For MNCs, success requires clarity, commitment, agility

During an interview at the guest room of a home appliances store in China World Mall in Beijing in mid-March, Hubert de Haan, senior vice-president for China of Germany's BSH Home Appliances Group, sipped his coffee thoughtfully, while stressing that China "is still worth it".

His words may sound simple, but they echo a sentiment that is far more nuanced.

After tracking China's economic policies for years, I have learned that understanding this market takes more than just reading headlines — it requires diving into the details, including the numbers, the policies, and, perhaps most importantly, the momentum foreign business executives feel when they are actually here on the ground.