tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-70484028758104568782011-12-10T10:49:25.988-08:00Maria Korolovhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17986688121266319555noreply@blogger.comBlogger8921100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048402875810456878.post-17246999791407193842011-05-23T02:06:00.000-07:002011-05-23T02:06:12.260-07:00

All too often Sina's microblog service Weibo is described as a kloon of Twitter. Sociologist Tricia Wang in Wuhan has been using Weibo for a few months and starts to report on her weblog about the differences of the two. About fun, love and entertainment. About a regular Weibo message: "Do you like finding interesting people? Weibo is a fun place! Hurry up and discover classmates, celebrities,

Fons Tuinstrahttps://profiles.google.com/117256325610241631146noreply@blogger.com0Wuhan, Hubei, China30.593087 114.3053569999999630.373743 113.98675349999996 30.812431 114.62396049999995tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048402875810456878.post-21004731462605020992011-05-23T00:12:00.000-07:002011-05-23T00:12:37.232-07:00

Image via WikipediaInnovation tops many agenda's, from individuals, organizations and countries. But what innovation actually is and how to deal with it, outside high-brow and often mythical debates, remains illusive. Bill Fischer and Andy Boyton have in their recently released "The Idea Hunter: How to Find the Best Ideas and Make them Happen" produced an excellent guide on how to hunt for ideas

Fons Tuinstrahttps://profiles.google.com/117256325610241631146noreply@blogger.com0Lausanne, Switzerland46.5199617 6.633597099999974546.4461117 6.565252099999975 46.5938117 6.701942099999974tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048402875810456878.post-12515116522563424042011-05-22T02:50:00.000-07:002011-05-22T02:50:31.784-07:00

Suspected pirates via WikipediaWhile the world is fearing the melting polar is, China sees new opportunities for Arctic shipping lanes, writes defense expert Wendell Minnick on his weblog. Other sea lanes could become potentially problematic. Beijing has had security concerns over the sea lanes of communication. China is dependent on oil and gas shipments from the Middle East. Potential choke

Fons Tuinstrahttps://profiles.google.com/117256325610241631146noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048402875810456878.post-74765211301643938652011-05-22T01:17:00.001-07:002011-05-22T01:17:59.053-07:00

Image via WikipediaFormer foreign correspondent Jasper Becker wonders in a review in The Guardian why in 600 pages Henry Kissinger's 'On China' did not answer the most important issue at stake: why did Richard Nixon decide it was in the interest of the US to protect communist China? Kissinger tells us that this de facto alliance was personally decided by Nixon in August 1969 just as the Soviet

Fons Tuinstrahttps://profiles.google.com/117256325610241631146noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048402875810456878.post-36297521525413851792011-05-22T01:15:00.001-07:002011-05-22T01:15:29.749-07:00

Tricia Wang comes up with some really useful tips to get around in Wuhan, and possibly other cites in China. In her weblog she claims this is valid for all rather busy, messy cities, but we cannot imagine you need these tips in Shanghai or Beijing. In Wuhan, taxi drivers will scream at you. 50% of the time they aren't really screaming - they're just talking. The other 50% of the time they really

Fons Tuinstrahttps://profiles.google.com/117256325610241631146noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048402875810456878.post-18978276526303280722011-05-22T01:14:00.000-07:002011-05-22T01:14:39.986-07:00

Celebrity author Helen Wang of The Chinese Dream: The Rise of the World's Largest Middle Class and What It Means to You will speak on May 26 at Kepler's bookstore, Menlo Park, California. From the invite: In The Chinese Dream, a groundbreaking book about the rising middle class in China, Forbes columnist, consultant, and China expert Helen Wang challenges us to recognize that some of our fears

Fons Tuinstrahttps://profiles.google.com/117256325610241631146noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048402875810456878.post-75397748672167248132011-05-16T03:06:00.000-07:002011-05-16T03:06:26.545-07:00

Image by Fantake via Flickr Mark Schaub The website of the China Speakers Bureau will undergo a major revamp very soon. Apart from a better lay-out, we will integrate social media better into the design. Launching the new website will happen very soon, possibly today already. Until that moment we will not update the website. You will see an overview of the current news from our speakers on the

Fons Tuinstrahttps://profiles.google.com/117256325610241631146noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048402875810456878.post-59750094938394556442011-05-12T00:32:00.000-07:002011-05-13T13:29:59.718-07:00

The sociologist and tech writer Tricia Wang has joined the China Speakers Bureau. Tricia Wang focuses on the usage of internet and mobile communication in cities and is current doing research in Wuhan among migrant community. Tricia Wang combines strong analytical academic skills with an equally convincing on-the-ground experience in different cities in China. She has been working with leading

Fons Tuinstrahttps://profiles.google.com/117256325610241631146noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048402875810456878.post-26601896126109515412011-05-11T00:46:00.000-07:002011-05-11T00:46:59.076-07:00

Shaun Rein by Fantake via FlickrThe unusual fine of 2 million RMB (euro 200,000) for Unilever after announced prices rises caused a stampede, illustrates how inflation is becoming a headache for the authorities, Shaun Rein says in various comments. In AFP: "This is a very unusual measure. I think it is a way of scaring companies to think twice before they raise prices," Shaun Rein, managing

Fons Tuinstrahttps://profiles.google.com/117256325610241631146noreply@blogger.com0Shanghai, China31.230393 121.47370430.7858455 120.836658 31.674940499999998 122.11075tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048402875810456878.post-76070017575647222692011-05-11T00:20:00.001-07:002011-05-11T00:20:46.475-07:00

Aging, one of China's problemsEven China's mostly optimistic People's Daily, the Communist Party newspaper, admits the country has a problem with its demographics, after the results of the latest census appeared. Huge imbalances are China's largest problem, tells Zhang Juwei in MSNBC, no longer overpopulation. “China doesn’t have overpopulation pressure,” said Zhang Juwei, the deputy chief of the

Fons Tuinstrahttps://profiles.google.com/117256325610241631146noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048402875810456878.post-46557801886724542482011-05-10T05:09:00.000-07:002011-05-10T05:09:36.267-07:00

Helen WangCelebrity author Helen Wang taps into the excitement of Western companies to enter the China market. The paper JingDaily asks her wide ranging questions on her book on China's middle class, The Chinese Dream. Focus on health care and education, she advises foreign companies. JD: Last year, we interviewed Handel Jones, author of ChinAmerica, who said that education, health and the

Fons Tuinstrahttps://profiles.google.com/117256325610241631146noreply@blogger.com0San Diego, CA, USA32.7153292 -117.1572550999999932.4256327 -117.35807359999998 33.0050257 -116.95643659999999tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048402875810456878.post-73372547468832391852011-05-10T00:20:00.000-07:002011-05-10T00:20:22.003-07:00

The US could lose 1 to 2 trillion US dollar in revenue if they successfully scare away Chinese investors, writes Shaun Rein in CNBC, quoting a recent Asia Society report. "Fear mongering about China by American politicians and businessmen like Donald Trump has made Chinese think twice about investing in the U.S." A few months ago I was interviewing salespeople in luxury boutiques like Louis

Fons Tuinstrahttps://profiles.google.com/117256325610241631146noreply@blogger.com0Shanghai, China31.230393 121.47370430.7858455 120.836658 31.674940499999998 122.11075tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048402875810456878.post-61706699282854295672011-05-09T23:29:00.000-07:002011-05-09T23:29:33.072-07:00

Marc van der Chijs"Girls are no real gamers". This and nine other misconceptions on social and casual games are addressed by Marc van der Chijs, serial internet entrepreneur and angel investor in Shanghai, published in the Business Insider. 1. Gaming is a waste of time and is bad for kids This is something I hear often but that I totally disagree with. I believe there is a creative and

Fons Tuinstrahttps://profiles.google.com/117256325610241631146noreply@blogger.com0Shanghai, China31.230393 121.47370430.7858455 120.836658 31.674940499999998 122.11075tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048402875810456878.post-72806502541991529602011-05-09T06:23:00.000-07:002011-05-09T06:38:25.553-07:00

