Chinese New Year, Kunming Style Xin Nian Kuai Le! UCBC looks at

Transcription

CHINAINSIGHT
Fostering business and cultural harmony between China and the U.S.
VOL.6 NO.3
Copyright © 2007 China Insight, Inc. All Rights Reserved
UCBC looks at American and
Chinese companies
MARCH 2007
By Richard He, Staff Writer
O
n Feb. 7th, 2007, US-China
Business Connections (UCBC)
held its monthly breakfast networking meeting at the Minneapolis Community & Technical College.
UCBC Director Jim Smith
Jim Smith, Director of UCBC, presided
over the meeting. The topic of this meeting
was “American & Chinese People In Business -- How We Differ & How We Are Alike.”
The Power Point presentation that was presented alongside the speakers was titled
How different and similar are foreign and
local companies in China? The guest speakers were Chinese students from the University of Minnesota: Mandy Bai (Xue), Mark
Lian Meng, Arnold Guo (Hongwei), Bryan
Peng (Wen Jun) and Hao Peng. Some of them
are MBA students from the Carlson School
of Management; some are from the
Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs. All of
them had very strong working experience in
China at different management positions
(HR Managers; Deputy General Manager,
Mainland China Operation; Assistant to Vice
President; etc.). They discussed how different and similar foreign and local companies
are in China; how Chinese business people
differ from Americans in expectations, negotiations, business relations and at work.
This seminar was a true opportunity for the
audience to learn about the impressions they
create on Chinese business partners at work
and in business dealings.
Chinese New Year,
Kunming Style
Xin Nian Kuai Le!
By Ted Meinhover
R
iding through the streets of
Kunming on a used bicycle, you
might wonder where the usual
crowds of people and motor
scooters and cars are. Then, from down a
small road off December First Street, you
hear a rumbling, shouts of excitement, explosions. You fear there has just been a
brutal gang shooting, and on this, the
Spring Festival! But then you round the
corner, and you see a group of smiling kids
emerge from the cloud of smoke, little red
pieces of paper still hanging in the air, waving their little sparklers and causing general mayhem with the little fire crackers and
bottle rockets.
I got the message across to my new
housemate (a nice woman who teaches at a
local school, and whose English is worse
than my Chinese) that I would like to do
some shopping and would like to know
where I could go. "Wo dai ni, hao ma?"
she smiled broadly as she immediately
started putting on her coat, not waiting for
an answer to her offer to take me to the
shopping market. Next thing I know I am
wandering through one of the biggest –
and busiest – Wal-Mart stores that I have
ever seen. Only a few days before the Spring
Festival in Kunming, the city has that frantic energy in the air as people make last to
People playing mahjong on New Year
Holidays (Photo: Ted Meinhover)
New Year continues on Page 15
Chinese New Year
Celebrations
Pages 8 & 9
Guest speakers from the University of
Minnesota
The presentation was attended by about
50 people that included individuals from different companies including Wells Fargo and
US Bank.
Travel
The presentation was attended by about
50 people
Following are some of the observations
that the speakers presented on various topics: (See slides on Page 15)
What do you like working for a company?
What do you dislike working for a company?
Cultural Differences in HR Management
What kind of hiring profile does a company look for?
How's individualism and collectivism
exhibit in the work place?
What’s the perception of IP on the minds
of upper mgmt?
What’s the impacts of PR has on the
operation of companies in China?
What’s the role of government’s has on
the operation of the company?
The presentation ended with a Question
and Answer session followed by additional
networking opportunities for all that attended.
UCBC continues on Page 13
Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial project
commissions Minnesota Rocks! artist Lei
Yixin
T
he Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Project announced Feb. 24 in
Washington, D. C. the commission of artist Lei Yixin to create the
central feature of the memorial: a 28 foot tall
carved granite Stone of Hope. It will be set
within a 4-acre Memorial landscape on the
National Mall, at the edge of the Tidal Basin
and within view of the Jefferson and Lincoln Memorials. The overall project was designed by San Francisco-based ROMA
Page 5
Design Group.
Lei Yixin was brought to the memorial
project as a result of his participation in the
International Stone Carving Symposium -Minnesota Rocks! – produced by Public Art
Saint Paul from May – June, 2006.
As the Memorial’s design team searched
for an artist capable of creating such a monumental stone sculpture, they found Minnesota Rocks! Web site on the Internet and
Master Lei continues on Page 4
Best of the Best
Page 16
HAPPY ST.
PATRICK’S DAY
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE
Commentary / 2
Events / 3
Nominations / 4
Travel / 5 & 6
Education / 7
Culture / 10
Education / 11
business / 12, 13, 14
& 15
PAGE 2 > MARCH 2007
commentary
www.chinainsight.info
CHINA
CHINAINSIGHT
Publisher/Editor:
Gregory J. Hugh
[email protected]
Associate Editor:
Jennifer Nordin
[email protected]
Manager of Operations/Circulation/
China Marketing/Web Master:
Richard He
[email protected]
Production Editor:
Dawn Murphy
[email protected]
Director of Marketing and
Communications:
Cydne Washington
[email protected]
Advertising Representatives:
Amy Lau
[email protected]
Mike Xiong
[email protected]
Staff Writers:
Greg Hugh
[email protected]
Jennifer Nordin
[email protected]
Phil Lee
[email protected]
About CHINAInsight
C HINA Insight is a monthly
English-language newspaper
fostering U.S.-China cultural and
business harmony.
CHINAInsight is a member of
The Minnesota Chapter of the
Asian American Journalists
Association (AAJA).
Submissions &
Correspondence
CHINAInsight welcomes guest
articles. Correspondence should
be addressed to:
A letter from Amy
Klobuchar
I am honored to have the opportunity to offer my best wishes for a
Happy Chinese New Year. I have always believed that Minnesota's
strength and vitality comes from the diversity of our people. Minnesota's
Chinese population has grown dramatically in recent years, and the
University of Minnesota continues to be a leading destination for Chinese students and scholars. Minnesotans of Chinese heritage contribute so much to the richness and dynamism of life in our state. I wish
everyone happiness and good health as we look forward to the New
Year.
U.S. Senator for Minnesota
Editor, CHINAInsight
6520 South Bay Drive
Minnetrista, MN 55331
Tel: (952) 930-5252
Fax: (952) 474-6514
[email protected]
Letters to the Editor become
the property of CHINAInsight and
may be edited for length and
published. Articles will not be
published without the express
consent of the author.
NOTICE TO READERS: The
views expressed in articles are the
author’s and not necessarily those
of C HINA Insight. Authors may
have a business relationship with
the companies or businesses they
discuss.
events
The Macalester
College Art Gallery
presents
Behind the Gate: China in
Flux after the Flood of the
Three Gorges Dam
An exhibition featuring photos taken by
Macalester College Associate Professor
Wang Ping, in addition to related texts and a
video installation, will be held at the
Macalester College Janet Wallace Fine Arts
Center Gallery, Mar. 2 through Mar. 27, 2007.
Entitled Behind the Gate: China in Flux
after the Flood of the Three Gorges Dam,
the subject matter covers Wang’s recent
journeys to the Three Gorges Dam area and
along the Yangtze River.
The setting of the photos and video
takes place starting just days before the June
6, 2006, blasting of the coffer dam and in the
aftermath during the following months. It
shows not only the dam, the flooded waterways and towering new concrete construction, but also the people and towns to and
from which they have relocated. It includes
the massive development of highways
across the high mountains along the river,
and it visits the Shanghai delta and its offshore wetland, where the Yangtze deposits
the last of its sediment. It journeys through
the upper region of the Yangtze, the Golden
Sand River, and its yet-pristine Leaping Tiger Gorges, where more dam projects are
underway.
Intended to introduce the visitor to the
benefits and dangers of the dam itself, such
as energy production, increased commerce,
flood control, disruption of sewage and sediment drainage, it also details the personal
2007
stories of individuals displaced by the dam
project and the environmental impacts on
the river ecosystem, its land and animal species.
Wang Ping was born in Shanghai and
grew up on a small island in the East China
Sea. After three years spent farming in a
mountain village commune, she attended
Beijing University. In 1985 she left China to
study in the United States, earning her Ph.D.
from New York University. She is the acclaimed author of the short story collection
American Visa, the novel Foreign Devil, two
poetry collections: Of Flesh & Spirit and
The Magic Whip, the cultural study Aching
for Beauty: Footbinding in China, and the
forthcoming collection of fiction stories The
Last Communist Virgin. Visit WangPing.com
for more information.
The Janet Wallace Fine Art Center Gallery exhibits a balance of regional, national
and international artists. While emphasizing mostly contemporary work, the gallery
also features a wide range of historical and
sociological topics.
Macalester College, founded in 1874,
is a national liberal arts college with a fulltime enrollment of 1,884 students.
Macalester is nationally recognized for its
long-standing commitment to academic
excellence, internationalism, diversity and
civic engagement.
MARCH 2007 > PAGE 3
St. Cloud State
University presents
The China Symposium
March 25-27
The China Symposium presented by St.
Cloud State University is scheduled for Mar.
25 through Mar. 27, 2007. The China Symposium seeks to provide a rich learning opportunity for understanding the four systems
of China: political, economical, educational
and social/cultural. A unique feature of this
symposium is an opportunity for faculty and
students knowledgeable of China to share
their work and research through breakout
sessions. Invited prominent speakers who
are considered experts in their field of study
will also add an immense value to participants learning and understanding of China.
A Senior Diplomat in the PR China Embassy in Washington, D.C. has been invited
to be the opening keynote speaker of the
Symposium. The first full day of the Symposium will include a panel consisting of
Minnesota Trade Office Executive Director,
Mr. Tony Lorusso, MnSCU Vice Chancellor
of Academic Affairs, Dr. Linda Baer and Minnesota Department of Education, Dr. Daniel
Bittman who will present a MN/China update.
Dr. Richard Bohr, Professor, St. John’s
University and Dr. Zhou Suisheng, Author
and Director of University of Denver’s Center for China will be speakers at the Symposium. There will be a CEO Panel PresentationThe China Connection - Educating
Tomorrows “Global Leaders” Today. Also,
both Governor Tim Pawlenty and U.S. Senator Norm Coleman have been invited to
speak at the event.
Register to attend the China Symposium
by Mar. 5, 2007 at http://www.ctl.mnscu.edu/
f a c d e v / r e g . p h p ? e v e n t
type=discipline_workshop&eid=119
Other cultural events sponsored by
the SCSU University Program Board
include:
* Chinese Artwork Gallery Exhibit in Atwood
in collaboration with Roland Fischer Mar.
23-29
* Chinese Porcelain Display Atwood Ballroom Showcase Mar. 12 -Apr. 5.
* Chinese Visiting Artist Professor Yu, from
Tainjin, China
* Chinese Dance Company Nai-Ni ChenRitsche Auditorium Mar. 29th 8 p.m.
* Historical Mao Collection Display Miller
Learning Center Display Case by Roland
Fischer
Advertisers
Your potential customers are reading
CHINAInsight. Shouldn't you be bringing
them in the door with an ad? Our readers
are:
- Well-traveled
- Opportunity-seeking
- Entrepreneurial
- Open-minded
- Excited about understanding China
Rates are highly competitive.
Contact Greg Hugh (952-472-4757,
[email protected]) or visit
www.chinainsight.info for more
advertising information.
The International School of Minnesota
selected to host guest teacher from China
Native Mandarin speaker to serve as authentic cultural resource at local school
The International School of Minnesota
(ISM) has been selected as one of the first
to host a native Mandarin-speaking teacher
as part of the Chinese Guest Teacher Program. Thirty-six teachers will be placed
across 20 states in both school and district
assignments to teach at the high school,
middle school, and elementary school level
starting this month. By 2009, the program
will bring 250 qualified teachers from China
to teach in American classrooms for up to
three years.
ISM welcomed Xueying Yu, from
Beijing, China, on Monday, Jan. 29, 2007.
Ms. Yu will spend the remainder of the current school term working closely with ISM’s
World Language Department, which currently offers Spanish and French daily beginning in Preschool, and then will begin
classroom instruction term three.
The Chinese Guest Teacher Program is
sponsored by Hanban, China’s Office of
Chinese Language Council International, in
partnership with the College Board. Teacher
stipends are being paid by Hanban while
local high schools provide housing, transportation and administrative fees (for visa
processing and required health insurance).
