US Stock Market Threats Self-defeating

Global Times
2019/5/29 21:13:41

As the US trade war against China escalates, more Americans are calling for Chinese enterprises to be driven out of Wall Street. Those who propose preventing Chinese companies from getting listed in the US said that Chinese companies have gained tens of billions of dollars in financing from the US stock market in recent years, and this is another way for China to gain an extra advantage in addition to the trade surplus. They are fond of advocating US decouple with China financially.

We should admit that the US stock market's opening to China has promoted some Chinese enterprises' success. Especially in the upsurge of the internet economy, some IT companies which were blocked by the high standards of the Chinese mainland market and Hong Kong market found opportunities in the US stock market. The US market's complete management system also helped shape these enterprises and they won more chances to access the Western market.

But such interests are two-way. Outstanding Chinese enterprises were listed in the US, which diversified the US market and provided US investors with the chance to participate in China's development. It also consolidated the US financial market's position of being the most open and vibrant worldwide.

If today the US stock market shuts its doors to Chinese companies, then the damage to Chinese economy would be much smaller than it would have been more than 10 years ago. This is because China is already an overall wealthy country, and Chinese companies generally no longer need to go to the US for financing. This will hurt the US financial market's openness and hinder US investors from sharing in China's economic achievements.

In fact, there have been debates in China on whether outstanding Chinese companies being listed in the US is beneficial. We don't agree that China suffers losses, but such debates show that people have different opinions on the issue, which are all somewhat based on facts.

China embraces opening-up. Generally speaking, we regard Chinese companies being listed in the US as an opening-up measure that should be encouraged. The US actively attracts Chinese enterprises to be listed there, which is also an indispensable part of US opening. Chinese people would be a little regretful if the US shuts off its financial market to China. But this will not seriously affect China. Today China has enough space to deal with US narrow-mindedness.

China will explore more choices to replace the US stock market. We believe there will be lots of markets worldwide that welcome promising Chinese enterprises. The US shuts a door against China's opening-up, but meanwhile it cuts the financing relations with the world's biggest developing market as well. Will this bring more losses to China or the US? This is an interesting question.

Some American people's arrogance toward China is abnormal. They are indulging in wishful thinking. They seem to believe the US is the lifeline of China's prosperity. They believe that if they cut off this so-called lifeline, China's modernization would collapse.

The US may not really drive Chinese enterprises out of Wall Street. But the ongoing discussions have made Chinese companies more vigilant, and now Wall Street is much less attractive to them. What if Huawei, one of China's most outstanding enterprises, changes its mind about being listed in the US and is eventually listed in China? Will US investors be more regretful or will Chinese investors be more worried? The arrogant US elites should rethink the situation.