products. The Chinese economy has become so large and affluent that companies increasingly treat it like Europe, with reports going directly to head offices in home countries and no longer lumped in with those from developing countries.
“We are big in China, and we want to be,” said Stefan Jacoby, the president of General Motors International. His division, which officially moved here on Aug. 5, no longer includes the company’s China operations, but encompasses G.M. subsidiaries in Africa, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, Australia and South Korea.
The many frustrations of doing business in China have made some difference in the plans to move executives here — choking air pollution, countless regulations that favor local competitors and weak protection for intellectual property. A rising wave of economic nationalism has also manifested itself in large-scale raids on the Chinese offices of multinationals in the automotive, pharmaceutical and technology sectors. Police officials are copying large numbers of computer hard drives and interrogating employees without allowing access to legal advice.
More important, many multinationals are starting to pay renewed attention to Southeast Asia, which is showing signs of revival 17 years after the Asian financial crisis. They have found it hard to do that from Shanghai or Beijing. Each major city has no more than one flight a day to Jakarta, Indonesia, for example. And China’s diplomatic and trade ties to Southeast Asia have been strained by its increasingly assertive claims to control over practically all of the South China Sea.
The reasons for companies to shift headquarters to Singapore, “relate to the growth opportunities in Asia Pacific beyond just China,” said Keat Chuan Yeoh, the managing director of the Economic Development Board, Singapore’s investment promotion agency.
Philipp Rösler, a former vice chancellor of Germany who is now a managing director of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, said the forum had been surprised by the number of its member companies that had said in the last several months that they were considering moving their local or regional headquarters out of mainland China.
But so far, it has not translated into a mass exodus. Two of the largest corporate leasing brokers in Singapore — the New York-based Cushman & Wakefield and the Chicago-based Jones Lang LaSalle — each say they see no sign of large-scale moves by multinationals from mainland China or Hong Kong to Singapore.
“There isn’t a huge long list of people moving out of China; that isn’t what we see at all,” said Chris Archibold, the head of Singapore leasing for Jones Lang LaSalle.
Many American companies that rushed to open Asia headquarters in Shanghai a decade ago now regret it but are leery of antagonizing the Chinese government by moving out, said the chief executive of a Western company who spoke on the condition of anonymity.
History looms large. Jardine Matheson, Hong Kong’s leading British company for more than a century, moved its incorporation to Bermuda in the 1980s and delisted from the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in 1994, before the return of Hong Kong to Chinese sovereignty. Those decisions prompted retaliation by Beijing, which hindered the company’s ability to make large investments in mainland China for more than a decade.
For now, the operations being moved here remain tiny, even microscopic, compared with those remaining in China.
Archer Daniels Midland has built a large team in Shanghai that can negotiate acquisitions of agribusiness factories in China, do due diligence and conduct audits, Mr. Roig said. So the top priority now for the company in Asia is to develop the same capability in the growing Indonesian and Vietnamese markets.
Singapore is a two-hour flight from Jakarta and from Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Singapore also has tax laws that favor commodities trading operations and agreements with other countries that make it relatively easy to resolve trading disputes with companies elsewher.
But most of Mr. Roig’s subordinates remain in Shanghai. Similarly, only 40 G.M. managers and executives have moved from Shanghai to Singapore, and the entire international operations headquarters occupies a single floor of a downtown office building.
Companies are finding it easier to persuade talented managers to move to Singapore, with its fairly clean air, than to Shanghai. Zhang Xin, the chief executive of SOHO China, the leading developer of top-end office buildings in Beijing and Shanghai, said she was stunned when three-fifths of the mostly European teenagers and the coach at her son’s soccer club in Beijing all moved out of China this summer, a shift that she attributed to air pollution.
The European unio Chamber of Commerce in China said in its wide-ranging annual position paper, released in Beijing on Tuesday, that eight of its member companies had reported rising difficulties in persuading talented staff to move to China, particularly because of air pollution.
Shortages of spaces at English-language schools have also been an issue elsewher. Singapore has prevented local families from enrolling their children in the elementary school and junior high grades at the city’s international schools, avoiding the overcrowding that has afflicted many such schools in mainland China and, particularly, Hong Kong.
Chip Kimball, the superintendent of the highly regarded Singapore American School, said that more expatriates were moving to Singapore. But he noted that his school had experienced only a slight increase in demand because the government had arranged for a series of other international schools to open in the last five years.
By contrast, “the bottleneck in Hong Kong right now is schooling,” said May Tung, the head of the Hong Kong financial services practice of DHR International, a Chicago-based executive recruitment firm.
While few headquarters are moving, and even fewer factories, multinationals do appear more cautious in adding further to their already numerous research centers in China.
Companies like Procter & Gamble and Baxter Pharmaceuticals have been opening or expanding research and development centers and high-tech factories here in Singapore, although they also retain large operations in China.
Kishore Mahbubani, the dean of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy at the National University of Singapore, said the growth of Chinese technology companies like Baidu and Huawei meant that a constituency was growing in China for eventual improvements in intellectual property protection.
The chief executive for Asia at another Western multinational, who insisted on anonymity because of the legal dangers in criticizing China openly, said that at many companies now, “They’re just convinced if they open that R.&D. center in China, every technical secret they’ve got will be copied, every patent will be exploited.”
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