Kaiser Kuo by shelisrael1 via FlickrIn a short documentary rock musician Kaiser Kuo recalls the emergence of headbangers and metal in China, and the famous band Tang Dynasty. You can read his story also in our book: A Changing China.  Kaiser Kuo is a speaker at the China Speakers Bureau. Do you need him at your meeting, conference or concert, do get in touch. Related articlesBaidu

Fons Tuinstrahttps://profiles.google.com/117256325610241631146noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048402875810456878.post-39749909163118004612011-05-09T00:37:00.001-07:002011-05-09T00:37:27.285-07:00

Shaun Rein by Fantake via FlickrChinese have spent last year 13 billion US dollar on luxury goods, but only 40 percent in China itself, says Shaun Rein in CNBC. Because of the high tariffs luxury goods, including cars, are 20-30 percent more expensive on the mainland. "They are shooting themselves in the foot." Shaun Rein is a speaker at the China Speakers Bureau. When you need him at your

Fons Tuinstrahttps://profiles.google.com/117256325610241631146noreply@blogger.com0Shanghai, China31.230393 121.47370430.7858455 120.836658 31.674940499999998 122.11075tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048402875810456878.post-73688602194534118212011-05-07T02:29:00.000-07:002011-05-07T02:29:38.785-07:00

Wang JianmaoIncreased social unrest is triggered off by the huge wage inequality in the country, tells CEIBS professor Wang Jianmao in the Australian news paper The National. While official figures are hard to come by, "the people realise the situation is very bad", says Wang Jianmao, a professor of economics at the China Europe International Business School in Shanghai. Prof Wang partly blames

Fons Tuinstrahttps://profiles.google.com/117256325610241631146noreply@blogger.com0Shanghai, China31.230393 121.47370430.7858455 120.836658 31.674940499999998 122.11075tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048402875810456878.post-29750966126700607492011-05-06T00:06:00.000-07:002011-05-06T00:08:27.236-07:00

Arthur Kroeber by Fantake via Flickr Is China becoming an innovative force? Arthur Kroeber belongs to the bears in this debate, he tells Reuters, as the academic climate in the country is too much constrained. Not only lack of intellectual property protection and a failing educational system holds innovation back. "There's a political constraint, too," said Arthur Kroeber, managing director of

Fons Tuinstrahttps://profiles.google.com/117256325610241631146noreply@blogger.com0Beijing, China39.904214 116.4074130000000239.62660150000001 116.02188850000002 40.1818265 116.79293750000002tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048402875810456878.post-9204016099469527802011-05-04T00:25:00.001-07:002011-05-04T01:46:45.175-07:00

Jeremy Goldkorn by Fantake via FlickrThe valuation of China's leading social network Renren has done up dramatically just ahead of its IPO on Wednesday. Jeremy Goldkorn explains in Seeking Alpha why both excitement and caution should lead the investors. On the pros: It is probably the closest a Chinese internet firm can come to Facebook. Renren has a highly competitive management with much

Fons Tuinstrahttps://profiles.google.com/117256325610241631146noreply@blogger.com0Beijing, China39.904214 116.4074130000000239.62660150000001 116.02188850000002 40.1818265 116.79293750000002tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048402875810456878.post-84131371199832509722011-05-03T23:40:00.000-07:002011-05-03T23:40:31.002-07:00

Zhang Juwei by Fantake via FlickrChina's economy will face stagnation in the short term because of the ongoing shortage of labor, tells CASS-professor Zhang Juwei state news agency Xinhua in a dispatch about the effect of aging, based on the latest results from the National Bureau of Statistics. "The potential emergence of a labor shortage is likely to contribute to slower economic growth in the

Fons Tuinstrahttps://profiles.google.com/117256325610241631146noreply@blogger.com0Beijing, China39.904214 116.4074130000000239.62660150000001 116.02188850000002 40.1818265 116.79293750000002tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048402875810456878.post-4940498832615490492011-05-03T07:26:00.000-07:002011-05-03T07:26:17.442-07:00

Bill Dodson          Most are familiar with the gender gap in China, where men outnumber women in national statistics. But Bill Dodson noted recently during lectures at a business school in Ningbo, his class had a reversed gender gap: 70 percent female students. In his weblog: After the university talk, I asked my hosts why it was the audience was so tilted toward women. Was it that women who had

Fons Tuinstrahttps://profiles.google.com/117256325610241631146noreply@blogger.com0Ningbo, Zhejiang, China29.868336 121.5439900000000129.683740999999998 121.31053050000001 30.052931 121.7774495tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048402875810456878.post-44553430002772577142011-05-03T00:32:00.000-07:002011-05-03T00:32:54.550-07:00

Image via Wikipedia China's economy is not under threat of a bursting property bubble, says Shaun Rein in CNBC. Property is being sold to people who can afford those assets, and can even stand a severe drop in value, unlike home owners in the US. What has happened in the 8 months ...? Housing prices have risen 30 percent while sales volumes have dropped 70 percent. In other words, people buying

Fons Tuinstrahttps://profiles.google.com/117256325610241631146noreply@blogger.com0Shanghai, China31.230393 121.47370430.7858455 120.836658 31.674940499999998 122.11075tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048402875810456878.post-7923233336412892022011-05-02T01:05:00.001-07:002011-05-02T01:07:35.004-07:00

Wendell Minnick by Fantake via FlickrTaiwan plans to build its first prototype of a stealthy 500-ton catamaran corvette in 2012 under the Hsun Hai (Swift Sea) program, Deputy Defense Minister Lin Yu-pao told legislators in April, according to Wendell Minnick on his weblog. A Taiwan defense source said there are initial plans to build 10 Swift Seas armed with anti-ship missiles.

“We have already

Fons Tuinstrahttps://profiles.google.com/117256325610241631146noreply@blogger.com0Taiwan23.69781 120.9605149999999921.82616 118.89766499999999 25.56946 123.02336499999998tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048402875810456878.post-5976441963731491752011-04-29T00:25:00.000-07:002011-04-29T00:25:10.096-07:00

Marc van der ChijsOnline gaming has developed in the past five years from a niche market into a booming industry, writes former Spil Games Asia CEO Marc van der Chijs in his weblog. Valuation for gaming companies like Zynga and Playdom have gone up dramatically and valuations will continue to rise. Times have changed though, nowadays online games are everywhere. Especially social games like

Fons Tuinstrahttps://profiles.google.com/117256325610241631146noreply@blogger.com0Shanghai, China31.230393 121.47370430.7858455 120.836658 31.674940499999998 122.11075tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048402875810456878.post-48204252284804921382011-04-27T01:56:00.001-07:002011-04-27T02:01:25.980-07:00

Shaun Rein by Fantake via FlickrShaun Rein explains what he has learned about doing business in China, and how US companies like Google could learn from it. Publicly yelling mostly does not work, he argues in Forbes, describing his first approach with a corruption case a decade ago. Yelling often doesn't accomplish much in Asia. Even if you're right, it's often better to work patiently. Chinese

Fons Tuinstrahttps://profiles.google.com/117256325610241631146noreply@blogger.com0Shanghai, China31.230393 121.47370430.7858455 120.836658 31.674940499999998 122.11075tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048402875810456878.post-22691886122832122032011-04-27T01:30:00.000-07:002011-04-27T01:30:07.046-07:00

Jeremy Goldkorn by Fantake via FlickrAn active and vibrant internet culture trying to push the limits, describes internet expert Jeremy Goldkorn in this video produced by the Asia Society. Humor as a tool against censorship. (Jeremy's comments after the cartoon). Jeremy Goldkorn in a speaker at the China Speakers Bureau. Do you need him at your meeting or conference? Do get in touch.

