The troubles when setting up a company

two troubled entrepreneurs

Setting up a domestic private company is still very troublesome in China's largest cities, but it seems at least doable. Danwei translated an article in Oriental Outlook, documenting the case of two business people in Hunan province, Mao Shijian and Zhou Difan, trying to realize their dream, through a well-placed family member. One of them kept a diary, with almost daily entries:

4 February: Liang Wenkuan requested 4,440 in cash to buy tea oil to give to leaders. A 25kg jug for Director W, and a 25kg jug for Xia Song. These were delivered personally by Liang and me. Zhou Difan was present. I do not know where Liang delivered the other tea oil.

And a few months later:

31 May: Liang Wenkuan requested 25,000 yuan in cash from me. Liang and Mr. Cai went to a company Changsha to find someone to find a job for the daughter of a Bureau director in Lianyuan. Zhou Difan and I went along to Changsha. Liang Wenkuan took 8,000 yuan to take a leader to dinner. I am not clear who the leader was; I only heard he was "Department Director Yang."

In the end they got their factory approved. The case is now under investigation.