Social duties key to Chinese enterprises' overseas success

In response to questions about its "political" contribution to Clinton Foundation, Alibaba Group has said it donated $250,000 to the foundation in 2005 for the treatment and care of HIV/AIDS patients in developing countries.

This is an interesting episode in Chinese enterprises' "Go Global" process. After China became the second-largest economy, its enterprises accelerated their pace of joining global competitions. Ministry of Commerce data show Chinese companies' foreign direct investment (FDI) increased on average 14 percent a year from 2008 to 2014. In the first five months of this year, Chinese companies' non-financial FDI steeply rose 62 percent year-on-year, and their FDI in the first half has already exceeded that for the whole of last year.

Chinese enterprises that "Go Global" not only get a wider stage to do business, but also have to cope with various economic, cultural and legal challenges. More and more Chinese enterprises, however, are taking their social responsibilities seriously, doing their best to ensure their products and services meet local environmental standards and their investments benefit local communities.