China Business Research Guide
See the related page, China in the News.
Expand/Collapse All- Country Overviews and Statistics
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CEIC
Includes macroeconomic, industrial and financial time series for China and other countries. Data include: national accounts, production, government and public finance, demographics, inflation, foreign trade, balance of payments, banking statistics, investment, transport and telecommunication, energy, and financial markets.中华人民共和国中央人民政府 (The Central People's Government of the People's Republic of China)
Provides information about government structure, responsibilities, and latest activities. The link leads to a Chinese version of the site. An English version is available, but with limited content.China Data Online
Comprehensive web site focusing on economic statistics of China, arranged by regions and categories. Includes monthly and yearly reports on China's macroeconomic development, statistical databases about China's population and economy at the county and city level, and financial indicators of more than 568 industrial branches. Also includes statistical yearbooks, census data, industrial and marketing surveys, and an atlas of China.EIU.com: Country Report
Quarterly analysis and forecasts of the political, economic, and business environment in more than 180 countries.ISI Emerging Markets
Arranged by country, this resource includes: country profiles; macroeconomic statistics, forecasts, and analysis; reports on financial markets, companies, and industries; exchange rates; analyst reports; and business news. - Commercial / Foreign Trade Policies
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China Business Information Center
U.S. government resources for exporting to China. Provides export/import standards & regulations, events, industries, markets, and more.EIU.com: Country Commerce
Operating conditions, commercial laws, and business regulations of approximately sixty countries worldwide.International Trade Administration
Provides trade policy analysis, data, and news. Tip: use the search function with keywords such as: China trade.Ministry of Commerce of the People's Republic of China (中华人民共和国商务部)
Site features policy statements, import-export statistics, trade related news and more. Available in 14 languages, including Chinese.中华人民共和国对外贸易经济合作部 (Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation.PRC)
Provides introduction to policies, offices/departments, and regulations. The link will lead to the Chinese version of the Web site. An English version is available but does not always display well.OECD.org: China
OECD reports and statistics on China. Browse the documents in chronological order or by topic (e.g. economy, trade, development, environment, energy, social issues).World Trade Organization
Provides documents, policy analysis, and statistics, such as leading traders, tariffs, and trade by sector and product. - Companies & Industries
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ChinaScope Financial
Database provides financials, reports and industry comparisons of companies listed in China.CSMAR Provides information on Chinese shareholders and corporate governance. Has more detailed ownership and governance data than other sources, but it can be tricky to use. Refer to the user guides.
Qin
A database of listed and unlisted companies in China. Part of the Bvd/Orbis suite. Includes up to three years of exportable financial statement data as well as basic company and management information.中国企业500强 (China-500.org)
List of China's top 500 companies. Also includes a report summarizing the development of Chinese enterprises. Content also available in English.Integrated Companies Registry Information System
One can conduct searches online in either English or Chinese on the current data of registered companies in Hong Kong and the image records of documents registered and kept by the Registrar of Companies. Searching is free but there is a charge for displaying documents.See also:
- How can I create a list of companies by industry, location, and/or size? The sources listed are global and provide fairly detailed company information.
- Which of the Baker Library | Bloomberg Center's industry/market databases are global in scope?
