默克高管：《外商投资法》有利于未来增长

原载于：中国日报网 陈柳兵  Foreign Investment Law encourages future growth: Merck executives (本文原文为英文)

德国制药巨头默克集团的公司管理层在刚刚结束的博鳌亚洲论坛2019年会上接受媒体采访时说，新通过的《外商投资法》，将促进贸易，进一步推动改革开放，不仅使外国的投资者获益，更为所有参与方都提供了更好的商业环境。

默克集团执行董事会成员兼高性能材料业务首席执行官毕康明(Kai Beckmann)表示，默克作为一家科技公司，专注于制药、高性能材料和生命科学领域，清晰透明的基础行业架构对于公司的发展至关重要，比如在医药健康领域。而《外商投资法》则赋予了企业更透明更可靠的框架，尤其是在知识产权保护方面。

“立法的进展令人备受鼓舞，我们很清楚地看到新法在强调正确的规则。”毕康明补充道，这是国际公司真正看重的，《外商投资法》将让默克更加了解中国市场环境和可预测性。

默克中国总裁安高博先生说：“《外商投资法》听起来针对的是在中国进行投资的外商，其实影响的是每个参与者”。《外商投资法》通过改善中国的营商环境，鼓励了默克这样的公司长期发展，因为默克今天的投资的成效将在未来五到十年逐步显现。

毕康明认为全球化和自由贸易是一家全球化公司的源动力，作为一家拥有350年悠久历史的公司，默克一直欢迎全球化！“我们感激为改善自由贸易做出的每一份努力！”毕康明说。

因为长期生活在中国，安高博亲历了中国改革开放40年。他认为，近些年中国在改善人民生活质量和医药健康方面发生了翻天覆地的变化。中国人均经济条件已经显著提高，一切都在向好的方向发展……

安高博说中国对于默克来说不仅是最大的市场之一，同时深层次影响默克集团全球的战略。中国已经成为默克集团全球第二大市场，默克的目标是在接下来的五年，将销售额翻倍！“中国现有的技术趋势还将影响全球趋势”，他补充道。

毕康明提到：“中国提供了一项开放、透明和可靠的政策环境，让我们能够对长期投资有更加清晰的信心。默克计划将在中国设立更多的创新中心。中国的创新环境正朝着一个积极的方向发展，我们已经蓄势待发！”

安高博说：“我们认为海南利用自贸区使创新药物快速进入中国是件好事”。

毕康明认为粤港澳大湾区是一个非常重要的区域，尤其是对电子行业而言。

他说：“我们在该地区拥有非常重要的合作伙伴和客户，因此默克很自然地将创新中心理念引入大湾区。”他还补充说，默克正在与阿里巴巴健康和腾讯等本土企业建立合作伙伴关系，并开展数字化项目。

The newly-approved Foreign Investment Law, the promotion of free trade, further reform and opening up in China have benefited not only foreign investors, but provided a better business environment for all players in this country, said top executives of German pharmaceutical giant Merck during a media interview at the just-ended Boao Forum for Asia in Boao, South China’s Hainan province.

As a pharmaceutical, chemical and life sciences conglomerate, it is always important for Merck Group to have clear and transparent pharmaceutical structures, and the Foreign Investment Law gives the company more transparency and a much more reliable framework, especially on intellectual property rights, said Merck executive board member Kai Beckmann.

“There is a clear focus on the right rules that we have to have, and we appreciate the progress with the law,” he said, adding that it is what international companies really appreciate, since it gives them structure and predictability in the operating environment in China.

“The Foreign Investment Law sounds like it’s just for foreigners, but frankly it’s for everybody,” said Allan Gabor, president of Merck China, adding that the law lifts the whole operating environment by giving Merck a lot of encouragement, because many of the investments the company makes today are things that will come five and 10 years into the future.

Beckmann believes globalization and free trade are the essence and the fuel of a company that is truly global, and the 350-year-old company is very strongly committed to it. “Every attempt to improve free trade is highly appreciated by us,” he said.

As a long-term resident in China, Gabor has experienced part of the 40 years of reform and opening up, and believes the changes that have occurred in China over the years are really dramatic in terms of improving the quality of life and healthcare. “The economic status of the average Chinese person has improved dramatically…Things have moved in a very good way,” he added. 

Gabor said China for Merck is not only a big market, but serves to influence the company’s global strategies. Merck China’s business has become the second-largest for Merck globally, and the company aims to double its business in China in the next five years. “The technology trends that are emerging from China are shaping global trends,” he added.

As China has provided a clear policy of openness, transparency and reliability – a clear understanding of how the company can ensure sustainable investments over a long period of time – Merck has initiated more innovation hubs in China, Beckmann said. There will be more to come, in recognition of the innovative environment here that is really moving in a positive direction.

“We think it’s great that Hainan has this free trade zone that has enabled innovative medicines to get a fast channel into China,” Gabor said.

Beckmann also took the Greater Bay Area as an example, describing it as a very important region, specifically for the electronics industry.

“We have very important partners and customers in that region, so it was quite natural for us to move with our innovation hub concept into the Greater Bay Area,” he said, adding that the company is building its digital initiatives with local partners, such as Alibaba Health and Tencent.