Chinese　software　companies　are　increasingly　using　Open　Source　Software　(OSS)　components　in　system　development.　Integrating　such　components　into　new　software　systems　leads　to　challenges　related　to　component　selection,　component　integration　and　testing,　licensing　compliance,　and　system　maintenance.　Although　these　issues　have　been　investigated　industrially　in　other　countries,　few　state-of-the-practice　studies　have　so　far　been　performed　in　China　and　with　a　representative　subset　of　software　companies.　It　is　therefore　difficult　for　Chinese　software　companies　to　be　aware　of　special　issues,　or　to　plan　improvement　of　OSS-related　processes.　This　paper　describes　a　questionnaire-based　survey　in　Chinese　software　companies　of　software　development　with　existing　OSS　components.　Data　from　47　finished　development　projects　in　43　companies　have　been　collected.　The　results　show　that　use　of　web　search　engines　was　the　most　common　method　to　locate　OSS　components.　Local　expertise　combined　with　requirements　compliance　was　the　most　decisive　factors　when　choosing　an　identified　component.　To　avoid　legal　exposure,　the　common　strategy　was　to　use　components　without　licensing　constraints.　About　84%　of　the　components　needed　bug　fixing　or　other　code　changes,　rarely　relies　on　support　from　the　OSS　community.　However,　close　participation　with　the　OSS　community　was　rare,　although　most　developers　meant　that　this　was　important.　©　Springer-Verlag　Berlin　Heidelberg　2007.