Guest teachers are screened and interviewed
by the College Board for pedagogy, classroom management, language skills, and cultural tolerance.
The guest teacher will work at the school
for 18 months, and then renew for an additional year if both the school and teacher
are satisfied. The Chinese Guest Teacher
Program seeks to address the shortage of
qualified Chinese teachers in the U.S. and
meet the growing interest in Chinese among
U.S. high school students. The next group
of up to 100 teachers will arrive in August
2007.
”We are pleased to enable more American students to learn the Chinese language,
discover the vibrant culture of China, and
participate more fully in the cultural exchange between our two countries," said
College Board President Gaston Caperton.
“More than 200 million children in China are
studying English, yet only 24,000 children
in the United States are studying Chinese.
In addition, China’s tremendous economic
growth will create new opportunities and
challenges for our country. It’s time that we
offer a twenty-first-century choice to our
students.”
In an Advanced Placement Program®
(AP®) survey conducted in 2004, nearly
2,400 high schools expressed an interest in
offering the AP Chinese course in 2006-07,
but for many of these schools, this goal may
go unrealized. They either are understaffed
or have no teacher of Chinese, and many
see no prospect of finding the teachers necessary to build their programs. This increasingly common predicament underscores the
shortage of qualified teachers of Chinese in
the United States. According to the Chinese Language Association of SecondaryElementary Schools, there are currently only
about 250 Chinese language teachers in U.S.
secondary schools.
Chinese is the most widely spoken first
language in the world. It is the national language of the more than 1.3 billion inhabitants of China and millions more ethnic
Chinese around the globe. Chinese will top
English as the most-used language on the
Internet by 2007, according to forecasts by
the World Intellectual Property Organization.
Established by the Chinese government
in 1987, Hanban is the nation's official
agency authorized to promote Chinese language and culture internationally, fulfilling
a function similar to that of the UK's British
Council and France's Alliance Française.
For more information from the College
Board, contact Caren Scoropanos at
[email protected] or 212 7138052.
PAGE 4 > MARCH 2007
nominations
Student multimedia
project offers
opportunities for
student journalists
USPAACC and
Wells Fargo
recognize Asian
entrepreneurship
The Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA) is accepting applications its
Student Multimedia Project for the 2007
Annual AAJA National Convention being
held in Miami, Florida from Aug. 1-4, 2007.
The Student Multimedia Project at the
Annual AAJA National Convention provides students with an opportunity to gain
hands-on experience in news production and
reporting in a professionally guided atmosphere of convergence using the latest communication technology.
Students will work in a multimedia environment and have the opportunity to practice daily journalism, as well as work with
professionals from major news organizations
and gain valuable career-building experience.
Approximately 24 students will gain exposure to print, online, radio and broadcast
media and work at the convention as reporters, editors, producers, and photographers.
As the number #1 lender to small businesses nationwide, Wells Fargo recognizes
and celebrates the achievements of Asian
business owners.
In partnership with the U.S. Pan Asian
American Chamber of Commerce
(USPAACC), Wells Fargo created the Asian
Business Leadership Awards to acknowledge and celebrate the vision, success, and
community contributions of exemplary
Asian business owners. This special tribute to Asian entrepreneurship provides business owners with a chance to win US$5,000
and nationwide recognition. Three award
winners will be recognized at the USPAACC
annual CelebrASIAN business conference
on May 9-11, 2007, in San Francisco, CA.
Nominate business owners who exemplify
leadership today.
Fueled by the unprecedented growth of
Asian business owners – growing at twice
the national average – Wells Fargo & Company announced Feb. 20 it has loaned more
than US$2 billion to Asian entrepreneurs
nationwide since establishing its Asian Business Services Program on Feb. 20, 2002. As
it celebrates the program’s 5-year anniversary, Wells Fargo is on track to exceed its
lending goal of US$3 billion to Asian business owners by 2012.
“Over the last five years, we have seen
Asian business owners reach new levels of
financial success,” said Iris Chan, head of
Commercial Banking and national spokesperson for Wells Fargo’s Asian Business
Services program. “Surpassing the $2 billion mark is a tribute to Asian business owners who have allowed us to be a part of their
amazing successes. We are honored and
excited about helping facilitate their continued growth.”
The Wells Fargo Asian Business Services Program provides outreach, education
and increased access to capital for Asianowned businesses nationwide. The program
formed community alliances, invested in primary research and sponsored events that
support the continued growth and success
of Asian-owned businesses owners.
For more information about the Wells
Fargo/USPAACC Asian Business Leadership Award including how to apply, visit
www.wellsfargo.com/biz/Asian. The deadline for the 2007 applications is March 12,
2007. For questions, please contact Asian
Business Services at [email protected].
For more information about the Asian Business Services program, visit http://
www.wellsfargo.com/biz.asian
five awards will be granted. The date, time,
and location of the Award Ceremony will be
announced soon. Awardees in the past have
been the India Association of Minnesota,
Yvonne Cheung Ho, Dr. Roy Saigo, Jocelyn
Ancheta, and Thomas J. LaVenture
The Council on Asian-Pacific Minnesotans honors individuals or organizations
who have achieved excellence in his or her
field; contributed to the well-being of the
Asian and Pacific Islander Community; displayed leadership to advance social, economic, or educational spheres for people of
Asian and Pacific Islander descent living in
Minnesota.
to compile and submit 6 copies of all materials below in the order listed:
Students report on breaking news, features,
profiles, in-depth issues, speakers and all
other aspects of the convention, local community, and Asian American and Pacific Islander community.
The professional staff of the Student
Media Project is comprised entirely of experienced working journalists. Students will
collaborate with professionals during the
project.
AAJA covers convention registration,
travel and housing accommodations for the
students selected. For an application or
more information go to:
h t t p : / / w w w. a a j a . o r g / p r o g r a m s /
for_students/student_projects/
For questions, contact Kimberly A.
Mizuhara, Student Programs Coordinator at:
(415) 346-2051 or [email protected]
Deadline: Applications must be received
by March 2, 2007
Governor’s
International Trade
Awards
The Minnesota Trade Office (MTO) is
accepting nominations for the 23rd Annual
Governor’s International Trade Awards,
which will honor two Minnesota companies—one from Manufacturing/Services
and one from Agricultural Commodities/Processed Food—that have excelled in the international marketplace. Governor Tim
Pawlenty is scheduled to recognize this
year’s recipients at the annual Minnesota
World Trade Week Luncheon on May 25,
2007.
Any Minnesota-based company is eligible to apply. Self-nominations or nominations by business colleagues will be
accepted. To be considered for an Award,
an
application
form
(http://
exportminnesota.com/Docs/
Trade_Award_Nomination.doc) must be
completed and submitted—along with supporting narrative—to the MTO no later than
Friday, April 6, 2007. All submitted informa-
tion will remain confidential.
Winners of the Governor’s International
Trade Awards are companies that have a significant portion of international business;
have demonstrated growth in international
business over at least the past three years,
with continued likelihood of growth; have
increased or maintained employment in Minnesota through the expansion of international trade activity; and developed novel
ideas or approaches to doing business internationally.
Recent honorees include Aeration Industries International, Katun Corporation
(2005); Hutchinson Technology, Earthwise
Processors (2004); Cortec (2003); Douglas
Machine (2002); Skyline Displays (2001);
and Golden Valley Microwave Foods, Edina
(2000).
Visit http://exportminnesota.com for
more information.
2007 Annual
Leadership Awards
nominations
The Council on Asian-Pacific Minnesotans is currently seeking a diverse collection of nomination submissions for its 2007
Annual Leadership Awards. This is the time
for community members to nominate and
recognize an outstanding business owner,
leader, organization, volunteer, or youth who
has given themselves, their talents and resources to serve and better the Asian-Pacific community.
A committee of six Council board members and/or community members will determine this year’s recipients. Depending upon
the number of nominations received, four or
Candidates are to be nominated
under one or more of the following
categories:
• Overcoming Personal Adversity
• Dedicated Service to the Community
• Excellence or Innovation in the Arts
• Special Contribution in Leadership or
Mentoring
Nomination Submission Guidelines:
Submit 1 original and 5 stapled copies of
the nomination materials for a total of 6
copies.
•Documents submitted will not be
returned (Items of personal value should
not be submitted.)
•The Council on Asian-Pacific
Minnesotans suggests the nominator
make a copy of the materials for his or her
record
Nomination Instructions
Nominator or co-nominators are asked
I. Nomination Letter:
> 1 - 2 page, type written letter from the
nominator(s)
> Give a detailed description explaining
why the nominee is an excellent candidate
for an award
> Specific examples should be used
> Please include any personal or emotionally compelling reasons which capture
your heartfelt belief in the nominee as a deserving candidate
> Include nomination category(s) from
the list on page one
==> At the end of the letter—on a third
page if necessary—please document the
following for:
both the nominee and the nominator(s)
1. Full, Correct Spelling of Name
2. Complete Mailing Address (including
city, state, and zip)
3. Home Phone Number (including area
code)
4. Work Phone Number (including area
code)
5. Cell Phone Number (including area
code)
6. Fax Number (including area code)
7. E-mail Address
8. If nominating an organization, list
information above for two contacts
II. Letters of Support: (Please read the
disclaimer at the bottom of page one).
> 1 page, type written letter from two
additional people supporting the nomination.
Awards continues on Page 7
travel
MARCH 2007 > PAGE 5
Carlson MBA
A glimpse of the
student reconnects other side of the
with China
world
By Jeanine Hansen, MBA Candidate
By Michael Taylor, MBA candidate
In January, I was fortunate to participate
in the inaugural Shanghai Global Elective at
the Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business (CKGSB) program and add a global
component to my University of Minnesota
Carlson School of Management MBA
coursework. Although I have studied in the
People’s Republic of China in the past, this
program gave me the opportunity to become
reacquainted with Shanghai, and at the same
time study business concepts on a real life
case with Chinese colleagues. Moreover
the CKGSB, established in 2002 by the renowned (and one of the wealthiest tycoons
in Hong Kong) Li Ka-shing, holds the
unique position of being the first private,
free standing, and independent business
schools in China. It was truly an honor to
study at CKGSB, while at the same time assisting an American classic like Dairy Queen,
reformulate its strategy in the Chinese market place.
years. I have lived and studied in China before. I know the language and the culture.
Nevertheless, throughout this experience, I
continued to find myself comparing and contrasting changes that have occurred over
the past 15 years in the People’s Republic of
China, and how different China looks from
the first time I visited.
On December 27, 2006 I began an adventure of a lifetime… a short flight from
Minneapolis to Chicago bright and early in
the morning, and then a long, yes, very long
flight from Chicago to Shanghai, China. I’ve
had a strong desire to visit China since my
youth, so this was a dream come true for me.
We didn’t fly due west as I had imagined. I
was surprised when the pilot said we were
heading up over the North Pole and down
to the other side of the world, over Siberia
and on to Shanghai. I had never been on an
airplane longer than 6 hours in my life, yet
somehow I managed to survive the 14 ½
hour flight with minimal damage. We left
Chicago Wednesday morning and arrived
in Shanghai Thursday afternoon… it’s absolutely amazing to me that is possible.
Teen cleaning fish (Photo: Jeanine
Hansen)
Chinese man pedals a heavy load
(Photo: Jeanine Hansen)
The overall goals for the CarlsonCheung Kong Global Elective, led by Carlson
School faculty advisor Professor Seth
Werner, Dairy Queen Vice President of Operations and Marketing Ann Stone, and
Cheung Kong Marketing Professor Zhao
Hao, included: exposing MBA students to
the similarities and differences in culture
between the East and West in both the academic and professional environment; provide a first-hand experience of the
complexities a U.S. firm faces as it establishes a retail presence in China; and assist
International Dairy Queen (IDQ) with key
initiatives to assist management expand its
presence in the Chinese market. The structure of the global enrichment program was
academically stimulating and fresh, as it allowed students to work in cross-cultural
teams on a real-life international business
case study. The takeaways from the experience will certainly benefit anyone interested
in associating with China, as well as any
organization that is either looking to enter
or expand in the Chinese market.
