Lobbying and Foreign Interests in Chinese Politics (Politics and Development of Contemporary China)

"This book offers a series of original arguments on the relationships that Western interest groups have with the Chinese state. It details their lobbying strategies and the leverage it gives them in policy-making in China's political system. Analysis is provided in a comparative context. The author offers inside knowledge on Western business and analyses the nature of business-government relations on domestic Chinese innovation policies. Identifying and analysing the conceptual difference between Chinese and Western actors in their relationship to the state, this book demonstrates how China's existing mechanisms for monitoring activities of Chinese interest groups are ill-suited to exerting a similar degree of control over Western actors."--Page 4 of cover Contents 6 List of Abbreviations 7 List of Figures 10 List of Tables 11 Chapter 1: Introducing Western Lobbying to China 12 1.1 Introduction: The Puzzle of Foreign Interest Groups Lobbying in China’s Top-Down System 12 1.2 Mapping Western Interest Groups in China’s State–Society Relations 14 1.3 Structure and Methodology of the Research 18 1.4 Arguments of the Book and Defining Terms 20 References 22 Chapter 2: Policy-Making Compared: China, the EU, and the US 25 2.1 Introduction 25 2.1.1 Defining Policy-Making 26 2.2 China’s Political System 29 2.2.1 Actors in China’s Policy-Making Process 31 2.2.2 Policy-Making at Different Levels (Local, Provincial, Prefectural, and County) 35 2.3 Access Points for Lobbying the European Union 37 2.3.1 Market Access Strategy (MAS) 40 2.4 Access Points for the US Political System 41 2.5 Comparing Interest Groups in the Three Systems 44 References 46 Chapter 3: Trade Barriers for Foreign Business in China 50 3.1 Introduction 50 3.2 Indigenous Innovation Policies as a Sign of China’s State-Led Economy 52 3.3 China’s Active High-Technology Approach 54 3.4 Buy Chinese Policies: China’s Government Procurement 56 3.4.1 Information Security Policies Hinder Western Business 57 References 59 Chapter 4: China’s Corporatist State 61 4.1 Introduction 61 4.2 Interest Representation: Theory and Practice 63 4.3 Multiple Actors in China’s Corporatist System Does Not Equal Democratic Pluralism 67 4.3.1 Socialist Pluralism in China 68 4.3.2 Tools to Control China’s Corporatist System 72 4.3.3 A Variant of Corporatism: Fragmented Corporatism 73 4.4 Categories that Describe Corporatism and Pluralism 74 4.4.1 Establishment of the Organisation and Type of Membership 74 4.4.2 Mission of the Organisation 75 4.4.3 An Organisation’s Structure and Leadership 75 4.4.4 Activities of the Organisation 76 4.4.5 Publications 76 4.5 Conclusions 76 References 77 Chapter 5: Western Interest Representation in China 82 5.1 Introduction 82 5.2 Interest Representation in China’s Corporatist Environment 83 5.3 The All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce (ACFIC) 89 5.3.1 Mission 91 5.3.2 ACFIC: Organisation and Leadership 93 5.3.3 Activities 98 5.3.4 Publications 99 5.3.5 Summary of the ACFIC 99 5.4 American Chamber(s) of Commerce 100 5.4.1 Organisation and Leadership of AmCham Shanghai and China 102 5.4.2 Activities 104 5.4.3 Publications 106 5.5 The European Chamber of Commerce in China (EUCCC) 108 5.5.1 EUCCC: Organisation and Leadership 109 5.5.2 Activities 113 5.5.3 EUCCC Publications 115 5.5.4 EUCCC and