Part 2 - AHK Greater China

Transcription

CHAMBER NEWS
CHAMBER NOTICES
ALL CHINA
Change of Delegate & Chief Representative in
Shanghai
Mr. Manfred Rothgänger
Mr. Jan Noether
S i n c e b e g i n n i n g o f O c t o b e r M r.
Manfred Rothgänger, Delegate & Chief
R e p re s e n t a t i v e , h a s l e f t t h e A H K i n
Shanghai. He will be heading the AHK in
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, as Delegate &
Chief Representative. During his six years
assignment in Shanghai Mr. Rothgänger
has been substantial in the establishment of
the AHK vocational centres and therefore
serving the needs of the German Companies
for qualified workers. The Shanghai team
sees Mr. Rothgänger leaving with regret
and wishes him all the best for his future
endeavours.
The new Delegate & Chief Representative
in Shanghai, Mr. Jan Noether, will be taking
over all responsibilities from his predecessor.
Prior to joining the AHK in Shanghai Mr.
Noether has been working as Delegate &
Chief Representative at the AHK in Ho Chi
Minh City, Vietnam, for the past four years.
The Shanghai team welcomes Mr. Noether
and wishes him a successful start in his new
role.
BEIJING&TIANJIN
AHK Leadership Seminar
9th November 2010 in Beijing – save the date!
Are you looking for ways to develop your global leaders in China?
AHK is teaming up with the China teams of two international
training specialists like MTI Management Consulting and LMI
Leadership Management International to organize a special half-day
event for presenting global best practices in leadership development
and its implementation in China.
The event will start with a lunch-time discussion, followed by
interactive Panel discussions and Workshops. Heads of Business
Units and HR departments – especially in SMEs - will find a
good opportunity to learn about current best practices and their
application in an organizational development. CEOs will be invited
to share the new knowledge during a reception at the end of the day.
For more information please visit www.china.ahk.de or
contact Mr. Timm Rohweder at [email protected]
SHANGHAI
Benefit Partner Updates
Present your GC membership cards at these trusted partners and benefit
from special discounts and services. For the full list of Benefit Partners,
please refer to the 2010 Benefit Program Booklet or the German Chamber
website at www.china.ahk.de.
42
October - November 2010
Hilton Shanghai Hongqiao
1116 Hongsong East Road, 201103 Shanghai
上海市红松东路1116号
' 21 - 6465 5581 | * [email protected]
www.shanghaihongqiao.hilton.com
Benefit: 10% discount on food and beverages in Essence, Yue Xuan, med grill,
Pulse (Not applicable for special-priced & promotional items)
Mandarin Do-Re-Mi
28C,1381 Dong Fang Road, Shanghai
上海市东方路1381号23C
' 21 - 6851 3389 | * [email protected]
http://mandarin-do-re-mi.everbright-itcs.cn/page/profile/
Benefit: 10% discount on all courses
AXA - Winterthur Insurance (Asia)
Ltd. Shanghai Branch
11F, South Tower, China Diamond
Exchange Center, 1701 Century Avenue, PuDong, Shanghai 200122 PRC
上海市浦东世纪大道1701号 | 中国钻石交易中心南塔11层 | 200122 上海
' 21 - 6156 3500 | Web: http://www.axa-ins.com.cn/en
Benefit: 10 % discount on travel, personal accident, home, health and smart office
insurance
Ezee Beverages
Shaanxi South Road, Room 402-407,
Building 12, Lane 25 |Shanghai 200020
中国上海市陕西南路25弄 | 12号402-407室 | 200020 上海
' 21 - 521 313 30 | Web: www.ezeebeverages.com
Benefit: 20% discount on all products at a minimum order of 100 RMB.
SOUTH CHINA
New Regular Roundtables in South China
Paying tribute to the results of our recent Members Survey, GCC  South
China is going to have two new quarterly roundtables as of October 2010.
Plastics Roundtable
After a successful kick-off meeting end of
May 2010, the Plastics Roundtable will be
headed and further driven by GCC  South
China Board Member Mr. Rüdiger Kümmerle.
Having worked in the plastics industry in
China for more than seven years, he has
gained various experiences which provide
him thorough knowledge about the specific
challenges and trends of the industry. In addition, he recently established
the IPTA Institute of Plastic Technology and Application in Shenzhen,
a unique cooperation of technology leaders from the plastics industry
offering a wide range of services under one roof.
Supplier Management Roundtable
Stefan Rosenbohm, GCC  South China’s
Treasurer, is going to establish our new Supplier
Management Roundtable with the kick-off
meeting to be held in November 2010. He
has been working in Shenzhen for more than
nine years coordinating his company’s global
sourcing activities in China. He experiences the
pitfalls, challenges and difficulties of this field every day and is keen to
provide hands-on practical advice and foster the exchange of experience
and best practices between German companies in South China.
GCC  South China is looking for one deputy head for each of the new
roundtables. If you are interested in actively shaping these events, please
get in touch with us [email protected]
2010 October - November
43
CHAMBER NEWS
BEIJING PAGES
GCC BOARD
Reputation – Key to successful
Business in China
Daimler AG
Executive Vice President
Daimler Northeast Asia Ltd.
Chairman & CEO
Mr. Ulrich Walker
German Chamber Beijing
Executive Director
Delegation of German Industry &
Commerce Beijing
Delegate & Chief Representative
Ms. Jutta Ludwig*
KPMG Huazhen Certified Public
Accountants
Partner Audit
Mr. Andreas Feege
Treasurer
Lufthansa German Airlines
General Manager Beijing,
Chief Representative
Ms. Martina Grönegres
Deutsche Bank (China) Co. Ltd.
Director, Head of Corporate Banking
Coverage, China
Mr. Eddy Henning
Volkswagen (China)
Investment Co. Ltd.
Executive Vice President,
Finance Department
Dr. Jörg Mull
Giesecke & Devrient (China)
Information Technologies Co. Ltd.
Reputation is an omnipresent topic, also in
China. The country lays great emphasis on
image building, as demonstrated at the 2008
Olympics in Beijing and the 2010 World Expo
in Shanghai – a bold plan for a sustainable
transition towards an outstanding national
reputation. The ongoing 2010 campaign image
of the German Federal Government, ‘Germany
and China - Moving Ahead Together’ shows
the ‘Brand Germany’ as an innovative, attractive and strong partner for China.
According to Ms. Kisro-Warnecke, a member of
the 2010 China trade delegation of Lower Saxony who runs her own China consulting firm in
Hannover, the importance and valuable benefits
of a good image have yet to be fully recognized
by German companies.
German businesses are still not focusing
enough on the fact that corporate reputation
plays an element of competitive edge in the
Chinese market. Understanding the impact of
the country’s history, legal and political system
forms a basis to exploit valuable potential for
increasing business success.
On an empirical study, Ms. Kisro-Warnecke illustrated that despite the good reputation of
German SMEs and corporations, they still underperform when it comes to turning this positive reputation into profit. Taking the favorable
German image for granted and resting on it was
not enough; there was still a substantial need
for improvement in the areas of intercultural
competence, customer orientation, relationship
management and general management skills.
TUI China Travel Co. Ltd.
CEO
BEIJING
Mr. Marcel Schneider
Mr. Jöran F. Treppschuh
* All-China Board member
44
Date: 6th July 2010
Speakers: Dr. Diana Kisro-Warnecke
Managing Director, K&K China Consulting
Chair: Mr. Martin Regnet | Head of
Communications, German Chamber of
Commerce in China  Beijing
by the German Chamber  Beijing, the first
Clean Development Mechanism Project (CDM)
sensitized legislature and the economy toward
smoothing the way for German advanced
technology in the Chinese construction sector
in 2008 and 2009.
Dr. Roland Savoy
Chief Representative
Event: Reputation of German Companies
in China
Environmental and Climate Protection u
Managing Director
GMH – Holding China
As suggestions on how to start improving,
Ms. Kisro-Warnecke demonstrated tools such
as RepTrakChina, an analytical set of variables
to measure reputation in China, and presented
best practices in the targeted management of a
company’s reputation through the inclusion of
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities.
Around 2.5 years ago, the German Chamber
 Beijing gave the starting signal for its
environmental and climate action plan.
Flanked by the German Federal Ministry
of Environment, Nature Conservation and
Nuclear Safety (BMU) and implemented
The joint project ‘Carbon Market in the new
buildings sector in China – programmaticCDM, new sectoral approaches, development
of a national trade platform’ followed with
the cooperation of the Chinese Ministry of
Housing and Urban-Rural Development
(MoHURD) in 2009.
With a construction sector in China characterized by high CO2-emissions, relatively low
reduction potential for single buildings and a
www.china.ahk.de
Press Briefing on the visit of Chancellor Merkel
The economic relations between Germany and
China are booming. In the first six months of
2010, Sino-German trade volume increased
by 43%, and according to DIHK statistics, the
export volume from China to Germany is
expected to reach EUR 65bn this year, making
China the largest exporter to Germany. In
return, German companies have invested
nearly USD 17bn consequently. The state of
German companies in China was a main focus
of attention in the forefront of and during
Chancellor Merkel’s visit to Beijing.
On 14 July 2010, the German Chamber of
Commerce in China  Beijing held a press
briefing with German foreign correspondents
in China. Mr. Ulrich Walker, Chairman of the
Board, and Ms. Jutta Ludwig, Executive Board
Member, answered questions on the current
situation of German businesses in China.
th
“Alongside the many areas in which our
cooperation is on an excellent level, Chancellor
Merkel was also briefed on more critical
topics,” said Ms. Ludwig.
A key topic was the promotion of technology
cooperation: Ms. Ludwig mentioned that
forced technology transfer on investment
authorizations, public contracts, joint venture
coercion, certification requirements and delays
in license issuances are still prevalent obstacles.
Government procurement in China remains
an area of improvement as well: Ms. Ludwig
emphasized that this field required clarification;
a level playing field at public tenders was
absolutely necessary.
With a look at the Chinese policy process,
Mr. Walker underlined the importance of
early notification on regulatory changes
to allow foreign companies to plan their
investments more carefully. It is vital,
Mr. Walker commented, that equal treatment
is implemented and that this concern
is communicated at any opportunity of
interaction with the government.
On the positive side, a self-conscious China
at eye-level was considered by Mr. Walker as
a great opportunity for cooperation on a high
level, although the Chinese competitiveness
had improved significantly and was in some
industry sectors in direct competition with
German companies. Still China has pulled
the German small and medium industrial
companies through the crisis for the past 18
months. While the market has not become
easier, it significantly gained in importance.
Event: Press Conference with Ulrich Walker
Date: 14th July 2010
Speakers: Mr. Ulrich Walker | Executive
Vice President, Daimler AG/Chairman &
CEO, Daimler Northeast Asia/Chairman
of the Board, German Chamber of
Commerce in China  Beijing;
Ms. Jutta Ludwig | Delegate and Chief
Representative, Delegation of German
Industry and Commerce, Beijing
under the Flag of AHK Beijing
short time frame between planning and construction in which the CDM can be implemented as a financing tool, the program focused on
the study of new incentive instruments for the
carbon market in the construction sector and
their application in a designated pilot region.
technology transfer and sustainable market
access for German companies. Beside renewable energies, in the coming two years
the project will address the issues of waste
management and recycling as well as water
recycling.
Between 11 and 13 July, an internal pCDM
project group meeting was held in Beijing at
which the first interim project results were
discussed by the project partners along with
representatives from the pilot city Xiamen.
Plans were also set for a bidder conference
in September to call for potential future pilot
‘eco cities’.
The high number of participating
representatives from Chinese committees
and institutions, including the National
Development and Reform Commission
(NDRC) and the Ministry of Housing and
Urban-Rural Development (MOHURD)
u n d e r l i n e s t h e g o v e r n m e n t ’ s s t ro n g
commitment to further strengthening its
already significant role in the CDM sector. In a
pioneering act, the legislative framework at the
base was already completed.
th
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A kick-off meeting in Beijing initiated CDM
II concentrating on emission reduction,
Event: pCDM Project Workshop, Beijing
Date: 11th-13th July 2010
Chair: Prof. Dr. Andreas Oberheitmann
Professor, Tsinghua University
Event: CDM Kick-off meeting, Beijing
Date: 15th July 2010
Chair: Ms. Jutta Ludwig | Executive
Director, German Chamber of Commerce
in China  Beijing
45
CHAMBER NEWS
SHANGHAI PAGES
GCC BOARD
Lufthansa German Airlines
Managing Director Greater China
Mr. Arved von zur Mühlen*
Combustion Engine and
Electric Drive GC Roundtable June
Chairman
SGL Carbon Far East Ltd.
Managing Director
Dr. Günter Hermann
Vice Chairman
Deutsche Bank (China) Co., Ltd.
Director – Head of Corporate
Banking and Coverage, MNC
Mr. Andreas Odrian
Treasurer
German Chamber Shanghai
Executive Director
Commerce Shanghai
Mr. Jan Noether
Ernst & Young (China) Advisory Ltd.
Partner and Head of GBC China
Mr. Titus Freiherr von dem Bongart
ProConTra Ltd.
Chairman & Managing Director
Mr. Thomas Dorn
Nokia Siemens Networks
(Shanghai) Ltd.
President & CEO
SHANGHAI
Dr. Fan Zhijian
POLYMAX (Shanghai)
Trading Co., Ltd.
Chairman of the Board
Mr. Ulrich Mäder
Management Engineers China Ltd.
Managing Director
Ms. Brigitte Wolff
46
Mr. Christoph Kirsch and Dr. Ingo Ramesohl
are both working for United Automotive
E l e c t ro n i c s S y s t e m s ( U A E S ) , a j o i n t
venture of Robert Bosch GmbH and its
Chinese partner Zhong-Lian Automotive
Electronics. The company is specialised
in the manufacturing and development
of engine management systems and is
also a supplier to numerous companies,
most notably Chinese, operating in the
automotive industry. In addition to the
company headquarters in Shanghai, UAES
also operates and maintains plants in Wuxi,
Xi’an, Chongqing and Wuhu.
