Haier's operation in the US sits well with the mainland's strategy of expanding investment in the US, says Tarun Khanna of the Harvard Business School. 'It is a company with a proven track record in China. Also, it has been tested against the world's best multinationals and has done fine.
'It's a company with some real strength so it's a good one to spearhead Chinese expansion. And it avoids politically more volatile situations that have run into trouble, like buying oil or energy assets.'
The professor believes Haier 'will force western companies to take Chinese capabilities more seriously, much as happened after Japanese and Korean activity in the US, and in software, with Indian companies.'
David Parks, president of Haier's refrigerator arm in Camden, South Carolina, said Haier had shown that a mainland company can establish a successful business in the US, and that 'you can have Americans interact in the business under Chinese leadership', something which could encourage other mainland companies to be more open to exploring opportunities there.
'It is very concerning to someone to open an operation 5,000 miles [8,000km] away in a different culture, so there has to be some degree of trust and understanding of the capabilities,' Mr Parks said.
He hoped there would be more direct foreign investment from the mainland in the US.