Perhaps the foremost reason why so few travelers make the journey to northwest China’s Xinjiang province is quite simply its vastness. Aside from being located on the exact opposite side of the country from Beijing, which itself is a long journey even by plane, the arid autonomous region is the largest territory in China, spanning over one-sixth of the second largest continent in the world. It’s also a long journey in terms of the cultural shift the traveler will experience especially when one spends a whole day in its street markets. And conversely,

Read the rest of "Hao Bizarre, How Bazaar" or post a comment >>

Despite the air conditioning, which was stuck the usual ‘are-you-nuts’ mode, the initial talks in Beijing between my client and a Chinese party looking for investment started warm enough. After the general introductions of both companies, the usual compliments where exchanged on how impressive the achievements of the companies had been.

Then my client started to explain what their intentions were with the Chinese company. A take-over would…

Read the rest of "Motto" or post a comment >>

Conquering the Chinese market is not easy. Fortunately there are many organizations that have the knowledge and experience to guide you in making your first steps on strange soil as successful as possible. One of these organizations is the Benelux Chamber of Commerce. China Success Stories trotted to the office of this Chamber of Commerce to…

Read the rest of “China jump-start” or post a comment >>

China, with 1.3 billion people and a booming economy, is irresistible to most American companies. But a dream does not make reality - over the years many of have tried to crack the mysteries of the Chinese market and many have failed. If you talk to companies that have tried, including some of the most respected companies in America, the response is inevitably “It was very difficult.” The difficulties go beyond the typical issues that arise when doing business overseas, such as differences in language, culture, regulations, etc. In China, there is more to it.

Read the rest of “Five Unpleasant Truths of Doing Business in China” or post a comment >>

As China continues being a growth market, the demand for experienced and talented people is growing accordingly. People’s Daily reported that China now has 88 vacancies for every experienced, skilled blue-collar worker. The American Chamber of Commerce reported that over 80% of their members consider recruitment and retention their number one business challenge. As the challenges of recruitment increases, HR and management face one crucial question: “How do we…

Read the rest of  "How to get the right people in China: An assessment center based selection approach" or post a comment