工资上涨:美国公司在中国的爱与恨
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.
并不是说美国跨国企业现在已经不再喜欢中国。其实恰恰相反，只不过原因不再跟以前一样了。他们喜欢不断壮大的中产阶级，喜欢中国蒸蒸日上的奢侈品销售势头以及热爱汽车的中国人。然而令他们感到反感的是不断上涨的工资。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.
据美中贸易全国委员会（U.S. China Business Council）称，跨国公司一开始被中国吸引是因为这里的劳动力丰富且廉价，但这种情况已一去不复返了。这使得美国企业对中国的喜爱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.
美中贸易全国委员会会长约翰?弗里斯比(John Frisbee，中文名：傅强恩)表示，“概括起来说，美国企业对中国商业环境的看法是乐观的，不过这种乐观情绪已经连续第二年出现下滑。”虽然大多数接受该商会年度调查的受访者表示，中国依然是他们公司前五大优先拓展业务的国家或地区之一，但今年表示将中国列为首选国家要少于往年。
“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.
“根据受访者反映的情况看，美国公司对中国未来五年前景的乐观态度连续第二年下滑，” 傅强恩在周四发表的声明中说道。用工成本高企、对知识产权保护不力、与中国企业的竞争以及在执照和业务审批流程中遇到的种种困难一直是国外企业在中国经商面临的最主要问题。但其中的首要问题是中国工人比以前挣得多了。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.”
在这次调查中，一家未透露名称的公司表示，“用工成本，尤其是在主要大都市，正向中国失去全球竞争力的转折点逼近。”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.
虽然用工成本越来越高，但九成以上的受访者表示他们在中国的业务是盈利的，是自该商会对其会员开展这项调研以来的最高水平。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，他们的预测却显示出一个未来与过去截然不同的中国。它再也不是世界经济的 “开心乐园餐”了，公司的投资者对此心知肚明。The vast majority of respondents have expressed concern about rising costs since the question was first asked in 2007.
自2007年以来，绝大多数受访者都表示，最担心的问题是成本上升。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，当全球经济陷入严重衰退，工资压力缓解的时候，这个数字才跌倒过80%以下。人力资源成本一直是在华美企最为担心的问题，在今年的调查中，这个比例达到92%。Top Ten China Concerns
在华美企最为担心的十大问题1. Cost Increases
1. 用工成本上升2. Competition with Chinese Companies in China
2. 在中国与中资企业的竞争3. Administrative Licensing
3. 行政许可4. Human Resources: Talent Recruitment and Retention
4. 人力资源：人才招聘和挽留5. Intellectual Property Rights Enforcement
5. 知识产权保护6. Uneven Enforcement/Implementation of Chinese Laws
6. 不公平的法律实施和执行7. Nondiscrimination/National Treatment
7. 非歧视性原则/国民待遇8. Transparency
8. 透明度9. Standards and Comformity Assessment
9. 标准和合格评定10. Foreign Investment Restrictions
10. 外国投资限制In 2007, 88% of respondents were worried about rising labor costs, dropping to 70% in 2009.
2007年，88%的受访者担心用工成本上升，2009年这个数字曾一度降至70%。
