BEC中级阅读：纳斯达克开设北京代表处

随着各方吸引迅速增长的中国公司赴海外上市的争夺战愈演愈烈，纳斯达克(Nasdaq)昨日成为最新一个在北京开设代表处的全球证交所。

Nasdaq yesterday became the latest global exchange to open a representative office in Beijing, as the battle to lure fast-growing Chinese companies to list on overseas markets intensifies.

中国政府最近修改了有关规定，允许国外证交所在中国内地设立营销办事处。侧重科技行业的纳斯达克以及纽约证交所(NYSE)率先抓住了这一机会。

The technology-focused US exchange and the New York Stock Exchange are the first foreign groups to exploit a recent change of rules that permits non-Chinese bourses to establish marketing offices on the mainland.

纳斯达克副董事长、前美国国会议员迈克尔?奥克斯利(Michael Oxley)称，通过北京代表处，纳斯达克可以向那些希望进入这个“大联盟”的中国企业宣传美国的资本市场。

The office will allow Nasdaq to publicise US capital markets to Chinese companies wishing to enter the “big league”, according to Michael Oxley, the vice-chairman and a former US lawmaker.

近年来，已有几百家中国企业蜂拥至香港上市。而今年，在上海和深圳上市的内地企业也越来越多。

In recent years, several hundred Chinese companies have flocked to list in Hong Kong. This year, an increasing number of mainland companies have listed in Shanghai and Shenzhen.

相比之下，国际证交所很难吸引到中国公司前往上市，尤其是美国的证交所，原因是很多公司高管认为，自己的公司会受到繁重的监管，还要面临美国的诉讼环境。

International exchanges have, by comparison, struggled to attract Chinese issuers, with those in the US in particular hit by perceptions among business executives that their companies would be subject to onerous regulation as well as the country’s litigious environment.

奥克斯利否认，对过度监管的恐惧会损害纳斯达克魅力攻势。他是美国2002年颁布的《萨班斯-奥克斯利法》(Sarbanes-Oxley Act)的联合提案人。

Mr Oxley, co-author of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act in the US in 2002, rebuffed concerns that fears of over-regulation would hurt Nasdaq’s charm offensive.

“你可以看到，自从实行《萨班斯-奥克斯利法》以来，全球的监管标准都有所提高，”他说道。“通过在美国上市，公司会达到最高监管标准。好的治理有益于公司。”

“You have seen an increase in regulatory standards worldwide since the introduction of Sarbanes-Oxley,” he said. “By listing in the US, companies reach the highest regulatory standards. Good governance is good for business.”

纳斯达克今年吸引了19家中国公司进行首次公开发行(IPO)，数目比去年提高一倍，也使得在纳斯达克上市的中国企业总数达到52家。

Nasdaq has attracted 19 initial public offerings of Chinese companies this year, double that of last year, raising the total to 52.

以前，纳斯达克吸引了相当一部分内地科技公司前去上市。不过，投资银行家们认为，上个月，中国领先的“BtoB”电子商务网站阿里巴巴(Alibaba.com)在香港的上市取得了极大的成功，有助于香港吸引类似的IPO，对这家美国证交所构成了挑战。

It has traditionally at-tracted a significant proportion of mainland technology companies, although investment bankers believe last month’s hugely successful listing in Hong Kong of Alibaba.com, China’s leading business-to-business website, could help the city attract similar IPOs at the expense of the US exchange.