The idea of electric mobility has been around
for a while. Bosch has been working on
electric drive since the late 80s, but without
major breakthrough due to inadequate
technology and battery solutions. However,
the upcoming years are looking more
promising. Escalating fuel prices, nearly
exhausted oil reserves, taxes and CO2
directives boost the market trend of
electrification and add pressure to develop
the necessary battery technology.
There is no doubt that the future of the
automobile industry will be electric, but it
is difficult for Dr. Rahmesol to estimate its
debut in the consumer market. A forecast
of 2020 predicts 19.2mn alternative driving
system vehicles on the streets, but a number
of challenges still require further R&D
within the automobile industry.
The battery is an expensive element in the
process of electrification. Capacity, weight,
energy density, cost and cruising range
must be improved to make electric driving
attractive and convenient.
Event: GC Roundtable: the challenge: the
complex effects that move more than the
technically minded
Date: 17th June 2010
Speakers: Mr. Christoph Kirsch | UAES
Director of Board, Executive Vice President
Manufacturing & Quality Management;
Dr.-Ing. Ingo Ramesohl | General Manager
Electric Vehicle & Hybrid Technology UAES/EH
Chair: Mr. Kurt Fasser | Senior Advisor AHK,
General Manager CON MOTO
www.china.ahk.de
Tax Update for Representative Offices
Workshop Tax, Finance and Law (TFL)
Up until a few years ago foreign direct investment was mainly established through representative offices (ROs) in China and there are
still many companies doing this today. However, since the beginning of this year authorities
have established regulatory changes regarding
representative limitations, the acquisition of
fixed assets, a decrease in tax exemption and
other new taxation rules.
Mr. Peter Law, tax and business consultant for
the PRC and Hong Kong provisions of Mazars
China, explained that many ROs have not
complied with registration regulations at the
tax bureau because it was not strictly enforced.
Now, ROs that have not received a registration
certificate from the government and presented
the necessary documents may run into issues
when declaring and paying their income and
business taxes – which should be conducted
regularly within 15 days subsequent to the end
of each fiscal quarter.
The required accounting approach has also been
changed. In the past ROs were taxed according
to their business activities in China and at the
homeland headquarters; whereas taxes are now
calculated accurately reflecting their functions
and risks (special tax adjustments and transfer
pricing) on the basis of accounting books.
Authorities are eager to tackle the taxation of
ROs because they are supposed to solely perform liaison activities rather than carrying out
business, which many are doing.
If a RO is unable to provide complete accounting records, the tax authorities will make use of
‘deemed methods’ to determine taxable turnover and profits. Either the cost plus method,
where the RO pays taxes on all expenditures
at the deemed profit rate, or the deemed profit
method, that can result in a tax burden increase
of around 25% will be employed. Either way,
the speaker emphasised that new regulations
have enabled the authorities to earn more taxes
from ROs.
The speaker strongly suggests that ROs take
action – especially those previously taxed on
a deemed profit basis. Allocated profit and
expenses should commensurate with functions
and risks. If a RO was taxed on an actual basis
before and the profit and expenses fail to align
with functions and risks, management should
consider switching the taxing method.
During discussion with the audience a consensus was reached that the tax bureau favours to
calculate on the basis of the cost plus method,
despite having books or not. The speaker also
reiterated to an inquirer that government officials have clearly stated their intention to
strictly enforce the new law limiting each RO
to four representatives; however WFOEs are
exempt from this.
Event: Workshop TFL: PRC Tax Updates
concerning Representative Offices
Date: 7th July 2010
Speaker: Mr. Peter Law | Tax Lawyer,
Mazars China
Chair: Mr. Titus von dem Bongart | Partner,
Ernst & Young
Auto Industry Outlook and Challenges
Workshop Automotive
For this automotive workshop Mr. Christian
Paul of AlixPartners came to share results from
the 2010 China Auto Outlook study and his
experiences from working with several of the
largest auto original equipment manufacturers
(OEMs) and suppliers in China.
Now in its third year of publication, the comprehensive annual China study by AlixPartners
analyses global automotive industry trends. It
is based on interviews conducted in the first
quarter of 2010 with more than 50 senior executives in the Chinese auto parts sector and
therefore provides invaluable insights into this
important sector of the Chinese economy –
particularly for German automotive companies
who have already built a strong presence.
The results revealed that China’s light vehicle
domestic sales exceeded 55% in 2009, making
the Chinese automotive market the largest in
the world by volume, with Germany as a large
contributor to sales. Over the next five years,
automobile executives expect sales growth to
remain near 20%, based on significant room for
further long-term growth. Many urban households in China are currently unable to afford
a vehicle (about 83%) but it is anticipated that
they will cross that income threshold over time.
China’s industry structure is the most fragmented
among major automobile markets in the world,
with an unusually low market share of domestic
OEMs. Meanwhile, Chinese passenger vehicle
exports have decreased sharply in 2009 and
significant export growth is not expected in the
upcoming five years - especially with the notable
technical and safety gap. The same decline in exports was observed in the auto parts industry, yet
revenues still increased by around 23% in 2009.
In summary, Chinese automotive OEMs and
suppliers are growing in confidence as they
expand and benefit most from the massive
domestic demand growth in 2009. Industry
executives are expecting Chinese OEMs to win
further market share going forward. Part suppliers are equally benefiting from the domestic
car production growth and are now the most
profitable in the world.
A big challenge for the future is the lack of talent, both managers and employees, to handle
such international expansion and technology
improvement. As a result, domestic companies
will likely be increasingly looking abroad for
talents and hiring international experts.
Event: Workshop Automotive: Auto Industry
Outlook and Challenges 2010
Date: 8th July 2010
Speaker: Mr. Christian Paul | AlixPartners
Chair: Dr. Marcus Hoffmann | Principal, Roland Berger Strategy Consultants (Shanghai)
47
CHAMBER NEWS
SHANGHAI PAGES
Global Double - Dip Recession
Chamber Meeting August
Around 160 persons attended the chamber
meeting which was held after a two months
summer break. Dr. Röhr has been welcomed
as the new Consul General of the German
Consulate General in Shanghai and Dr.
Hans Schniewind, former Chairman of the
Board of the German Chamber in Shanghai
(from 2006-2008), took leave of Shanghai.
In his presentation "Will we have a doubledip recession?" Dr. Krämer shared his
visions about the future development of the
world economy after the economic crisis
in 2009. His main points were the reasons
for Germany’s recent out performance, an
outlook to a possible double recession in
the US and the likelihood of the collapse
of the Chinese economic growth due to
high real estate prices. Furthermore, he
named the quick rebound after the very
deep recession, stable house prices, the
high competitiveness and being well
positioned in high growth Asia as factors
that influenced the high performance of the
German economy achieving a growth rate
of more than 3% this year. A further cause
contributing to the German stable economy
was that firms only cut working hours
instead of firing their employees. Germany
will see a decline of this current growth rate
by 1% but will not fall back into a recession,
so the economist. Regarding the currently
discussed possibility of an upcoming
double recession in the US, Dr. Krämer
didn’t neglect a risk of such an incident.
He pointed out, that in the next three to six
months the development of the economy
will indicate whether it will come to a so
called double dip or if the US will slip past
another crisis. The third main point raised
was the apparent real estate bubble arising
from too high estimated house prices in
China. Dr. Krämer gave the outlook, that
there is an exaggeration of house prices in
the first tear cities but it will not result in
a crisis like it did in the US. Last but not
least he stressed on the debt crisis of the
European countries. The crisis will precede
according to Dr. Krämer, but as the affected
countries have already accomplished a
higher deficit reduction than anticipated,
there will be no back fall into a recession in
the euro area.
Mr. Arved von zur Mühlen welcoming
Consul General Dr. Röhr
Finishing his presentation, Dr. Krämer
gave market implications for the next year.
The European Central Bank will be slow to
raise rates, concerning treasury and bund
yields, they will be kept structurally low.
Regarding the Euro–USD relationship,
there will be a long-term downside risk.
The Chinese Yuan will only have a modest
appreciation versus the USD. As to German
equities, they will have an upside potential.
Mr. Arved von zur Mühlen bidding farewell to
Dr. Hans Schniewind
Event: Chamber Meeting
Date: 26th August 2010
Speaker: Dr. Krämer | Chief Economist,
Commerz Bank AG
Chair: Mr. Arved von zur Mühlen | Managing
Director Greater, China Lufthansa German
Airlines/ Chairman of the Board German
Chamber of Commerce in China  Shanghai
Dr. Joerg Krämer giving his speech
48
www.china.ahk.de
Navigating Suzhou Customs
Workshop Tax, Finance & Law (TFL)
This workshop was the first one which the
German Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai
held after the summer break. Mr. Damon
Paling, Partner of Pricewaterhouse Coopers
(PWC) and customs expert, elaborated on
the custom situation in Suzhou and the local International Bonding Zone (IBZ). Two
possible entities can register in the IBZ: trading companies and the logistic companies,
which can store and operate goods, or be
owned by other companies.
Working with customs has never been very
popular - the classification is burdensome
and it ultimately increases costs. In order
to avoid this procedure many companies
in China make use of the so-called round
tripping, e.g. shipping goods to Hong Kong
exempts custom tariffs on imports. To avoid
the hassle of sending goods out of country,
Suzhou’s IBZ has eliminated the custom
tariff on all imports, but reasonably also requires the goods to be bonded.
Mr. Paling credits the simplified logistic
process of centralised customs declaration
within the IBZ. Companies have to apply
for this and approval is largely dependant
on the companies’ clearance and negotiation
requirements with relevant authorities, but it
is definitely a first step in the right direction.
However, some improvements regarding
the physical entrance of goods into the zone
and reductions in transmission lead time can
speed up processes and reduce storing costs.
The Chinese Customs Law leaves a great
deal of room for interpretation; hence, aside
from technical analysis, optimal valuation
requires adequate presentation and interpretation. Many German multi-nationals operating in Suzhou were able to benefit from
this workshop’s particular focus on process
trade (bonded manufacturing), duty-exempt
capital equipment, IBZ regulations, and
solutions to customs auditing and investigations. Knowledge of these policies will save
the participating companies unnecessary
customs duty assessments, delays in customs clearance, and help them comply with
custom rules and maintain the company
reputation with the Suzhou Customs Office.
Event: Navigating Suzhou Customs
S p e a k e r : Damon Paling | Par tner,
Worldtrade Management Services, PricewaterhouseCoopers (Shanghai) Co. Ltd.
Chair: Sebastian Wegener | Regional Manager Jiangsu & Zhejiang Province, German
Chamber of Commerce in China l Shanghai
49
CHAMBER NEWS
SHANGHAI PAGES
Strikes, Employee Handbooks and the Dismissal of Managers
Hangzhou Workshop: Tax, Finance & Law (TFL)
‘Strikes, Employee Handbooks and Dismissals
of Managers under Chinese Law’ was the topic
of this TFL workshop. Dr. Feuerstein, a German
lawyer working for Schulz Noack Bärwinkel in
Shanghai and an expert in the field of Chinese
labor law and its implications for international
companies operating on the Chinese market,
led the audience through his presentation.
strike - no matter the position. According to the
Chinese labor law all legal regulations are valid
for all employees, e.g. beside other reasons a
manager’s contract can be terminated immediately when the manager is accused of seriously
violating the company rules. In that case he
would still be legally allowed to claim overtime
pay unless the company proves the existence
of a flexible working hour system. This was
new and surprising to many participants who
actively joined a discussion with each other.
Many of them had already been facing some of
the mentioned problems or experienced related
issues during their working time in China. The
workshop gave them the possibility to share
their individual experiences and understandings of the Chinese labor law and its influence
on daily business which was even continued
during a joint dinner.
Mr. Feuerstein referred to recent news coverage about employee strikes in mostly foreigninvested companies in China to discuss
whether strikes where legal in China or not.
Since the Chinese law neither prohibits strikes
nor protects striking employees the answer
to this question is unclear and employers are
uncertain about their legal rights to lawfully
dismiss striking employees. A tiny gap remains
though as resolutions of Chinese courts are
often subject to “a serious violation of company rules” and companies therefore are able
to create their rules accordingly. Dr. Feuerstein
suggested including them in the companies’
employee handbooks where they count as legal
enforceability of dismissing employees in case
HF_AZ_210x138,5.qxd 24.06.2010 12:46 Uhr Seite 1
of a serious violation such as participating in a
Event: Hangzhou Workshop: Tax, Finance
& Law (TFL)
Speaker: Dr. Mario Feuerstein | German
Attorney at law, Schulz Noack Bärwinkel
Chair: Mr. Sebastian Wegener | Regional
Manager Jiangsu & Zhejiang Province,
German Chamber of Commerce in China l
Shanghai
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Mit Sicher
Individuelle Beratung von Firmen
und Expatriates im In- und Ausland
VERSICHERUNGSAGENTUR
SEIT 1949
• Krankenversicherung
• Alters- und Hinterbliebenenversorgung
• Berufsunfähigkeitsversicherung
• Unfallversicherung
Ulmenstraße 98 • 40476 Düsseldorf • Telefon + 49 211 - 1 66 65 - 0 • Telefax + 49 211 - 1 66 65 - 25 • [email protected]
50
www.china.ahk.de
NEW MEMBERS
For full contact information and company profiles of our new and existing
members please visit www.german-company-directory.com
SHANGHAI
Dr. Stephan Ahne
General Manager
CeramTec Suzhou Ltd.
