China Economic Review has chosen Atlanta as its new headquarters for its quest to build readership and influence in the North American market.  The magazine has 25,000 subscribers globally and claims to be the most widely read China business magazine published in English. About 20 percent of its readers are in the U.S., many of them decision-makers working for companies with extensive China operations.  GlobalAtlanta spoke by e-mail with Graham Earnshaw, CEO of China Economic Review and its publishing company Sinomedia, about why the company considered Atlanta a fit for its U.S. expansion.

GlobalAtlanta: We know that CER provides economic news, but it seems like you make your living by turning your coverage into information that is practical for those doing business in China.   Talk a bit about your model.

Graham Earnshaw: The model is quite simply to explain what is happening in what is still the world’s fastest growing economy in a way that is practical and useful to business people all over the world. Anyone doing business or trade these days has to be aware of the China market and take into account the trends in this fast-changing economy. Over the past 20 years, the China Economic Review has developed a reputation for objective analysis and commentary on China’s economic news and trends. We also run conferences and events on topics of importance to allow for interaction and networking between our readers and our staff.

GlobalAtlanta: How have you seen your subscriber base shift? As China grows in economic strength, are more and more people in the U.S. becoming interested in China-focused news?  If so, are you banking on this trend persisting?

Graham Earnshaw: Our subscriber base is global and we have seen subscriber increases from most continents. More companies and people are focused on China news now than ever before.

GlobalAtlanta: Why did you feel the need to open a North American headquarters? Is this part of an effort to build your subscriber base here?

Graham Earnshaw: Many of our readers currently are employed by big American, European or other international firms operating in China, and since we already have a presence in London and in Hong Kong, our next natural move was to North America. This is part of an effort to build our subscription base and visibility in the North American market, with Latin and South America a possibility for the future.

GlobalAtlanta: Why did Atlanta pique your interest as a place to locate your headquarters?

Graham Earnshaw: Atlanta has always been a regional hub for business. It is a well-known city with the headquarters of a lot of major companies, good [human resources], low costs of living and a direct flight to Shanghai via Delta. All these factors played a role in our interest.

GlobalAtlanta: Despite the state's efforts and an active Chinese community, Georgia has a long way to go before it can be considered a hub for Chinese investment. Why didn’t you choose New York, Los Angeles, even Boston or Houston?  Who were Atlanta's strongest competitors in your search?

Graham Earnshaw: We considered New York and San Francisco, but when you compare costs they could not compete. Atlanta also has a historical tie to China in that when the late leader Deng Xiaoping visited the U.S. in 1979, the only three places he visited were New York, San Francisco and Atlanta.

GlobalAtlanta: Will Atlanta be a hub for gathering editorial coverage, for disseminating your China coverage to a broader U.S. audience, or both?

Graham Earnshaw: Probably both.

GlobalAtlanta: How do you see Atlanta and the Southeast U.S. developing as a hub for Chinese business?

Graham Earnshaw: The Southeast already represents a huge market for Chinese goods; the Savannah port and surrounding counties are likely to see increased logistics business with China over the next few years.

For more information, see GlobalAtlanta’s full article on China Economic Review here. 

Or visit www.chinaeconomicreview.com. 

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