I was excited at the opportunity to participate in the program and study in Shanghai, a thriving business center of China, with
a population of nearly 20 million. It has been
nearly eight years since I last visited the
People’s Republic of China. Eight years is
an eternity considering the accelerated rate
of economic development in China. I had
spent a week visiting Shanghai back in 1992,
and have passed through the Shanghai
Pudong airport twice since, yet I was not at
all prepared to take in the amazing changes
that have taken place over the past eight
Now in the 21st Century, China has become a thriving economic center, with a
nuclear power and an emerging space program. The middle class (xiao kang) exceeds
100 million, and is projected to double by
2010. Beijing will be the host of the 2008
Summer Olympics, thus on display for the
world to see. I am convinced China is destined to be one of the most powerful nations
in the world, yet at the same time historical
scars of the past, left by imperialist foreign
powers, are never forgotten by the Chinese
people. In my opinion, doing business with
the Chinese requires the “outsider” (wai guo
ren) to be mindful and respectful of the past.
Moreover in order to be taken seriously by
a Chinese colleague, and to be considered a
“friend” (pengyou), one must understand
the “essence” of what it means to be Chinese. This may be achieved by learning the
language, experiencing the culture, and
knowing the literature and history of China.
This program offered a great entrance into
the Chinese culture, by exposing the participants to a real life case study in the Chinese
context, and the opportunity to make an impact on the way IDQ does business in the
Chinese market.
At the same time, the Shanghai global
enrichment program allowed me on a personal level to reconnect with China. Each
time I return to China, I recall myself as a
young student in the summer of 1991 arriving in a country I knew very little about, and
a language I hopelessly struggled with.
Being raised in a small town in southern
Minnesota, I had very few encounters with
foreign languages and people from foreign
lands. Making the decision to go to China
to pursue my language studies was exhilarating and at the same time extremely frightening. Learning Mandarin was not an easy
endeavor. The words of encouragement
from my Chinese instructors which still echo
in my ears “bu pa man, zhi pa zhan,” (literally “it’s alright to be slow, but never stand
MBA continues on Page 14
Shanghai
Words cannot express the difference between reading about a foreign land and being dropped right in the middle of it all by
yourself with only a few basic words in your
head and a pocket phrase book in your hand.
I consider myself brave of heart, but I’d be
lying if I didn’t admit I felt a tinge of fear that
began to grow in my chest as I tried to navigate myself through the airport. By some
Great Wall (Photo: Jeanine Hansen)
miracle I got myself through customs, found
my luggage (thank God both pieces arrived)
and then looked for the restroom. I had
heard that most toilets in China were basi-
cally porcelain holes in the floor but no one
told me you had to go up a step to get in
there (my luggage weighed a ton!). One look
and I knew there was not enough room for
me and my belongings without some of it
landing in the hole in the floor and I was
totally unwilling to leave my luggage outside the stall my first hour in China for fear it
wouldn’t be there when I came out – so I
decided it would have to wait until I reached
my hotel. I took a picture of the toilet and
the Chinese women in the bathroom looked
at me as if I was a crazy fool, but I didn’t
care. My teenage daughters needed to see
this so they wouldn’t feel quite so bad about
not coming with me!
I did reach my hotel via shuttle bus to
the local Shanghai airport and then by taxi.
The taxi driver could not understand my pronunciation of Longbai fandian (the Chinese
name of the hotel) even though I had rehearsed it a hundred times! I finally showed
him the address of the hotel in English and
we found it together – again a minor miracle.
I learned the system the next day when I
asked a beautiful young Chinese woman at
the front desk where I could go shopping.
She wrote several Chinese characters on one
side of a hotel business card that on the
other side had the Chinese version of,
“Please take me back to my hotel because I
couldn’t find my way by myself if I tried in
this foreign land.” I could always show this
card to a cab driver no matter where I was
and end up at my hotel. I got in a cab, said
“nihao” (hello) and showed the driver the
address of what I hoped was a shopping
center. Lo and behold the driver took off
down the road, drove like a mad man in a
land where lanes on the highway and basic
traffic etiquette are ignored, and about 15
minutes later dropped me off right in front of
a shopping center. I said a prayer to myself
thanking God that we did not hit even one
pedestrian or bicyclist on the way, paid the
driver, said “xie xie” (thank you) and set out
to explore. At least he understood my hello
and thank you!
I had three days all to myself before my
Carlson School of Management MBA class
met at the local Cheung Kong Graduate
School of Business on Monday. I enjoyed
shopping, sightseeing, fighting off vendors
on the street, eating fabulous Chinese food
(you can’t get anything even close in Minnesota), meeting people and using lots of
sign language to get my point across. I got
pretty darn good at bargaining by passing a
calculator back and forth with the local merchants. It seems to be a game with them.
Through it all I learned that if you approach
others with a smile and at least try to speak
in Chinese, most people will go out of their
way to help you.
Shanghai is by far the largest city I’ve
ever seen. I heard estimates of the population to be anywhere from 13 million (official
count) to almost 23 million if you include
the migrant workers from the countryside
and others who have fled to the city to seek
work to feed their families back home. I have
never seen so many people! The streets are
crowded everywhere you go, but it was a
Glimpse continues on Page 14
travel
PAGE 6 > MARCH 2007
COMPLETE TAX PLANNING SERVICES
CUSTOMIZED FOR PERSONAL
OR BUSINESS
Chinese volunteers
visit Minnesota
Xi'an visitors share culture, language skills at University of Minnesota
Accounting Services
♦ Tax-Preparation
♦ Quickbooks and
Peachtree set up
♦ Business Consultation
♦ Financial Planning
♦
MEG YOUNG
952-474-3567
800-735-0106
DOYLE & ASSOCIATES
TAX AND FINANCIAL SERVICES
5100 Thimsen Avenue, Suite 100
Minnetonka, MN 55345
Hwy 7 and 101, SW corner
MTO presents
China Practicum
By Bob San
Join the Minnesota Trade Office on
Wednesday, Mar. 21, as it presents "The
China Practicum: China and the WTO: Five
Years On."
The China Practicum is a day-long immersion course providing a basic framework
for understanding the intricacies of doing
business in China. The complete program
brochure including a complete speaker
agenda is available at: http://
www.exportminnesota.com/PDFs/CP307a_1.pdf
Registration begins at 8 a.m. with the
seminar concluding at 3:30 p.m. at the office
of the Minnesota Dept. of Employment &
Economic
Development, 1st National Bank Bldg.,
332 Minnesota St., 2nd Floor-Skyway Level,
St. Paul, MN 55101 The fee is US$75 if preregistered, or US$95 at the door including
breakfast and lunch.
Advance registration is highly recommended.
For questions relating to seminar content, contact Matthew Abbott at 651-2974282, 800-657-3858 or e-mail
[email protected].
To register, contact the MTO at 651-2974222 or 800-657-3858; fax 651-297-4265; or email [email protected].
For details on other upcoming MTO and
partner
seminars,
visit:
www.exportminnesota.com, then click Calendar of Events.
Metropolitan Council
constructing success for
minorities and women
Business Spring Training is underway,
hope springs eternal.....and so do the opportunities for minority-owned, womenowned,
and
small
businesses
in construction and construction related
fields. Projects like the new Twins and Gophers stadiums, the Central Corridor light
rail on University and the many projects that
will spring from those larger projects offer a
rich market of construction opportunities in
the next 5-10 years.
Your chance to Get in the Game comes
Friday, Mar. 16, 2007 at the Metrodome from
7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. at a workshop series.
This is your chance to make the connections and learn about the opportunities to
help your team hit a home run (or at least a
nice base hit!). Registration deadline is
March 9.
For more details please contact Rocci
Lueck 763-413-0711.
Ma Ke, leader of the delegation from Xi’an, speaks to the University of
Minnesota Beginning Modern Chinese class.
Students in a University of Minnesota
Beginning Modern Chinese language class
recently had the opportunity to converse
with several visitors from China.
The special guests were members of a
nine-person delegation from the City of Xi'an
that visited the Twin Cities from Jan. 27-Feb.
2 to share their culture, goodwill and language skills in a unique volunteer exchange
program arranged by Global Volunteers.
Five members of the delegation attended
the Chinese language class taught by University of Minnesota instructor Wang Jing.
They sat in to observe the class, hosted
question-and-answer sessions and even
taught the students to sing a popular Chinese folk song.
"This was a very good class for students
to learn and talk with native speakers," said
instructor Wang Jing. "Talking with native
speakers can help to build confidence and
make learning the language very exciting.
This was the first time for many of the students."
Xi’an volunteers Zhou Yi Zhou (left) and
Ma Li Li observe the University of Minnesota Beginning Modern Chinese class.
The visitors came from all walks of life in
Xi'an, the capital city of Shaanxi Province of
7 million people most famous for the Terra
Cotta Warriors and Horses.
Delegation leader Ma Ke, a publisher and
vice president of the Shaanxi Provincial
Translators Association, said the main reason for the group's visit is to return the favor that so many American volunteers had
done for China. For the past decade, 144
Global Volunteer teams of almost 2,000
American volunteers have taught English
to thousands of Chinese youths and adults
in the cities of Xi'an and Kunming, as well as
the village of An Shang in Shaanxi Province,
where volunteers also recently built a
school. Mr. Ma said that the first Xi'an team
came to Florida in 2005 to build a home for
an elderly woman. This is the second Xi'an
delegation and its main mission is teaching
and cultural exchange.
"We want to improve mutual under-
standing and friendship between the two
people," Mr. Ma said. "Chinese language
has become more and more popular in the
United States and more and more students
want to learn Chinese. We want to volunteer to help teach Chinese to students who
want to learn Chinese."
The visitors enjoyed working with the
students and learning about the differences
in classroom cultures between colleges in
the United States and China. They also came
away with an appreciation for American students.
"They are very clever," Mr. Ma said.
"Their Chinese sounds pretty good. I talked
to them in Chinese after the lecture and asked
them if they understood me. The students
said they understood 80 percent. That's
pretty good."
"I am very surprised," said Ma Li Li, a
manager in a tourism hotel management company. "They have been learning Chinese for
only five months. Their Chinese is very good
and they can even write simple sentences."
Chen Li, an English teacher who earned
her master's degree in Australia, was happy
that the University students were very interested in learning about Chinese customs,
culture and food. Ms. Chen added that Minneapolis and Xi'an share similarity in that
both are major cities located in the middle of
their respective country. She also finds that
in general, Americans are friendlier than
Australians.
"The American people are very friendly
and very humorous," said Chen. "Even the
security staff at the airport was very nice."
The University of Minnesota was not
the only place the visitors shared their
knowledge with Minnesotans. Several members also visited classrooms in St. Paul and
Washington County schools. The group
observed that middle school students had
less homework than in China. The high
schools have much more security and the
visitors were shocked when they witnessed
a student physically removed from the building by security.
Ms. Chen was also keen to observe the
women and gay, lesbian, bisexual and
transgender community in American society. As more Chinese women become independent professionals, stay single and
childless past age 30, they encounter pressures without precedent.
It was not all work. The Xi'an delegation
found time to do some sightseeing, take in a
Timberwolves game and of course, visit the
Mall of America.
Visit continues on Page 7
education
Chinese Americans
at University of
Minnesota named
2007-09 McKnight
Land-Grant
Professors
Karen Ho and Chun Wang two of the eleven
recipients
Eleven junior faculty at the University
of Minnesota have been named 2007-09
McKnight Land-Grant Professors.
The recipients were chosen for their potential to make important contributions to
their field; the degree to which past achievements and current ideas demonstrate originality, imagination and innovation; their
potential for attracting outstanding students; and the significance of the research.
The award consists of a research grant in
each of two years, summer support and a
research leave in the second year.
"The major purpose of the McKnight
Land-Grant Professorship Program is to
strengthen our faculty for the future," said
Gail Dubrow, Vice Provost and Dean of the
Graduate School. "The program is designed
to advance the careers of our most promising junior faculty members who are at the
beginning stages of their professional careers and have the potential to make significant contributions to their scholarly fields
and departments. The program is also intended to help build loyalty to the univer-
sity."