Fons Tuinstrahttps://profiles.google.com/117256325610241631146noreply@blogger.com0Beijing, China39.904214 116.4074130000000239.62660150000001 116.02188850000002 40.1818265 116.79293750000002tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048402875810456878.post-87307520592292860222011-04-26T23:57:00.001-07:002011-04-27T00:01:49.030-07:00

Kaiser KuoIn an effort to resolve a high-profile spat with Chinese authors on piracy, the country's leading search engine Baidu removed 2,8 million filles, told company spokesman Kaiser Kuo the BBC, hoping this action would create enough good faith. More than 40 authors and publishers had accused Baidu that its literary platform, Baidu Wenku was greatly infringing on their copyrights by

Fons Tuinstrahttps://profiles.google.com/117256325610241631146noreply@blogger.com0Beijing, China39.904214 116.4074130000000239.62660150000001 116.02188850000002 40.1818265 116.79293750000002tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048402875810456878.post-13184525703918411882011-04-26T08:27:00.001-07:002011-04-26T08:27:44.767-07:00

Image by Fantake via Flickr Bill Dodson Celebrity author Bill Dodson just discovered by accident that his succesful book China Inside Out has been taken off the shelves of a book store in Suzhou. It might be the start of more, he reports at his weblog. In the end all foreign books might be banned in China. China Inside Out apparently caught the attention of the Fahrenheit 451 brigade in Suzhou.

Fons Tuinstrahttps://profiles.google.com/117256325610241631146noreply@blogger.com0Suzhou, Jiangsu, China31.298886 120.5853160000000331.1041515 120.31546450000003 31.4936205 120.85516750000004tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048402875810456878.post-71300585363898117792011-04-26T05:13:00.000-07:002011-04-26T05:13:23.601-07:00

Image via WikipediaMilitary technology of China's air force has taken another step as online rumor suggest a test flight by the J-18 Red Eagle vertical short takeoff and landing (VSTOL) fighter, writes Wendell Minnick in Defense News. China's defense industry is largely opaque and it is difficult to substantiate Internet chatter. However, Chinese-language military blogs reported the first test

Fons Tuinstrahttps://profiles.google.com/117256325610241631146noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048402875810456878.post-63426203072595080382011-04-26T04:54:00.001-07:002011-04-26T04:54:53.758-07:00

Old people's home in ShanghaiThe reform of the health care is one of the core changes China is going through. Janet Carmosky summerizes her insight on the health care system for Forbes, as a preparation for an upcoming conference on the subject in June. Current price tag: USD 173 bn. Health care reform in China has to reflect a sea change in demographics and social structure. For thousands of

Fons Tuinstrahttps://profiles.google.com/117256325610241631146noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048402875810456878.post-33500008366187139202011-04-26T04:30:00.000-07:002011-04-26T04:30:05.480-07:00

Paul French As the sales of luxury goods to Chinese spike, retail analysts try to figure out who is buying what. The profile of the buyers can vary a lot, tells Paul French The Guardian. Many of these new consumers are executives and entrepreneurs, keen to show they have made it, or the offspring of wealthy families. Others, however, are the aspirational: "Secretaries who live on instant

Fons Tuinstrahttps://profiles.google.com/117256325610241631146noreply@blogger.com0Shanghai, China31.230393 121.47370430.7858455 120.836658 31.674940499999998 122.11075tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048402875810456878.post-26630960676792989342011-04-26T01:11:00.001-07:002011-04-26T01:11:56.411-07:00

As growing crowds of mainland Chinese visit Taiwan, curious to see how pre-revolutionary China could have looked like, the island could capture a major share of the luxury good purchases, says Shaun Rein in CNBC. Sixty percent of those goods are bought now in Hong Kong or Europe. Shaun Rein is a speaker at the China Speakers Bureau. Do you need him at your conference or meeting? Do get in touch.

Fons Tuinstrahttps://profiles.google.com/117256325610241631146noreply@blogger.com0Taiwan23.69781 120.9605149999999921.82616 118.89766499999999 25.56946 123.02336499999998tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048402875810456878.post-42846102526035655782011-04-26T00:54:00.000-07:002011-04-26T00:54:12.426-07:00

Bill Fischer When you are looking for smart ideas in China, go to Beijing, rather than Shanghai or Guangzhou, writes IMD business professor Bill Fischer of technology management in the Business Times, exploring the strategy for idea hunting. Interested in Web 2.0? Go to Silicon Valley. If you go anywhere else, you are reducing the likelihood of finding a good new idea. Why? Because people with

Fons Tuinstrahttps://profiles.google.com/117256325610241631146noreply@blogger.com0Beijing, China39.904214 116.4074130000000239.62660150000001 116.02188850000002 40.1818265 116.79293750000002tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048402875810456878.post-28109237361585842502011-04-26T00:31:00.000-07:002011-04-26T00:31:18.292-07:00

Image via WikipediaEnding US weapon sales to Taiwan might also end a very lucrative trade that has helped the US economy greatly, writes Wendell Minnick in Defense News. Taiwan has spent USD 16,5 billion over the past five years, but calls to end the trade become louder. In January, a roundtable discussion at the University of Virginia’s Miller Center of Public Affairs recommended the U.S. “

Fons Tuinstrahttps://profiles.google.com/117256325610241631146noreply@blogger.com0Taiwan23.69781 120.9605149999999921.82616 118.89766499999999 25.56946 123.02336499999998tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048402875810456878.post-24626824197985748272011-04-19T00:51:00.001-07:002011-04-19T00:56:30.786-07:00

Nouriel Roubini via WikipediaThe famous economist Nouriel Roubini predicted the American financial crisis, and now says China is in trouble in 2013, writes Shaun Rein in CNBC. But he is dead wrong on basic trends on income, demographics and investment trends. Shaun Rein on the wages: Roubini also underestimates wage growth. Minimum wages in Sichuan rose 44 percent last year, mirroring

Fons Tuinstrahttps://profiles.google.com/117256325610241631146noreply@blogger.com0Shanghai, China31.230393 121.47370430.7858455 120.836658 31.674940499999998 122.11075tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048402875810456878.post-20582022050685459362011-04-15T04:11:00.000-07:002011-04-15T04:11:36.735-07:00

Arthur Kroeber by Fantake via FlickrChina's government is placing its bets on increasing domestic spending by consumers, tells Arther Kroeber in The Guardian. But the inflation seems to be undermining the confidence among those consumers. The 11.7% rise in food costs reflected growing demand, a shrinking pool of young workers – pushing up agricultural wages – and supply chain problems, said

Fons Tuinstrahttps://profiles.google.com/117256325610241631146noreply@blogger.com5Beijing, China39.904214 116.4074130000000239.62660150000001 116.02188850000002 40.1818265 116.79293750000002tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048402875810456878.post-85074774997686693442011-04-14T07:56:00.000-07:002011-04-14T07:56:50.824-07:00

Bill DodsonWestern companies are flocking into Central China, running into new unchartered territory, writes Bill Dodson in the China Business Services, an excerpt from his book. Local government are just one of the unpredictable dangers, like in Chongqing. Great hidden costs lay in store for potential investors like: government corruption; changeable policies; inflated costs of production inputs

Fons Tuinstrahttps://profiles.google.com/117256325610241631146noreply@blogger.com0Chongqing, China29.56301 106.55155729.377725499999997 106.2862865 29.7482945 106.8168275tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048402875810456878.post-39135457583922592562011-04-14T00:51:00.001-07:002011-04-14T00:51:36.983-07:00

Rupert Hoogewerf The number of Chinese millionaires has increased in one year time by almost 10 percent, to 960,000. The number of super rich, those have over US§15 million in assets, went up 9 percent to 60,000, according to the latest Hurun Report, produced by Rupert Hoogewerf. From eFinancialNews:  Where does the wealth come from? According to the report, more than half of China’s

Fons Tuinstrahttps://profiles.google.com/117256325610241631146noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048402875810456878.post-22828052302307757172011-04-13T01:47:00.000-07:002011-04-13T01:47:55.099-07:00