Suzhou, Jiangsu
' 0512 6274-0788
* [email protected]
www.ceramtec.com.cn
Mr. Michael Bott
General Manager of Sales & Marketing
ContiTech Air Spring Systems (China)
Shanghai
' 021 6141-8318
* [email protected]
www.contitech.cn
Ms. Marianne Burghardt
General Manager
Schletter (Shanghai)
Solar Technology Co. Ltd.
Shanghai
' 139 1617-7604
* [email protected]
www.schletter.cn
Mr. CHEN Wei
Shanghai
' 136 0177-3196
* [email protected]
Dr. Eckart Chen
CEO China
JIMAN CONSULTING SHANGHAI LTD.
Shanghai
' 021 6236-3222
* [email protected]
www.ziemann.com
Mr. Felix Cheng
Chairman
MBH Power Systems
(Changzhou) Co. Ltd.
Changzhou, Jiangsu
' 0519 8166-3398
* [email protected]
www.mbh.de
Mr. Boon Huat Chia
Managing Director Asia pacific
OPEN MIND Technologies China
Shanghai
' 021 5887-6572
* [email protected]
www.openmind-tech.com.cn
Mr. Julien Curty
Brand Manager
ASC Fine Wines (Shanghai) Co. Ltd.
Shanghai
' 021 6445-3214
* [email protected]
www.asc-wines.com
Mr. Günter Czech
Vice President Asia Pacific
Uzin Utz Group of companies
Uzin Utz Construction Materials
(Shanghai) Co. Ltd.
Shanghai
' 021 5975-8118
* [email protected]
www.uzin-utz.com
Mr. Thomas Dorn
Chairman & Managing Director
ProConTra Ltd.
Hongkong
' +852 2345-7555
* [email protected]
www.procontra.cn
Mr. Dieter Gramsch
General Manager of Air Spring
Systems Changshu, Production Plant
ContiTech Air Spring Systems (China)
Changshu, Jiangsu
' 0512 5235-2746
* [email protected]
www.contitech.cn
Mr. Juergen Heise
Head of Masterbatches BU
Greater China/ General Manager
Clariant Masterbatches
(Shanghai) Ltd.
Shanghai
' 021 5442-6515
* [email protected]
www.clariant.com
Mr. Ralf Hildenbrand
President of Asia
Siegwerk Shanghai Ltd.
Shanghai
' 021 5442-3689
* [email protected]
www.siegwerk.com
Ms. Silke Hoffmann
Shanghai
' 135 8565-7087
* [email protected]
Mr. JIANG Jiaju
General Manager
Maderia Thread (Shanghai)
Limited Company
Shanghai
' 021 6257-1177
* [email protected]
www.madeira.com
Mr. Stephan Krause
F&B Director
Guoman Hotel Shanghai
Shanghai
' 021 6167-7778
* [email protected]
www.guomanhotel.com.cn
Ms. Britt Kritzler
Development Manager
Asia Operations
CognoLink Shanghai
Representative Office
Shanghai
' 158 0210-9488
* [email protected]
www.cognolink.com
Mr. Marcus Lampart
General Manager
Roth & Rau (Shanghai)
Trading Co. Ltd.
Shanghai
' 021 3497-0600
* [email protected]
www.roth-rau.de
Mr. Joachim Lang
General Manager
KAMAX (Zhenjiang) Automotive
Fasteners Trading Co. Ltd.
Zhenjiang, Jiangsu
' 0511 8591-6608
* [email protected]
www.kamax.com
Mr. Oliver Leser
General Manager
Wuhan Oemeta Lubricants Co. Ltd.
Wuhan, Hubei,
' 027 8180-0911 / 22
* [email protected]
www.oemeta.com
Mr. Morn Li
General Manager
Auto-Kabel Harness
(Taicang) Co. Ltd.
Taicang, Jiangsu
' 0512 5357-8080
* [email protected]
www.autokabel.com
Ms. Linda Lin
Roche Diagnostics (Shanghai) Ltd.
Shanghai
' 021 3397-1000
* [email protected]
Mr. LONG Chong
Deputy General Manager
Shanghai Edscha Machinery Co. Ltd.
Shanghai
' 021 5681-5681
* [email protected]
Ms. Jennifer Ng
General Manager
Hirschmann Car Communication
(Shanghai) Co. Ltd.
Shanghai
' 021 5108-8311
* [email protected]
www.hirschmann-car.com
Mr. Brice Pean
General Manager
Hilton Shanghai Hongqiao
Shanghai
' 021 3323-6666; 021 6465-5581
* [email protected]
www.shanghaihongqiao.hilton.com
Mr. Bernfried Rosery
General Manager
Amann Twisting (Yancheng) Co. Ltd.
Yancheng, Jiangsu
' 0515 6866-6090
* [email protected]
www.amann.com
Mr. Heike Arndt Ross
Executive Director
Addie Medical Equipment
(Shanghai) Co. Ltd.
Shanghai
' 021 5108-6116
* [email protected]
www.addiesh.com
Mr. Daniel Selck
General Manager
Taicang KLH Cooling
Systems Co. Ltd.
Taicang, Jiangsu
' 0512 5363-6188
* [email protected]
www.selckgroup.com
Dr. Sam Song
General Manager
Montapalst Automtotive System
(SIP) Co. Ltd.
Suzhou, Jiangsu
' 0512 8885-6003
* [email protected]
www.montaplast.com
Mr. Tonny Tong
General Manager
Wuerth (Shanghai)
Hardware & Tools Co. Ltd.
Shanghai
' 021 5680-8800
* [email protected]
www.wuerth.sh.cn
Mr. Michael Trinkus
Manager Strategic
Development Greater China
DHL Supply Chain
Shanghai
' 021 3825-6288
* [email protected]
www.dhl.com
Dr. WANG Baoli
General Manager
Siemens Power Plant Automation Ltd.
Nanjing, Jiangsu
' 025 5117-1100
* [email protected]
www.siemens.com
Mr. WANG Yu
General Manager
Frech (Shanghai) Die
Casting Machine Co. Ltd.
Shanghai
' 021 5759-0247
* [email protected]
www.frech-china.com
Mr. XI Yi
General Manager
Suzhou Jiali Dyeing Limited Company
Suzhou, Jiangsu
' 0512 6534-0651
* [email protected]
Ms. ZHANG Mei
General Manager East China
Koelnmesse Co. Ltd. Shanghai Branch
Shanghai
' 021 6390-6161
* [email protected]
www.koelnmesse.cn
Dr. –Ing. ZHANG Ming
General Manager
LMT China Co. Ltd.
Nanjing, Jiangsu
' 025 5212-5566 ext. 886
* [email protected]
www.lmtchina.com.cn
Mr. Jerry Zhou
Director
Infineon Technologies Center of
Competence (Shanghai) Co. Ltd.
Shanghai
' 021 6101-9001
* [email protected]
Ms. Tracy Zhou
Sales Director APAC
Exact Software (Shanghai) Co. Ltd.
Shanghai
' 021 5292-5666
* [email protected]
51
CHAMBER NEWS
SHANGHAI AROUND TOWN
“Bräugaudi – The German Tent”
25th August – 5th September 2010 | Kunshan
This year “Bräugaudi - The German Tent”, organized by the German Chamber of Commerce and German Industry & Commerce Greater China | Shanghai attracted again
hundreds of Beer lovers at the sixth International Beer Festival in Kunshan. German specialties like Erdinger beer, roast pork knuckle, bratwurst, sauerkraut, pretzels or a freshly grilled
suckling pig were served. Three German bands played every night and got the people
to dance off some of those calories consumed to German folk and pop songs as well as
international and Chinese pop songs. A couple of games like tree trunk sawing, beer stein
lifting and more made a fun night out complete.
Members Day at “Bräugaudi – The German Tent”
1st September 2010 | Kunshan
The GCC l Shanghai has invited its members to enjoy an
evening together in the Bräugaeudi tent full of joy, laughter,
beer, sausages and even dancing on the tables - in the
Oktoberfest style! The atmosphere attracted the crowd to sing
and dance until late at night until the last bus headed back to
Shanghai.
Farewell Lunch of Mr. and
Ms. von der Heyden
13th July 2010 | Shanghai
The German Chamber’s Board of Directors and Executive
Director commemorated Consul General Mr. Albrecht von der
Heyden and his wife Gabi for their rewarding cooperation with
the Chamber over the past four years. The Chamber is thankful
for the contributions of Mr. von der Heyden as a speaker at
many Chamber Meetings as well as a connector between the
Chamber and many German political decision makers. Ms.
von der Heyden also contributed to several of the Chamber
events such as the German Ball. As the couple moves back to
Berlin, the Chamber wishes them a safe trip and all the best for
their future endeavours.
52
www.china.ahk.de
HR Mixer
21st July 2010 | Cotton’s
This year’s first HR Chamber Mixer took place at Cotton’s, Puxi’s
lounge spot, in cooperation with the EuroCham and BenCham.
Despite Shanghai’s daunting summer heat, around 100 people
filled the cosy terrace. With snacks and refreshments in hand,
attendees met old and new friends in a relaxed atmosphere. After
10pm the place was still packed and the cold drinks and gracious
conversations persuaded people to stay even for longer.
Children‘s Fairytale Festival
1st August 2010 | Shanghai
The German Centre Shanghai organized a “Children’s Fairytale
Festival”, offering games and activities for kids for a whole afternoon.
Numerous families enjoyed the time at the EXPO platform with
fairytale readings of the Grimm Brothers, Carrera Slot car races,
handicraft works and face paintings for children. The special
highlight was the bouncing castle, the acrobatic show of the Berlin
Artist School and freshly homemade Italian ice cream.
Ingo Oschmann – WUNDERBAR - es ist ja so!
16th & 17th July 2010 | Hofbräuhaus
Around 120 guests of the German speaking community enjoyed two skilfully verbose evenings with German comedian Ingo Oschmann. Traditional German food and a majestic atmosphere complimented the
first ever German stand-up comedy programme in Mainland China without supplemental acts. The theme,
“WUNDERBAR - es ist ja so!”, gave a humorous review of the 70s to 90s, encouraging the audience to
‘laugh without regret’. Special thanks goes to the sponsors, Hilton, A List Events, Lufthansa, Mercedes-Benz,
Murder Mystery and Hofbräuhaus, for an unforgettable evening.
53
CHAMBER NEWS
SOUTH CHINA PAGES
GCC BOARD
Kicking off HR Discussions in West China
MTU Maintenance Zhuhai Co. Ltd.
President & CEO
Mr. Holger Sindemann*
Chairman
Häfele GmbH & Co KG, Rep. Office
Shenzhen
Managing Director
Mr. Stefan Rosenbohm
Treasurer
German Chamber of Commerce
• South China | Executive Director
Commerce Guangzhou
Ms. Alexandra Voss*
EWIKON Hotrunner Systems
(Shenzhen) Co. Ltd.
Managing Director
Mr. Rüdiger W. Kümmerle
Siemens Ltd., China
Senior Vice President and
General Manager Region South
China
Mr. Nong Keqiang
C. Melchers GmbH & Co. KG
Chief Representative Guangzhou &
Chongqing
SOUTH CHINA
Recent labour unrests, minimum wage
increases and the growing competition for
talent search put enormous pressure on
companies alike all over China. At the moment
HR issues are one of the most important topics
on every manager's agenda. Particularly the
recruitment and retention of employees and
key staff are of highest concern.
Having already discussed and presented the
current labour issues in the Pearl River Delta
recently, GCC • South China decided it was
about time to uncover the status quo and share
experiences not only in the South but also in
Western China. In conjunction with the Chamber’s expansion of activities and support in
Chengdu and Chongqing, the first HR Roundtable was held on 20th July at the Kempinski
Hotel Chengdu. The twenty-five attendees
were greeted by Ms. Claudia Spahl and Mr.
Hans-Joachim Hoppe of the Chengdu Consulate General. Both highlighted the importance
of exchanging experience and of strengthening
the ties among the representatives of German
invested companies in Chengdu.
Mr. Richard Hoffmann, an expert on Chinese
labour law at Dezan Shira & Associates
in Beijing, outlined the current HR situation
and challenges in China. Most astonishingly,
70% of about 830mn employees in China are
not satisfied with their income even though
the salaries have doubled every fifth year
since 1990. Besides the increasing pressure in
regards to salaries, the new labour contract law
considerably enforced more administrative
obligations on companies. Moreover, it
causes confusion and uncertainty in the HR
management. The speaker highlighted some
basic requirements and precautious measures
essential for compliance with the law.
Ms. Renate Tietjen
54
Participants discussed and shared their HR experiences
Following this comprehensive and informative overview, Ms. Songyan Xie of local FESCO
Chengdu presented some interesting insights
into cultural misperceptions and miscommunications between Chinese employees and Ger-
man led companies in general and the German
corporate culture respectively. She outlined
the expectations and necessities of Chinese
employees for developing loyalty and staying
with a company on a long-term basis. Last but
not least, Ms. Doris Zhang of Goldmann (Sichuan) Chemicals shared some key points and
pieces of advice drawn from her company’s
best HR practice.
After the official part of the event, participants
started a Q&A session, sharing their individual
experiences as well as discussed the labour
contract law and the best methodes of
recruitment in Chengdu. Afterwards, the
moderator Mr. Jens Hildebrandt of GIC
Guangzhou highlighted the main topics of
interest for future HR Roundtables in Chengdu
before opening the casual part of the evening
with some snacks and drinks.
