The 2021 AmCham China Business Climate Survey (BCS) is now open! The BCS is part of our annual effort to better understand the impact of the current environment on your 2020 China business operations and 2020 investment plans. The survey also touches on topics such as the regulatory environment, human resources, innovation, and intellectual property rights.

  • Make your voice heard by the media, scholars, governments, and business executives
  • Be a part of one of the largest, most authoritative surveys on foreign business operations in China
  • Help AmCham China better advocate on your behalf for a better business and investment environment.

All primary members should have received an email on Wednesday, October 21 from bcs@amchamchina.org. If you are the primary AmCham China representative for your company and did not receive this email, or if you have any questions or concerns about the survey, please let us know at bcs@amchamchina.org. We will reply within one business day.

See What Our Members Say About the BCS

Prizes

Survey respondents who submit complete surveys will be entered into a prize draw to win the following:

  • A two-month trial of AmCham China's Policy+ program (all respondents who complete the survey by November 4 will be entered into the lucky draw, two member companies will receive the trial)
  • A full-year Pre-paid Event Access (PEA) pass (one lucky member who completes the survey by November 9)
  • A con-call with AmCham China President Alan Beebe regarding BCS data after the launch (all respondents who complete the survey by November 9 will be invited to join)
  • One ticket to AmCham China Annual General Meeting worth RMB 400 (one lucky member who completes the survey by November 11)
  • Lunch with the AmCham China Government Affairs and Policy team (all respondents who complete the survey by November 13 will be entered into the lucky draw, two member companies will receive the invites)
  • Two one-time use vouchers for 50% discount off AmCham China media sponsorship offerings, resulting in savings of up to RMB 15,500 per voucher (two lucky members who complete the survey by November 16)
  • Three five-time passes to a luxury gym worth RMB 1,000 each (three lucky members who complete the survey by November 16)
  • Discounts on the BCS launch event tickets (all respondents who complete by the final deadline, November 19)

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Business Climate Survey?

The China Business Climate Survey (BCS) is one of AmCham China’s most important advocacy tools. It provides valuable insights to the Chinese and US governments about member companies’ concerns with respect to China’s regulatory and policy environment as well as the daily business challenges they face operating in China. Furthermore, the survey provides a useful tool for our members to measure their operations and compare business outlooks and strategies with the broader community.  

What does AmCham China do with the results?

The BCS is used in many ways. First and foremost, it helps us represent your voice when we meet with government officials. It also helps us determine our advocacy priorities and goals.

We use BCS data in various communications efforts with survey results being picked up by local and international media. In fact, foreign and Chinese media have referenced the survey at least once a day somewhere on Earth in the past year. Our data has also appeared in speeches by senior Chinese officials and has been cited in WTO hearings and the Section 301 report.

Who should complete the survey?

The BCS will ask questions hitting on many aspects of your company's operations. A high-level manager or regional president would be the optimal choice. The primary representative for each member company should have received an email with a unique link inviting them to complete the survey. Each member company can only submit the survey once.

How long will it take to complete the survey?

The survey contains around 50 questions and should only take around 30 minutes to complete. You can save your responses and return to complete the survey at a later time and can email bcs@amchamchina.org for a hard copy of the question list if you need to get input from various departments.

As primary member, I have not received an email inviting me to participate in the survey. What should I do?

First check your spam folder and make sure you are able to receive emails from Qualtrix. If you still can’t find it, please email us at bcs@amchamchina.org.

When is the deadline?

The survey will close on Thursday, November 19, 2020.

Can the survey be filled out in Chinese?

Yes, the survey can be completed in English or Chinese.

Are answers anonymous?

Yes, data is anonymous. Survey responses will be analyzed and reported only in aggregate and with full confidentiality.

When will we see the results of the survey?

The full survey report will be released publicly in mid-February 2020, followed by a roll out of industry-specific reports. Previous reports are available for download here.

Can separate legal entities in companies in different parts of China fill out the survey?

Yes, one company based in Tianjin will have different business experiences than in Wuhan for example, therefore both entities have legitimate contributions to the survey.

The survey does not apply to me. (e.g., We are an NGO)

Every question in the survey has been developed so that every member can respond to the survey and have an impact in their respective industry. When we analyze the responses, particularly for our industry-specific reports, we will cut the data for certain questions to get a sense of how different industries (including NGOs) view the environment. Additionally, respondents have the option of skipping questions they cannot answer or for many questions can select N/A or Don’t know.

Thank you for your time and continued support of AmCham China!