Insights

Foreign media often misunderstand China’s government. They present it as an all-knowing entity in Beijing that issues commands which are executed uniformly nationwide – a single will that is implemented perfectly. The reality is far more complex.

China operates on two parallel systems: On paper, it boasts extensive commercial law and written intellectual property protections – the things you can Google. In practice, the operational reality systematically diverges from this legal framework with its unwritten, cultural, relational, and political currents that determine how business actually gets done.

The state-owned enterprise has monopolistic control in some sectors. The private tech unicorn can move faster than your head office can approve budgets. And the SME can navigate changing tides.