At the first HR Roundtable in Chengdu, attendees
received insight in local HR challenges
Event: HR Roundtable Chengdu
Date: 20th June 2010
Speakers: Mr. Richard Hoffmann | Senior
Associate, Dezan Shira & Associates,
Beijing; Ms. Songyan Xie | Project Manager,
FESCO, Chengdu; Ms. Doris Zhang |
Representative in China & General Manager,
Goldmann (Sichuan) Chemicals
Chair: Mr. Jens Hildebrandt | General
Manager, German Industry & Commerce
Greater China | Guangzhou
www.china.ahk.de
Coping with Labour Disputes
in South China
Ever since the new PRC Labour Contract
Law came into force on 1 st January 2008,
various authorities of the Guangdong
Province have been struggling to deal
with the increased volume of labour
disputes. In the rush to handle the issue,
local governments began issuing their
own guiding opinions, labour arbitration
regulations and litigation procedures.
Therefore, the German Chamber of
Commerce • South China invited two wellexperienced lawyers to share their insight
into the most interesting labour arbitration
cases in the region to settle some confusion
among HR managers. As a senior manager
at Wang Jing & Co, Mr. Zach Wortham is
specialised in the Chinese Labour Law.
Together with corporate law expert Ms.
Caroline Berube, managing partner of HJM
Asia Law, he knows a number of labour
contract disputes to draw conclusions
from. While some attendees gathered in the
Garden Hotel in Guangzhou on 25th August,
others met the following night at the Regus
Business Centre in Shenzhen to discuss PRC
Labour Contract Law related cases from the
employers' point of views. All of them soon
decided to stick to the rather casual character
of a roundtable and therefore to discuss the
topic without a formal presentation but to
ask even more questions and to actively
involve all participants.
Ms. Berube first outlined an arbitration
case in Zhongshan which the employer
had managed to win – despite the rather
employee-favouring law. According to Mr.
Wortham, especially arbitration tribunals in
the Pearl River Delta increasingly account
the employers’ point of views and enforce
accordingly. However, there still remain
significant discrepancies between the
individual cities although the Guangdong
superior court has issued guiding opinions
with the intention to harmonise dispute
settlements. Currently, the biggest claim
points regarding labour contracts are related
to overtime payments, social insurance, non
competition and failure to sign a labour
contract.
Whereas in Guangzhou the discussion
mainly focused on legal details due to the
majority of the attendees being advocates,
the roundtable in Shenzhen was influenced
by employers bringing up their current
labour law issues and associating questions.
Mr. Wortham emphasised that nowadays
A lively discussion at the Legal Roundtable
Sharing experiences on labour law arbitration cases
one must revalue how to measure the
success of a labour law trial: to be adjudged
for a one-month compensation for every
year of service can already be considered
as a successful verdict from the employer’s
point of view.
However, Ms. Berube as well as her
colleague highlighted that negotiations
i n a d v a n c e c a n a l re a d y o f t e n s o l v e
discrepancies with former employees who
intend to sue the company.
Event: Legal Roundtable - Practical advice on
how the Guangzhou and Shenzhen authorities interpret and apply the PRC Labour Contract Law in labour disputes
Date: 25th August in Guangzhou and 26th
August in Shenzhen
Speakers: Ms. Caroline Berube | Managing
Partner, HJM Asia Law & Co LLC; Mr. Zach
Wortham | Client Service Manager, Wang
Jing & Co. Law Firm
Chair: Ms. Regina Wang | Senior
Manager Investment & Legal Consultation
Services, German Industry & Commerce |
Guangzhou
55
CHAMBER NEWS
SOUTH CHINA PAGES
Chongqing’s Industry Zones put to Test
state level development zone located close to the city centre which was
founded this June. Administration officials of the new zone briefed
the three visitors from Southern China about the concept and future
plans before they went on to visit both the Beibu Industrial Zone and
the Chonqqing Lianglu Cuntan Freetrade Port Area which are located
within the newly created huge investment area.
The visit enabled a great insight into recent developments of
Chongqing and convinced GCC • South China and GIC Guangzhou
even more to further increase their engagement in West China in order
to support German companies in this region.
A visit full of insight: GCC • South China and GIC Guangzhou representatives
at Liangjiang New Area.
With costs constantly increasing in coastal regions, West China is
more and more becoming an alternative location for investments.
For a decade, great plans have been announced for the industry and
development zones in Chongqing. GCC • South China quested to find
out whether the city is already on track meeting the high requirements
for international investments.
With this in mind, Ms. Alexandra Voss, Executive Director of GCC •
South China, Ms. Renate Tietjen, Board Member of GCC • South China,
as well as Mr. Jens Hildebrandt, General Manager of GIC Guangzhou
accepted the generous invitation on behalf of the Chongqing Economic
and Informatization Commission to visit their city. On 25th and 26th
August, they went to three industrial zones to get an impression on
the recent developments. One of them being Liangjiang New Area, a
Events
Services
Networking Drinks
Exhibitions
Business Roundtables
Interchamber Events
Conferences
Sporting Competitions
Oktoberfest
Special Events
Market Research
Mediation and Legal Advice
Office in Office
Business Partner Search
Interpreter Services
Address Research
Trade Fairs
Management and Vocational Training
German Chamber of Commerce · South China
中国德国商会·华南区
YOUR BUSINESS PARTNER IN SOUTH CHINA
Y E A R LY PA R T N E R S
Event: Industry Zone Inspection Chongqing
Date: 25th – 26th August 2010
Attendees: Ms. Alexandra Voss | Executive Director, GCC • South
China; Ms. Renate Tietjen | Chief Representative Guangzhou/
Chongqing, C. Melchers GmbH & Co. KG, Guangzhou
Representation; Board Member, GCC • South China; Mr. Jens
Hildebrandt | General Manager, German Industry & Commerce
Greater China | Guangzhou
NEW MEMBERS
SOUTH CHINA
Ms. Caroline Berube
Managing Partner
HJM Asia & Brödermann | Guangzhou
' 020 8121-6605
* [email protected]
www.jaegerandpartner.com
www.hjmbroedermann.com
Mr. Fritz Schenkel
General Manager
Kempinski Hotel Chengdu | Chengdu
' 028 8526-9999
* reservations.chengdu
@kempinski.com
www.kempinski.com\chengdu
Mr. Charlie Chen
Managing Director
FiT Plant Construction & Maintenance Corp.
Guangzhou
' 020 3206-8771
* [email protected]
www.fitpcm.com
Mr. Guenter Schrotz
Development Director
hartung:consult | Chengdu
' 028 8609-3336
* [email protected]
www.hartung.com.cn
Mr. Christian Lincke
Director, Purchasing Depm.
Eschenbach Optik GmbH
' 0049 911-3600-365
* christian.lincke
@eschenbach-optik.com
www.eschenbach-optik.com
Publications
All China website
GC Ticker
BusinessForum China
Monthly Newsletter
Surveys and Studies
Analysis
Membership Directory
Online Directory
Benefits
Consulting and Support
Lobbying
Dialogue with German and Chinese Officials
Cooperation with Trade Associatons
Web Information Portal
Preferential Fees for Events
Discount on Publications and Advertisements
Promotion of New Members
w w w. c h i n a . a h k . d e
2915 Metro Plaza, 183 Tianhe Road (N), Guangzhou 510620, P.R. China
T: +86-20-8755 2353 | F: +86-20-8755 1889 | E: [email protected]
217 Chinese Overseas Scholars Venture Building,
Shenzhen Hi-Tech Industry Park, Shenzhen
56
Mr. Michael Maeder
Key Account Manager
Direct HR Shenzhen | Shenzhen
' 0755 3395-5662
* [email protected]
www.directhr.cn
Mr Erik Oortwijn
General Manager
Balluff Sensors (Chengdu) Co. Ltd.
Chengdu
' 028 8395-8121
* [email protected]
www.balluffsensors.com.cn
Mr. Alexander Stedtfeld
Executive Director
Malaysian-German Chamber of
Commerce and Industry (MGCC)
' 0060 3-9235-1800
* [email protected]
www.malaysia.ahk.de
Mr. Jian Xu
Associate
Wragge & Co Guangzhou Office
Guangzhou
' 020 3810-3778
* [email protected]
www.wragge.com
Mr. Daniel Zong
Managing Director
Gerresheimer Wilden Asia Medical &
Technical Plastic Systems Co. Ltd.
Dongguan
' 0769 8851-7100
* [email protected]
www.gerresheimer.com
For full contact information and company profiles of our new and existing members please
visit www.german-company-directory.com
SOUTH CHINA AROUND TOWN
www.china.ahk.de
Chamber Networking Events
Throughout July and August 2010 | Guangzhou
The summer break was on and many fled the heat in the city.
However, we did not stop to keep our members well connected.
Having a cocktail and a chat at the German Happy Hour and
the Stammtisch for Young Professionals made networking just as
enjoyable as usual.
Interchamber Networking
Drinks
9th July 2010 | Macau
How many chambers of commerce can you fit on the top floor
of the Sands hotel, Macau? Quite a lot, as it turned out. The first
InterChamber exclusive B2B networking event at ‘The View’ was
featured by a variety of mainland, Hong Kong and Macau chambers and business associations providing a perfect opportunity to
meet new people from all over the Pearl River Delta.
Oktoberfest Press Conference
7th September 2010 I Guangzhou
Dirndls, pretzels and German beer in South China? More than
60 VIPs and media representatives were curious to find out more
about the Oktoberfest in Guangzhou. Mr. Holger Sindemann,
Chairman of the Board GCC • South China outlined how the
event bridges German and Chinese culture while representatives
of the Consulate General of Germany, China Hotel (A Marriot
Hotel), TÜV Rheinland, Lufthansa, and Losberger elaborated on
why they enjoy supporting the beer festival.
57
COMMUNITY
TRAINING & EDUCATION
Beijing Training Highlights
Training Calendar
Date Training
Beijing
11th October – 12th January
Business English Course(intermediate Level)
Speaking Better English
Advanced Business Writing in English
18th October – 12th April
Business German - A1 – C1
21s – 22nd October
Bridging the Cultural Gap
25th October
Chinese Labor Law towards German background
28th October
Mind Map Techniques – Solving problems creatively
29th October
Effective Time Management
1st – 2nd November Executive Secretarial & Administration Assistant Training
4th – 5th November
Train the Trainer
23rd November
Repatriation Workshop
25th November
Leadership in a Multicultural Environment
Shanghai
th
th
9 – 10 October
14th– 15th October
Working Smart with MS Excel
Interpretation and Processing of the Rules relating
import mechanical and electrical products
Advanced Management Skills*
18th October
How to lead Efficient Meetings*
Working Smart with MS PowerPoint
19th October
Time Management
20th October
Successful Design with MS PowerPoint
20th October
Stress Management
22nd October
Transfer Pricing in China*
26th October
Transfer Pricing in China*
Professional Selling Skills*
2nd November Chinese Labour Law towards German background *
4th– 5th November
Bridging the Cultural Gap
2nd– 3rd November
Executive Secretarial & Administration Assistant Training
11st– 12nd November Credit Risk Management - Accounting Receivables
Management for Sales on Open Account
17th– 18th November Processing Customs Formalities for Import and Export
and the Strategy of Optimal Cost Control
19th November Bridging the Cultural Gap for German Managers
22th November
Working Smart with Lotus Notes
23rd– 24th November
Working Smart with MS Project
23rd– 24th November
Project Management
25th– 26th November
Working with MS Excel Macro & VBA
Leadership in a Multicultural Environment, 25th November
If you lead people in an multicultural environment this course will be
the perfect resource for you. The course provides you with knowledge
about cultural frameworks and understanding of western and eastern
management culture. Join this course to learn vital communication
skills and strategies for cross-cultural situations. The one day
workshop is interactive and based on practical role - playing.
German Courses A1 – C1, 18th October – 12th April
These four training courses are specially designed for energetic and young
professionals who want to challenge themselves by learning a new language or already have good German knowledge, but require German language skills professionally. You will learn listening, speaking, reading and
writing skills from basic knowledge to a very high level of proficiency.
Shanghai Training Highlights
How to lead Efficient Meetings, 18th October
Leading efficient meetings is one of the core competencies of managers,
project leaders, supervisors and any other staff whose daily business is
conducting meetings. An efficient meeting is not self-evident, it has to be
prepared and controlled. In this training workshop you will learn how to
lead efficient meetings of different kinds.
Project Management, 23rd– 24th November
This two-day training session provides a broad introduction to
project management, focusing on project planning, progress control,
cost management, time management and risk analysis. The training
also includes practical exercises and case studies to practise using
PM tools and templates.
Participants will be able to:
l Efficiently plan and start a new project
l Learn new project management methods to increase efficiency in
projects
l Meet challenges from changing project scope, cost pressure and
limited time
l Make information flow, monitoring and reporting in your projects
more efficient
South China Training Highlights
South China
21st – 22nd October Business Writing in English (Shenzhen)
21st – 22nd October
Key Account Arrangement (Shenzhen)
22nd October Brilliant Networking (Guangzhou)
28th – 29th October Internal Consultant Skills (Guangzhou)
29th October Communication & Interpersonal Skills (Guangzhou)
Building Effective Teams (Zhuhai)
11th– 12th November
Bridging the Cultural Gap (Zhuhai)
12th November
Lean Office (Guangzhou)
12th November
Creative Problem Solving & Decision Making (Shenzhen)
Effective Selling Skills (Shenzhen)
22nd November
Partnering with Co-workers (Guangzhou)
23rd November
Brainstorming (Guangzhou)
* new courses
Lean Office, 12th November
In this course participants will get familiar with the key principles
and tools of the “lean” philosophy. With a focus on applying lean
to office process (and not manufacturing or design), employees and
organisations will learn how to avoid time-consuming habits and
processes in the office and how to focus on truly important issues.
Brainstorming, 23rd November
Being able to think creatively and generate numerous alternative
solutions is a skill that is vital for many professionals. This course
will teach specific tools and techniques that will help individuals and
teams to increase their creativity and to improve processes involving
creativity or brainstorming.
