Interesting read on modern china
Taken from the December 30th issue of Resource Opportunities
This issue of Resource Opportunities focussed exclusively on Lawrence Roulston’s
recent China visit and the gold company Pacific Minerals.
Many people in the Western world are only beginning to see evidence of the huge change
that is about to sweep across our lives. I have just finished the most extraordinary trip that I
have ever experienced, and that is a big statement considering that I spend half of my time
traveling. In the past few years, I have been all over North America and visited parts of South
America, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia.
I thought that I was prepared for this trip. I read a lot about China and a good friend has given
numerous firsthand accounts following his trips over there. Yet, in spite of that general
knowledge, I was truly blown away when I saw China. Every one of the preconceived notions
about China held by western investors proved to be completely out of date.
The statistics should tell the story: China is now the world's largest recipient of foreign direct
investment. This year, this one country will capture 10% of all of the foreign direct
investment in the world. The economy has been growing at a steady 7% plus per annum
and that pace of growth is forecast to continue for the next 20 years or more.
It's easy enough to say (and I did before coming here), that the economic miracle now
underway could burst like a balloon, as it did in Southeast Asia in 1997. Don't just take it
from me. Planeloads of corporate executives from every corner of the world are coming to
China to see it firsthand. After they get home and report to their boards of directors, the
checks are written very quickly. Evidence of the enormous amount of investment capital
flowing into China can be seen in every part of the country. Those dollars (and Euro, pounds,
yen and every other currency) are building roads, factories and other hard assets that are
helping to industrialize a nation of one and a quarter billion people. More people are
constantly joining the already vast consuming middle class.
I could write a book on what I saw on this trip, but I will try to paint a picture in the next few
paragraphs that will hopefully dispel the out of date notions that most investors have of
China. My trip gave me a sample of the northeast, the southwest and Shanghai. The
itinerary was organized around seeing several of the mining projects of two North
American-based companies. The projects were exceptional, and are detailed in the
company section of this issue. I have also included a section of Frequently Asked
Questions and a collections of quotes from the Chinese newspapers to give a better feel for
what is happening in this country.
At this moment, I am sitting in a near-new Boeing 737-700, traveling from Kunming in
southern China to Shanghai. There's only one other western face on this full plane. The
airline is one of several regional airline companies in China, the largest of which trades on
the New York Stock Exchange.
Kunming is a city of about 2 million people, and is the capital of one of the poorest of
China’s 30 provinces. It is a beautiful city, in the foothills of the Himalaya Mountains. I
stayed in the Kai Wah Plaza Hotel, owned by a private Chinese investor. My room, on the
32nd floor of the 40 story main tower, was at least on a par with a deluxe room in the big
name chains. North American hotels can only dream of delivering anything close to the
service of the Chinese hotels.
From my room, I looked out at the Himalayas, only about 20 kilometers away. Nearby was
a mountain range of skyscrapers, typically 20 to 30 stories – a collection of offices, hotels
and apartments. They were unlike North American high rises, which are often dull in design.
Most Chinese skyscrapers incorporate design features that make them far more appealing:
curves, arches, spirals and subtle complexity in their lines.
Within a few blocks of the Kunming hotel, you can see stores that specialize in Gucci,
Armani, Ralph Lauren and all the other luxury brands, at prices similar to North America.
These are real. The knockoffs are sold in the back-street markets that start a few blocks
away.
Jewelry stores abound, with gorgeous collections of gold, diamonds, and jade. White gold
(an alloy with silver) is more common than yellow gold. Platinum is coveted, but it is harder
to find than white gold, even though China is now the world's largest consumer of platinum
jewelry. If you think these luxury goods are here for the foreign tourists, you need to have a
closer look. There are very few white faces in this part of China. The shops are completely
filled with locals or tourists from other parts of China.
Cell phones are extremely popular in China, with a massive 160 million handsets now in
use. Within a block of the hotel, there were two shops, of at least a thousand square feet
each, selling nothing but cell phones. There were literally dozens of models, all designer
styles, loaded with features. (I was embarrassed to notice that not one phone in the store
was as large as my phone, which I thought was pretty compact, or as ugly.) By the way,
the prices for handsets and airtime are comparable to North American prices, with some
models running in excess of a thousand dollars.