The 2007-09 McKnight Land-Grant Professors and their research areas are:
Daniel Bond, Microbiology &
BioTechnology Institute -- Using bacteria
to make electricity and useful products from
renewable resources
Kathleen A. Collins, Political Science -The rise of Islam and Islamism in Central
Asia and the Caucasus
Christy Haynes, Chemistry -- Development of analytical tools to study cellular function and dysfunction
Karen Ho, Anthropology -- From Wall
Street to microfinance: the culture and consequences of financial markets
Nihar Jindal, Electrical & Computer Engineering -- Pushing the limits of wireless
communication networks
Marta Lewicka, Mathematics -- Partial
Differential Equations: propagation` of
waves in fluid dynamics
Helene Muller-Landau, Ecology, Evolution & Behavior -- Mechanisms underlying tropical forest diversity
William Schuler, Computer Science &
Engineering -- Incorporating referential
meaning into spoken language interfaces
Kathleen Vohs, Carlson School of Management -- Why do people fail at self-control?
Christophe Wall-Romana, French & Italian -- How film culture transforms poetic texts
and writing practices
Chun Wang, Biomedical Engineering -Biologically guided design and application
of biomaterials.
MARCH 2007 > PAGE 7
More and More Tax Audit, More and More Losses
Sales Tax, Corporate Tax, Employee Tax, Unemployment Tax?
Want to reduce the risk of Audit, reduce the loss of Audit?
Want to hire an experienced, licensed, superior CPA?
Peter Deng CPA
•Licensed CPA
•More than 10 years in Chinese community
•Many years for Government Audit
•Great Knowledge on Tax; Reasonable Fees; Convenient Location; Confidential
•Member of MN CPA Association
Personal Tax Return Corporate Tax Return
Employee Tax Return Audit Representative
Tax-reduction Planning Financial and Tax Reports
1885 University Ave. W #269
St. Paul, MN 55104
651-917-0809
www.dengcpa.com
Want to reduce audit risk?
Hire Peter Deng!
Awards from Page 4
> It is most helpful if each writer can offer unique perspectives on the nominee
> It is highly preferable that each knows
the nominee in distinct capacities
> Letters should paint a well-informed,
thorough testament of the nominee’s qualifications; make a case for strong consideration by the committee; and communicate
confidence in his or her endorsement of the
nominee
III. A Resume and a 2 – 4 paragraph biography of candidate (nominee may prepare
documents)
IV. Optional: Copies of press coverage,
sample work, brief stories, history, etc. (Encouraged if available)
Thank you for reading C HINA Insight.
C HINA I NSIGHT
Subscription Order Form
11 issues - $24.00 for a domestic subscription and $40 for International.
Please make check payable to CHINAInsight, 6520 South Bay Drive, Minnetrista,
MN 55331
Name: __________________________________________________
Address: ________________________________________________
City/State/Zip: ____________________________________________
Telephone: ______________________________________________
Email: _________________________________________________
Signature: ______________________________________________
Visit from Page 6
Is there anything that surprises them
about the United States?
"It is very cold here. It does not get this
cold in China," said Ms. Chen.
"This is my third time in Minnesota and
it's always in the winter," Mr. Ma sighed.
Luckily for the delegation, their journey
was much warmer after they departed the
Twin Cities Feb. 3. They headed to the east
coast and then visited Las Vegas, Los Angeles and Hawaii before returning home.
Mr. Ma said that he is sure that there will
be future volunteer delegations from Xi'an
visiting the United States although he is not
sure what cities they will visit.
Global Volunteers is a St. Paul, Minn.based nonprofit international development
organization that offers ordinary individuals the chance to immerse themselves in
other cultures through short-term service
programs around the world. For more information about Global Volunteers visit
www.globalvolunteers.org
V. Photograph: Submit one 3” x 5” or
4” x 6” color photo. (Black & white acceptable.)
Co-nominators are allowed. It is the
nominator(s) responsibility to compile all the
nomination materials and submit them in the
manner outlined under Nomination Submission Guidelines. Nominees may not turn in
the materials to the Council—either by mail
or hand delivery.
A nominee may be chosen for an award
in a category other than the one listed by
the nominator(s).
Nomination materials must be received
no later than Wednesday, February 28, 2007
at 5:00 p.m.
Materials may be mailed or hand delivered. All materials should be enclosed in a
large 10” x 13” envelope—or equivalent—
and be addressed to: 2007 Heritage Month
Award Nominations; Council on Asian-Pacific Minnesotans; 658 Cedar Street, Suite
160; Saint Paul, Minnesota 55155
DISCLAIMER: Council on Asian-Pacific Minnesotans board members, staff, or
their immediate family members MAY NOT
submit nominations or write letters of support for any nominee. These same individuals may not be nominated for an award,
though it is acceptable to have an affiliation with a nominated organization. Nominations for those who have previously won
a Council Leadership Award, out of fairness, will not be accepted.
Call the Council on Asian-Pacific Minnesotans with questions at 651-296-0538 or
e-mail [email protected]
LET US HEAR FROM YOU
Have an observation or comment about
something you read in CHINAInsight?
Write a Letter to the Editor
PAGE 8 > MARCH 2007
chinese new year
Chinese New Year
celebration brings
400 people to
Northwestern
Health Sciences
University
The Chinese New Year celebration at
Northwestern Health Sciences University
featured a traditional Chinese lion dance
performed by members of the Chinese
American Association of Minnesota
N
early 400 people attended a Chi
nese New Year celebration on
Feb. 18 at Northwestern Health
Sciences University in
Bloomington, Minn. The second-annual
event included a free one-hour performance
by the Chinese American Association of
Minnesota Youth Dance Group. In addition
to the performance, the celebration featured
a number of activities such as chop sticks
lessons, acupuncture and Oriental medicine
demonstrations, and free massages. Additionally, there were Tai Chi demonstrations
and a traditional Chinese lion dance. Free
Chinese food was served.
“The purpose of the event was to share
the Chinese culture with the community,”
said Nicky Simon, BA, Northwestern’s community relations coordinator. “We teach our
acupuncture and Oriental medicine students
about the Chinese culture, therefore it seems
natural to educate the community on a culture that has such a long and interesting
history.”
The event was sponsored by the Minnesota College of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine, the Acupuncture and Oriental
Medicine Association of Minnesota, the
Student Senate at Northwestern, and the Nei
Jing Club at Northwestern.
Northwestern Health Sciences University offers a wide array of choices in natural
health care education including chiropractic, Oriental medicine, acupuncture, therapeutic massage, human biology, and
integrative health and wellness. The University has 900 students on a 25-acre campus in Bloomington, Minn.
AMA’s Gala
celebrates the
Lunar New Year
Asian Media Access hosted the 2nd
Annual Lunar New Year Gala on March 4,
2007. The Gala was a successful celebration
as a Lunar New Year and as a fundraiser.
With the funds raised, AMA is one step
closer to establishing the Multi Arts Complex.
Asian Media Access is a non-profit organization dedicated to furthering the use
of media and information technology as an
educational and communicative tool to “Connect the Disconnected” within the Asian
American & Pacific Islander (AAPI) community.
Asian Media Access seeks US$1.6 million in funding to establish a Multi Arts Complex to present Asian films and theater
performances; to encourage Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) youth's creations and interactive activities and to
provide training space for media/digital arts,
leadership and communication skills. The
funds raised from the Lunar New Year Gala
will be used to create a community hub, a
University of
Minnesota China
Center dinner
honors the Year of
the Pig
The University of Minnesota China Center successfully hosted a dinner event on
Feb. 15, 2007 in honor of the Year of the Pig.
The banquet, with about 180 guests from
academia, business, nonprofits, and public
sectors, was held at the Humphrey Center
Atrium. The atrium was festively decorated
with red and gold candies, lanterns, artifact
firecrackers, couplets, and other colorful
Chinese New Year items.
China Center Interim Director Joan
Brzezinski introduces
Dr. Robert Jacobsen
The audience enjoys the talk
At the event, Dr. Robert Jacobsen, Chair
of Department of Asian Art, Minneapolis
Institute of Arts, gave an extremely intriguing and informative presentation on Chinese
Imperial Silks. Dr. Jacobsen is the author of
Imperial Silks: Ch’ing Dynasty Textiles in the
Minneapolis Institute of Arts. His 30-minute
talk focused on the historic importance of
silk and silk technology to the early development of China’s international trade and
the expansion of the fabled Silk Road, as
well as the role played by silk in China’s
hierarchical Confucian society in the feudal
imperial time. Dr. Jacobsen’s flawless and
smooth presentation, along with pictures of
some breathtakingly beautiful imperial silk
robes, was certainly the highlight of the
night.
At the end of the program was the China
Center’s annual recognition. Interim Director Joan Brzezinski presented recognition
plaques to all China Center’s corporate partners and thanked them for their generous
support. Outgoing China Center Advisory
Council (CCAC) members were also recognized for their long-term support of the China
Center.
Ren Da Fu Zhong
students promote
Chinese culture
Interviews with students and Guo Zhong Guang of the Chicago Consulate
By Chen Zhou
Chatting with Consul Guo Zhong
Guang of Chicago Consulate
building at 2412-18 N. Plymouth Ave. in Minneapolis. The newly remodeled Multi Arts
Complex will serve as a vibrant beacon of
arts and cultures, embodying AMA’s organizational values of openness, energy, and
respect for diversity.
On March 4th, 2007 at the Varsity Theater over 300 guests and donors celebrated
the Lunar New Year by enjoying gourmet
cuisine from the local Asian - American restaurants, with entertainment of a showcase
of film trailers and funniest commercials from
Asia.
AMA continues on Page 15
Q: What is your first impression of Minnesota?
A: This is our second time visiting Minnesota. The people of Minnesota have made
a big impression on me. Even though the
weather is extremely cold outside, inside the
audiences give us such warm reception, it
definitely warmed me right up.
Q: Is this a Chinese government sanctioned event?
A: This trip by Ren Da Fu Zhong (RDFZ)
School is supported by the Department of
Cultural. They have given us monetary support. Right now they have a program that
during the Chinese New Year, they will promote Chinese culture. In order to let Ameri-
cans learn about China, the most direct way
is to promote Chinese culture. It is an honor
to do this show all around United States.
Q: Where else are you putting on this
show?
A: New York is the first stop. We also
have traveled to Chicago, now Minnesota,
and a few other places. This is second time
we are visiting Minnesota because we had
such good time last year. I would like to thank
the people of Minnesota.
Chatting with four students from Ren
Da Fu Zhong School
Q: Can you tell me what your names are?
And can you also tell me if this is your first
time here in Minnesota?
Zhong continues on Page 9
chinese new year
Zhong from Page 8
A: My name is Tian, I am a 10th grader,
this is my second time to Minnesota, last
year was the first time.
A2: My name is Huang, I am in 11th
grade, and this is also my second time in
Minnesota.
A3: My name is Li, I am in 11th grade,
my second time in Minnesota.
A4: My name is Wang, 11th grade, I was
also here last year.
Q: So it is second time for all of you.
What do you think of Minnesota?
A: Cold
A: REALLY REALLY REALLY cold
A: People are extremely warm. They are
a lot more excited to see us than most other
places.
Q: Is this colder than Beijing? I remember Beijing is pretty cold also.
A: Oh definitely, it is way colder than
Beijing. But there is a lot of snow in Minnesota, that’s beautiful.
Q: Today’s show has concentrated on
folk dancing; do you also like to do modern
dancing?
A: Of course, we love modern dance. But
for the sake of spreading Chinese culture,
we also do folk dance. It’s beautiful, isn’t it?
MARCH 2007 > PAGE 9
Local New Year
celebrations
Q: Absolutely. Have you traveled to anywhere else beside the United States?
A: The last couple of years, we come to
the United States. The year before last, we
did a five country tour in Europe.
Q: Wow, that’s very impressive. You
guys have being to more places than most
people have in a lifetime. Next time, you will
have to tell the readers of Minnesota some
interesting stories you encountered.
A: Definitely, we are looking forward to
come to visit Minnesota again.
Below, performances by the Ren Da
Fu Zhong School
Q: I hope you guys will still come despite the cold weather.
A: Yeah, definitely. If we can, we will
come next year also.
Q: After the show, would you travel a
little bit in Minnesota?
A: No, tomorrow we will fly to Los Angeles, then Houston, this will last to the end
of month.
Q: I am sorry to hear that. I hope you will
have more time to spend in Minnesota. How
many cities are you touring this time?
A: Seven cities: New York, Chicago, Boston, Minneapolis, Houston, Las Vegas and
Los Angeles.