GCC members receive discounted rates on training courses. For further information please contact:
Beijing
Shanghai
South China
Ms. Jiang Ying
' 010 6539-6712
6 010 6539-6689
* [email protected]
Ms. Zhang Yihui
' 021 6875-8536 ext.1658
6 021 5081-2009 ext.5658
* [email protected]
Ms. Lilian Hu
' 020 8755-8209
6 020 8755-1889
* [email protected]
58
www.china.ahk.de
Cutting through
the Coaching Confusion
Understanding how to work with external coaches and
develop your own internal coaching resources
Not long ago, saying “I've hired a coach”,
meant a bus ride with friends. Not any
more. With the explosion of the coaching
industry both globally and in China
over the past five years, when someone
says “I'm a coach”, it doesn't tell you
what they do. Coaching has gone niche
with life coaches, executive coaches,
skill coaches, performance coaches, sales
coaches and the list goes on. Coaching
has also gone mass market and today
numerous providers offer seminars,
training workshops, accreditation
courses and even coaching associations
have popped up, to fill the demand for
all things coaching.
obstacles, thinking bigger and from different
perspectives, boosting self-confidence,
increasing self awareness and supporting
the coachee to take responsibility for their
change.
While coaching as a process is
undeniably a good thing (I have a coach),
with a deluge of offerings, it's hard not
to become confused and cynical by
the similar sounding pitches. But any
decision requiring significant time and
investment (coaching certifications run
into the thousands of Euros), needs
careful consideration. Let's look at two
perspectives in business coaching. First,
hiring an external executive coach.
Second, developing your own internal
coaching resources.
When hiring an external coach, be specific
on objectives or ask the coach to elicit them.
Find a coach with industry experience
in helping other clients reach similar
objectives. Most successful coaches have
high referral rates so examine their
testimonials. Ask for a trial session before
committing to the whole package, to
check the rapport and respect between
the coachee and coach. Often this is more
important than the coach's credentials
and experience. Positive coaching
relationships are about being honest
and it takes time – especially in China
- for the coachee to feel comfortable
to resolve deeper challenges. Observe
whether your coach is an active
listener or if they do most of the
talking. A good coach is an excellent
listener and insightful questioner.
Finally, consider their accreditation
with international coaching
organisations, like the ICF.
Hiring an external
executive coach
The current strong demand for executive
coaches will continue as companies
seek to retain senior managers and help
middle managers define career paths.
While coaching occasionally comes
tinged with a hint of “we're going to fire
this person, but see what you can do as
a last-resort”, it tends on the whole to be
positively viewed by most executives.
Common areas an executive coach helps
with include setting goals, overcoming
External coaches provide a fresh perspective
free from company norms and internal
politics. An experienced coach is a source
of expertise with greater specialisation and
understanding of best practices. Although
all good coaches are objective, external
coaches are regarded as more objective.
When a CEO wishes to get 'real' feedback,
he may prefer using an external coach as a
sounding board.
The downside of hiring external
coaches is the extra investment.
Senior executive coaching
engagements cost tens of
thousands of Euros per executive.
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COMMUNITY
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SHANGHAI
EDUCATION
Also, certain situations may require a deep
in-house understanding – like joint ventures
with state-owned enterprises. While
theoretically, a good coach could manage the
process, you may prefer to have someone
with the specific inside know-how. Another
obstacle is language and culture. Currently,
expatriate executive coaches seem to
outnumber local coaches, with experienced
Mandarin-speaking coaches commanding
a premium. This is changing rapidly as
coaching becomes a more understood
discipline and the number of local language
accreditations continues to spread.
Develop in-house coaching
resources
As the coaching industry matures, focus has
turned on developing internal coaches. There
are a lot more managers in the world than
consultants and every manager can benefit
from understanding and using coaching as
part of their toolkit. International companies
lead this trend to develop internal coaching
systems and as market offerings increase,
more companies are expanding their inhouse coaching resources.
But how should internal coaches be selected?
Not everyone is a natural coach. Coaches
need very strong listening skills, and an
ability to be empathic with people. Does
this sound like many managers in your
organisation? This may suggest why HR are
often the first people trained with coaching
skills. While this is a good way to get things
moving, ultimately, coaching will only
become part of the corporate culture when
top management embrace and advocate
coaching. Start coaching C-level executives
or identify a senior leader to sponsor the
program and coach her directs. Good
managers are coaching their people in some
form already, so this isn't an extra workload.
The next phase is to show busy managers the
benefits of coaching. Certain managers may
resist developing their people and prefer
the directive approach. Also, team members
may like being told what to do rather than
have to find their own answers. The depth to
which coaching will take hold will depend
on how well engrained the corporate culture
is on developing people. Everyone says
people are their most important resource,
but only the very best companies actually
deliver on this promise. And secondly, it
will depend on how well you formalise
coaching into the management process with executive support - and make coaching
a part of every manager's accountabilities
and performance expectations.
Case study: Fast track
coaching
As a line manager who should you coach
on your team? Always start with top
performers.
You have a limited amount of time in your
day, if you focus on the people bringing in
80% of the results and you coach them to a
1% improvement, this is more effective than
spending time with the people producing
20% of results and even if you do manage to
improve their performance by 10% the time
spent and the results achieved still do not
justify the greater amount of time you need
to spend.
So how should you coach a top performer?
First, make sure you tell them that they are
on a fast track. In the past, many companies
operated a stealth operation of trying to fast
track their best performers without actually
telling them about it! The best companies
communicate this because they know headhunters are outside the door ready to poach
their best people. This is an important
first step because high performing people
know that they have good skills and results
and want recognition with advancement
opportunities. Use senior executives in your
company as coaches, as this strengthens the
company culture and also because access
to senior management is highly valued by
younger talent.
If a company is really serious about
understanding the real leadership potential
of their high potentials, the coach will
interview co-workers, directs and superiors.
Fifteen is an average number and the
questions are based around what the high
potential is doing well, what needs to be
improved and how they can get even better.
This provides valuable confidential feedback
that the high potential would never be
able to access by themselves. It also gives
a good insight into the coaching areas to
work on. Remember that for a leader-tobe, becoming better is more than simply
acquiring technical skills. Armed with this
feedback and with the high potentials own
expectation, 6 months plan can be mapped
out with the coach focusing on the main 1 or
2 improvement areas.
The second part of the coaching process is to
schedule regular sessions – weekly or no less
frequently than monthly. Sessions can last
anywhere from 30 to 60 minutes. Coaching
is not an annual appraisal. High performers
need regular feedback and this is generally a
big weakness area - most companies are not
good at giving regular on-going feedback.
www.china.ahk.de
In coaching, feedback is like breathing,
it's something you need to do every day.
Give feedback on both areas of success and
behaviours that need improving.
The coach must allow the coachee to find
their own solutions and take action on them.
A coach is an excellent questioner helping
the coachee overcome blockages in their
thinking or limitations in their perspectives.
The coach has to avoid providing solutions
or – worse – taking actions for their coachee.
This can sometimes lead to uncomfortable
pauses during a session. A good coach
will wait and listen. Often the coachee will
come up with a solution. Good questions
unlock good answers and when a coachee
provides their own answers the motivation
to act is higher. This approach is a challenge
in China where there is still a tendency
to want the coach to be a mentor and
provide the guidance and direction. Good
internal coaching may combine elements
of mentorship and coaching while they are
developing their future leaders.
Coaching is here to stay
While the coaching industry has a bubble
feel at the moment and some people will
feel underwhelmed by coaches they hire
and some will get burned from paper-thin
coaching accreditations, there is no doubt
that business coaching is here to stay. When
done well, it is a proven recipe to achieve
higher levels of performance and awareness
which translates into happier, more loyal
and engaged employees. The coffee shops
around China are set to continue to hum
with the sound of coaching.
Warwick John Fahy is an accredited
coach and author of The One Minute Presenter. He works with CFOs to help them
build executive presence and become more
influential. Email him at:
* [email protected]
61
COMMUNITY
ENVIRONMENT
Cleaning Up
chain grows. Between the second quarter
of 2008 and the second quarter of 2009,
average module prices fell by 59% while
manufacturing costs basically remained the
same. The wafer manufacturing segment has
been especially hard hit: margins dropped
by 71%. Competition and pressure for
consolidation in the industry are increasing,
thereby further making it necessary to
achieve product differentiation through
optimised processes and efficient resource
utilisation.
A Greener Path for
the Photovoltaic Industry
While quality and bankability are already
key to the success of solar manufacturers
in overseas markets, recycling and cleaner
production are not currently on the agenda.
As awareness of the harmful side effects
of module manufacturing and disposal
increases, environmentally-friendly solutions
will gain in significance.
Today, around 50% of all solar moduls
worldwide are manufactured in the Greater
China region. And the industry is growing
rapidly: between 2007 and 2009 the Chinese
module manufacturing capacity has risen
from 1 GW to 3,9-4,4 GW. More than 500
companies in China are currently engaged in
the photovoltaic (PV) industry, mostly in cell
and module manufacturing.
the most important pieces of equipment used
in solar cell production lines. Moreover, their
market share has been increasing steadily
in recent years. The state of art of key cell
manufacturing devices made in China
include diffusion furnaces, plasma etching
machines, cleaning/texturing machines,
tube-type PECVD equipment, screen printers
and automatic detection/sorting machines.
This is good news for German companies,
which already provide high-end cutting edge
solutions for energy-efficiency, recycling and
cleaner production that are still far ahead of
most of the technologies offered by Chinese
competitors. Fully automated cutting
edge production lines that are provided
by German companies are able to reduce
manufacturing costs by up to 30% compared
to standard systems.
Despite being home to such a large proportion
of global solar module manufacturing, China
only makes around one-fifth of the products
used in the entire PV value chain. Most of the
special-purpose equipment needed in the PV
manufacturing process, such as automatic
screen printers, plate plasma-enhanced
chemical vapour deposition (PECVD) and
automatic sorting machines, is imported.
German equipment manufacturers are very
well positioned to meet this demand, and
most of the production lines in China feature
equipment from Germany’s leading suppliers.
China buys almost EUR 300mn worth of PV
manufacturing machinery every year from
Germany, making it by far the biggest market
for German PV equipment exports.
In terms of quality, the first three categories
meet or are approaching international
standards, and moreover have obvious
cost advantages. Local products already
have a rather large share of the domestic
market. Since 2008, progress has also been
made in the manufacture of tube-type
PECVD equipment. According to recent
market reports, Chinese enterprises are fast
approaching the efficiency levels of their
leading international counterparts.
Although German PV manufacturing
equipment can be up to 30% more expensive
than Chinese products, the special-purpose
machines made in Germany have a strong
position in the Chinese market. Around
half of Germany’s solar manufacturing
equipment exports are sold to Asia (mainly
China). Nevertheless, German companies
cannot afford to rest on their laurels. They
must be ready for action to maintain their
position in the Chinese market.
Chinese companies are catching up fast, and
are now able to produce eight out of ten of
62
Nevertheless, plate PECVD production
still relies on imports. High-temperature
sintering furnaces and screen printers fall
slightly behind international standards although Chinese manufacturers are catching
up here as well. Automatic detection/sorting
machine technology has also reached median
international levels.
As domestic companies are finding out much
to their discomfort however, survival and
success in this industry are hard to ensure.
The profit margins of local manufacturers in
all parts of the value chain are shrinking in
the face of excess capacity and falling global
demand caused by the recent economic crisis.
This could provide a great opportunity to
increase efficiency in the production process,
as the need to cut costs along the value
Around 80% of PV manufacturing
equipment produced in Germany is already
earmarked for export, and the local market
will continue to lose its attractiveness.
Therefore, companies need to work together
to build awareness of German know-how
in buoyant markets like China in order
to safeguard the future development
of German companies in the solar
manufacturing equipment industry. DS
Econet Solar Initiative
Huge untapped potential for increased
efficiency along the PV supply chain offers
a chance to further entrench the position
of German industry. With this aim in mind,
econet china is launching a solar initiative,
promoting “efficiency made in Germany”.
This initiative targets solar manufacturers in
China and offers access to know-how for
optimised processes and resource efficiency,
including energy-efficiency and material
recycling. This initiative not only provides
tools for cleaner production but also enables
its Chinese partners to achieve a higher
performance, better product quality and
reduced costs. Since September German
companies that offer solutions for the PV
supply chain can join this group. On behalf
of the consortium, econet china coordinates
next to marketing activities also events.
www.china.ahk.de
Debate in China’s first Passive House
How to promote Low Carbon in Real Estate Market?
econet china organized its third Shanghai
Salon on 22 nd June 2010 in the Hamburg
House – the first passive house in China,
located in Urban Best Practices Area (UBPA)
at the World Expo site. Around 60 highlevel representatives from major real estate
developers as well as econet partners talked
about current real estate issues and the
development of green buildings in a panel
discussion organised by the econet team in
Shanghai.
During his keynote speech Mr. Zheng
Xiaoping, Director of BAZO Group, shared
insights on opportunities for developers
in China’s real estate market as well as the
challenge for the development of low carbon
concepts. With more than 22 years of real
estate related experience, of which twelve
were in China, Mr. Zheng Xiaoping’s track
record in real estate project development,
large-scale urban development and project
financing brought his team numerous
i n d u s t r y a w a r d s . A c c o r d i n g t o M r.
Xiaoping, low carbon can give developers
a competitive edge, especially while
capital markets are increasingly focusing
on the issues of environmental, social
and corporate governance. However, as
commonly shared across the real estate
industry, low carbon must be affordable and
easily replicable on a large scale in order to
have an impact on the mass market.