Exploration of Pluralist Avenues 116 5.6 Comparing the ACFIC, AmCham, and the EUCCC 118 5.6.1 Mission 119 5.6.2 Organisation and Leadership 120 5.6.3 Activities 122 5.6.4 Publications 123 5.6.5 Reflections on Corporatism and Pluralism 124 References 125 Chapter 6: Lobbying Tools 129 6.1 Introduction 129 6.2 Lobbying Tools and Strategies 130 6.2.1 Inside Lobbying Tools 133 6.2.2 Outside Lobbying Tools 134 6.3 Venue Shopping 138 6.4 Lobbying in Europe and in the US with Reference to Western Interest Groups in China 140 6.5 Venue Shopping as a Strategy 144 References 146 Chapter 7: Explaining Western Lobbying Strategies in China 151 7.1 Introduction 151 7.2 Variables on Inside/Outside Lobbying Techniques 152 7.2.1 Institutional Level (Democratic Accountability and Media System) 153 7.2.2 Issue Level (Scope, Salience, and Conflict) 155 7.2.2.1 Scope 156 7.2.2.2 Salience 156 7.2.2.3 Conflict 157 7.2.3 Characteristic of Interest Group Level (Financial Resources, Membership, Organisational Structure and Advocate Type) 157 7.2.3.1 Financial Resources 158 7.2.3.2 Membership Type and Size 158 7.2.3.3 Organisational Structure 159 7.2.3.4 Advocate Type 160 7.3 Explaining the EUCCC’s Lobbying Strategies (Institutional Level) 160 7.3.1 EUCCC (Issue Level) 164 7.3.2 EUCCC (Characteristics of Interest Group Level) 171 7.4 Explaining AmCham Lobbying Strategies (Institutional Level) 173 7.4.1 AmCham (Issue Level) 175 7.4.2 AmCham (Characteristics of Interest Group Level) 177 7.5 Explaining Venue Shopping 180 7.5.1 Explanatory Variable, Aligned Preferences and Institutional Setting 181 7.5.2 Explanatory Variable, Resources of the Interest Groups 182 References 183 Chapter 8: Analysis of Western Lobbying Techniques 187 8.1 Introduction 187 8.2 EUCCC Inside/Outside Lobbying Techniques 188 8.2.1 EUCCC: Leading Lobbying Actions 191 8.2.2 EUCCC Lobbying Targets 195 8.2.3 EUCCC: Leading Lobbying Actions Targeting China’s Policymakers (No Venue Shift) 200 8.2.4 EUCCC Leading Lobbying Actions Targeting EU Policymakers (Venue Shift) 202 8.2.5 EUCCC Strategies by Venue Choice 205 8.2.6 EUCCC: Leading Lobbying Actions Targeting Members 206 8.3 Inside/Outside Lobbying Actions of AmCham China (Beijing) and AmCham Shanghai 208 8.3.1 AmChams: Leading Lobbying Actions 212 8.3.2 AmCham Lobbying Targets 215 8.3.3 AmCham China: Leading Lobbying Actions that Target China’s Policymakers 219 8.3.4 AmCham Leading Lobbying Actions Targeting US Policymakers (Venue Shift) 221 8.3.5 AmCham Strategies by Venue Choice 223 8.3.6 AmCham China Leading Lobbying Actions that Target Members 225 8.4 AmCham and the EUCCC: Contrasting Lobbying Techniques 227 References 228 Chapter 9: Conclusion 232 9.1 Lobbying in China’s Political System 233 9.2 Western Pluralist Elements in China’s State- 238 9.3 Mapping Results: Is Lobbying in China a Success Story? 240 9.4 Limitations and Further Research 241 References 243 Index 244 Front Matter....Pages i-xiii Introducing Western Lobbying to China....Pages 1-13 Policy-Making Compared: China, the EU, and the US....Pages 15-39 Trade Barriers for Foreign Business in China....Pages 41-51 China’s Corporatist State....Pages 53-73 Western Interest Representation in China....Pages 75-121 Lobbying Tools....Pages 123-144 Explaining Western Lobbying Strategies in China....Pages 145-180 Analysis of Western Lobbying Techniques....Pages 181-225 Conclusion....Pages 227-238 Back Matter....Pages 239-248