- Environment
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Asian Development Bank- Environment
News, research, and analysis of the steps taken to achieve environmental sustainability in China.Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES)
IGES is a research institute that strives to support sustainable environmental development in the Asia-Pacific region. See their publications Top News on the Environment in Asia, policy briefs, white papers, and databases for access to news, research and data.香港能源統計 (Hong Kong Energy Statistics)
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Xianggang : Xianggang zheng fu tong ji chu gong ye sheng chan tong ji zu中华人民共和国环境保护部 (Ministry of Environmental Protection of the People's Republic of China)
Provides standards, statistics, latest developments and more. English version is available but with limited content.Zhongguo neng yuan tong ji nian jian / Guo jia tong ji ju gong ye jiao tong tong ji si bian. (China Energy Statistical Yearbook)
See also: the Energy Research Guide
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Beijing shi : Neng yuan chu ban she : Xin hua shu dian shou du fa xing suo fa shing - Financial Markets
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Hong Kong Stock Exchange (香港交易所)
Latest news, listed companies, rules and regulations, and statistics. Chinese version is available. However the accuracy of the translation is not guaranteed by the site holder.中华人民共和国财政部 (Ministry of Finance People's Republic of China)
This Chinese Web site provides the latest national financial developments, activities, data reports, regulations, and more.Shanghai Stock Exchange (上海证券交易所)
Largest stock exchange on Mainland China. You can get a list of member companies with links to their website. Site also features statistics for the exchange. Chinese version is available.Shenzen Stock Exchange (深圳证券交易所)
Chinese language research materials include Securities Market Herald, research newsletters and research reports covering the 540 companies listed on the Shenzen Exchange. The website also includes the Shenzen Stock Exchange Fact Book in both English and Chinese.Standard & Poor's Ratings Direct
Access to credit research on bond issues from around the world, including a comprehensive collection of sovereign ratings and analysis for China. The Special Report Archive provides several research reports specific to China.国家外汇管理局 (State Administration of Foreign Exchange)
Provides latest news, policy, and statistical reports. Select English at the top of the screen to view the site in English.CEIC
Although mainly covering macroeconomic time series data, CEIC also provides index and aggregate data on Chinese financial markets.See also: the Financial Markets Research Guide.
- Historical Sources
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Doing Business in 19th Century China: Manuscripts Collections
Baker Library Historical Collections has extensive manuscript holdings that document the development of U.S. foreign trade with China during the 19th century. This topic is one of the great strengths of Baker Library's collections. The collections include business records of American companies and merchant families that established trading operations in Hong Kong, Shanghai, and other Asian ports during the early 19th century. Many of the largest and most influential companies and families involved in the China trade are represented, including the Heard family, the Forbes family, Bryant & Sturgis, Russell & Co. and Perkins & Co. The records contain a wealth of evidence regarding the 19th century trade connections between China and the United States. Contact Baker Library Historical Collections for more information.China & the Baker Old Class Collection
The Baker Old Class Collection is a valuable resource for tracing the development and growth of Chinese business and industry from the late nineteenth century to the late twentieth century. The unique arrangement of the collection brings together books, periodicals, and pamphlets by industry or topic, allowing researchers to readily browse related research materials. There are over 300 titles in the Baker Old Class collection on China. The publication dates range from 1852 to 1970, with particular strength in the 1920s to 1940s. The titles are predominately in English, though a few are in Chinese. The predominant subjects are economic conditions (currency and foreign economic relations), local industry (railroads and textiles), description and travel, and Manchuria.Chinese companies in the Historic Corporate Reports Collection
The Historic Corporate Reports Collection includes a selection of original company documents of Chinese companies the bulk of which date from 1850 to 1940. The collection primarily consists of annual reports but includes other company-related publications. The collection currently documents approximately 19 Chinese companies, including the Tientsin Land Investment Co., and the South Manchurian Railway. There are seven Taiwanese companies included in the collection. The Taiwanese corporate annual reports are primarily post-1960.China & the Kress Collection of Business & Economics
The Kress Collection of Business & Economics is the library's rare book collection. It includes over 180 titles on China. The earliest imprint is 1608, but titles dating from the early to mid-19th century are the strength of the holdings. The titles are all in English and are primarily British publications. The predominant topic is Commerce and Commercial Policy with China. - Socio-Demographics
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CEIC
Although mainly covering macroeconomic time series data, CEIC also provides country-level data covering population, education, health, income, and labor indicators.China Data Online
Similar to CEIC in that it covers population, education, health, income, and labor, but provides the data at the provincial, city, county, and national level. Also includes statistical yearbooks, census data, industrial and marketing surveys, and an atlas of China.中国人口和计划生育年鉴 (China Population & Family Planning Yearbook)
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Annual publication (in Chinese) about population and family planning policy; also includes data on these topics.World Development Indicators
Statistics for almost 600 development indicators (including public health, environment, education, and labor force) dating as far back as 1960.
HBS Resources
- HBS Asia Pacific Research Center
- HBS Global Initiative: Asia Pacific
- HBS Faculty Interest: China
- HBS Executive Education: China
Harvard University Resources
- China Connections
- Fairbank Center for Chinese Studies
- Harvard China Fund
- Harvard University Asia Center
- Harvard Worldwide
- Harvard Yenching Library