Background
For many companies, doing business with China must present a moral dilemma.
On the one hand, China is obviously an excellent business opportunity.
On the other hand, everyone knows the “bad” things about China: its poor human rights records and lack of basic freedoms for many people; the Tibet issue; its questionable dealings in countries such as Darfur in Africa and other developing countries; its environmental problems; its continued involvement in the endangered animal trade of rhino horns, elephant tusks, tiger skins, shark fins, etc; and a long list of other problems.
Given the above concerns, I wonder how many companies would choose principles over profits and not do business with China?
Not many, I imagine.
dilemma = a situation in which it is difficult to decide what to do
principles = moral rules or beliefs about what is right and wrong
Discuss
- What is your opinion of China?
- Do you think companies from Western, democratic countries are hypocritical and immoral for doing business in China? Why or why not?
- If you owned a company, would you do business in China?
- If enough companies threatened to stop doing business in China, do you think this would force the Chinese government to change?
