China turning to a “start-up nation” by encouraging entrepreneurship

China does not fit many people's mental image of a "start-up nation". Even the most patriotic of Chinese would privately acknowledge there is an uncomfortable degree of truth in these impressions. However, this situation is changing.
中国并不符合许多人心目中的“创业国度”的形象——即便是最爱国的中国人也会私下承认。但这种状况正在发生变化。

Back in 1997 the Beijing government made a strategic decision to promote large firms. "Grasp the big and let the small go” was the slogan. Yet recently China's leaders have started to talk about the virtues of the small. Last month, Prime Minister Li Keqiang visited Beijing's Zhongguancun, a hub of technology and internet firms in the city’s Haidian district often referred to as "China’s Silicon Valley”. “Entrepreneurship is not a privilege of a small number of people but the choice of many".
1997年北京曾为整合国企而提出“抓大放小”的口号。如今中国领导人却开始谈及“小”的好处。中国总理上月在视察“中国硅谷”中关村时表示：创业不是少数人的专利，而是多数人的机会。

The Beijing government has also introduced some tax breaks for emerging industries such as e-commerce. Small firms already pay a lower corporate income tax rate. There is also a burgeoning finance infrastructure of angel investors, meaning that budding entrepreneurs do not need to waste time trying to extract loans from the country’s conservative state banks.
中国政府正为电商等新兴产业实行减税措施，小微企业已在按更低税率缴纳所得税。天使投资金融行业正在华迅猛发展，这意味着处于萌芽状态的企业家们不必再为贷款而到保守的国有银行浪费时间。

Some argue that the education system is improving, too. Where once Chinese lecture rooms were factories full of rote-learning students, some universities now offer courses in entrepreneurship. Students are also encouraged by the more progressive-minded professors to take part in entrepreneurship competitions.
中国的教育体系亦在改善。曾经，这个国家的教室无异于工厂，里面充斥着死记硬背的学生。但如今，不少高校提供有关创业课程。一些更有进步意识的教授则鼓励学生们参加创业竞赛。

Houde has put seed funds directly into universities. "Only three years ago no one believed in student start-ups," says Houde's founding partner Steve Zhu. "[Now] we believe the future belongs to the young generation."Mr Zhu also thinks the ambitions of Chinese young people are evolving, encouraging more risk-taking. Whereas once many would have aspired to a secure and well-paid job at a foreign company, now they see large potential rewards from setting up on their own. "The environment is getting more attractive to graduates," he says. “It’s risky – but you can hear successful stories everywhere."
“仅在3年前，任何人还不会相信学生创业”，某投资咨询公司合伙创始人史蒂夫·朱说，“(如今)我们相信未来属于年轻一代。”中国年轻人的抱负正在演进并更乐意承担风险。以前，很多人渴望到外企获得一份安稳的高收入工作，如今他们看到的是个人创业所蕴含的巨大回报潜力。“对毕业生来说，(创业)环境变得更具吸引力”，朱说，“其中有风险，但你在任何地方都能听到成功故事。”

What about concerns about intellectual property protection? Mr Zhou says the fact many new Chinese firms have international expansion ambitions is actually helping curb piracy. "IP protection is very important for Chinese entrepreneurs, because if they want to list outside China they have to follow the rules," he says.
曾令人忧虑的知识产权保护状况呢？如今中国的许多新企业都具有国际扩张的雄心，而这种现实有助于遏制侵权行为。对中国的企业家而言，知识产权很重要，因为若希望到海外上市，他们就必须遵守规则。

China's economy slowed, Beijing is encouraging the development of the hi-tech and high value-added economy. They also hope that entrepreneurship will help create employment for graduates. There is no doubt that the Chinese economy needs entrepreneurs.
随着经济放缓，北京正鼓励发展高科技和高附加值经济，并尝试让创业为众多大学毕业生创造就业岗位。中国经济需要更多的创业者。