Bill Dodson       Is your company ready when China explodes, falls into piece, or does both, Bill Dodson wonders on his weblog. What happens in your company when the natives get restless? Interestingly, most of the rejection has been of Asian companies; expressly, Taiwanese (Foxconn) and Japanese (most recently the car plants in the south whose workers went on strike while Foxconn staff was

Fons Tuinstrahttps://profiles.google.com/117256325610241631146noreply@blogger.com0Suzhou, Jiangsu, China31.298886 120.5853160000000331.1041515 120.31546450000003 31.4936205 120.85516750000004tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048402875810456878.post-41961906499707215742011-04-13T00:52:00.000-07:002011-04-13T00:52:07.679-07:00

Victor Shih by Fantake via FlickrDespite three trillion US dollar in foreign reserves, China's banking system is more fragile than you would think when you look at that figure only, tells Victor Shih at the Institute for New Economic Thinking. Much of China's wealth is concentrated with very few. (h/t Creditwritedowns.com) Victor Shih is a speaker at the China Speakers Bureau. When you need him

Fons Tuinstrahttps://profiles.google.com/117256325610241631146noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048402875810456878.post-88476507827370429952011-04-13T00:21:00.000-07:002011-04-13T00:24:37.122-07:00

Rupert Hoogewerf Despite government measures to curb housing speculation, property kept on creating wealth for China's millionaires, says Rupert Hoogewerf or Hurun in the Shanghai Daily, as he publishes his latest report on the country's rich. One in 1,400 Chinese owns over 10 million RMB (1.5 million US dollars) in assets. "There was speculation on the growth enterprise market but generally

Fons Tuinstrahttps://profiles.google.com/117256325610241631146noreply@blogger.com0Shanghai, China31.230393 121.47370430.7858455 120.836658 31.674940499999998 122.11075tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048402875810456878.post-67476831805542290932011-04-12T01:14:00.000-07:002011-04-12T01:14:11.259-07:00

Kaiser Kuo "No comment." Few of our speakers have been quoted so often by the mainstream media saying nothing. Kaiser Kuo easily made it into the top-position of most-sought speakers for April as he was - and still is - unable to say anything about a possible cooperation between his company Baidu and Facebook. It has not reduced his popularity in our top-10. He even passed Shaun Rein, who had

Fons Tuinstrahttps://profiles.google.com/117256325610241631146noreply@blogger.com0Bevrijdingslei 1, 2930 Brasschaat, Belgium51.3246238 4.53679950000002951.324619299999995 4.53679300000003 51.3246283 4.536806000000029tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048402875810456878.post-2295262384675778672011-04-11T00:57:00.001-07:002011-04-11T00:57:46.689-07:00

Shaun Rein by Fantake via FlickrShaun Rein addresses at CNBC China's largest nightmare, inflation, as real estate prices and wages go up. But he remains optimistic about the country's consumers, who keep on buying for the coming six months. Shaun Rein is a speaker at the China Speakers Bureau. Do you need him at your meeting or conference? Do get in touch.

Fons Tuinstrahttps://profiles.google.com/117256325610241631146noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048402875810456878.post-72468697267944291982011-04-10T03:25:00.000-07:002011-04-10T03:25:13.438-07:00

Hong Kong: too small via WikipediaThe new-to-built Shanghai Disney park should learn from the mistakes that have been made in the Hong Kong park, says Shaun Rein in Reuters. First, size matters. Shaun Rein, managing director of China Market Research said the problem with the Hong Kong park is that it is too small and lacks rides. Given that the average Chinese person did not grow up watching

Fons Tuinstrahttps://profiles.google.com/117256325610241631146noreply@blogger.com0Shanghai, China31.230393 121.47370430.7858455 120.836658 31.674940499999998 122.11075tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048402875810456878.post-4336455579455305812011-04-09T01:55:00.000-07:002011-04-09T01:55:40.823-07:00

Image via WikipediaWhat foreign companies, trying to tap into the China market, regularly forget is that there is no need for their services, tells retail analyst Paul French at Marketplace Public Radio. Home Depot is an example. Paul French responds to Raymond Chou, president of Home Depot China: CHOU: The Home Depot is the world's largest home improvement specialty retailer in the world by far,

Fons Tuinstrahttps://profiles.google.com/117256325610241631146noreply@blogger.com0Beijing, China39.904214 116.4074130000000239.62660150000001 116.02188850000002 40.1818265 116.79293750000002tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048402875810456878.post-22644330646859028562011-04-07T06:26:00.000-07:002011-04-07T06:26:59.015-07:00

Image via CrunchBaseThe China Speakers Bureau newsletter for April 2011 is available here. Just like last month, our focus is on how foreign companies win (IKEA, Apple) and lose on the booming Chinese luxury market. Related articlesIKEA's China problem: too popular - Shaun Rein (chinaherald.net) Getting your brand right in China is tough - Tom Doctoroff (chinaherald.net) Tapping China's

Fons Tuinstrahttps://profiles.google.com/117256325610241631146noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048402875810456878.post-62957795610399505412011-04-07T00:29:00.001-07:002011-04-07T00:29:51.428-07:00

The Temple of Apple via Wikipedia The Apple outlet in Pudong, Shanghai is getting mythical proportions and babtized by retail analyst Paul French the 'Temple of Apple'. In Mercury News he explains why Apple changed from a laggard into a winner in the booming China market, unlike other US brands. While Apple currently captures only a sliver of China's consumers, the country's 300 million-member

Fons Tuinstrahttps://profiles.google.com/117256325610241631146noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048402875810456878.post-37104445766720217832011-04-06T01:52:00.000-07:002011-04-06T01:52:30.855-07:00

Image by Getty Images via @daylifeThe Swedish furniture retailer IKEA has become a public attraction comparable to Disneyland in the small number of stores they have in China, writes Shaun Rein on the CNBC website. When you are too popular as a foreign brand, it is not only good news. Consumers check out displays to get ideas on how to decorate homes. Some even nap on beds. Families buy 25-cent

Fons Tuinstrahttps://profiles.google.com/117256325610241631146noreply@blogger.com0Shanghai, China31.230393 121.47370430.7858455 120.836658 31.674940499999998 122.11075tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048402875810456878.post-87741767426004270062011-04-06T01:24:00.000-07:002011-04-06T01:24:30.124-07:00

Tom Doctoroff by Fantake via FlickrForeign brands in China have seen huge successes and massive failures. Tom Doctoroff gives in Gulf News his take on the difficulties of building a brand in this booming economy. Gulf News: After setbacks for brands such as Home Depot, Best Buy and Barbie, which have closed stores or withdrawn after failing to win over Chinese consumers, the lessons of Huai Hai

Fons Tuinstrahttps://profiles.google.com/117256325610241631146noreply@blogger.com0Shanghai, China31.230393 121.47370430.7858455 120.836658 31.674940499999998 122.11075tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048402875810456878.post-75761457279962124472011-04-02T02:20:00.001-07:002011-04-02T02:20:55.467-07:00

F16CJ via WikipediaTaiwan is getting frustrated over a US fighter deal as Washington does not want to upset China, or lose the weapons in case of a reunion, writes Wendell Minnick in Defense News. Taiwan's request for 66 F-16C/D Block 50/52 fighters for $5.5 billion and for an upgrade package for 146 F-16A/B Block 20 fighters for $4.5 billion has been on hold since 2007 and 2009,

Fons Tuinstrahttps://profiles.google.com/117256325610241631146noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048402875810456878.post-50528829614960641492011-04-01T00:24:00.000-07:002011-04-01T00:24:13.562-07:00

Shaun Rein by Fantake via FlickrGoogle was wrong when it behaved in China as if it was calling the shots, says Shaun Rein to Marketplace, as yet another Google service, Google Maps, is about to be banned. SHAUN REIN: Google really said to the government: do what we say or else. Rein says Google has claimed to be the victim of Chinese censorship after it had agreed to allow the government to