A further highlight of the evening was the
panel discussion moderated by Dr. Roland
Winkler. High ranking representatives of the
industry such as Mr. Fu Minglei from Vanke,
Mr. David Nieh from Shui On Land, Mr. Guo
Yonghai from Landsea and Mr. Liu Xiaoping
from Pengchen United Industry, shared their
experiences and insights on the challenges
faced by developers. Landsea was praised
in its pioneer role in developing highly
energy efficient projects for one year while
Mr. Liu Xiaoping shared his experiences
on the operation of his pilot office building
Pujiang Intelligent Valley and focused
on energy saving results. All developers
reached a consensus: the improvement of
quality and comfort should be the key focus,
which can be achieved through advanced
green building technologies and provide a
balance between social responsibility and
profits. Only once this is achieved, can the
market accept and demand more low carbon
projects. Beside the lively discussion and
disclosed information, construction and real
estate experts where also able to experience
and enjoy the comfort and the exceptional
design of China’s first passive house. This
house, with a size of approx. 3200m², is
created as a sustainable building with the
highest ecological standards providing a
comprehensive reference for improving
building energy efficiency technology in
China. Hopefully it will lead to further
sustainable building projects in the country.
MM
From left: Dr. Roland Winkler (econet china/Mudi), Mr. David Nieh - Shui On
Land, Mr. Guo Yonghai - Landsea, Mr. Liu Xiaoping - Pengcheng United Industy,
Mr. Fu Minglei - Vanke, Mr. Zheng Xiaoping - Bazo
63
COMMUNITY
Health
Do you ever think about your
Most people think that as breathing is
an automatic process we automatically
do it properly. Not so. Your body and
mind are intimately connected, and doing
controlled, deep breathing exercises have
a therapeutic, balancing influence on
your mental/emotional state. We start out
breathing correctly – by expanding our
abdomen on inhalation and contracting it
on exhalation (just watch a baby breathe)
– but this changes. As we age and become
more susceptible to stress, worry, anger
and other negative emotions, our breathing
becomes shallow, fast and irregular, leading
to and exacerbating acute and chronic health
problems.
F o r t u n a t e l y, t h e re g u l a r p r a c t i c e o f
controlled, deep breathing can reverse
this pattern and provide many additional
benefits. Deep breathing exercises are a
simple, powerful, indispensable way to
improve and maintain your physical, mental
and emotional health. Eastern martial artists,
medical practitioners and yogis have known
this for thousands of years. While very few
Western doctors recognize the therapeutic
power of deep breathing, increasing
numbers of everyday Westerners from all
walks of life are discovering its enormous
health benefits.
Here's how you can test this body-mind
relationship: Next time you're angry, upset
or emotionally stressed, take a moment
to notice your breathing – it will be faster,
shallower and less regular than normal, and
your heart may be beating erratically too.
When you're relaxed, though, notice how
your breathing is smooth and even and your
heart is calm.
If emotional turmoil or stress negatively
affect your breathing, then it stands to
reason that practicing slow, deep breathing,
i.e. correct breathing, will positively affect
your emotions and your mind. That’s exactly
what happens when you establish a daily
routine of breathing exercises which results
in you feeling calmer, more balanced with a
growing sense of inner wellbeing. While you
may think you're already calm enough and
don't need those exercises, there are a host of
other benefits. And if you think good health
is only about having a strong, toned, flexible
body, you're missing a major part of the
picture -complete, harmonious health is only
possible if your mind and your emotions are
also balanced.
64
Most people are shallow breathers – various
stresses and strains from work, family life,
relationships, city living, smoking and other
factors are the main culprits. However,
people who know how to breathe slowly
and deeply, utilize their diaphragm, a
muscular membrane separating the lungs
and stomach. When you inhale deeply and
expand your abdomen, your diaphragm
automatically moves down; as you exhale
it moves back up. This up and down action
is like a pump. Slow, deep, diaphragmatic
breathing is easy to learn and offers the
following benefits if you set aside just 10-20
minutes daily:
• Massages your abdominal organs, which
improves digestion, metabolism & bowel
movements
• Takes stress off your heart by assisting
blood circulation
• Calms & relaxes you, which improves
your ability to handle stress.
• Enhances sleep quality & reduces the
amount of sleep you need each night
• Improves your memory & decision
making & helps you think clearer
• Energizes you
• Balances your mind & emotions
• Helps you become more flexible & toned
• Helps you lose weight
Naturally, you’ll need to verify the benefits
for yourself. Certain benefits you’ll
experience right away, however it may take
three months to experience the full power of
deep breathing. You will not regret the time
you invest though. Of primary importance
is daily practice – 15 minutes a day is more
beneficial than say 30 minutes, three times
a week. Also, the effects are often subtle
and they accumulate; after three months of
daily practice you will be a different person,
physically, mentally and emotionally.
As everyone is unique and has different
needs and requirements, it is recommended
that you try all the above deep breathing
exercises to see which ones work best in
your particular situations. The key is daily
practice of at least one or two exercises,
for a minimum of 10-20 minutes a day.
Incorporate deep breathing exercises into
your daily life and you will be rewarded
with many of the benefits mentioned.
Breath of Fire
This technique rapidly raises your energy levels. Also
known as Circular Breathing.
• Sit with back straight, face and shoulders relaxed
and hands in your lap, or lie down on your back,
hands resting on your abdomen. All breathing is
done through your nose only.
• Do 5-10 quick, continuous, shallow, in/out
breaths. Push your abdomen out as you inhale pull it in as you exhale.
• Without pausing after the final exhalation, take a
long, slow, deep, breath then let it go in a long,
slow, complete exhalation.
• Immediately begin another round of 5-10 quick,
continuous, shallow breaths, followed by a long,
slow, complete inhalation and exhalation.
• Do several rounds a couple of times day and
whenever you need a boost. Note: During the
exercise you may experience slight dizziness,
shaking or tingling sensations in your body. This is
normal at first and it’s also why you shouldn’t do
it standing. These symptoms will gradually stop
as you become used to the exercise. If you persist
you will be rewarded with greater energy and a
more balanced mood.
www.china.ahk.de
breathing?
Sleep Inducer
As the name implies, this breathing exercise helps
you sleep. It’s an extremely simple method that
teaches you how to focus on your breathing, so
you fall asleep relatively quickly. It does take some
practice though, especially if you have chronic sleep
problems.
Eagle Breath
This exercise is done standing. It synchronizes slow,
fluid arm movements with slow, deep breathing to boost
blood circulation, energize and relax you, and is a
great way to start your day.
All breathing is done slowly and smoothly through your
NOSE.
• Stand with your back straight and your feet about
shoulder width apart.
• Sink your weight into your legs.
• Place your hands in front of your abdomen and cup
your right hand in your left hand.
• Look at the ground at a spot about 2 metres (6 feet) in
front of you.
• Inhale as you slowly raise your arms up and away
from your body.
• When your arms are about parallel with the ground,
stop inhaling, drop your wrists and begin lowering
your arms.
• As you lower your arms, begin exhaling.
Note: Raise and lower your arms smoothly and fluidly,
just as if they are wings on a bird.
• Continue exhaling until your hands are back in
front of your abdomen. No need to cup your hands
though. Just let them meet at the fingertips, in preparation for the next stage.
• Pause your breathing for a couple of seconds.
• Begin inhaling again as you raise your hands vertically in front of and close to your body.
• As your hands near your chest, turn them to face you.
Continue to slowly and smoothly inhale.
• Straighten your arms up above your head as you
complete your inhalation.
• Hold your breath for a couple of seconds as you
stretch your arms up as high as you comfortably can
without lifting your feet.
• Exhale as you slowly bring your arms down in an arc
away from your body and back to the starting position with hands cupped, as in step one.
This completes one round.
• Pause briefly then commence inhaling as you begin
another round.
Do 10-12 rounds to begin.
• Build up to 25-30 rounds, twice a day, or simply do
the exercise for 10-15 minutes each time. The longer
you do it the better.
• Lie in bed on your back with your hands by your
sides or resting on your abdomen. Your body
should be fairly flat, so if you have a high pillow,
remove it. Breathe slowly, smoothly and deeply
through your nose throughout the exercise. As
you breathe in gently expand your abdomen; as
you breathe out, let your abdomen fall back into
place.
• All you have to do is mentally count your breaths
up to ten. You can either count your inhalations
or your exhalations. Here’s the catch – every time
your mind wanders and you lose count, you must
start from one again. Each time you reach ten,
start at one again. Continue like this and you will
fall asleep.
• Focusing your mind in this way (and penalizing
it by restarting the count each time your thoughts
stray), together with slow, deep breathing forms
a powerful sleep inducing method. Do it every
night, whether you have sleep problems or not, as
it will also improve the quality of your sleep and
reduce the amount of sleep you need.
As everyone is unique and has different needs and
requirements, it is recommended that you try all the
above deep breathing exercises to see which ones
work best in your particular situations. The key is
daily practice of at least one or two exercises, for a
minimum of 10-20 minutes a day. Incorporate deep
breathing exercises into your daily life and you will
be rewarded with many of the benefits mentioned.
4-7-8 Breath
Here’s a very simple, effective deep breathing technique you can use anytime you
feel anxious or nervous. If you practice regularly it can also prevent these problems.
Another benefit of the 4-7-8 breath is that you can do it virtually anywhere – on a
bus or plane, even standing in a line somewhere. Here’s exactly how to do it:
Best done sitting but can be done standing or lying down.
• Sit with your back straight and your hands resting comfortably in your lap or on
your thighs.
• Look ahead...try not to fix your gaze on anything in particular. Slightly closing
your eyes helps.
• Try to focus internally on your breathing.
• All inhalations are done through your NOSE; all exhalations through your
MOUTH.
Throughout the exercises keep the tip of your tongue in contact with the top of your
mouth, just behind your top teeth.
• Commence inhaling slowly, smoothly and deeply to a mental count of 4 seconds.
Fill your lower lungs first (by pushing out your abdomen), then your middle and
upper lungs.
• Hold your breath for a mental count of 7 seconds.
• Slowly and smoothly exhale for a mental count of 8 seconds.
• As you exhale, try to let go of all your anxiety, tension & stress.
• That’s one round. Pause briefly without inhaling then start another round. This
natural pause is very therapeutic and relaxing.
• Do 10-12 rounds to begin. Build up to 25-30 rounds several times a day AND
whenever you feel anxious or nervous, etc.
Matthew Scott is a professionally trained Chinese medicine
practitioner from Australia. In 2000, after ten years in
professional practice, Matthew went to China to further his
studies and immerse himself in the culture for a few months. He’s
been there ever since. for more information contact him at:
* [email protected]
Summary: Inhale for 4 seconds - Hold for 7 seconds - Exhale for 8 seconds - Pause
briefly - Repeat.
65
COMMUNITY
SPORTS
China’s Tennis
Appeal:
Athletics & Apparel
As the flagship tennis event in China, athletes at this year’s China
Open will raise their racquets from 1st – 10th October. First held in 1993,
the China Open reached an entirely new level last year by attracting
top players from around the world, making it the undisputed leading
tennis event in Asia.
The anticipated growth in the number of spectators this year is testament to more promotional efforts and greater international involvement
from China Open Ltd. and the China Tennis Association. The next step
to advance the sport is now aimed at educating the fan base and building a more attractive reputation in China, for which there are several
unique marketing efforts underway. The fashionable aspect of tennis is
also what makes the sport so popular in China, drawing more and more
attention from fans across the country.
Earlier this year, the China Open Angels Global Beauty Pageant was
launched under the theme “Beauties Add Brilliance to China Open.” The
event was attended by film and TV star Yan Danchen and several leading figures from the fashion world. Popular Chinese luxury and fashion
guru Reno Yue, living in Beijing and Shanghai for the past seven years,
explains that tennis has great potential for becoming popular among the
Chinese because “it’s exciting, it’s fashionable, it’s physically demanding,
but most of all, it has this reminiscing quality of resembling badminton
and ping pong which are two sports that Chinese excel at.”
China Open Promotions Ltd. intends to hold the China Open Angels
beauty event along with co-sponsors on an annual basis. Although it
may seem a little strange to have a beauty pageant at a world-class
athletics event, the sport has made great progress in the past few
years. In 2002, there was not a single Chinese in the top 100 of the
WTA Tour; last year there were three in the top 50. The breakout moment for Chinese women’s tennis came in 2004 when Li Ting and Sun
Tiantian won gold at the Athens Olympics. Other stars such as Li Na
sneakily jumped into the top global rankings, and today’s tennis pros
have also been joined by Zheng Jie and her fellow Sichuan native Yan
Zi, who captured three doubles titles last season.
Coming back to the idea of fashion, Zheng told Time magazine in 2006
that her initial interest in tennis was roused by its stylish apparel - growing up in Chengdu, she knew little about the game. When Zheng was
approached in 1990, at the age of seven, a coach explained to her that
tennis was like ping-pong, only with a bigger, fuzzier ball. Zheng stated,
66
Li Na
“China was poor back then, so we loved tennis because it gave us a
chance to wear cool clothes.”
Being among the first Chinese players to play their game on the international tennis circuit, Zheng and her teammates were often given new
outfits for promotional purposes and to maintain an image. “There is so
much you can do with the women’s uniform,” says Yue, “it’s sporty, it’s
aesthetically appealing, and to a certain degree, it also evokes sensuality.”
He continued frankly, “The truth of the matter is that beauty sells. And
there is a reason it’s called the ‘sports industry’ or the ‘fashion industry’.
Both industries make huge amounts of money by presenting world-class
sports professionals like tennis players as the face of their brand.”
In April this year, a study on purchasing behaviour revealed that Chinese consumers are especially accepting of athlete celebrity endorsers when faced with purchasing decisions – partially due to the high
power-distance culture in China. Yue comments, “I think the Chinese
youth who have lived in a social norm of conformity will embrace this
aspect of tennis with alacrity.”
Only two months after the study was published, the WTA tour announced its first major Asia-Pacific partnership. The contract with
Chinese Peak Sports Products Co. Ltd., the exclusive marketing partner
of the NBA in China since 2007, is expected to significantly enhance
the marketing and promotion of women’s tennis and the tour brand
throughout China and the Asia-Pacific region.
