Companies urged to step up contacts with unions abroad

Chinese companies have been advised to attach more importance to communication with trade unions in host countries when they expand business overseas.

Some enterprises, in the course of expanding overseas, have realized the necessity of good communication with local trade unions.

"Apart from following an overseas market's laws, it is important to understand how local trade unions work, because they can be very different to China's trade unions," said Li Jirong, chairman of Shanghai SAIC Motor Corp's trade union. Li attended the 16th National Congress of the All-China Federation of Trade Unions, which ended on Tuesday.