China Religion. China Money Making Opportunity.
Shanghaiist has a great post out (h/t to the Redkemp blog), entitled, "China home to the world's largest Christian population?" The post is on an upsurge in Chinese religiosity and how "31.4 percent" of Chinese identify themselves as religious.
Running that percentage gives us around 400 million people. So my thought here (this being a blog on law and business, not religion) is that Western companies involved in profiting from religion, such as religious bookstores, icon-makers, etc., should be looking at China post haste. Seems these foreign companies ought to have an experience edge.
For those interested in learning more about religion in China, do check out Shanghaiist's post. It goes into real depth and contains many informative links.
Comments
Wonderful, now flooding the world with "Made in China" crucifixes. What's next, Jewish mezzuzahs with Chinese fortune cookie sayings inside?
Posted by: Law Office of Todd L. Platek | September 9, 2007 2:26 PM
hehe, and Dan, I'm sure you'd be more than happy to help them start up that WFOE or JV, right? The problem with your idea is that along with the good lawyers, you'll need a Noah's ark (sorry, bad attempt at humor, any boatload will do) of connections to get the government to approve a FOREIGN company printing/selling RELIGIOUS items/materials.
I'm not sure how much that stuff would sell here as so much of what you see is pirated or (almost) samzidat anyways. I think the government's view on religion is a major reason for that.
Posted by: b. cheng | September 9, 2007 8:54 PM
I might add that I would guess of those Chinese Christians, at least 90% of them are the evangelical Bible thumping kind...nope, no missionaries here in China, that's for sure.
Posted by: Ben Ross | September 10, 2007 10:42 AM
Nah, I think the market is taken care of by local players.
Ben Ross: Yeah, I know where you've coming from, but in a regular Chinese church I don't think there's such a big problem.
Posted by: chriswaugh_bj | September 11, 2007 6:10 AM
Maybe I could make a fortune exporting matza to China...
Posted by: RedKemp | September 12, 2007 5:36 PM