Fons Tuinstrahttps://profiles.google.com/117256325610241631146noreply@blogger.com0Shanghai, China31.230393 121.47370430.7858455 120.836658 31.674940499999998 122.11075tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048402875810456878.post-45735650017346656552011-03-29T00:18:00.001-07:002011-03-29T00:18:51.845-07:00

Shaun Rein by Fantake via FlickrThe luxury goods market in China is growing fast, says Shaun Rein in CNBC, but retailers often focus on the wrong kind of customers. The rich grab a visa and shop in Milan and Hong Kong. Aspiring young buyers still want their Gucci bags, but have to buy it at home. China might take over Japan soon as the major luxury market, as it grows annually 20 to USD 13

Fons Tuinstrahttps://profiles.google.com/117256325610241631146noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048402875810456878.post-12974848919445735122011-03-28T01:35:00.000-07:002011-03-28T01:35:53.101-07:00

Toyota SUV in trouble via WikipediaThe effects on trade between Japan and China cause by the Fukushima nuclear disaster is bigger than expected, warns Shaun Rein at CNBC, as Chinese consumers not only stop buying Japanese food, but Japanese products like Toyota's SUV cannot reach the Chinese market. Rein is bullish on the home decoration market, where he expects this year a growth of 15 percent,

Fons Tuinstrahttps://profiles.google.com/117256325610241631146noreply@blogger.com0Shanghai, China31.230393 121.47370430.7858455 120.836658 31.674940499999998 122.11075tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048402875810456878.post-38357647180655063042011-03-27T01:23:00.001-07:002011-03-27T01:23:35.514-07:00

Not popular in China via WikipediaForeign DIY-stores like B&Q, Home Depot and Saint-Gobain are retreating from China despite the booming economy, and nobody should be surprised, tells Shaun Rein in The Age. DIY does not fit the image people want to have. The Age: "Do-it-yourself is not popular in China," Shaun Rein, managing director of China Market Research Group... "The feeling in China is that

Fons Tuinstrahttps://profiles.google.com/117256325610241631146noreply@blogger.com0Shanghai, China31.230393 121.47370430.7858455 120.836658 31.674940499999998 122.11075tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048402875810456878.post-68461486432423950812011-03-26T08:03:00.000-07:002011-03-26T08:03:40.704-07:00

Helen Wang by Fantake via FlickrOur celebrity author Helen Wang just announced that her book The Chinese Dream: The Rise of the World's Largest Middle Class and What It Means to You will be translated into Chinese and published in August. Helen Wang "has sold Chinese translation rights to Shanghai Wenhui Publishing House, and will be available in China in August. I am really looking forward to

Fons Tuinstrahttps://profiles.google.com/117256325610241631146noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048402875810456878.post-86371571962797181542011-03-23T01:58:00.001-07:002011-03-23T01:58:55.031-07:00

Wendell Minnick by Fantake via FlickrShaun Rein regained the first position again from Kaiser Kuo in a very busy media month. Mostly we have no complaints on how our top-speakers perform, but this March shows we are in the top-season for business in China. Fastest rising star this month is our prominent defense speaker Wendell Minnick,, the Asia bureau chief of Defense news. Initially, and not

Fons Tuinstrahttps://profiles.google.com/117256325610241631146noreply@blogger.com0Lausanne, Switzerland46.5248727 6.629334946.4067627 6.3958753999999995 46.642982700000005 6.8627944tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048402875810456878.post-86880701636899122712011-03-22T01:43:00.001-07:002011-03-22T01:51:30.367-07:00

Victor Shih by Fantake via FlickrChina's three trillion US dollar of foreign reserves and other assets might look impressive, but when you withdraw the country's debts and other liabilities, it looks no longer that special, tells Victor Shih at the US-China Institute. Local companies and governments hold those debts. Victor Shih is a speaker at the China Speakers Bureau. Do you need him at your

Fons Tuinstrahttps://profiles.google.com/117256325610241631146noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048402875810456878.post-11430316436577555962011-03-22T01:24:00.000-07:002011-03-22T01:24:33.256-07:00

Helen WangIncreased domestic consumption and sustainable growth are key in the country's new five-year plan. But can it deliver on two critical issues, beating inflation and affordable housing, author Helen Wang wonders in Forbes and on her weblog. Reigning in inflation and providing affordable housing are important steps to foster a growing middle class. A major hindrance to increased Chinese

Fons Tuinstrahttps://profiles.google.com/117256325610241631146noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048402875810456878.post-42922261143055534402011-03-22T00:32:00.000-07:002011-03-22T09:22:15.824-07:00

Janet CarmoskyWhat can women contribute in the debate on leadership and value creation in the US-China relationship, Janet Carmosky, CEO of the China Business Network, asks herself in her key-note address. "We know a lot about tenacity. To challenge and to protect equally." Janet Carmosky is a speaker at the China Speakers Bureau. Do you need her at your meeting or conference? Do get in touch.

Fons Tuinstrahttps://profiles.google.com/117256325610241631146noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048402875810456878.post-50173994776087162412011-03-21T03:25:00.001-07:002011-03-21T03:25:51.195-07:00

Zunaira Munir by Fantake via FlickrZunaira Munir will be holding a free webinar this Thurday (1PM EDT) Do Not Beat the Competition—Make it Irrelevant to Succeed in Business. Break free from the competitive landscape by creating your market place that makes your competition irrelevant to your success. In this webinar, you’ll learn how to: Recognize the limitations of your existing approaches to

Fons Tuinstrahttps://profiles.google.com/117256325610241631146noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048402875810456878.post-34218484020591340542011-03-21T02:42:00.001-07:002011-03-21T03:37:56.397-07:00

Bill DodsonThe Chengdu Bookworm, part of the famous chain of book stores, will host a book talk by Bill Dodson on his book China Inside Out on Thursday 24 March at 7.30PM, he announces on his weblog. I’ve been invited to the Chengdu Bookworm to discuss my book China Inside Out this week Thursday, March 24, at 7:30pm. The Bookworm’s Literary Festival is winding down this week, with appearances by

Fons Tuinstrahttps://profiles.google.com/117256325610241631146noreply@blogger.com0Chengdu, Sichuan, China30.658601 104.06485630.36327 103.597937 30.953932000000002 104.53177500000001tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048402875810456878.post-56620451365098101182011-03-21T00:42:00.001-07:002011-03-21T00:42:52.968-07:00

Shaun Rein by Fantake via FlickrCommon complaints?  “Overly confident”, “spoilt”, “mercenary”, “and disloyal” employees. Shaun Rein looks in CNBC at one of the largest problems for foreign companies in China: the lack of a loyal labor force. "Mama Mia," the GM of an Italian company lamented to me over lunch in Shanghai, "The corruption I can deal with, but human resource issues are driving me

Fons Tuinstrahttps://profiles.google.com/117256325610241631146noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048402875810456878.post-8002867684732461332011-03-18T02:55:00.000-07:002011-03-18T02:55:46.405-07:00

Image by Fantake via Flickr Bill Dodson Salt hysteria has hit the East coast of China and Bill Dodson reports in his weblog from Shanghai on the difficulties of getting salt for his French fries. My wife later that evening told me over dinner how our ayi had bought a kilogram of salt. “It was so expensive,” she told me, “a single small bag can now cost 15 rmb.” Bags used to cost a couple yuan.