Some people have the mistaken notion that cell phones are popular because the hard-wired
phones are hard to come by. The reality is that many people have a cell in addition to the
land-line because they simply want to be in constant contact with friends and business
associates.
When I arrived at the hotel in Shenyang on the first night in China, I asked my Chinese host
for help to connect my laptop to the internet. Expecting a long, complicated procedure, or
an explanation of why it couldn’t be done here, I was surprised when he replied simply: "In
this area you dial 169." "But what about a user id, and a password?" "Oh, those are 169 and
169." It wasn’t until he demonstrated that I was convinced. Everyone in that area could
simply dial a 3 digit phone number and use the same digits for id and password to access
the internet. Each area has its own 3 digit code.
This virtually free internet accesses only Chinese websites. Connecting to the rest of the
world requires going through a pay service, which is readily available. In fact, in nearly every
place I had ready access to broadband internet.
My tour included a large copper smelter-refinery complex in Kunming, which uses the latest
smelting technology. It was built in less than two years from signing the technology
licensing agreement to pouring copper. The complex was built by a local contractor, with
most of the components sourced locally. A couple of months after startup, it was operating
above design capacity. Next year, the second year of operations, the operators expect to
produce nearly 25% more than design capacity from the plant.
Cross another mis-perception off the list: That massive smelter complex, like many of the
modern new factories being built across China, is operated by two or three highly trained
engineers sitting in front of computer consoles.
One of the property tours involved a two hour drive through the Chinese countryside. The
Chinese hosts looked embarrassed, and reminded me that Yunnan is the poorest of China's
provinces. I told them that these farms and villages were far better off than much of the
countryside in Latin America, the Middle East or Africa. All of the houses have electric lights
and televisions. The government’s immediate objective now is to get color televisions and
refrigerators into every house in the country.
A massive initiative is now underway to tie every village into a nation-wide power grid. The
huge Three Gorges project is now delivering cheap hydroelectric power to the grid. Three
more massive hydroelectric projects on nearly the same scale are already underway.
Bicycles are still an important part of urban transport. A special lane, often partitioned from
the main traffic flow, carries a steady stream of two wheelers. At the same time, two or
three lanes in each direction carry cars and trucks. The traffic includes many inexpensive
local cars. At the same time, the proportion of expensive luxury cars is comparable to most
American cities.
I experienced many hundreds of kilometers of some of the best freeways that I have seen
anywhere, including California. China now has 19,000 kilometers of freeways, of which 8,000
kilometers was finished in the last year. Only one country in the world has more freeways.
The torrid pace of road building in China continues, meaning that China may soon overtake
the U.S. as the world freeway leader.
The Chinese freeways are first class. Enormous bridges and tunnels make it feel like you're
driving straight through mountain ranges, which in effect is what you are doing. Many of the
roads have been carved into the lower slopes of hillsides so that they don't interfere with the
agricultural land along the valley floors. Road cuts have beautiful patterns of rocks and
landscaping.
China is, and always has been, a land of entrepreneurs. There are literally millions of small
privately owned businesses that operate throughout the country. A growing number of these
companies are publicly traded. I was definitely not prepared for the proliferation of securities
firms. For example, I was surprised to see a 15 story office building in the northern city of
Shenyang named for its biggest tenant, a local securities firm.
The distinction between government and private ownership is sometimes blurred, and even
the sophisticated local business people and investment analysts that I talked with on the
trip have some difficulty sometimes in explaining the distinctions.
Although ownership is sometimes complicated, many companies from around the world
have gained a high comfort level with the system, judging by the massive amounts of money
from all over the world that is pouring into China.
The proliferation of billion dollar companies that are now an important factor in the Chinese
economy have originated from a couple of directions. Many small privately owned
companies have grown rapidly in this fertile economic environment. Direct investments from
foreign firms and joint ventures have contributed a great deal of capital to help these
companies to grow rapidly.
At the same time, government owned companies are migrating more and more toward
public-traded companies. I gained some insight into the process, in part when I had the
good fortune to attend a small banquet. The two dozen people present included a provincial
governor and the chairman and some senior executives of one of the largest of the
government owned corporations. That huge corporation has established a base of operations
in Hong Kong, and has listed four subsidiaries on the Hong Kong Stock exchange. Some
senior executives of that Hong Kong group explained that this evolution toward
publicly-traded companies is an important part of the Chinese economic model.