Q: Wow, that many cities. Is that hard?
A: Yeah it is tiresome, but able to be the
ambassadors of the China-America cultural
exchange--It’s definitely worth it. Beside,
it’s fun.
Q: All of you showed some real talent in
show business (dancing mostly), would you
do that as a career?
A: I would consider it. I know I like to do
it, but probably as the hobby rather than a
career.
Q: The show is truly impressive. Do you
have to spend a lot of time on this? Would it
affect your study?
A: Not too bad, 3 times a week, every
time 1-2 hours. School has put restriction on
it. You will have to have good grades in order to do this.
Q: Do you get tired from all this work
out?
A: Yes, but it is different kind of tired.
Sometime, it is actually relaxing from the
mental stress.
Q: How many years have you spend on
this?
A: More than ten.
A: I started when I was 3 or 4 years old,
pretty much when I first started to walk.
A: In order to be part of RDFZ, there is a
very rigorous selection process. The competition is extremely fierce.
Q: Besides dancing and Chinese Martial
Art, do you have any other hobbies?
A: Swim, rock climbing, ping pong, tennis, etc… We have all these facilities right in
our school.
From top left, Kung Fu presentation from
U of M Chinese American Student Association (CASA), US-China Peoples
Friendship Association Chinese New Year
celebration (Photo credit Chen Zhou), Chinese Martial arts from the Friendship Association of Chinese Students and
Photos by Leon Guo
Scholars, (Photo: Ryan Rogers)
CASA board on stage and Lion Dance
from CASA.
culture
PAGE 10 > MARCH 2007
Gift-giving revolution
By Luo Yuanjun , China Today
China is traditionally known as the "land
of ceremony and propriety." This was originally manifested in the imperial convention
of exchanging gifts, in the form of tributes
and rewards, Today it is apparent in jubilant
seasonal exchanges among families, friends
and work associates. Although the etiquette
of gift giving has changed through the ages,
its essential message of friendship and goodwill remains unchanged. Over the past 30
years, China has experienced a transition from
material shortages to economic prosperity,
and this change is reflected most evidently
in the type of gift people exchange.
From Mao Badges to MP3s
In the 1970s, Chairman Mao Zedong was
idolized; his portrait hung in every household. At this time of ideological euphoria, the
most commonly and enthusiastically exchanged gifts were badges bearing the image of the great helmsman, and also The
Selected Works of Mao Zedong.
In the early 1980s the Chinese government began implementing its reform and opening-up policy. The accent within gift-giving
etiquette subsequently shifted from spiritual
to physical sustenance. Friends and relatives
in urban areas presented one another with
powdered milk, malt extract, and pastries. In
rural areas, cereals were the main gifts. Wang
Wu, a veteran farmer of Shimen County,
Hunan Province, recalls, “The amount of
grain a farmer had at his disposal was a measure of his wealth. When there was a wedding in my immediate family, relatives would
present us with two baskets of grain, transported on a shoulder pole. We would reciprocate in kind at other clan weddings.”
A length of fabric was also an accepted
gift in the countryside. In certain areas, a family
would present shoes to relatives shortly before a daughter’s marriage. The greater proportion of farmers was emerging from poverty,
yet memories of past privations were still
vivid. Gifts at that time, therefore, were generally of food and clothing.
By the late 1980s and early 1990s, the giftgiving trend had changed once more. Zhang
Peng, a doctoral student at the Chinese Language Department of Nanjing University, remembers, “In the early 1990s when I was at
senior high school a relative presented me
with a grain coupon of a face value of 50 kilograms. Shortly after grain coupons were abolished.” As basic commodities were in
abundant supply, they were no longer rationed. Bicycles, wristwatches and electrical
goods soon supplanted grain as the most
popularly exchanged gifts.
In the 21st century, the public focus is on
healthy living and keeping fit. This is reflected
in the frequently quoted slogan: “Health-giving gifts are best.” Friends and relations now
present one another with vitamins, tonics and
other health products. In this era of hightech, gifts of handsets, computers and various digital products are also commonplace.
Sun Yan, who works at a Beijing publishing house, recalls, “Years ago, domestic
electric appliances were the most well received gifts in my home village in southern
China. But, when I go home next Spring
Festival, I plan to give a digital camera to
my elder brother and the latest model MP3
to my nephew.”
The advent of the Internet has expanded the scope of gifts beyond recognition. Finding something truly original can
consequently be a problem. When Sun Yan
first took business trips he would bring back
gifts he thought characteristic of the town
he had visited. To his disappointment, however, what he assumed were local specialties were also widely available in Beijing.
He has since given up buying souvenir
gifts.
Gifts and Relationships
Gifts are an integral aspect of interpersonal relations in rural China. When a family member weds, the head of the household
makes a list of all the gifts received from
relatives and friends. This is a practical
measure to ensure appropriate reciprocation occurs when the occasion arises. This
is not the case for presents on less formal
occasions. The caliber of the gift presented
is nonetheless borne in mind by the giver,
and a gift of similar value is expected in
return.
Visits between relatives and friends,
other than at lunar New Year, or Spring Festival, are much less frequent now than just
two decades ago. Many attribute this to
the common preoccupation with wage earning in order to keep pace with the expanding economy. Hometown visits in the midto late 1980s often lasted a month, and inexpensive gifts of candies were the norm.
Li Qiang, a migrant worker in Beijing, remembers, “In the 1980s, we paid New Year
visits to every single relative, which could
amount to scores of people. In these circumstances, sweets were both affordable
and happily received presents.”
Today, however, things have changed.
As Li Qiang sadly notes, “In recent years
visits between relatives and friends are far
fewer. Family reunions at Spring Festival
are often out of the question for migrant
workers such as us, because the trains are
too crowded and air fares are far beyond
our means.”
As the pace of daily life increases, relatives and friends seldom visit one another,
other than on traditional festivals. But if
meeting is not feasible, gifts may still be exchanged. Li Qiang explains, “I often ask my
fellow villagers to take small gifts to my relatives and friends to let them know that I’m
thinking of them. This is the only way of
maintaining family unity and friendships.”
There is a close relationship between gift
giving and the concept of “face.” In this
context, courtesy demands reciprocity.
Zhang Yang, a research fellow with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, explains,
“In general, receiving gifts does not add to
people’s possessions, or at any rate, only
temporarily, because they are obliged to reciprocate. Sometimes it’s necessary to expend more on reciprocating than on the cost
of gifts actually received, in order to keep
face. Gifts are a way of expressing, and also
maintaining, goodwill.”
When economic circumstances allow, the
principle, “You offer me one foot, and I’ll
offer you ten feet in return,” applies. But if
finances are not equal to this approach, a
gift in response to one received should be
at least equal in value.
The Gift Economy
After three years in the US studying for
his Ph.D., Yuan Ping was all set to visit his
parents in China. Before leaving, he contacted his schoolmates on the Internet chat
room, asking their advice on what presents
to bring with him. The unanimous answer
was none, because anything he bought in
the US would also be available in China, and
at a far lower price.
Yuan Ping still remembers when his uncle
went abroad on business trip over a decade
ago. Friends and relations showered him with
requests to bring back items that were then
unavailable in China. The present giving and
receiving scenario has since completely
transformed. Now that the Chinese people
can buy anything they need on home
ground, the gifts they exchange are generally for purposes of broaching and cementing relationships. This consumer trend has,
in recent years, given rise to a new economic
sector -- the gift economy.
China is currently the world’s largest gift
production base. Shenzhen, for example, has
more than 1,600 gift production enterprises.
They have an annual output value of RMB
13 billion and an annual export volume of
US $1 billion. Gifts are in 12 broad categories and include metal arts and crafts; the
four treasures of the study (calligraphy
brush, inkstick, inkslab, and paper);
drawnwork and embroidery; crystal arts and
crafts; resin arts and crafts; artificial flowers; and ceramics.
Most of these enterprises own patents,
and operate on internationally advanced levels of production technology. Gift exhibitions are held in Shenzhen twice a year, in
spring and autumn. They are the largest
events of this kind nationwide. Christmas
gifts and artificial flowers made in Shenzhen
occupy 75 percent of the American market.
Three other cities -- Beijing, Shanghai
and Wenzhou -- are also notable gift producers. Wenzhou’s Longgang Town Gift
City is site of 110 gift production enterprises.
Its products, which include leather goods,
arts and crafts, clocks and watches, and stationery, generate an annual production value
of RMB 300 million. In 2003, the China National Light Industry Council named
Longgang Town “Gift City of China.”
At a business activity recently held in
Chaoyang District, Beijing, those in attendance were given electric shavers and hair
dryers as mementos of the event. Other
small-scale business activities might give
participants USBs, MP3s, MP4s, palm computers or digital cameras as promotional souvenirs. These days, ornaments are rarely
presented at business functions. Digital
products and electric appliances are a more
effective form of publicity as well as good
public relations.
The most popular gifts at Spring Festival are quality cigarettes and alcohol, health
Gifts continues on Page 12
education
Bridging China’s
talent gap
The number of young people earning
university and graduate degrees in China is
increasing rapidly, raising the human capital
and the quality of China’s labor force. However, these newcomers to the workforce often lack the practical experiences and softer
creative and leadership skills required in the
business world, notes an Executive Action
report from The Conference Board.
One of the main problems is China’s educational system, which relies too heavily on
memorization. Companies need people with
creative writing and speaking skills, teamwork skills and leadership ability, which are
not yet taught well in most of China’s universities and graduate programs.
China’s rapid economic growth – the
fastest in the world for the past quarter century – is fueling extensive foreign investment, with many companies setting up
branch offices, regional headquarters, and
factories in the country. One effect of this
economic transformation is that demand for
highly talented employees in China, especially people with local and international
managerial skills, now exceeds supply, which
is driving up some of the compensation packages for top talents and managers to global
levels.
“Making the talent search more difficult
is the fact that the more experienced managers are in short supply and command high
salaries,” says Judith Banister, Director of
Global Demographics at The Conference
Board. Banister co-authored the report with
David Learmond, Executive Fellow and Program Director for The Conference Board
Asia-Pacific Council on Talent, Leadership
Development and Organizational Effectiveness. “For multinationals, it is now a challenge not only to recruit the best people,
but also to develop and retain them,” says
Banister, who is based in Beijing.
Young Adult Population Shrinking
China’s population is aging rapidly, but
the expanding number of people aged 40 and
over is not well educated and does not constitute an adequate pool of talent for companies. Conversely, the number of people in
their 20s and 30s is shrinking over time, but
this is where the talents are located in China
today.
Fortunately, China’s steep fertility decline has been accompanied by a sharp rise
in the “quality” of children in terms of improved health, chances of survival, and levels of educational attainment. These young
people are often hungry for responsibility,
position, and the trappings of success in
order to support not only themselves, but
also their aging and large extended families.
Says Banister: “A lot of young Chinese
managers bear this burden and will readily
move between employers in order to get a
bigger salary, more status and more opportunities. This is one of the reasons why
staff turnover rates are often very high in
China.”
China’s Education System Still
Evolving
The Chinese government knows it must
increase the number of educated people if
it is to compete economically. The fact that
a lot of young people want to work for multinationals – mainly because of the high
status it gives them – has persuaded some
multinationals to forge links with universities to bring about change that otherwise
might happen very slowly. In some universities, this approach has been well received
and multinationals are reporting success
in getting whatever skills they want.
“It is an approach that should be mutually beneficial because it allows students
to be trained in a way that is useful to the
multinational,” says Banister. “Those students then have a fast track into a job with
that multinational when they graduate.”
However, the practice sometimes falls short
of this expectation as there is still a strong
tendency for the university system to rely
on “learn by rote” techniques. “Teamwork
and creativity are qualities still in short supply among Chinese managers,” says Banister.
Bridging China’s Talent Gap…
Positive qualities of educated Chinese
workers:
- Young, bright, urban.
- Recently educated at university.
- Eager to work for multinationals or for
top domestic companies.
- Hard working, ambitious and dedicated.
Common problems:
- Foreign-language skills, especially
spoken English.
- Education often too theoretical rather
than practical.
- Inexperienced, but expect good salaries and rapid advancement.
- Frequent job-hopping (with annual
talent turnover in some companies 1030percent.)
Source: Bridging China’s Talent Gap
Executive Action No. 221
The Conference Board
© 2007 Newswise. All Rights Reserved.
