ABSTRACT
This chapter examines company relationships in four of Shanghai's six science parks. These science parks are Shanghai-Minhang Economic and Technological Development Zone, Shanghai-Caohejing Hi-Tech Park, Pudong's Zhangjiang Hi-Tech Park and China-Singapore Suzhou Industrial Park. In 1990, metropolitan Shanghai was selected by central government planners as a location to be modernized into an industrial, tertiary and high tech economic center. Transnational companies act as economic development growth engines for China's leapfrog into the 21st century network of global capitalism. Beijing's post-1978 modernizers use foreign companies as the fastest way to gain access to transferable Western technology and to finance the development of local companies. Foreign direct investments are welcomed by China if they fit the four criteria. These four criteria are involve technologically advanced products or processes; generate jobs, especially at the time of State-owned enterprise downscaling; generate foreign currency through exports; and produce something China needs but cannot provide.