New money is being raised for the state-owned companies through the public markets, from
direct investments and by way of joint ventures. There is no shortage of investment money
worldwide looking for a home in China, and there’s a deal available to suit any taste. It is still
very important to know how to work within the system, as the local players want to be sure
that they get the best deal they can. Culture and language barriers add to the complexity.
Corruption is still an issue, but even that is changing rapidly. An increasing number of
government and private sector bad guys are going to jail, with the worst offenders being
executed. While there is still petty corruption in the country, it is mild compared to many
developing countries, and there is no fraud on the level of Enron or WorldCom.
Nobody in the country goes hungry and hundreds of millions of people are moving quickly
towards, or are already part of, what is already one of the largest middle-classes in the
world.
The country is building a very strong infrastructure, based on the legendary Asian practice of
planning for the future with a long-term perspective. China has the luxury of applying the
best technologies available anywhere in the world. Often, the best features of several
systems are combined and then improved on.
An important part of the Chinese success rests with the educational system. Virtually every
child in the country goes to school, with a high proportion getting through at least grade 9.
After that, they divide into a pre-university program and a technical school-oriented program.
Competition for the pre-university spots is intense. One of my hosts explained that his grade
nine son leaves for school at 6:10 in the morning, and returns home at 8:30 in the evening.
The competition carries through, to get into the best schools and the best programs in the
universities.
In essence, the Chinese system selects the brightest minds from a talent pool of one and a
quarter billion people and gives those leading students exposure to a first-rate educational
system.
Flying into Shanghai, we're passing low over a rural area that is gradually being taken over
by residential developments that look pretty much like any large North American city, with
big neighborhoods of two and three story single detached houses. Closer to the center,
huge apartment and condo complexes dominate the skyline. The city center is a mass of
skyscrapers comparable to the largest cities in the world.
The network of smartly designed freeways makes it easy to get in and around the city.
Traffic bogs down through a tunnel under the river that divides the downtown core. The
congestion won’t last long, as construction is already underway on two additional crossings
that will add to the five now in place.
Before Shanghai, I saw four other cities of more than a million people. While those cities
should have prepared me, I was still astounded by Shanghai. The drive from the domestic
airport took us into the heart of a mass of skyscrapers, all new, with construction cranes
still protruding from partly finished buildings in every direction..
My hotel room was on the 77th floor, and there were 11 floors above that. This is now the
third highest building in the world. The suite is extraordinary, in terms of its elegant style,
the quality and the technology. A broadband internet connection took only a few seconds to
set up.
My view, in two directions, takes in a cityscape comparable to Manhattan. The extraordinary
part of this scene is that most of this massive international financial center was constructed
in the last five years. Every building has a unique and interesting design, and no expense
was spared to make the buildings attractive.
It is hard to imagine the extraordinary effort of planning, finance, engineering and
construction that built a modern city comparable to others that took 40 or 50 years to
construct. The astounding thing is that this pace of growth is continuing. Construction
cranes still dominate the skyline, in the city center as well as the massive condo
complexes that continue for miles into the countryside. The construction continues at the
same pace around the clock, seven days a week.
These apartments and condominiums are not the sterile concrete blocks that one
associates with the urban sprawl of developing nations. I had the opportunity to visit the
home of a senior engineer for a small, privately owned mining company. The 3,800 unit
complex boasts a luxurious Club, featuring swimming pools, tennis courts, indoor
badminton, health spa, library, and numerous other amenities. Prices for a two-bedroom unit
in this complex range from US$300,000 to US$680,000.
The developments sold out almost immediately as each phase came onto the market. That
complex is typical of developments close to the city center. Prices are a little more modest
further out, but still in line with North American cities. Many, if not most, of the units in
these massive developments are owned by local professionals and business people.
Shanghai also has some extraordinary tourist sites, which I saw very briefly. I can’t wait to
return at a time when I can be a tourist. It was surprising to see throngs of tourists, literally
tens of thousands of people in several fabulous sites over a day and a half, with only a few
tens of Western faces. These tourist sites are full of Chinese tourists, snapping photos and
buying souvenirs. A massive 3-storey toy store on Nanjing Lu would have excited my
six-year old son even more than Toys-R-Us at home.
