Invest China - Special Report

Forget entertaining clients in karaoke bars.  These days, Chinese businessmen are more likely to be talking deals on luxury boats.

The yuan debate has come to the fore again, with Chinese President Hu Jintao in Washington for a state visit. While many critics see the currency as vastly undervalued against the U.S. dollar, the case is far from clear when viewed against other currencies.

Zhang Xin, co-founder and CEO of Beijing's largest real estate developer, SOHO China, shares her outlook on China's property market amid the country's tightening policies, and whether the country's property bubble is at risk of bursting.

Even with a great 2010 in the books, analysts say investors shouldn’t expect the growing boom in Chinese cleantech firms going public to slow down in the coming months.

Looking ahead 10 years from now, you may just be sporting Li Ning’s latest running shoes, baking in Haier’s top class ovens or “baidu-ing” on China’s fastest growing search portal, Baidu.

In an exclusive interview with CNBC Asia, Wang Chuan Fu, Founder and Chairman of Shenzhen-based BYD, talks about how he is charging up China's car-and-battery giant for the future.

China's economy powered ahead in 2010, but the performance of its stock market far from impressed global investors.

China may soon become known as a nation of spenders, rather than savers, thanks to Beijing's efforts to let consumption drive economic growth.

"As the Chinese get richer," the private equity investor glowed, "this company is going to be the next Google." I was sitting in my office in Shanghai, while the investor rattled off why he loved the company. It had 50 retail outlets and planned to open another 100. Moreover, its website had 10 million monthly hits.

China’s M&A activity hit record levels in 2010, with overseas acquisitions dominating a quarter of the deals. While Chinese firms have had success in its quest to go global, the end result is not always smooth sailing.

Despite moves by the Chinese government to tame its property sector,  prices have remained stubbornly resilient, with some economists saying the tightening measures are unsustainable.

China's economy powered ahead in 2010, but the performance of its stock market far from impressed global investors.

China’s consumer price index rose to 4.6 percent in December, slowing from 5.1 percent in the previous month. While inflation may have eased, it continues to be well above the government’s annual inflation target, and remains a large concern for investors looking to get into mainland equities.

The protests in Egypt are unsettling regimes around the world as thousands of everyday Egyptians rise and declare that they want an end to President Hosni Mubarak’s 30-year rule. Time will tell if Mubarak’s regime really will collapse or be forced to undertake major reforms, but what is true is there are lessons for China's leaders as well as those through the Middle East.

Though Shanghai and Beijing tend to grab the headlines, the future of the country is in its smaller cities, experts say. They are its heartland and the likely source of its most rapid growth over the next few years.

Greater China may represent a significant portion of sales for leading luxury brands Louis Vuitton, Gucci and Bulgari, but Aaron Fischer, regional head of consumer research at CLSA Asia Pacific Markets, believes Hong Kong-listed retailers are better positioned to capture the mainland’s demand for high-end merchandise.

March CPI is expected to rise more than 5 percent on year to touch a 32-month high, while retail sales, an indication of consumer spending, is forecast to rise 16.5 percent on year. This would mean inflation has not yet hit discretionary spending in China.

China may be increasingly capitalist in inclination, and at ground level. But no one should forget that it’s still a communist, command-driven economy. If “Don’t fight the Fed” is the mantra in the United States, “Don’t fight the Party” is a wise motto for investors in the Middle Kingdom.