First of all, consider that in any case in a JV the Chinese partner has always an information and language advantage compared to the foreign partner, second of all consider that normally in a manufacturing JV the Chinese partner uses human management resources coming from its other companies (that surely he has in China), last but not least you'll understand easily that now you have a stake (maybe majority) in a Chinese company with some technologies brought from you, but the level of the company is surely not what you're thinking before, unless you choose an illuminated partner that wants a western standard company. What I am saying is that for sure with a JV, you don't create the company you want and even if you're in majority you don't decide alone how to go on with the business and if something goes wrong remember that even in majority you're not at home, but your partner is at home.

So it seems easy but in reality the successful JV are the one that are built with clear rules and understanding between partners and this takes a lot of time in negotiations before the opening of the company. Important for the foreign investor is to protect its rights through the JV agreement: state always a certain level of technology to inject into the venture and state what you cannot give to the venture in terms of technology; state exactly some activities that must directly controlled by you; put a trusted financial people in the board or in the relative departments as well as for HR, appoint someone trusted in the new venture, try to limit the freedom of your partner (as well as your partner is limiting yours). And then? And then starts the negotiation, because a JV will be a negotiation with the Chinese partner long life time even for unnecessary items but wherever ideas and cultures are different. If you're not ready to do this, it's better you create a WFOE, unless you'll see the "easy" money of the beginning turning into a nightmare and the JV going down.