In just a few years, Shanghai has become the leading financial center of the Orient.
Shanghai is an extraordinary success, but is only a part of the Chinese economic miracle.
More than any other developing country that I have seen, things work in China, and in fact
work very well. Traffic in the big cities is heavy, but moves smoothly on intelligently designed
road systems. I saw none of the gridlock that is synonymous with most big cities in the
developing world (or the developed world, for that matter).
The economy in China is forecast to continue to grow at the current 7% annual pace for at
least the next 20 years, which will place China behind only the U.S. and Japan. It is easy to
comprehend that pace of growth continuing indefinitely. In fact, it is hard to imagine that
anything could slow it down. The country is developing a well designed and coordinated
infrastructure that will provide a solid basis for growth well into the future.
This issue includes a section of Frequently Asked Questions about China, and some brief
passages from mainly Chinese newspapers to illustrate some of the points introduced
above.
In the company section of this issue, I discussed some of the companies involved in the
economic miracle of China. The focus of my trip was visiting mining and exploration
projects. First and foremost, these are well-run companies, with superb projects. They also
provide an excellent means of participating in the Chinese economic miracle.
Frequently Asked Questions About China
What about human rights?
I raised this question numerous times with various groups in the country. Once, seated in a
tea house in the midst of a popular tourist site in Shanghai, I asked that question of my
host, a Chinese national who now divides his time between China and North America. He
simply waved his arms at the literally thousands of tourists, nearly all locals, who were
happily snapping photos and buying souvenirs. These people clearly had no human rights
issues on their minds. People living in China, quite frankly, find this topic a joke. The
country has gone through dramatic changes in the past few years, and notions that
originated several years ago are now completely out of date. It may be some time yet before
the Chinese attain the level of freedom that we take for granted in the West, but the changes
that have already occurred are far beyond what the protesters hoped for in the 1980’s, and
the country continues to evolve at a dramatic pace.
Is there potential for political conflict?
Everybody in China is enjoying a steadily improving standard of living. The constraints on
personal freedom that existed a few years ago have been largely eliminated. People now are
far more concerned with making money (and enjoying it!) than they are about politics.
What about property rights?
Most Chinese now own their homes. Many people in rural areas have 70 or 90 year leases
rather than direct title, but that is largely a function of making it possible for people with little
wealth or income to buy the property. Billions of dollars of foreign investment pouring into the
country confirms that title to real property is secure.
Will mining companies have secure title to their mineral properties?
The Chinese government sent a team to Vancouver to study the Canadian mineral title
system. They implemented a system that has all the safeguards for mining companies, but
less of the bureaucracy. Anybody, including foreign firms, can stake mineral rights, and
have the same protection as in any country. Many of the deals are done through joint
ventures with government owned geological bureaus in order to reap the benefits of the work
already done by the bureaus. These deals are as good as a joint venture agreement in any
country.
Is it easy for Western companies to do business in China?
Yes and no. A Western company that simply waltzes in and expects to do business in
China like they would at home is destined to be frustrated beyond belief. First, language is a
major barrier. The cultural gulf is nearly as wide. It is imperative to work with a Chinese
partner. Even more than in most cultures, contacts are vital to success. Chinese companies
and government agencies are clamoring for investments. The key to success is to have an
ally that allows the Western company to work within the Chinese system.
How difficult is it to get permits to mine?
The government is very interested in seeing mining projects move forward quickly. The
government is very anxious to replace imported metals with domestic production.
Turnaround time on permits is now faster than most Western countries. Companies must
meet environmental standards in line with the developed countries, but once they have
established their willingness to comply with these standards, permits are delivered quickly,
allowing projects move ahead on a timely basis. Eco-protesters are not allowed to interfere
with the desire to create jobs in the country.
Is trained labor available?
Absolutely. China has a well-developed mining industry. There are a large number of highly
qualified geologists and a large pool of trained mine workers.
Will mining companies receive a fair price for the metals they produce in China?
Yes. As part of the World Trade Organization, all commodities in China are traded at
prevailing world prices in a free market environment.
Can foreign mining companies repatriate profits?
The only restriction on repatriating profits is that a company must have audited financial
statements to confirm that income taxes have been paid before the company can pay a
dividend. |
