英国《每日电讯报》25/07/2007 9 W, r/ l$ A$ Z! c" k" x# W" A/ {4 |9 x# Y7 t: t& P ; t2 h( }' J5 w7 m C) Q) c& e2 h" x5 l& W' B0 X" F! z( I* H
Why doing business with the dragon is a Chinese puzzle9 ]) o) H* [6 R8 d2 ^( g
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Barclays' chief executive, John Varley, is not the sort to bang back a few lagers at lunchtime. But who could blame him for sinking a Tsingtao beer with his chow mein and chips, after the deal he has just done with the Chinese?0 G/ |4 {& [6 P- v Q. f
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By securing an investment of up to £6.6bn from the state-owned China Development Bank (CDB), Varley has boosted Barclays' chances in its battle with Royal Bank of Scotland to buy the Dutch bank, ABN Amro. ' Y7 h( l" z2 P: Q M" } - t: z, k8 `) w. U* J& DFar more significant, however, is the long-term "guanxi" (relationship) that Barclays has established with the world's powerhouse of growth., ?+ ~8 R/ ]. J0 Q
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9 ?& D2 P! ^9 L, h1 ^! b英国巴克莱银行首席执行官约翰•瓦利，不是那种在午餐时间喝啤酒的人，但在和中国人谈完一单生意（指中国国家开发银行参股巴克莱）后，他吃炒面和炸土豆条时，豪饮一通青岛啤酒，又有谁会去责怪他呢？ 6 h T" B2 Q+ o# F
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从中国国家开发银行得到一笔高达66亿英镑（约990亿元人民币）的投资后，瓦利使巴克莱银行在收购荷兰银行上，拥有更多机会战胜竞争对手苏格兰皇家银行。在很多海外公司渴望进入中国之际，瓦利却说服中国人出资参加他的俱乐部。 4 H* S, Z' w% w' b2 |; u0 M
% ?4 e4 l; }( f% M* t 这是迄今中国对外国公司做出的最大一笔投资。投资者对此充满信心，巴克莱银行的股票涨了5%左右。瓦利说：“中国国家开发银行可以选择全球任何一家银行，但它偏偏看中了巴克莱，因为我们做好了结盟的准备。这给了我们真正的动力。” q( v/ n- D( }% S
