Shenzhen:
Pacesetter for Open China
By
staff reporter LI WUZHOU
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The China Hi-tech Fair exhibition hall
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KINGDEE is the large
financial software vendor that dominates the south China market.
It was in Shenzhen that Xu Shaochun, now chairman and CEO of
Kingdee International Software Group Co., Ltd., successfully
guided the company through its transition from a private enterprise
to a software giant.
Xu Shaochun came
to Shenzhen ten years ago. On arrival at Shenzhen Railway Station
he saw two signposts, one pointing to Shenzhen, and the other
to Hong Kong. He was immediately aware of the difference between
Shenzhen and other parts of China. Even buses here traveled
faster than in other cities.
In 1991 Kingdee Software
Co., Ltd., was founded. It was one of the earliest private businesses
registered in Shenzhen. Its eight-year preference for hi-tech
enterprises aside, the municipal government has otherwise always
kept to a non-interference market policy. On the subject of
Shenzhen, Xu Shaochun is full of praise. "You don't need
to look for human connections here," he says. "Back
in the days when we first tried to sell our financial software
products, we simply went to prospective buyers, made presentations,
and explained how we could help reduce operating costs. Shenzhen
operated like a WTO member even then."
Kingdee's story is
no exception, but rather typifies numerous hi-tech businesses
that have emerged and thrived in Shenzhen's fertile environment.
