In this Washington Post article, the question is raised whether China has become increasingly more protectionist in its approach to investment, or if U.S. companies are simply using newer trade restrictions as excuses for not succeeding in the Chinese market. It's hard to tell, because the article offers up no basis of comparison to other burgeoning economies' openness to foreign investment. However, the brief commentary about a Chinese commercial that favors a Chinese search engine Baidu over Google is excellent food for thought.

In the Baidu commercial about Google, the Western man begins by saying "I know" repeatedly as he stands, smirking confidently, next to his bride-to-be. But after the Chinese man bursts on the scene and the two get into a war of words, the Westerner becomes confused. By mistake, he says, "I know I don't know that I don't know" -- at which point the disgusted bride runs away.

So the commercial is "not about nationalism and protectionism," Ji said. "It says that it's localization that gives success. If you localize services, it means you understand the people you are selling to."