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To some foreign companies, doing business in China is very difficult. Besides the language and cultural difference, the concerns facing foreign businesses may range from the not-so-transparent laws and regulations, the bureaucratic agencies, to the complicated taxation system. Despite these problems, China has made a huge progress forward since it opened its door to the outside world in late 1970's and embraced a market-oriented economy after being ruled under the central controlled system for almost 30 years. Few people in China would have thought about owing their homes ten years ago. Now, with a private home ownership approaching to 60 percent in urban area, China is perhaps the most successful country in the world to have developed a private housing market in such a short period of time. This article is intended to help foreign-based real estate practitioners better understand China and the Chinese market. Issues such as China's economic development, WTO's accession, laws/regulations, mortgages/loans, business forms, government agencies, and taxation system, etc. are addressed along with some statistical data from various resources. |