Prior to the China Open in Beijing, the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) World Tour Masters 1000, renamed Shanghai Rolex
Masters by this year’s sponsor, will rally up the pros in another internationally recognised tennis event. It is one of nine tournaments on
the ATP tour, which is held annually in Europe, North America and,
www.china.ahk.de
as of 2009, Asia. These ATP matches constitute the most prestigious
tournaments in men’s tennis after the four Grand Slam events and the
ATP World Tour Finals.
Still, despite a speedy leap through the rankings, China’s tennis prodigies haven’t become celebrities across Asia. This is partly a consequence
of the nation’s tennis programme that was once focused almost exclusively on domestic tournaments and regional competitions. Even today,
China’s top women are required to relinquish up to 65% of their earnings to the state and were obliged to skip Wimbledon last year in order
to train for the National Games.
Some Chinese coaches are also shared between players, making the
practice too general, but leaving the national team could mean forfeiting
valuable commercial endorsements and being blacklisted by the Chinese
tennis authority. Regardless of these deterrents, some Chinese tennis
stars still prefer the lucrative and practical singles competitions.
In February, a celebration of Li Na and Zheng Jie’s 2010 achievements took place in Beijing where the two players donated their tennis racquets and uniforms to the Chinese Tennis Association’s Youth
Foundation to support the grassroots growth of tennis in China. The
Chinese Tennis Association is working towards further athlete development, and China now boasts three women players in the world top
100 ranking, two of whom are in the top 50.
Yan Zi
A combination of events, athlete development, investment in coaching
and success on the big stage will breed more confidence in the sport in
China. With that in mind, the future of Chinese women’s tennis may
soon shine as brightly as a sequined Serena Williams ensemble. ATD
67
COMMUNITY
GIVING BACK
Volunteering
The most direct way to help your community
In 2004 HandsOn Shanghai was set up as a
platform to remove the barrier of engaging
citizens in the community. Founded by a group
of Shanghai based young foreign professionals,
HandsOn Shanghai’s mission statement has
been to balance the long term needs of the
community with the short term abilities of the
average volunteer.
To achieve the mission of establishing and developing long term sustainable relationships with
social organizations in China, their programme
and volunteer bases have grown tremendously
in the last six years, particularly in the last 3 as
they moved from an active base of 50 volunteers
per quarter in 2006 to a current weekly activity
level above 350 individual volunteers, 80-100
student volunteers, and 40-75 corporate volunteers across over 40-50 weekly projects.
To connect volunteers with local communitybased organizations, HandsOn Shanghai
engages in three main activities:
• Coordinate volunteer opportunities for active
professionals, according to their availability
and personal interests
• Support local community organizations with
direct donations, fundraising planning and
execution, community project design and
implementation
• Design and manage a variety of volunteer
programs for private sector partners in
Shanghai
For volunteers, the HandsOn Shanghai
experience is a unique one as they have
developed a platform that offers a range of
options that caters to their own issue of passion,
68
availability, interests, and geographic preferences.
A platform that involves projects with more than
25 groups focused on elderly care, education,
children’s health, and the environment, across
Shanghai’s districts, with availability on
weekday evenings and weekends.
Examples of our weekly volunteer
opportunities include:
• Visiting children at two of Shanghai’s children’s hospitals
• Weekly activities at four elderly care homes
• Tutoring, mentoring, and teaching photography to migrant students
• Helping children with cerebral palsy during
their rehabilitation classes
• Painting school libraries
• Working with a team of five volunteers to
build NGO capacity
In addition to our individual volunteering
opportunities, HandsOn Shanghai has also
developed a strong corporate platform that
facilitates employee engagement. Part of a CSR
program, or the result of a single employee’s
interest, our corporate programmes include
one off events (painting a library, elderly bus
tours, reading books to children at Shanghai
Children’s Hospital), but often grow into
programs with a deeper commitment level by
the firm and its employees (being a big brother
or big sister to a migrant student or teaching a
class in math or science). Either way, the goals
of any project will be to match community
need and the capacity of the organization, and
in a way that is engaging for both.
Be the Change! Volunteer!
Richard Brubaker founded HandsOn
Shanghai as an affiliate of the worldwide
HandsOn Network. He is a professor
at CEIBS. To learn more about how to
become a volunteer, as an individual or as
an organization contact him at:
* [email protected]
ART & CULTURE
There is no other place in the world where cities are growing so
fast like in China and consequently, where so many urban issues
are present. For the outsider, it is amazing and admiring to witness the ways in which the Chinese accept changes, take them as
chances and tackle big challenges. In a city like Shanghai which
is unceasingly striving for international role and predominance,
social transformation and cultural change are taking place, but the
economic drive seems to produce more wealth for everybody and
social disruption seems fortunately far.
www.china.ahk.de
© Ina Weber
China has surpassed Germany as the largest exporting country, the
US as the biggest car-market, Japan as the second-largest economy.
China shares advantages and effects of such economic growth.
One of the major challenges is environmental protection. The daily
newspapers report all sorts of calamities, and there seems not
enough experience and not enough awareness to prevent more
ecological accidents to happen.
Germany offers and enjoys partnership and cooperation along the
line of ecological know-how. The wide spectrum ranges from preservation of old cities, to the development of e-cars in China. The
culture and education section of the German Consulate General in
Shanghai which acts as local branch of a Goethe-Institut supports
such knowledge and awareness building-processes. To bring such
process to the awareness of the media and the broader public, the
“Urban Academy” has been performing as forum. Cooperation
of economy and culture, urban planning and urban development
serve the aim to develop future-oriented, sustainable concepts and
techniques. The Urban Academy has been the most continuously
working Sino-German platform on the wide range of such topics
concerning sustainable urban development.
“Heating and Cooling with Renewables”, “Social Responsibilty
and Low-Tech-Sustainability” “City Renewal”, “Certification and
Building Standards”, “The Economics of Ecological Construction”,
“Value Creation Chain and Creative Industries“, “Arts in Public
Space”, “Private Life and Public Space” were our topics. What is
the attitude behind such issues?
It is first of all our commitment to strengthen mutual understanding between Germany and China. It is also our social obligation as
a culture institute to share responsibility when it comes to climate
change and the inquiry into what can be done. Questions meteorologists, medical doctors, physicists, engineers, economists, journalists, and of course architects and artists have been wondering
in our forums: Is the current wealth-producing mode of economy
destructive or unsustainable in the long run? Will the people of
Shanghai breathe, drink, eat and feel comfortable in the future as
well? How can city development contribute to a reduction of the
carbon footprint with ever more energy-consuming buildings,
more air cons, more cars, more air travels? How can we share
responsibility towards nature and the challenges of the on-going
climate change? Is not the fixation towards GDP growth by nature
conflicting with the aim of sustainable development? To figure out
all these grand questions, we need to take into consideration local
culture, global responsibility, cultural heritage and latest technological knowledge.
There are no easy and clear-cut answers to such questions. The
exhibition “Updating Germany” the German contribution to the
Venice Architecture Biennale 2008 made it clear through its title.
There will never be a jumping back to paradise. The developed
© Markus Heinsdorff
Updating
China
Climate and Culture
69
COMMUNITY
ART & CULTURE
© Xie Yingjun
world has no other option than to gradually
improve its relationship to nature in the
engineering mode. This update can – if things
go well – bring a paradigmatic change; but
usually it is a step-by-step improvement only.
The Goethe-Institut developed the Urban
Academy for this up-dating in China. To
discuss the present situation for example
in urban planning, to show alternatives, to
exchange experiences with best-practice
projects, and finally to demonstrate technical
and social options, all this should help to
strengthen and widen the awareness for
development around us, which is affecting
us and which we can actually influence by
decisions.
Dialogue needs partners in spirit. The institut
found them with the Himalayas Art Museum
(formerly: Zendai MoMa) and its director Shen
Qi Bin, the curator Li Xiangning, colleagues
from the Academy of Social Sciences, Fudan
University, East China Normal University,
Shanghai and Tongji-University and many
others. Gladly, they readily consented to
participate and actively helped to take the
issue from the ivory towers down to the public,
interested audience and media. Two dozens
of such conferences, symposiums, panel
discussions have been going on and are to be
continued. The most prestigious outcome was
the exhibition “Updating China”.
“Updating China“ is a brainchild of
presentations and discussions at the „Urban
Academy“. The exhibition unfurls a spectrum
of specific approaches to sustainability in
ecological, technical, social and cultural respect.
All 40 architecture projects are best-practice
examples in urban development. There are
five sub-themes, Sustainable Urban Planning,
Eco-Friendly Green Architecture, From Past to
70
Future, Social Responsibility, and Sustainability
in Art and Culture. Through the 40 projects,
we raise the importance of green buildings,
but also focus on ecological responsibility of
architects, investors and local administration.
Another aspect we always put importance to
has been the emergence of practically effective
activities to cope with natural disasters and
social problems. We document projects in
quake-hit areas, in Tibet and in povertystricken areas: works like those of XIE Yingjun,
WANG Hui and LI Xiaodong (post-earthquake
reconstruction projects, Apple Primary School
in Ali, and Tulou in Pinghe, Fujian) – they are
full of wisdom and aesthetics.
The 14 artworks support the quest for the
Chinese character in life and how it can be
saved or rejuvenated despite and during the
modernization process and for a different
relationship to nature. The artists produced
their works for this exhibition. They themselves
were chosen because their previous works
had a relationship to our topic and because
their project proposals were promising strong
works which would make an effect on the
public. Some of the projects are large-scale,
such as ZHANG Ke´s Beijing Travel Belt, XU
Tiantian´s Bridge or JIN Jiangbo´s image-wall
Magnificient Scenery. LINYI Lin´s videowork
plays with the title of the exhibition. Each
artwork expresses an attitude of its own to the
issue of pollution, environmental destruction,
or social issues. There is plenty of criticism and
humor and subtle allusions to Chinese language
like in ZHU Xiaofeng’s Disposable Paper Cup
Curtain. HAN Tao’s Soap Installation is a
statement about the role of TV and media in
present-day culture and entertainment life.
YAO Lu uses the tradition of Chinese painting
in his New Mountains and Waters but makes
deformed nature and mountains of waste a
new element in traditional iconography.
The 2 German female artists Julika Gittner
and Ina Weber are also attracted by waste.
Julika found out that the energy embodied
in the physical structure of the Himalayas
Art Museum can be equated with the
energy consumed in the physical labour of
Shanghai’s informal waste collection and
recycling trade. Ina Weber is fascinated
by the process of rubbish collecting and
recycling in Shanghai. Her photography
is an hommage to this micro-economy.
Thus, recycling is not only a highly
sophisticated chemical process, but a
highly communicative process as well, an
important part of interaction in the daily
life of an urban district. The 3 rd German,
Michael Krenz, discovered during his artistin-residency an ancient library in Shanghai,
built in the early 18 th century, slowly
decaying and crumbling to pieces. A high
fire-protecting wall is still protecting it; but
there is nothing from the outside which
would indicate what lies within. However
once you are inside, there are legends
made of stone carvings, worlds lost to the
present life. Michaels makes the old wooden
construction speak to us: by pushing a
button the library grows to spectacular
heights and impresses us as skyscraper.
Why the exhibition “Updating China”?,
Mr. Wilfried Eckstein asked the artistic
director, Mr. SHEN Qibin. He expressed
his, his clients´and friends´ keen interest in
keeping the Chinese character alive in the
midst of modernization, economic growth
and an apparently becoming fashionable
and seemingly western – standard Megacity.
During the joint preparation of this mega
exhibition sustainability turned out to be
not only a question of ecological and social
balances but also a matter of cultural selfdetermination and a renewal of cultural values
for the realities of modern life. So, the lesson
Mr. Eckstein learned is that international
progress in reducing the carbon footprint, or
enhancing eco-efficiency of buildings or cars
depends on dialogue of mutual respect and
integration of cultural identities – even at a
time of deep-reaching transformations.
Wilfried Eckstein, Culture and
Education Section of the German
Consulate General Shanghai
Exhibition:
Date: 5th September – 5th October, 2010
Venue: Preparatory Office of Himalayas
Art Museum
(2F, No.28, Lane 199, Fangdian Rd.)
Presented by: Cultural and Education
Section of the German General Consulate
Shanghai, Shanghai Himalayas Art
Museum
NEW BOOKS
www.china.ahk.de
When China Rules the World:
The End of the Western World and Rise of the Middle Kingdom
The Penguin Press HC | Martin Jacques | 2009 | 576 pages, UK, US and China Editions ISBN-10: 1594201854, ISBN-13: 978-1594201851
In an attempt to rectify the misconception that
China’s quick-paced development will result
in it becoming more westernised, Mr. Martin
Jacques provides persuasive arguments of
how the opposite will come to play as the
west, and the world, become more Chinese.
According to even the most conservative
estimates, China will overtake the United
States as the world’s largest economy by 2027
and climb to economic leader by 2050. This
book suggests that China’s strong sense of
superiority rooted in its history will resurface
as this culturally self-confident Asian giant
with a population accounting for one-fifth of
humanity resists globalisation, with powerful
ramifications for the rest of the world.
This book presents ideas of the Renminbi
displacing the dollar as the world’s reserve
currency, Shanghai overshadowing New
York and London as the centre of finance,
European countries becoming quaint relics
of a glorious past, and global citizens using
Mandarin to communicate rather than
English. As delusional as this all may sound,
Jacques provides convincing arguments
suggesting that modernity will no longer be
synonymous with westernisation and the
new world will become a very unfamiliar
place.
Starred Reviews describe this book as a
“crucial reading for anyone interested in
understanding where we are and where we
are going” and President Yu Yongding of the
China Society of World Economics said: “This
is, without doubt, one of the best and most
serious studies of China.”
