By Jack LeBlanc

Two weeks later the Hong Kong company had flown back to Chongqing together with the representative of an American glass manufacturer. Apparently this was their long-term partner, and the favored supplier for the job. The American sales team had already
visited Chongqing several times for this project over the past year, and wanted this contract badly.

Any interference with their plans had to be stopped at any cost, especially after all the courting they’d gone through. I knew nothing of the meeting or of the existing competition until two days afterwards, when Jackson told me that the Americans had come up with a killer price. In the meantime, I also had received feedback from Jan, who had made a quote based on the previous information gathered. Read the rest of “The great glass curtain walls of China. Part 7″ or post a comment

By Johnny Tay

China is still a growing market and capable of providing you quality suppliers. There are many ways to minimize your risk, and I shall share some of the more fundamental ones below.

My first trip to China wasn’t on business, but as a tourist. I was apprehensive due to the many preconceived notions I carried, fed by media reports of the physical and social conditions there. I half-expected stomach upsets from badly cooked food and guarding against robberies at every turn. Most of my fears were unfounded, and you can find products and services of international standard. Read the rest of “Importing from China - Managing your Risks” or post a comment

By Milad Nouri

China is known as the factory of the world where a wild variety of products are manufactured. Today the manufacturing in China does not concern only commodities and garments but in the past few years we have seen an increase in fabrication of high-tech and complex products manufacturing. The more complex and innovative is a product, the more difficult is the production process and this could involve more conflicts and longer time for the establishment of the manufacturing project.

Manufacturing in China can be very attractive for western companies because it allows them to be more competitive in their own market, but it can turn to a nightmare if the manufacturing project is not structured and closely controlled. Read the rest of “Manufacturing in China, main challenges and practical tips for SMEs” or post a comment

By Jack LeBlanc

Arriving at the temple, our remaining giggles stopped instantly when we witnessed Jackson go into a religious frenzy, burning large amounts of incense, offering hell bank notes – a kind of fake paper money to appease the ghosts of his ancestors – kneeling on one of the red cushions and praying next to the seventy-some-year-old grannies. For my part, I thought he’d been bitten by some sudden Buddhist beliefs, while the others just didn’t know how to respond when faced with so much devotion.

This ‘performance’ was definitely the talk of the evening. After liberation, religion had been entirely marginalized and was only practiced by the elderly. In the eighties, however, religion made a slow comeback as new uncertainties emerged in people’s lives, and they sought new sources of comfort. Read the rest of “The great glass curtain walls of China. Part 6″ or post a comment

By Ron Cune

The Dutch are very attached to their own identity, which includes outspoken opinions and a clear political vision. Others are judged based on knowledge or his/her attitude in certain situations.

The Chinese have a radically different approach. Political visions are difficult to distinguish and opinions are only rarely openly announced. Persons are judged based on career, possessions and the position on the social scale is used as a point of reference.

Individual contact whilst conducting business is valued more in China than it is in the West. The description of your identity in a Chinese frame of reference may be extremely qualifying for the relationship and, as such, its success. Read the rest of “Show your ID” or post a comment