Fons Tuinstrahttps://profiles.google.com/117256325610241631146noreply@blogger.com0Shanghai, China31.230393 121.47370430.6432635 120.539866 31.8175225 122.40754199999999tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048402875810456878.post-38083740252109709832011-03-16T03:05:00.000-07:002011-03-16T03:05:58.114-07:00

Image by Fantake via FlickrThe main difference between Tunesia, Egypt, Libya on one hand and China? Most Chinese support their government, argues Shaun Rein in CNBC in response to those who predict China might be the next on the block of governments under siege. Shaun Rein: Sure, the system has shortcomings and continued reforms are necessary – corruption in particular is a significant problem

Fons Tuinstrahttps://profiles.google.com/117256325610241631146noreply@blogger.com0Shanghai, China31.230393 121.47370430.6432635 120.539866 31.8175225 122.40754199999999tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048402875810456878.post-78128981616352573602011-03-15T00:35:00.000-07:002011-03-15T00:35:31.392-07:00

Helen Wang by Fantake via FlickrHelen Wang, author of The Chinese Dream: The Rise of the World's Largest Middle Class and What It Means to You, will address on April 4 the INSEAD Alumni Association of Northern Californa in Palo Alto about the challenges and opportunities of a rising Chinese middle class. More details here. “The Chinese Dream tells one of the most important stories of our time,”

Fons Tuinstrahttps://profiles.google.com/117256325610241631146noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048402875810456878.post-21254387006991142262011-03-14T01:35:00.001-07:002011-03-14T01:35:37.964-07:00

Shaun Rein by Fantake via FlickrThe current crisis in Japan could lead to a change in Sino-Japanese relationships, Shaun Rein tells CNBC. Japan could actually have a chance to trigger off long-overdue economic change and prepare for competition with China. Shaun Rein is a speaker at the China Speakers Bureau. Do you need him at your meeting or conference, do get in touch. 

Fons Tuinstrahttps://profiles.google.com/117256325610241631146noreply@blogger.com0Shanghai, China31.230393 121.47370430.6432635 120.539866 31.8175225 122.40754199999999tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048402875810456878.post-40340119652868024832011-03-11T12:50:00.000-08:002011-03-11T12:50:13.801-08:00

Hong Kong via Wikipedia Since Shanghai emerged as a financial stronghold at the mainland, Hong Kong has been living in fear its would be outpaced by its northern competitor. Shaun Rein explains in the Financial Times' weblog why Shanghai, after decades of development, is still not a real threat for Hong Kong; First, Shanghai’s talent pool is weak. Although Shanghai middle school studentsgenerally

Fons Tuinstrahttps://profiles.google.com/117256325610241631146noreply@blogger.com0Shanghai, China31.230393 121.47370430.6432635 120.539866 31.8175225 122.40754199999999tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048402875810456878.post-21624667367432366762011-03-10T06:49:00.000-08:002011-03-10T06:49:39.885-08:00

Bill Dodson, signing his book While already going strong, the global launch of Bill Dodson's new book China Inside Out: 10 Irreversible Trends Reshaping China and its Relationship with the World will take place this Saturday in Suzhou, he announces at his weblog: The Suzhou Launch will be this coming Saturday, March 12, 2011, at the Bookworm in Suzhou, just off Shiquan Jie. The book talk will

Fons Tuinstrahttps://profiles.google.com/117256325610241631146noreply@blogger.com0Suzhou, Jiangsu, China31.298886 120.58531631.0055305 120.118397 31.5922415 121.05223500000001tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048402875810456878.post-89946274899702389272011-03-09T02:51:00.000-08:002011-03-09T02:51:12.495-08:00

Image by Fantake via FlickrThe March Newsletter of the China Speakers Bureau is now online, with the latest news about our speakers and an overview of the corporate failings in China over the past month, while their markets keep on growing. We look over Groupon, BestBuy, Mattel's Barby, Home Depot, Apple and many more. When you have not yet subscribed, you can look at it here. Related

Fons Tuinstrahttps://profiles.google.com/117256325610241631146noreply@blogger.com0Pully, Switzerland46.5093 6.661646.450228 6.5448705 46.568372000000004 6.7783295tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048402875810456878.post-62655213397014965652011-03-09T00:20:00.001-08:002011-03-09T00:20:53.494-08:00

Entrance Apple store Shanghai by randomwire via FlickrA visit to Apple's store in Pudong, Shanghai leave no room for doubt: the company is doing very well. Shaun Rein analyzes in CNBC how the laggard from 2009 turned into a winner in 2011, where other retailers like BestBuy, Home Depot and Mattel's Barbie retreat. When selling the iPhone, Apple was the victim of its own appeal. Shaun Rein:

Fons Tuinstrahttps://profiles.google.com/117256325610241631146noreply@blogger.com0Shanghai, China31.230393 121.47370430.6432635 120.539866 31.8175225 122.40754199999999tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048402875810456878.post-59913057042676234682011-03-08T00:43:00.001-08:002011-03-08T00:43:42.564-08:00

Howard French by Fantake via FlickrMost commentators have dismissed the so-called Jasmine revolution as an instant failure. Howard French argues in The Atlantic there is more to it than those easy analysis suggest. At the simplest level, it is hard to understand how a call to protest can be declared a failure if it virtually causes a nation's entire security apparatus to come out in force and to

Fons Tuinstrahttps://profiles.google.com/117256325610241631146noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048402875810456878.post-37690695962032645532011-03-08T00:21:00.000-08:002011-03-08T00:21:14.053-08:00

Wendell MinnickThe high-profile Taiwanese spy general Lo keeps on rocking the military establishment. In the Wall Street Journal Wendell Minnick gives his take on the largest spy case in 50 years in Taiwan. The Wall Street Journal: Wendell Minnick, the Asia bureau chief of Defense News, an independent defense trade periodical, said he believed that Gen. Lo could have caused damage in other ways

Fons Tuinstrahttps://profiles.google.com/117256325610241631146noreply@blogger.com0Taipei City, Taiwan25.091075 121.559834524.935612 121.326375 25.246538 121.79329399999999tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048402875810456878.post-24298813366718776222011-03-07T07:53:00.000-08:002011-03-07T07:53:02.514-08:00

Image by Zingaro. I am a gipsy too. via FlickrThe sudden closure of Mattel's Barbie store in Shanghai seems to have nobody apart from Mattel, says retail analyst Paul French in the LA Times, today. He is sceptical about the firm's announcement they are merely changing plans. The closure comes after other high-profile closures of retailers like BestBuy and Home Deposit. The LA Times: Paul French,

Fons Tuinstrahttps://profiles.google.com/117256325610241631146noreply@blogger.com0Shanghai, China31.230393 121.47370430.6432635 120.539866 31.8175225 122.40754199999999tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048402875810456878.post-71182498449214448472011-03-07T02:27:00.000-08:002011-03-07T02:27:39.371-08:00

Shaun Rein by Fantake via FlickrForeign firms in China currently make fat margins, showing the strenght of the economy, Shaun Rein tells Bloomberg, despite high profile failures like Barbie, Home Depot and BestBuy. Inflation might still be a huge problem, but there is no bubble in the making, he argues. Shaun Rein is a speaker at the China Speakers Bureau. Do you need him at your meeting or

Fons Tuinstrahttps://profiles.google.com/117256325610241631146noreply@blogger.com0Shanghai, China31.230393 121.47370430.6432635 120.539866 31.8175225 122.40754199999999tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048402875810456878.post-1436996775491628052011-03-07T01:23:00.000-08:002011-03-07T01:23:18.558-08:00

Bill DodsonExplaining China to an outside audience will never be very easy, but most (book) authors fall at least in one of two major pitfalls. First, their writings are often meant to outsmart their fellow China experts, not to inform people. While there is nothing wrong with trying to look better than your peers, it seldom is the best way to explain a complicated China to relative newcomers.

