Christina Nelson

editor, China Business Review

editor of the China Business Review.

Articles by Christina Nelson

Exporting to China can be an uphill battle for US small businesses, but many are succeeding with patience and the right partners.

When Chinese solar-manufacturer Suntech Power started to look at sites in the United States for a manufacturing facility, they had 28 locations in mind. After an 18 to 20 month process, the company picked Goodyear, Ariz., and opened its plant in the Phoenix suburb in October 2010.

US businesses are exporting more goods than ever to China. In 2013, US exports to China reached a new high of $120 billion, up more than $11 billion from 2012, according to the US-China Business Council's 2013 state exports report.

"We were the underdog," says Rudy Vetter, senior vice president for international business development at the Greater Phoenix Economic Council, a public-private partnership that works to attract investment to the greater Phoenix area from around the world.

The problems multinational companies face while doing business in China are well documented. The role of government in business and how different cultures communicate are just a few of the issues that complicate business relations, according to Steven Feldman, professor of business ethics at Case Western Reserve University.