MARCH 2007 > PAGE 11
Growth
continues to
impress
China's internal macro challenges remain
manageable, but the external imbalance is
on the rise, notes the World Bank's China
Quarterly Update released [Feb. 14]. "Thus,
policy measures that address domestic concerns could ideally also reduce the external
imbalance," says Bert Hofman, Lead Economist for China. "The government has already
decided on a dividend policy for SOEs and a
more rapid increase in spending on health
and education, and has stepped up the pace
of currency appreciation. These measures
tend to reduce investment and increase consumption, and are thus steps in the right
direction." Meanwhile, containing investment growth and inefficiency on a more sustainable basis calls for structural policies that
address the underlying causes of inefficiency and excess investment.
Economic growth eased slightly in the
second half of 2006. Investment cooled in
the second half in response to tightening
measures introduced mid-2006. However, as
exports continued to outpace imports by a
wide margin, the impact on overall growth
was largely offset and the external surplus
reached new highs, while foreign reserve
accumulation continued apace. Surging
stock prices prompted measures to slow new
funds moving into the stock market.
The Quarterly Update finds that near
term prospects remain broadly favorable.
Chinese exporters and manufacturers have
been affected by several recent policy measures to rebalance the economy, including
tax measures and appreciation, and more
such measures are likely to follow. However,
continued productivity growth and a resilient world economy promise only a minor
export slowdown. Domestically, the fundamental drivers of investment remain, and investment is therefore unlikely to slow
drastically in 2007, while boosting consumption will remain challenging, particularly in
rural areas. In all, the World Bank's projection for GDP growth in 2007 remains unchanged at 9.6 percent. The external
imbalance is unlikely to shrink much in the
near term, and the World Bank considers a
significant surge in inflation unlikely.
While growth has been impressive in
recent years, in the medium term China will
increasingly rely on new sources of growth.
"China still has a vast potential for catching
up in productivity, but China's industry, investment and export based growth has become increasingly problematic because of
trade tensions and environmental and resource constraints," says Louis Kuijs, senior Economist on China and main author of
the Quarterly. "With a growth pattern that
relies more on services, and more labor-intensive urban growth, more of growth could
come from reallocation of labor out of agriculture." Growth along such rebalanced patterns could boost urban employment, wages
and household incomes and reduce ruralurban disparities, while mitigating external
imbalances.
The third national financial work conference held in January set out directions for
major financial sector reform. The Quarterly
Update discusses the reforms in the key areas of rural finance, foreign exchange management, and policy banks. On rural finance,
it was decided to reduce the access thresholds for financial institutions to attract a more
diverse set of providers and to continue the
reforms of the Agricultural Bank of China.
Looking ahead, the Quarterly notes that rural finance would also benefit from interest
rate liberalization and further reforms in existing providers.
Mixed reaction at
development meet
to China's Africa
aid push
“China's big spending in Africa drew a
mixed response at a global aid meeting in
Vietnam, where many welcomed the giant's
new role on the continent but some voiced
disquiet about its intentions. …
In Hanoi - where the World Bank, other
development agencies and over 30 countries discussed aid issues [in February] - a
Chinese official said his country had many
development lessons to share with other
nations. ‘Some people are saying China has
done something wrong in African countries,’
said Xu Li of the National Development and
Reform Commission. ‘But I think what we
are currently doing is collaborating with the
Reaction continues on Page 12
business
Adoptive parents
invest as much in
raising children as
biological parents
The February 2007 issue of the American Sociological Review (ASR), the flagship
journal of the American Sociological Association (ASA), features new research on
adoptive and biological parents, comparing
child-rearing factors between parents who
adopt versus biological parents.
In “Adoptive Parents, Adaptive Parents:
Evaluating the Importance of Biological Ties
for Parental Investment,” sociologist Brian
Powell (Indiana University-Bloomington),
and colleagues Simon Cheng (University of
Connecticut), and Laura Hamilton (Indiana
University-Bloomington) examine how much
parents spend on their children in terms of
time and other resources. With public concern rising over China’s decision to restrict
U.S. parents’ adoptions of Chinese orphans,
and debates across the United States over
whether same-sex couples should be allowed
to adopt, this study provides timely and
definitive evidence that adoptive parents
invest just as much in raising their children
as do biological parents. The research
shows that biological and adoptive families
are more similar than previously believed.
The study analyzed four different types
of parental resources: economic, cultural,
interactional, and social capital. Indicators
of economic resources were: number of
children’s books, presence of a computer in
the home for the child to use, and attendance in a private school. Cultural resources
were those in which parents engage children in particular skill-building exercises.
These include reading-related activities,
math-related activities, other cultural activities, and number of extracurricular activities.
Interactional resources involve unfocused
parental interaction with children, such as
assistance with schoolwork, talking with the
child, and number of meals eaten with the
child. Finally, social capital resources were
measured through number of children’s parents that the child’s parents talk with regularly, parents’ involvement in the school, and
religious involvement.
“We demonstrate that the absence of a
biological tie between parents and their children does not unequivocally constitute a
disadvantage in at least one key family process—the allocation of resources to young
children. We find that the two-adoptive-parent family structure is remarkably similar to
the two-biological-parent-family structure in
that it provides adoptive children an advantage over children in other alternative family
structures,” the authors say.
To obtain a copy of the article, visit http:/
/www.asanet.org/galleries/default-file/
Feb07ASRAdoption.pdf.
The American Sociological Review is the
flagship journal of the 101-year-old American Sociological Association (ASA).
Vincent J. Roscigno and Randy Hodson,
both of Ohio State University, are co-editors of the American Sociological Review.
The American Sociological Association,
founded in 1905, is a non-profit membership
association dedicated to serving sociologists in their work, advancing sociology as
a science and profession, and promoting the
contributions and use of sociology to society.
© 2007 Newswise. All Rights Reserved.
Gifts from Page 10
products, and characteristic comestibles, as
well as digital products. The MP3 is a particularly popular gift item. One MP3 vender
in the Hailong Building in Zhongguancun - Beijing’s Silicon Valley -- confirms, “Listening to music at all times is now an
accepted aspect of young adults’ lifestyle.
Compared with other digital products, the
MP3 is inexpensive and has the functions
of a USB. It was the most popular electronic
product of 2006.”
Wang Shicheng, vice president of the
China National Light Industry Council, began his work as researcher just as the gifts
sector was taking shape.
“This sector is becoming
increasingly significant on
the market. Its development prospects are vast,”
he says, confidently. Gifts, as an extension
of consumer goods, have become a necessary item at national events, political, and
business activities, and market promotions.
Wang Shicheng believes that the gift industry is imbued with cultural connotations.
China has long been known as the “land of
ceremony and propriety.” Gifts, as symbols
of ceremony and propriety, are as important
now as ever they were.
Web site: http://www.chinatoday.com.cn
Reprinted with permission of China Today.
Web site: www.chinatoday.com.cn.
Reaction from Page 11
local governments ... I think it's a good thing
for China to build the infrastructure to improve the local conditions for development.’
Jim Adams, the World Bank's East Asia Pacific vice president, who has years of experience dealing with African development
issues, called China's new aid drive ‘a welcome and very interesting development.’ ‘In
a lot of the press the emphasis has been on
a very small portion of Chinese interest,’ he
said on the sidelines of the conference.
‘Clearly on the resource side, China is reaching out to ensure that they have the resources necessary to sustain their program.’
Delegation from
China makes
presentation on
doing business in
China
Although it was a snowy and treacherous morning on Tuesday, Feb. 6, 2007, that
didn’t deter those that had registered to hear
a presentation by a delegation from the city
of Qiqihar (pronounced Tsi-tsi-har) arranged
by the US-China Business Connection
(UCBC). The delegation also scheduled visits in Canada and several other U.S. cities.
The event began with breakfast followed by
self introductions of all attending, a presentation and a Question and Answer session.
Graduate students from the University of
Minnesota were strategically located to provide translations as needed.
Qiqihar is a city of over 1.5 million people
located in the southwest region of
Heilongjiang Province, China’s northernmost.
Harbin is Heilongjiang’s capital and is also
the Sister City of Minneapolis.
Leading the delegation of 8 was Laurence
Lee, PhD, Assistant Mayor of Qiqihar. To
begin the presentation, Mr. Lee was introduced by Jim Smith, UCBC Director. During
his presentation Mr. Lee provided some background on the city. Historically, Qiqihar was
founded in 1691 as a Chinese fortress since
this area of China was one of the main gateways from China to Russia and Europe.
As he continued with his presentation,
Mr. Lee noted that Qiqihar is now a processing center for soybeans, potatoes, grain and
sugar beets. Manufacturing includes steel,
locomotives, diesel engines, machine tools,
wood and paper products and cement.
In addition to its ability to compete for
economic development, Qiqihar is famed for
its red-crowned cranes and is called “the
home of the crane.” It also has the Zhalong
Nature Reserve that contains a vast wetland and is a famous tourist destination that
is home to 230 bird species.
The other members of the delegation included the following: Mr. Chengming
Yin, General director, Qiqihar City Administration; Mr. Yaozhong Shi, Director, Keshan
county; Mr. Wenbiao Song, Director,
Qiqihar Trade Office; Mr. Defu Fang, Director, Qiqihar City Liaison Office in Harbin;
Mr. Qiang Li, Director, Qiqihar Agricultural
Tech Extension; Ms. Zhijuan Tan, Nehe
Agricultural Tech Extension Service, Sr.
Engineer; Mr. Xinhe Jiang, Qiqihar City
Administration, Sr. Economist.
At the conclusion of the presentation,
the delegation invited all the people of Minnesota to visit their city whether it is for
business or pleasure.
As usual, this UCBC event continued
with networking opportunities for all that
attended. It should be noted that the next
day UCBC also held its regular monthly
meeting and a separate article on that event
can be found elsewhere in this issue of the
paper.
For information on the next UCBC
monthly meeting visit www.uchcgroup.org.
But he said China is also ‘reaching out very
actively to work with African governments
in providing investments and knowledge and
research. And we very much welcome that.’
‘Because China has gone through the process of going from a low-income country to
now a medium-income country ... it does have
some lessons.’
However Kumi Naidoo, the head of the
Johannesburg-based non-profit group
Civicus, said that in much of Africa ‘there are
mixed feelings about the level of intervention.’ While many welcomed the investment,
technical skills and infrastructure, they worried ‘whether there will be a genuine commitment to local capacity building because there
are also a large number of Chinese workers
that are being brought in for some projects.’
Naidoo said African governments are ‘under pressure to deliver visible, tangible development results’ but that ‘people are
concerned about us not getting the balance
right.’…” [Agence France Presse/Factiva]
The Associated Press notes that “…
Chinese President Hu Jintao's eight-nation,
12-day tour has taken him to Cameroon,
Liberia, Sudan, Zambia, Namibia and South
Africa. On [Feb. 8], he arrived in
Mozambique and [wrapped] up his tour
[Feb. 9 and 10] in the Seychelles. …” [The
Associated Press/Factiva]
Meanwhile, Xinhua reports that “The
delegates to the third international
roundtable on managing for development
results [Feb. 8] agreed that developing
countries and donors should enhance their
management of resources to gain better,
verifiable development results, guided by a
spirit of mutual accountability. The delegates, over 400 government officials and
experts from 40 countries, 33 aid and donor
agencies and 30 non-governmental organizations and private companies, agreed that
both the countries and donors need to invest more in systems and capacity for managing for results, including in such areas as
national statistical systems, and sectorwide monitoring and evaluation. … The
roundtable was hosted by the Vietnamese
government and sponsored by several foreign organizations including the ADB and
the World Bank. …” [Xinhua (China)/
Factiva]
Gift Hints
123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456789012345678901212345
123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456789012345678901212345
123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456789012345678901212345
When you visit a friend’s home for the first time, taking a gift is a must. Even if you
123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456789012345678901212345
123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456789012345678901212345
123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456789012345678901212345
don’t know what would most please the intended recipient, buy them a gift of some
123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456789012345678901212345
123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456789012345678901212345
description anyway. An unsuitable gift is better than no gift at all, as it is a token of
123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456789012345678901212345
123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456789012345678901212345
goodwill. Its practical value is of secondary importance.
