Tian Wu leads artificial intelligence efforts at Baidu. Baidu is one of several Chinese tech companies to set up research and development centers in California, particularly around the ever-popular Silicon Valley hub. Credit: Baidu
More than a decade ago, Beijing began encouraging its companies to “go global,” to learn by competing on the world stage, and to acquire overseas assets. Well today, even though the U.S. is no longer as hospitable as it once was to Chinese investments, there are more than 155,000 people employed in the United States by Chinese-owned firms.
Chinese firms operating in the U.S. include: BYD, Haier, Lenovo, Smithfield Foods, AMC Entertainment and Riot Games, as well as Baidu, Tencent and ByteDance. Like multinational companies from other countries, Chinese firms are eager to take advantage of some of the nation’s best offerings. They can better access American customers, tap into the country’s vibrant financial markets, and set up operations in Silicon Valley, where some of the world’s hottest startups have come to life.
This week, The Wire looks at the growth of Chinese companies in the U.S. market, and their R&D operations in California.
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