新加坡——通用汽車公司(General Motors)本月將國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,，簡稱ADM）也將亞太區(qū)總部遷至新加坡,。IBM等跨國公司則將財(cái)務(wù)管理等一些部門的員工從中國轉(zhuǎn)移至新加坡,。
ADM亞太區(qū)總裁羅逸銘(Ismael Roig)說,，“我將會花很長時間來回往返,，五個小時的航程會成為我每個月的巴士通勤時間。”
這些舉措折射出中國廣泛的發(fā)展變化,，中國現(xiàn)在是世界最大的汽車,、平板電視及其他數(shù)十種商品的消費(fèi)市場。中國經(jīng)濟(jì)已經(jīng)變得如此龐大,，以至于各大公司越來越多地以對待歐洲的方式對待中國,，中國地區(qū)的報(bào)告可以直接發(fā)給公司總部，不再與發(fā)展中國家的報(bào)告混在一起,。
通用汽車國際部負(fù)責(zé)人史蒂芬·雅各比(Stefan Jacoby)表示,，“我們在中國市場占據(jù)重要地位，而且我們希望如此,。”他領(lǐng)導(dǎo)的國際部于8月5日正式遷至新加坡,，不再負(fù)責(zé)中國地區(qū)的運(yùn)營事宜，而是負(fù)責(zé)管理通用在非洲,、中東,、南亞,、澳大利亞及韓國的子公司。
一定程度上,，在中國經(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,，對本土企業(yè)有利的法規(guī)，知識產(chǎn)權(quán)保護(hù)舉措的孱弱,。而且相關(guān)部門開展了大規(guī)模行動,，突襲了汽車、制藥及技術(shù)類跨國公司在中國的辦公區(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資料，并在不允許員工咨詢律師的情況下對他們進(jìn)行訊問,。
更重要的是,，很多跨國公司開始重新關(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?；虮本┘訌?qiáng)這些地區(qū)的業(yè)務(wù),。例如，每天從中國大城市飛往印度尼西亞雅加達(dá)的航班不超過一個,。而且中國堅(jiān)稱對南海幾乎所有海域擁有主權(quán),，導(dǎo)致中國與東南亞的外交、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)局長楊吉全(Keat Chuan Yeoh)表示,，這些公司將總部遷至新加坡，“與中國之外的亞太國家的發(fā)展機(jī)遇有關(guān),。”
前德國副總理,、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,，在過去幾個月中,，很多參與論壇的公司稱它們正在考慮將當(dāng)?shù)鼗騾^(qū)域總部遷出中國大陸。
但迄今為止,，還沒有出現(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，它們沒有看到跨國公司從中國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,，“撤離中國的超長名單并不存在，我們沒有看到這種情況,。”
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)心撤離舉措會激怒中國政府。
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)主要的英國公司，它在20世紀(jì)80年代將公司注冊地遷至百慕大,，并于1994年,，也就是香港回歸中國之前，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),，在十多年的時間里，阻礙該總司在中國大陸進(jìn)行大規(guī)模投資,。
目前,，與留在中國的業(yè)務(wù)相比，轉(zhuǎn)移到新加坡的業(yè)務(wù)規(guī)模很小,，甚至可以說是微不足道的,。
羅逸銘表示，ADM在上海建立了一個大型團(tuán)隊(duì),，該團(tuán)隊(duì)負(fù)責(zé)與收購中國農(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，對于該公司來說,，在亞洲的當(dāng)務(wù)之急是在不斷成長的印度尼西亞及越南市場發(fā)展同樣的能力,。
從新加坡起飛，兩個小時即可抵達(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,，問題相對容易解決,。
但羅逸銘的下屬大多數(shù)都會留在上海。通用汽車也只有40名經(jīng)理和主管從上海搬到新加坡,，它的整個國際運(yùn)營總部在市中心占據(jù)了一座寫字樓的一層樓,。
公司發(fā)現(xiàn)，勸說管理人才搬到新加坡,，要比勸說他們搬到上海容易一些,，因?yàn)樾录悠碌目諝庀喈?dāng)潔凈,。SOHO中國是知名的京滬高端寫字樓開發(fā)商，其首席執(zhí)行官張欣說,，她兒子參加了一個以歐洲青少年為主的北京足球俱樂部,，今年夏天，五分之三的成員和教練都搬離了中國,，令她深感震驚,，她將此事歸結(jié)于空氣污染。
本周二,，中國歐盟商會(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，有八個成員公司表示,，勸說優(yōu)秀員工搬到中國的難度增大了,，一個主要原因就是空氣污染。
在其他地方,，也存在缺少英語學(xué)校的問題,。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際學(xué)校，以免擠占位置,。在中國大陸,，已有很多國際學(xué)校人滿為患，而在香港,，這個問題則是由其嚴(yán)重,。
新加坡美國學(xué)校(ingapore American School)是一所極具聲望的國際學(xué)校，校長奇普•金博爾(Chip Kimball)說,，越來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^去的五年中,，在政府的安排下，新加坡已經(jīng)開辦了一系列其他國際學(xué)校,。
相比之下,，“香港現(xiàn)在的瓶頸是子女上學(xué)問題，”DHR國際公司(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,。DHR總部設(shè)在芝加哥,，是一家高管獵頭公司。
雖然只有幾個總部搬走了,，搬走的工廠甚至更少,，但對于進(jìn)一步在中國增加研發(fā)中心，跨國公司確實(shí)變得更加謹(jǐn)慎了,。目前,，中國已經(jīng)擁有大量國際研發(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,。
新加坡國立大學(xué)李光耀公共政策學(xué)院院長馬凱碩(Kishore Mahbubani)表示,，百度和華為等中國科技公司正在發(fā)展，這意味著中國有一支正在壯大的力量,，將支持知識產(chǎn)權(quán)保護(hù)最終獲得改善,。
另外一家西方跨國公司的亞洲部首席執(zhí)行官說，現(xiàn)在很多的公司“都已認(rèn)定,，如果在中國設(shè)立研發(fā)中心,，所有的技術(shù)秘密都會被復(fù)制，所有的專利都會被非法利用,。”這位首席執(zhí)行官不愿具名,，因?yàn)楣_批評中國會面臨法律風(fēng)險(xiǎn)。
（更多全球資訊請關(guān)注中國進(jìn)出口網(wǎng)）
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.”
（更多全球資訊請關(guān)注中國進(jìn)出口網(wǎng)）