123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456789012345678901212345
123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456789012345678901212345
123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456789012345678901212345
When accepting a gift Chinese people, in contrast to the Western habit, generally do
123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456789012345678901212345
123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456789012345678901212345
not open it on the spot. They feel embarrassed at being compelled to comment on it in the
123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456789012345678901212345
123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456789012345678901212345
presence of the giver.
123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456789012345678901212345
123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456789012345678901212345
Never present an overtly expensive gift to someone with whom you are unacquainted.
123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456789012345678901212345
123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456789012345678901212345
123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456789012345678901212345
It
will
either make them feel obligated to reciprocate in equally extravagant fashion, or to
123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456789012345678901212345
123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456789012345678901212345
doubt your motives.
123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456789012345678901212345
123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456789012345678901212345
Never present a gift that could be interpreted as hinting that the receiver’s taste is
123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456789012345678901212345
123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456789012345678901212345
123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456789012345678901212345
lacking, such as underwear or ties.
123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456789012345678901212345
123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456789012345678901212345
There are certain gift taboos. For instance, never present a clock to an elderly person,
123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456789012345678901212345
123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456789012345678901212345
as in the Chinese language “giving a clock” has the same homophony as “attending upon
123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456789012345678901212345
123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456789012345678901212345
a dying person.” The Chinese for pear is li, which also means “parting;” that for umbrella
123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456789012345678901212345
123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456789012345678901212345
123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456789012345678901212345
is san, which also means “disperse,” and the word “four” should be avoided, as its
123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456789012345678901212345
123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456789012345678901212345
pronunciation, si, is the same as that for the word meaning “death.”
123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456789012345678901212345
business
UCBC from Page 1
Elsewhere in this paper is another event
that UCBC sponsored when it presented a
delegation from Qiqihar in the Heilongjiang
Province of China.
UCBC hosts monthly breakfast networking meetings with presentations on issues
relating to doing business between the U.S.
and China. The monthly meetings are scheduled for the first Wednesday of the month at
7:30 a.m. Check the calendar for details.
For more details, please visit the Web
site: http://www.ucbcgroup.org.
UCBC consists of individual entrepreneurs, small and mid-sized businesses as well
as fortune 500 companies, who are currently
doing business or seeking business opportunities in China. If you have any interest in
contacting any of these presenters, please
contact
Richard
He
at
[email protected].
What do you like about working for a company?
FOREIGN COMPANIES
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
•Better compensation although gap
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
is
shrinking
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
•Career development planning
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
•More efficient & transparent
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
•International exposure and
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
knowledge
sharing
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
•
Advanced
Technology
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
CHINESE COMPANIES
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
•Stock option and better medical
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
coverage and retirement planning
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
(SOE)
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
•More opportunities to promote to
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
upper management position
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
•
Job security
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
•Less stress working environment
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
•Self-esteem & sense of
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
accomplishment
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
•
Patriotic
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
•Camaraderie
123456789012345678901234567890121
What do you like about working for a company?
FOREIGN COMPANIES
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
•Arrogant management style
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
•Too much deliverable-driven, not
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
enough personal touch
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
•Perceived sometimes to be taken
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
advantage of (e.g. no overtime pay,
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
etc.)
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
•Stress working environment
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
•Need truly localized operation
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
•Need to minimize salary gap
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
between Chinese and foreign
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
counterparts.
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
CHINESE COMPANIES
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
•Too much bureaucracies and
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
politics
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
•Less competitive compensation
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
•In-efficient processes inherited from
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
state-owned heritage
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
•Too much local oriented, less global
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
mindset
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
•Work loading
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
•Less challenging and rewarding
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
Cultural differences in HR management
FOREIGN COMPANIES
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
•More democratic and transparent
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
in HR management.
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
•Many HR policies aim to motivate
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
employees and people-oriented.
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
•Most companies pay employees
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
based on performance.
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
•Pay great attention to employment
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
relations. E.g. Employee
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
Satisfaction Survey
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
•More generous in benefit. E.g.,
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
Family
Health Care Plan, Relocation
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
Allowance
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
CHINESE COMPANIES
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
•HR management based on
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
administrative and hierarchical
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
orders.
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
•HR policies originated from
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
personnel
management perspective.
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
•Most companies pay by
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
egalitarianism
and seniority.
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
•
Employee
relations
account for a
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
very small part.
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
•Less Benefit options except for
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
some
monopoly industries
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
Cultural differences in HR management in China
FOREIGN COMPANIES
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
•Extremely aggressive in
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
recruitment.
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
•Very high mobility.
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
•Do a good job in strategic HR
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
planning
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
•More efficient and explicit
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
•Provide clear career development
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
map
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
•Invest more in employee training
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
•Easy layoffs
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
•Low mutual dependence
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
CHINESE COMPANIES
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
•Recruitment needs to be improved.
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
E.g., recruitment channels
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
•Less mobility.
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
•Less effective in HR strategic
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
planning, more flexible and
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
ambiguous.
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
•
Seniority based career
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
development.
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
•Provide less training
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
•More job security.
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
•High mutual dependence.
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
INVEST IN CHINA
According to recent figures, China has about 265
million children between the ages of 0 to 14 years
old – 20 percent of its total population. To fulfill the
desire of parents to obtain the best education possible for their children, quality English kindergarten
schools are much sought after.
You now have the opportunity to become an investor in such a school.
The Loudi Economic Development Zone (LEDZ)
located in the City of Loudi, Hunan Province, PRC,
has awarded a kindergarten project to
InfoGlobe,LLC, a Minnesota-based consulting firm.
Learn all about this exciting opportunity to invest in
this service to be provided in China by contacting
Richard He at (612) 987-6540 or Greg Hugh at (952)
472-4757. Additional information can also be obtained by visiting
www.infoglobeus.com.
Hunan Province, PRC
Capital,Changsha.
St.Paul’s Sister City
Loudi City, Kindergarten’s Location
www.infoglobeus.com
What kind of hiring profile does a company look for?
FOREIGN COMPANIES
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
•Well-educated, bi-lingual
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
•Good communication skills, both
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
oral and written
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
•Experience, esp. track record
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
worked for famous MNCs. Or
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
•No experience, eg. Campus
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
recruitment (P&G,
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
PriceWaterHouse, etc) a Good/
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
Easy for them to train
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
•Leadership potential
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
•Team work spirit
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
•Aggressive and ability to work
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
under pressure
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
CHINESE COMPANIES
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
State-owned Enterprises
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
•Well-educated
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
•Candidates’ connection (Guang Xi)
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
•Stable or not?
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
•Easy to manage?
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
•Loyal or not?
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
Private Companies
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
•Experience first then education
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
•Technical skill sets or / and
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
personal network
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
•Need to be practical. Don’t expect
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
for long time on-the-job training
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
•Result-driven
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
How is individualism and collectivism exibited in the
work place?
FOREIGN COMPANIES
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
•Individualism
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
•Working collectively and living
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
individually
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
•Explicit group power, union
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
CHINESE COMPANIES
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
•Collectivism
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
•Living collectively and working
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
individually
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
•Implicit group and faction power,
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
party
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
UCBC Continues on Page 15
business
Business Planning &
Employee Benefit Planning
Application for Government Tax-Refund,
Credit & Rebate
Tax Disputes
Retirement Financial Planning
Taxes for Individual, Small Business, S-Corp,
Partnership
Tax-Return & Financial Planning
MBA from Page 5
still,”) became my personal mantra. Through
the years, as I grew older and more confident and comfortable navigating the language and the culture, I naturally sought a
career opportunity which would allow me to
share that with others. This is what led me
to graduate work in Chinese language and
literature, and now MBA studies. Admittedly, each time I return to China, I particularly enjoy observing American students'
Dr. Helen Zhang
Ph. D. in Economics
Partnered with Eleanor F. Anderson, CPA
IRS Enrolled Agent
Helen Zhang Tel: 763-574-7207
Fax: 763-502-2816
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.efatax.com
Make an appointment at our Fridley office,
I will do your tax return just like my own!
Glimpse from Page 5
strange and wonderful feeling for me to be
among crowds and not feel like a short person. At just over 5’2” I am almost always
the shortest person when I am out and about
in the United States. Yet among the crowds
in China I could actually see where I was
going when walking down the street. There
were a few taller heads that stuck out here
and there, but for the most part I just blended
in (all except my blond hair).
Forbidden City (Photo: Jeanine Hansen)
I spent two weeks in Shanghai, but was
able spend a weekend in Beijing with twelve
of my classmates and had a wonderful time
exploring the sights. I felt like I jumped into
a history book. I had felt that way once
before at age sixteen when I visited Washington, D.C. for the first time. But this was
like jumping into an ancient history book,
one that had stories too wonderful and too
sad to tell all at once with thousands of
years of history. I got to climb the Great
Wall and felt like I was on top of the world.
Pictures and words could never do justice
to the way the heart feels when you look
out into the distance to see the Great Wall
go on and on for as far as you can see and
to know how many battles took place on
that very land. That was truly the highlight
of my trip.
The weeks went by quickly, working with
my team to help Dairy Queen with their strategy in China. We also got to meet with top
Asian executives from Proctor & Gamble,
Dow Chemical and A.C. Nielsen and RSM
International. We heard stories of how the
Chinese economy is going to continue to
grow and how there will be a true middle
class in the near future; of how the population continues to grow and the challenges
of putting that many people to work; of how
pollution continues to be a problem and
there seems to be no short term answer. The
stories were diverse, yet all seemed to agree
that China has a very bright future for those
who are willing to work hard and do the right
thing for the greater good of the people.
I will never forget this amazing experience of working side by side with my American and Chinese classmates on a real live
case study with International Dairy Queen
and the adventures of exploring China for
the first time. This Global Enrichment Program was the opportunity of a lifetime.
Visa to China
Fast Safe Cheap
MN China Tribune Visa Service Center
566 N Selling Ave., St. Paul, MN 55104
Tel: 651-644-4294 or 651-387-0234
Fax: 651-644-4295
“The superior man is distressed
by the limitations of his ability; he
is not distressed by the fact that
men do not recognize the ability
that he has.”
...Confucius
Fresh duck (Photo: Jeanine Hansen)
reactions to experiencing Chinese culture for
the first time.
I wholeheartedly believe that global experiences are a critical part of a professional
education, and I believe the University of
Minnesota and the Carlson School of Management understand and support that. Looking back over the past fifteen years it has
become clear to me how my collective experiences provided the opportunity for personal and professional growth. I would not
be the person today without having gone
through each of these experiences. Being
born and raised in the Midwest, my views,
personal goals and aspirations were definitely shaped (and sometimes challenged)
by my experiences in Asia. I insist that any
college student who is obtaining a liberal
arts education today, needs to study abroad,
to get an authentic world-view. At a time
when the United States is at war in the Middle
East, and the world continues to shrink, this
is imperative. We cannot move forward as a
people unless we learn to be inclusive and
respectful of a multitude of ideas, cultural
values and lifestyles. There is really no way
of developing cultural awareness in the truest sense of the word, without living outside one’s own cultural environment and
comfort zone, and experiencing it firsthand.
This is especially important for the business leaders of tomorrow.
Learning a foreign language is an integral part of this. Since language is the way
we define, experience, and understand the
world we live in, it is important to see this
from different perspectives. One way of
doing this is through a foreign language.
Let me give an example from the Chinese
language. In American culture, we tend to
look forward to the future with the expectation that it will be better, than the present.
This is conveyed in such expressions as
“the future looks bright,” and “things are
going to get better,” etc. In Chinese it is
just the opposite. The gloriousness of ancient history is to be emulated but can never
be the same as it was. This underscores the
tremendous influence history has a Chinese
culture. Moreover, China has a very
lengthy history typically rendered as 5000
years, while the United States just celebrated its bicentennial a few decades back.
This world-view is inherent in the Chinese
language, and the Chinese way of thinking.
In order to communicate with and understand your Chinese colleagues successfully,
one must be aware of this nuance and know
that it has a profound effect on any interaction.