Fons Tuinstrahttps://profiles.google.com/117256325610241631146noreply@blogger.com0Suzhou, Jiangsu, China31.298886 120.58531631.0055305 120.118397 31.5922415 121.05223500000001tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048402875810456878.post-4120612202985106162011-03-07T00:05:00.000-08:002011-03-07T00:12:05.948-08:00

Image by Fantake via Flickr A currency war is looming with the US threatening to impose punitive tariff mechanisms which may trigger a global trade war, writes Andrew Leung at his weblog. "However, China’s current resource-intensive manufactures are already trading at wafer-thin margins and any drastic RMB appreciation is likely to cause catastrophic job losses and social instability. " For China

Fons Tuinstrahttps://profiles.google.com/117256325610241631146noreply@blogger.com0Westminster, London, UK51.5001524 -0.126236251.287288399999994 -0.5945282 51.7130164 0.3420558tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048402875810456878.post-23115037550248155502011-03-06T23:48:00.000-08:002011-03-06T23:48:11.191-08:00

Arthur Kroeber by Fantake via FlickrFor years China has been talking about refocusing its economy on domestic consumption, tells Arthur Kroeber in the New York Times. Now, real change is happening, although we should not expect too much too fast. The New York Times: “For years and years they’ve talked about rebalancing the economy and more household consumption,” Arthur Kroeber, the managing

Fons Tuinstrahttps://profiles.google.com/117256325610241631146noreply@blogger.com0Beijing, China39.904214 116.40741339.379611000000004 115.47632150000001 40.428817 117.3385045tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048402875810456878.post-6202370873089691702011-03-04T00:45:00.000-08:002011-03-04T00:45:19.415-08:00

Image by Fantake via FlickrEven though Chinese consumers are spending more on expensive products like Apple, they shunned the Best Buy stories, explains Shaun Rein in CNBC. The economy of scale did not pay off: According to our research, Best Buy in China was perceived as being too expensive, with many of their products priced higher than in local markets. Why buy a Sony DVD player or Nokia phone

Fons Tuinstrahttps://profiles.google.com/117256325610241631146noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048402875810456878.post-16784449043078960232011-02-28T00:17:00.000-08:002011-02-28T00:20:22.405-08:00

Shaun Rein by Fantake via FlickrAhead of the opening of the annual meetings of the CPPCC and the National People's Congress, Shaun Rein gives in CNBC an overview of the current challenges for the country. The mismatch on the labor market, caused by a failing education is key. Other issues: inflation, Libya and the oil prices, jobs and sustainable growth. Shaun Rein is a speaker at the China

Fons Tuinstrahttps://profiles.google.com/117256325610241631146noreply@blogger.com0Shanghai, China31.230393 121.47370430.6456265 120.5426125 31.8151595 122.40479549999999tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048402875810456878.post-70910528671501856772011-02-26T02:09:00.001-08:002011-02-26T02:09:49.466-08:00

Helen WangChina has no Khadaffi-style ruler, lifted hundreds of millions out of poverty, writes Helen Wang in Forbes. But the increased government control shows its rulers do not think China is immune for a home-made popular uprising. The last few years saw a regression in the government’s openness. Since 2008, the Chinese government has increasingly censored the Internet, detained dissidents,

Fons Tuinstrahttps://profiles.google.com/117256325610241631146noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048402875810456878.post-42181461534108377032011-02-25T01:54:00.000-08:002011-02-25T01:54:44.081-08:00

Ministry of Defense, Taipei via WikipediaTaiwan is still trying to assess the amount of damage caused by one of the largest espionage case, after the late-January arrest of General Lo Hsien-che, who ran the communications, electronics and information division of Army Command Headquarters, writes Wendell Minnick in Defense News. The one-star general stands accused of compromising the Po Sheng (

Fons Tuinstrahttps://profiles.google.com/117256325610241631146noreply@blogger.com0Taipei City, Taiwan25.091075 121.559834524.9362345 121.3270615 25.2459155 121.79260749999999tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048402875810456878.post-92055561067626981612011-02-25T00:48:00.000-08:002011-02-25T00:48:44.834-08:00

Shaun Rein by Fantake via FlickrHome Depot and BestBuy were just two of the foreign companies in China that failed, while the consumer market is reaching record heights. Shaun Rein explains what they were missing in CNBC. First, they get China's middle class wrong: For one, Western brands need to understand there is no Chinese middle class in the American context. In the United States, the middle

Fons Tuinstrahttps://profiles.google.com/117256325610241631146noreply@blogger.com0Shanghai, China31.230393 121.47370430.6456265 120.5426125 31.8151595 122.40479549999999tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048402875810456878.post-62390169985317954282011-02-24T00:49:00.000-08:002011-02-24T00:49:40.228-08:00

Annette NijsExecutive Director Global Initiative of the China Europe International Business School (CEIBS) Annette Nijs led earlier this week a signing ceremony for a partnership between her school and the Dutch multinational Philips, a partnership focusing on health care and innovation. From the CEIBS-website: Annette Nijs called the event a "very special moment for us, because CEIBS and Philips

Fons Tuinstrahttps://profiles.google.com/117256325610241631146noreply@blogger.com0Shanghai, China31.230393 121.47370430.6456265 120.5426125 31.8151595 122.40479549999999tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048402875810456878.post-91928049529900930352011-02-24T00:25:00.000-08:002011-02-24T00:25:55.585-08:00

Zhang JuweiMore graduates take up jobs that do not require education, while more migrant workers have a college education, tells professor Zhang Juwei of the Academy of Social Sciences in Beijing in PhBeta. "Demand and supply of the labor market are imbalanced. “The largest group of graduates who’ve taken up jobs that do not require a college diploma has grow to be blue-collar workers,” says

Fons Tuinstrahttps://profiles.google.com/117256325610241631146noreply@blogger.com0Beijing, China39.904214 116.40741339.379611000000004 115.47632150000001 40.428817 117.3385045tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048402875810456878.post-49024400220158283362011-02-22T23:56:00.000-08:002011-02-22T23:56:32.444-08:00

Former flagship in Xujiahui, ShanghaiThe decision by US electronics retailer BestBuy to close its outlets in China hardly comes as a surprise, says retail analyst Paul French in USA-Today. "They were ahead of the consumer." Unlike the warehouse style of top Chinese electronic chains Gome and Suning, where sales personnel push particular brands to earn commission, Best Buy provided "a much nicer

Fons Tuinstrahttps://profiles.google.com/117256325610241631146noreply@blogger.com0Shanghai, China31.230393 121.47370430.6456265 120.5426125 31.8151595 122.40479549999999tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048402875810456878.post-63356233744989638832011-02-21T08:10:00.000-08:002011-02-21T08:10:07.886-08:00

Marc van der ChijsChina's twitter eauquivalent Sina's Weibo might very soon pass Twitter in popularity, writes Tudou.com co-founder  Marc van der Chijs on his weblog, although the rest of the world is still largely ignorant about this internet service. Weibo is certainly already miles ahead in terms of functionality. But most people outside China have no idea about the service and its

Fons Tuinstrahttps://profiles.google.com/117256325610241631146noreply@blogger.com0Shanghai, China31.230393 121.47370430.6456265 120.5426125 31.8151595 122.40479549999999tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048402875810456878.post-74004778312522582252011-02-21T01:45:00.000-08:002011-02-21T01:45:45.968-08:00

Kaiser Kuo (left) by shelisrael1 via FlickrOur monthly listing of most-sought speakers has become a pretty stable one. In February we have one important newcomer, Helen Wang, who has been extremely active since her book The Chinese Dream: The Rise of the World's Largest Middle Class and What It Means to You hit the shelves in December 2010. Talks on US radio shows, presentations and a stream of

Fons Tuinstrahttps://profiles.google.com/117256325610241631146noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048402875810456878.post-4478957351179805262011-02-20T01:19:00.000-08:002011-02-20T01:19:04.804-08:00

Helen WangHelen Wang publishes a chapter from her book on de hardship of migrant workers in China's big cities. And how they plan to pull themselves out of this misery, keeping faith in the future.“Is that what you plan to do—become a manager?” I asked. “Maybe,” he said. Then he added, “Well, in a few years, I may start my own business. Zhu Guofan encourages us to start our own businesses. He

Fons Tuinstrahttps://profiles.google.com/117256325610241631146noreply@blogger.com0San Diego, CA, USA32.7153292 -117.157255132.427630199999996 -117.6228006 33.0030282 -116.6917096tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048402875810456878.post-55525861185737780082011-02-18T02:22:00.001-08:002011-02-18T02:22:58.681-08:00

