Why is it flowing into China and not (where I want in to flow) into Russia? We're pretty pitiful on comparative FDI rankings
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and later:
They're building a huge techopark in Dubna, near Moscow...
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Of course, material considerations (depth and sophistication of infrastructure, manufacturing base, etc) provide most of the explanation of why so much investment and interest flows into China.
Even so, I wonder about more difficult to track elements such as what might be called the 'aura', or perhaps, to be a bit less new-agey, the style of China's presentation when compared to Russia.
Consider the comparative presentations of Dubna and a major Chinese city, Shanghai.
Here's an image of what's called an "office building" on the Dubna English-language website
<http://www.dubna.ru/english/album/img/jinr/d012.jpg>
And here's the page titled "business in Dubna" --
<http://www.dubna.ru/english/business.htm>
Now take a look at Shanghai:
A pic of a downtown street --
<http://www.brightwind.org/images/uploads/xujiahui-big.jpg>
The Grand Hyatt Shanghi --
<http://shanghai.meetings.grand.hyatt.com/shagh/photo_01.html>
The Shanghai skyline -
<http://www.friedmanarchives.com/China/Page1/pages/Shanghai%20Skyline.htm>
Dubna, despite the impressive talent pool that's no doubt available there, has a rather dowdy style of presentation (if the website is a good indication).
Shanghai, in stark contrast, gleams like a 1960's vision of the 21st century (and, I'm told, has the telecommunication and transportation systems to match this impression).
Now, I'm not suggesting that international capital chooses investment targets based solely upon how modern and lovely a nation's cities are but I wonder, if, as the monerati look at the Shanghai skyline from out the polarized, laminated windows of their perfectly climate-controlled rooms, it doesn't become psychologically easier to pursue deals because you can see, feel and smell the glamorous rush of planetary cash flow swirling around you.
I don't get the impression a visit to Dubna would be a similarly orgasmic experience for such people.
.d.
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