Looking back, when I entered the
Carlson MBA program, I was uncertain of
the direction I wished to take. Having an
extensive background in teaching and nonprofit management, at that time I was unaware of opportunities that existed
combining my background in Chinese with
the business coursework. Through my current position as a Trader Rep at Wells Fargo
Investments and the coursework I have completed toward my MBA degree, I have a better sense of direction, and am now in
position personally and professionally to
take the next step in my career path. The
Shanghai global enrichment program thanks
in part to The Carlson School of Management, Cheung Kong Graduate School of
Business, and Ann Stone and her team at
International Dairy Queen, allowed me to
piece this together, and assisted me in taking the next step in my professional career
development as well as realize personal
goals. This is an experience I will never
forget, and one that will clearly impact my
future business endeavors and career aspirations.
2007 International
Symposium on Kenaf and
Allied Fibers
Renewable Resource for a New Industry
Kenaf, jute, and allied natural fibers provide solutions to the search of renewable
resources and ways for environmental protection. Increasing interest from around the
world has been observed in exploring the
opportunities of using natural fibers in diverse industrial sectors. Progress has been
made in developing new technologies and
market for natural fiber-derived products in
recent years.
The 2007 International Symposium on
Kenaf and Allied Fibers - Renewable Resource for a New Industry will be held June
19-21, 2007 in Xiamen, China. The deadline
to register is Mar. 31, 2007. The Symposium
aims to promote the production and utilization of kenaf and allied natural fibers (jute,
flax, ramie, and industrial hemp). The Symposium will provide a platform for information exchange and experience sharing in
production and industrial applications of
natural fibers. Products made from kenaf and
allied such as paper and pulp, automobile
parts, textile, construction and packaging
materials, animal feed, and environmental
cleaner, etc. will be the focus of this event.
The Symposium will also feature the latest
agricultural practice for maximizing the production of kenaf and allied fibers. Visit
www.chinaconsultinginc.com for more information including a registration form.
business
New Year from Page 1
UCBC from Page 13
What is the preception of IP in the minds of upper
management?
FOREIGN COMPANIES
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
•A big issue
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
Patent
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
Copyright
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
Portrait right
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
•
Take
for granted
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
Last century
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
Before 1900
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
•
Weapon
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
CHINESE COMPANIES
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
•Americans before 1900s
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
•Take for granted not to
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
Price discriminationWindows XP
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
$200 VS $10
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
1/12 VS 1/3000
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
Culture
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
Karo OK
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
Psychological justification
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
Microsoft, Adobe
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
Theft and robber
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
•Learning (anti-dump)
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
•Needs time to develop
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
What impact does PR have on the company?
MULTINATIONAL COMPANIES
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
Media Relations
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
•Daily maintenance of network
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
•Event and News Release
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
•Sales-related Sponsorship
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
•Crisis management
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
Governmental relations
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
•Central government
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
•Province and City
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
•Counties, Towns, Villages
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
•Political donations – bribe?
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
Other relations: NGO, Charity, etc.
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
Who work as PR for companies?
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
CHINESE COMPANIES
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
Varies due to difference in sizes,
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
locations, industries, and ownership
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
Large national and regional
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
Chinese companies and joint
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
ventures :
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
•very similar with multinationals
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
(State-owned companies)
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
Middle-size companies :
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
•Admin Office takes control
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
•Mixture of Sales and PR
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
•Personal network
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
•Focus on Local Government
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
Small-size companies: PR = CEO
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
minute preparations, and everyone
seemed be crowded into the place to buy an
extra kilo of noodles or frozen fish or some
toilet paper or fancy liquor imported from
Scotland, or a new wide screen television
for that matter.
About an hour later, I was wandering
through the just as intense but entirely different chaos of the special New Year market
that is held by Green Lake Park every year at
this time.
The market is kind of a cultural centerpiece, with lots of regional specialties, and
tons of the traditional candies, pickled fruits,
teas, alcohol, and more meat than you can
shake a stick at.
I'm sure that the romantic "newness"
that comes with being in a place for the first
time is a factor, but I truly feel that Kunming
is one of the most fascinating places that I
have been in throughout my prolific journeys through Southeast Asia. (Well, prolific
from what I knew back in Ottertail.) I'm cerMaster Lee from Page 1
tainly not complaining about the cuisine,
which is a mix of many influences from around
China and also flavors that have migrated
up from Thailand, Vietnam and Laos.
Noodle dishes are one of the staples here
- I still have not finished counting the different kinds, but there are rice and wheat and
egg noodles, long and short and fat and thin.
And, being an international center (despite
the fact that it is virtually unheard of in the
United States, from my experience - just another Chinese city with over 3 million people,
right?), there is a very strong international
influence. I had an awesome Korean kimchee
stew for dinner one night.
The local love of pork provides a stark
contrast to the world I have known the past
8 months in Indonesia and Malaysia, both
mostly Muslim countries where babi, pork,
is rarely if ever encountered.
Ted Meinhover is a University of Minnesota student who is traveling and studying in Southeast Asia and China.
Lu, who provided invaluable wisdom and
service in making the King Memorial connection.
“What a wonderful small world!”
The sculpture that Master Lei created
for Minnesota Rocks! will be permanently
installed in St. Paul’s Phalen Park in April. It
is current on display at the new Franconia
Sculpture Park at Hwy 8 and Rt. 95
(www.franconia.org).
What role does government have on the operaton of
the company?
FOREIGN COMPANIES AND JOINT
CHINESE COMPANIES
VENTURES
1234567890123456789012345678901212 123456789012345678901234567890121
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
Corporate Income Tax 25% (15%)
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
•Routine interactions: Administration
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
Bureau for Industry and Commerce,
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
National and Local Tax Bureau,
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
Personnel Bureau, Public Security,
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
etc.
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
•Key issues: market entry (project
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
approval), tax and local fees,
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
consumer claims, government
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
procurement
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
1234567890123456789012345678901212
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
State-owned companies
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
•Closed related with national policy
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
on natural resources, public utility,
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
national defense, media, finance…
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
•Communist party branch
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
•Government assistance on market
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
entry and capital support
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
•Bureaucracy and corruptions
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
Private Chinese companies
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
•Local fees and charges
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
•Weakest political impact
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
•Protection of private property
123456789012345678901234567890121
123456789012345678901234567890121
One million in China
face water shortage
A severe drought in southwestern China
is threatening the water supplies of one million people and crippling navigation on the
depleted Yangtze River, the state media reported.
A severe drought in southwestern China
is threatening the water supplies of one million people and crippling navigation on the
depleted Yangtze River.[AFP]
Authorities in Chongqing municipality
have sent water trucks into the most parched
areas to provide water for residents and livestock hit by weeks without rain, Xinhua
news agency said.
Water levels on the Yangtze, China's
longest river, have decreased rapidly and
officials halted navigation near Chongqing
city on Monday after a barge carrying 1,400
tons of timber became stranded for several
hours, it said.
One of Chongqing's largest drinking
water suppliers said the water level had fallen
below most of the pipes the company uses
to draw water from the river.
"If the water levels in the Yangtze and
its upper tributary Jialing River continue to
decline, we'll face a real crisis," Xinhua
quoted a spokesman with Shapingba Waterworks as saying.
The region is still reeling from a severe
drought last summer, the worst in decades,
which forced tens of thousands of farmers
to leave in search of work elsewhere.
Chongqing municipality is home to about
30 million people.
Source: China Daily
Photo credit: Jennie Hsiao
Proposed sculpture honoring Dr. King
subsequently traveled to St. Paul to see the
artists gathered for the Symposium.
The Memorial Foundation’s Executive
Architect, Dr. Ed Jackson, Jr. later wrote to
Public Art Saint Paul: “The Martin Luther
Kind, Jr. National Memorial Project has
greatly benefited from meeting such extraordinary artists, gaining better familiarity with
their work, and seeing them in action. Your
work is greatly appreciated by the Foundation, as it has helped to begin a conversation with Lei Yixin. [Minnesota Rocks!] was
a wonderful event and, though unintentionally, perfectly timed for our project.”
At the Symposium’s close, Master Lei
and his wife traveled to Washington, D.C.
to meet with the Memorial Project stakeholders and tour the site. Late in 2006, the Committee visited the artist in Changsha, China
and toured the granite quarries of the Fujian
region.
Says Public Art Saint Paul president
Christine Podas-Larson, “Public Art Saint
Paul is honored and delighted that Minnesota Rocks! played a role in making this connection between Master Lei and the Martin
Luther King, Jr. Memorial project. All of
those who sponsored and produced Minnesota Rocks! have a new and glorious reason to be proud of the international amity
engendered through the Stone Carving Symposium.
“Master Lei and Public Art Saint Paul
are very grateful to The US-China People’s
Friendship Association and U.S. Rep. Betty
McCollum who helped to bring Master Lei
to Minnesota Rocks! and to Mr. Weiming
Lei Yixin, of China, carved this face posed
on a hand. The carving will be moved this
summer to Phalen Park, by the picnic pavilion. (MPR Photo/Marianne Combs)
Editor’s Note: The selection of Master Lei
was announced in an article that appeared
in the September 2006 issue of CHINAInsight. An additional article on the life story
of Master Lei, who is from Changsha which
is St. Paul’s Sister City, can be found in the
July/August 2006 issue of CHINA Insight.
Both of these articles can be viewed at
www.chinainsight.info. CHINA Insight will
continue to provide updates as appropriate including an announcement as to when
Master Lei’s sculpture, Contemplation, will
be on permanent display at Phalen Park.
AMA from Page 8
Funds raised during the Gala were made
possible by donations from individuals, silent auction bids, and corporate sponsorships. If you are interested in helping AMA
connect the disconnected, please visit
AMA’s Web site on how to make a donation or how to volunteer: www.amamedia.org.
You can also give AMA a call: 612-376-7715.

best of the best
Tea House is the Best of the Best
Chinese Restaurants
From Best of the Best Party 2007
On Monday, Feb. 19, 2007, from 6:30 p.m.
until 10 p.m. at the Guthrie Theater, Mpls.St. Paul Magazine's Best of the Best Party
featured foods from premier Twin Cities’ restaurants, cocktails and wine sampling, live
music, and more! This event celebrated the
December 2006 Best of the Twin Cities issue
and revealed the winners of the annual readers’ poll of the Twin Cities Best Restaurants.
Visit the Web site http://www.mspmag.com/
features/features/bestofthetwincities2006/
38714.asp for more details on other categories of the Best of the Twin Cities. 100% of
the proceeds benefit Second Harvest Heartland, Minnesota's largest hunger relief organization.
GuthrieTheater
The
Tea
House
Restaurant
(www.ourteahouse.com) was selected as the
Best Chinese Restaurant in 2006. The Mpls.St. Paul described the Tea House:
“The Tea House has two menus—a boring, dumbed-down pan–Chinese affair and
a second one that is gladly yours for the
asking. The “secret menu” offers the best
Sichuan food in the Midwest.”
Indeed, from the crowd at the party, it
was easy to see that the people enjoyed sampling the delicious foods from the famous
Tea House menu: Boiled Beef in Szechuan
Hot Sauce, Chong King Spicy Chicken and
Szechuan Green Beans.
The party participants also enjoyed
other food and wine samples.
Tea House provides authentic Chinese
Szechuan foods. It is located at 88 Nathan
Ln., Plymouth, Phone: 763-544-3422. A new
Saint Paul location will open in early 2007.
For more details and menus, please visit its
Web site.
The Best
Tasting Week
of the Year
Get ready to enjoy a week’s worth of
great food at unbeatable prices from some
of the Twin Cities’ best restaurants.
If ever there was a week to eat out, this
is it!
Mpls.St.Paul Magazine invites you to
indulge in the best of the Twin Cities when it
comes to local dining. During Best of the
Best Restaurant Week presented by American Express® —Sunday, Feb. 25–Saturday,
Mar. 3—you can sample some of the finest
culinary offerings from local award-winning
restaurants without breaking your budget.
Think of the variety of restaurants you
could sample in just one week. Regional Italian one night, European-inspired American
the next. Award-winning seafood for lunch
and some of the best chophouse specialties
in town for dinner. You can visit old favorites or try something new. But when the week
is over, so are the great deals.
So, book your table now!
Special offer for American Express®
Cardmembers: Advance reservations at participating restaurants who accept reservations from now until February 10, 2007.
American Express® is the proud sponsor of the inaugural Best of the Best Restaurant Week. For other special Cardmember
offers in the Twin Cities visit:
mylifemycard.com/minneapolisescapes.
Above and below, Crowds tasting Tea
House foods
Tea House foods