State-driven by Getty Images via @daylifeLeading political economist Victor Shih reviews five books he recommends on China's economy for The Browser. Number one is Huang Yasheng's Capitalism with Chinese Characteristics: Entrepreneurship and the State. Victor Shih: The biggest misperception about China is that it’s a dynamic market economy – it isn’t. It’s a fast-growing, state-dominated economy

Fons Tuinstrahttps://profiles.google.com/117256325610241631146noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048402875810456878.post-42237637780089750762011-02-18T02:00:00.001-08:002011-02-18T02:00:44.018-08:00

Image via WikipediaChina Internet veteran Marc van der Chijs has a thorough look at the already sorrow state of Groupon's effort to enter the China market, together with the domestic giant Tencent. Things go from bad to worse. After Van der Chijs describes what has happened till now, he concludes: If I were Groupon, I would seriously reconsider their current China market entry. If they want to

Fons Tuinstrahttps://profiles.google.com/117256325610241631146noreply@blogger.com0Shanghai, China31.230393 121.47370430.6456265 120.5371195 31.8151595 122.4102885tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048402875810456878.post-75365278038959701482011-02-17T05:07:00.000-08:002011-02-17T05:07:48.728-08:00

Image via WikipediaThe European office of the China Speakers Bureau will be holding court in in Germany's capital Berlin in the first week of March. As always we will be looking for speaking opportunities for our speakers. If you are interested in meeting us, do get in touch for the last time slots available on March 3 and 4.

Fons Tuinstrahttps://profiles.google.com/117256325610241631146noreply@blogger.com0Berlin, Germany52.5234051 13.411399952.1073041 12.480308399999998 52.939506099999996 14.3424914tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048402875810456878.post-15442148836551829762011-02-17T04:40:00.000-08:002011-02-17T04:41:01.056-08:00

US senator Charles Schumer via WikipediaIs China closing its doors, as companies like GE, BASF and Siemens say, or is it more open than ever, as the country's officials say? It's a matter of perception, writes Shaun Rein in CNBC, especially now America's economy is in trouble and politicians need easy scapegoats. The reality is, the country is not becoming more protectionist — just that some

Fons Tuinstrahttps://profiles.google.com/117256325610241631146noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048402875810456878.post-2433998125119405872011-02-17T02:20:00.001-08:002011-02-17T02:20:47.410-08:00

Tom Doctoroff by Fantake via FlickrChina's second wives account officially for one third of the country's luxury consumption, says Tom Doctoroff in the Huffington Post, and elaborates on the distinction between marriage and sex in China. Because China has never had a humanist revolution, sex and marriage have always been relatively divorced. That is why many Asian cultures have an immensely

Fons Tuinstrahttps://profiles.google.com/117256325610241631146noreply@blogger.com0Shanghai, China31.230393 121.47370430.6432635 120.539866 31.8175225 122.40754199999999tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048402875810456878.post-46265097091490703842011-02-17T00:34:00.000-08:002011-02-17T00:34:22.861-08:00

Andrew LeungChina's tools to curb inflations are here to stay with us for a long time, because inflation is going to stay with us, tells Andrew Leung at CNBC. An unprecedented urbanization and the growing consumption of China's middle class will keep pressure on commodities. Andrew Leung is a speaker at the China Speakers Bureau. When you need him at your meeting or conference, do get in touch.

Fons Tuinstrahttps://profiles.google.com/117256325610241631146noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048402875810456878.post-21336137853434376442011-02-15T02:42:00.000-08:002011-02-15T02:42:07.474-08:00

Many do not return after CNY via WikipediaTudou.com founder Marc van der Chijs warns in his weblog that higher prices and wages is forcing businesses and people out of Shanghai and other larger cities in China, getting critical after Chinese New Year: For years prices have been rising steadily in China. The price of fuel is about 3 times as high as 10 years ago for example, but also daily

Fons Tuinstrahttps://profiles.google.com/117256325610241631146noreply@blogger.com0Shanghai, Volksrepubliek China31.230393 121.47370430.6432635 120.539866 31.8175225 122.40754199999999tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048402875810456878.post-9174057085791602222011-02-15T00:17:00.000-08:002011-02-15T00:17:28.758-08:00

Howard French by Fantake via FlickrWhile China was busy repatriating its citizens from Egypt, writes Howard French in The Atlantic, "nowhere have these stories attempted an honest explanation of why an evacuation was needed in the first place. To do so would require getting into some deeply messy topics in post-Tiananmen China about popular demands for democracy and accountability and about the

Fons Tuinstrahttps://profiles.google.com/117256325610241631146noreply@blogger.com0Caïro, Caïro (gouvernement), Egypte30.064742 31.24950929.916175499999998 31.0160495 30.2133085 31.4829685tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048402875810456878.post-50091988030431522182011-02-14T00:23:00.001-08:002011-02-14T00:23:47.380-08:00

Arthur Kroeber by Fantake via FlickrWhile China's rank as the second economy in the world means little in material terms, it has an important psychological effect on its international affairs, tells Arthur Kroeber in the Wall Street Journal: But Arthur Kroeber, managing director of GaveKal Dragonomics Research in Beijing, said the No. 2 ranking may have an important psychological effect in China,

Fons Tuinstrahttps://profiles.google.com/117256325610241631146noreply@blogger.com0Peking, Volksrepubliek China39.904214 116.40741339.377488 115.47357500000001 40.43094000000001 117.341251tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048402875810456878.post-10032226486240393102011-02-11T01:18:00.001-08:002011-02-11T01:19:50.457-08:00

Wendell MinnickThe Russian fighter jet MiG-29k is "no option" for China's former Soviet-built carrier Varyag, told a Russian defense official at the 2011 Aero India air show in Bangalore, writes Wendell Minnick in Defense News. "This is not an option for China's aircraft carrier program," the Russian defense industry official said, citing unresolved differences with China over intellectual

Fons Tuinstrahttps://profiles.google.com/117256325610241631146noreply@blogger.com0Bangalore, Karnataka, India12.9715987 77.594562712.6383802 77.12901719999999 13.304817199999999 78.0601082tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048402875810456878.post-83250546588336413212011-02-11T00:55:00.000-08:002011-02-11T00:55:28.137-08:00

Shaun Rein by Fantake via FlickrShaun Rein is shocked by the American fear and anger towards China, including the misplaced rethoric against China's currency, he reports in CNBC. "Many attribute China’s boom as a result of stealing American jobs and intellectual property, rather than efficient economic policies and hard work ethic." Shaun Rein: America needs to get more competitive at

Fons Tuinstrahttps://profiles.google.com/117256325610241631146noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048402875810456878.post-66303539194313357742011-02-10T02:29:00.001-08:002011-02-10T02:29:44.472-08:00

Bill Dodson via FlickrBlunt comments by Chinese staff takes Western managers by surprise, explains Bill Dodson on his weblog in a story where a newcomer was set straight by his company manager after he mentioned censorship on the internet. "You have been misled by foreign media". During the afternoon meeting one of the Western managers had made a point about the central government’s internet

Fons Tuinstrahttps://profiles.google.com/117256325610241631146noreply@blogger.com0Suzhou, Jiangsu, Volksrepubliek China31.298886 120.58531631.0067075 120.1197705 31.591064499999998 121.05086150000001tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048402875810456878.post-89500536856929768892011-02-10T01:55:00.001-08:002011-02-10T02:10:41.866-08:00

Image by Getty Images via @daylifeHome Depot announced the closure of outlets, a stiff reminder that life can be tough, even in a fast growing Chinese market. But what is IKEA doing better, wonders Helen Wang in Forbes, as they announced the opening of more outlets. What lessons can be learned? In the last fifteen years, home ownership has gone from practically zero to about 70 percent. However,

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