When China Rules the World is the first book
to fully explain how China’s ascendance as
an economic superpower will alter the global
balance in the years to come. ATD
Trauma or Chance
Edition Koerber Stiftung | Georg Blume | April 2008 | 104 pages | German
ISBN 978-3-89684-134-6
Mr. Georg Blume, the author of "China
ist kein Reich des Bösen – Trotz Tibet
muss Berlin auf Peking setzen“ has
been working as a correspondent for
German newspapers like DIE ZEIT and
taz from Beijing since 1997. Furthermore,
he received the Liberty Award for his
research on violations of human rights
and environmental scandals in China.
As someone who regrets the blackand-white judgements on China due to
unbalanced news reporting in Germany
he states that drawbacks and "dynamic
advance in justness" exist right next to each other. The new labour
law of 1 st January 2008 is one example for that and means an
important approach towards a welfare state.
"If one is about to judge the situation of the Chinese migrant workers
one should not do so without asking them themselves first," Blume
addresses another hot issue. Migrant workers told him they were
proud of their self earned money, because their parents owned even
less on their farm. They highlighted the many small improvements
– such as being able to independently choose their spouse. To
overcome the Western “China trauma” Blume frankly reports on
jobs created by Chinese entrepreneurs in Germany, the potential of
German engineering to co-tackle China’s environmental problems
and the growing openness of Chinese politicians for dialogue. The
book underlines that it is up to the West to decide whether China’s
strangeness should be an obstacle or a chance to increase global
economical stability. AS
71
COMMUNITY
Travel
North Taiwan:
Bitou Cape
Jinguashih
Stunning Nature and Culinary Delights
Taiwan, also known as the “Ilha Formosa” – the
name given to it by Portuguese invaders in the
16th century - is an island off the eastern coast
of China between Japan and the Philippines.
Renowned as a modern industrialised
province with a reputation for technological
innovation, Taiwan still offers a wide array
of natural, historical and culinary attractions.
From pulsating cities like Taipei to the lush
mountains of Wulai, the stunning basalt cliffs
of Penghu and the world’s best hot springs,
Taiwan is an ideal getaway.
Almost two-thirds of Taiwan (an area of
35,563km2) is covered by mountains, and the
island is home to the 3,952m peak Yushan,
also known as Jade Mountain, the highest
in north-east Asia. This mountain and many
others are covered with fauna and flora
that range from alpine to sub-tropical. So
if you know Taiwan only by its prosperous
industry and international trade, it is worth
taking some time to explore other aspects of
this delightful place.
While mountains dominate the island's centre
and rugged east coast, and foothills, terraced
flatlands and coastal plains and basins make
up much of the rest of island, the northern part
is full of places of great contrasts. You can find
soaring mountain peaks, white sandy beaches,
stunning waterfalls, hot springs and old goldmining towns across the region. Off the beaten
track locations like Jioufen, Jinguashih and
Bitou reveal unique glimpses of Taiwan’s
nature, history and various delicacies, all of
which you enjoy over the course of a few days.
Jioufen is located within the hills of north-east
Taiwan, next to the mountains in Rueifang
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Township of Taipei County, and faces the sea.
This old gold-mining town, built on a steep
mountain slope, retains much of its quaint
traditional character, attracting countless
numbers of artists, film-makers (such as Hou
Hsiao-Hsien’s 1989 film City of Sadness) and
advertising photographers, who come to take
advantage of its unique scenery.
Jioufen was an isolated area until 1893, when
gold was discovered nearby. The resulting goldrush hastened the village's development into a
town, and it reached its peak during Japanese
rule. Many present features of Jioufen reflect
the era under Japanese colonisation, with many
Japanese inns surviving to this day. Known in
former times as “little Shanghai” or “little Hong
Kong”, these days Jioufen whispers its golden
past. The town is now also one of the finest
examples of historical Taiwanese architecture.
Its narrow winding streets are surrounded by
excellent traditional teahouses (e.g. Sky Castle
or 9 Tea Language), museums (e.g. the Gold
Museum) and art galleries.
The most popular entrance to the town is
located near the bus station. Visitors can
wander down the precipitous old streets and
recapture some of the flavour of its simpler
past. Along the streets there are shops offering
the most famous country snack of Geo Fan,
yam dishes and various local delights. After
sunset, the town becomes a popular destination
for people to relax, enjoy a cup of tea and
observe the lights of the fishing boats on the
distant sea.
In Jioufen, fishball soup, yuyuan (taro balls)
and dumplings served hot or cold with sweet
bean and mochi are all widely available. If you
decide to explore Jioufen, make sure that you
are very hungry so that you can eat until you
drop. It is truly worth it!
Jinguashih, a rustic little town, also known
as the “Golden Homeland”, is another great
place to visit along Taiwan’s northern coast.
It was once a bustling copper – and goldmining settlement, and it still retains a number
of cultural sites along with alluring scenery,
such as the old mines (Gold Ecological Park),
the twin-coloured sea formed by run-off from
mine sediments and a winding mountain road.
Inside the park you will stumble across an
environment hall, the Crown Prince Chalet, the
gold shrine, Benshan Fifth Tunnel, Japanese
dorms and many more sights. The park truly
offers tourists a deeper insight into the goldmining days of Jinguashih.
The next attraction visitors should experience
is Bitou Cape, which means Tip-of-the-Nose
in Mandarin. It comes from the cape landform
that protrudes into the ocean in the shape of a
nose. The steep and protruding cape is much
angulated, while under the towering cliffs
waves wait in line to crash upon them, naturally
revealing the grandeur of Mother Nature.
Nanya is the northern gateway to north-east
coast National Scenic Area. From here on,
your line of sight is no longer obscured by
chimneys or buildings. The rock formations
along Nanya’s shores appear in numerous
weird and wonderful forms, and are some of
the most obvious symbols of the north-east
coast. Picture-like erosion striations are the
most beautiful characteristics of the Nanya
www.china.ahk.de
rocks. While gazing at the striation waves, one
is reminded of the waters of the ancient past
vividly flowing past one’s feet.
Be warned: If you drive too quickly you may
easily miss this beautiful location, because it
has been untouched by the labels of mankind.
However, you will be able to recognise it
through the large rock formation lying by the
coastal highway, eroded by time into the shape
of an ice cream cone. Tourists should prepare
to slow down at this point and lose themselves
among the windy birthplace of beautiful rock
formations. Hiking and climbing excursions on
Nanya Mountain are highly-recommended.
Here, you may also observe an astonishing
view of the Yin-Yang Sea and experience the
natural and cultural beauty of Jinguashih while
admiring the historical remains of its golden
past. Close by the Bitou Cape Geological Park
there is an artificial pool that was originally a
Taiwanese Abalone breeding pool. It has been
remade into an ocean pool for tourists to swim,
play and dive in, so don’t forget to bring an
extra set of clothing!
In addition to enjoying leisurely strolls through
Bitou Cape Park, visitors can also admire the
rich ecology and geological scenery of the area.
Three well-planned trails pass through majestic
bay and mountain scenes, mystical landforms,
impressive wave and shore views, diverse
Nanya Mountain
Jioufen's delights
shore vegetation and a wide range of ecological
sights. The trails also offer a 360° elevated
vantage point from where tourists can fully
take in the beauty of their surroundings.
North Taiwan is an attractive destination for
young and old alike. Beside art, delicious food
and historical spots, visitors can embrace the
allure of a very unique natural environment.
Older visitors and those with children can
easily experience Jioufen´s historical side on
foot and admire the coastal scenery by car,
while young couples can enjoy a romantic
night view from one of Jioufen’s teahouses in
Nanya Mountain
the evening or go hiking through the rocky
coastal areas, which is the thing to do in the
northern part of the island.
The subtropical climate in the north is also
better for active sightseeing than the tropical
south. Picking the right time to go is an
important decision, as the island suffers from
typhoons from June to August, complicating
your discovery of this stunning place. The
best time to travel is during the warm and
dry autumn months between September and
November, while March and April are also
warm, but rather wet and rainy.
Britta Vasters used to live in Taiwan and
has been travelling a lot during her days
in Asia. Her love to Taiwan remains for the
mixture of the land’s beautiful nature and
various attractions.
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COMMUNITY
CITY TOUR
Guangzhou's new landmark overlooking the city
Pearls alon
The Pearl River, China’s third-longest, has not
only shaped the landscape in the south of the
country, but has also considerably influenced
Guangzhou’s development into a trading and
business centre. According to a legend, the
name refers to an Arabian troop of soldiers
which had come to Guangzhou to return a
stolen pearl but lost it in the river. Although
visitors cannot take a bath in its waters due
to pollution issues, there are still some great
pearls along the river.
Starting off at Shamian Island, it is easy to
forget that one is still in China. The buildings
in the former French and English concession,
breathtaking examples of Western classicism,
were able to retain their style and have all
received a complete makeover during the last
couple of months. Restored to their former glory,
the eight streets of the concession are lined with
many trees, giving the 0.3km2 sand bank an
even more peaceful atmosphere. If you need a
retreat, you will find tranquil coffeshops here,
where you can enjoy your coffee with a straw in
the small courtyard while listening to chirping
birds and watching people as they pass by.
You are also likely to find birds at Qingping
Market, which attracts over 60,000 shoppers
every day. However, these birds do not serve
the purpose of pleasing your eyes and ears,
but rather your palate. Persimmons and litchi
next to scallops, starfish and snakes are all sold
in order to end up on your plate. And yes, you
can even buy dogs there. If you are more into
sea fruits, head to the fish market in the west of
Shamian Island.
Yangjian West Road further up the river is
one of Guangzhou’s going out hotspots.
Packed with places to drink, pub crawls take
on a new meaning and it is here that you can
catch young Chinese enjoying a night out.
Loud music follows passers by wherever
they go, tempting them onto the numerous
dance floors, but can make socialising a
challenge. Instead, why not try doing it
the Chinese way? The majority of young
guests there like to sit around their tables
playing a drinking game with dice.
A more Western experience can be
found at the German restaurant
‘1920’ on the same street, where
the art nouveau interior and
menu give one the feeling of
being back in Central Europe.
74
On Beijing Lu, leading away from the river,
any shopper’s heart will start beating faster.
The pedestrian zone is always crowded,
especially at the weekends. At the state-owned
Guangzhou Department Store in the South and
Xin-Da-Xin Department Store you will find
almost everything that you could wish for.
After a long shopping trip, soothe those sore
feet in one of the cold pools at the 30,000m²
Gold Coast Water Park just opposite the river.
The park not only provides you with the
opportunity to take a dip in one of its many
indoor and outdoor swimming pools, but
also gives you the chance to play tennis, to
work out at the gym, to refresh yourself at the
bar or to go shopping again.
For the culturally-minded, why not enjoy a
concert by the Chinese National Symphony
Orchestra at the Xinghai Concert Hall on
Ersha Island? Named after a Guangzhouborn composer, the hall is the home of
the Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra. It
puts on an impressive range of concerts,
with scheduled highlights and concerts
organised by the German Consulate General.
If intellectual pursuits are your thing, do
not miss the Guangdong Museum of Art,
also located on Ersha Island. Each year, the
20,000m² museum hosts almost 60 exhibitions.
Its permanent collection includes recent and
contemporary works of art by artists living in
China as well as those who are based abroad.
Any artist would surely feel inspired by
the great views of Guangzhou that you can
marvel at on a sunny day from the top of
the New Television and Sightseeing Tower.
Standing 610m tall, you are very likely to feel
overwhelmed after realising that this is the
highest tower of its kind in the world. The
architects aimed to create a rather “female”
shape, and many observers have noted its
resemblance to an hourglass. Floors and floors
of exhibition space, a 4D cinema and several
restaurants
are just
www.china.ahk.de
ng the River
some of the extras on offer, complementing
the skywalk and several indoor and outdoor
observation decks. After it opens this October,
one will be able to observe both the new and
old parts of Guangzhou thanks to the top part
of the structure, which is shaved off diagonally
towards the North-West axis.
take place there every year, the architecture is
definitely worth checking out. The complex
consumed more than 10,000t of steel, double
the amount used to build Beijing’s National
Centre for the Performing Arts, and 5,100
pieces of glass. In addition, not one of the
building’s walls is vertical to the ground.
This new landmark overlooks the New
Guangdong Museum which comes in the
shape of a huge treasure chest and has
only been open since May. Some of its
exhibition highlights include a collection
of traditional wood carvings as well as
paintings and calligraphy from the Song and
Yuan dynasties. According to the museum’s
experts, it may take a full year for a visitor to
browse all these exhibits, so be sure to pack
some extra time with you. Just next door you
will find the Guangzhou Opera House by
Iranian star-architect Zaha Hadid. Even if you
are not interested in any of the more than 200
dance, theatre and opera performances that
If you happen to be in Guangzhou during the
Asian Games, visit Haixinsha Island which is
located right in front of the Opera House and
New Guangdong Museum. The 17ha island
will play host to the event’s opening and
closing ceremonies. When there are no events
being held at the newly built Central Square,
you can still enjoy the island’s biological
garden.
Despite Guangzhou's estimated 10.25mn
citizens and its fast-developing infrastructure,
there are plenty of places to relax and enjoy
the beauty of life. As a visitor, you are most
likely to find them along the Pearl River. CSS
European classicism on Shamian Island
Perfect for a strall: the gardens along the Pearl River
75
COMMUNITY
THIS & THAT
How well do you know China?
In which province was this scenic shot taken and
which popular black mountain is it?
Check out our next issue for the answer and send us a photo from
your own pool of China travel pictures, indicating the name and
place of the motive. The best entry will be published with credits
of the photographer in our next issue. Email your entry to
[email protected]
Solution 4/2010: Longji Titian (Dragon’s Spine Terraces), Guangxi Province. The terraces
are cultivated to yield rice.
©Tan Yilmaz, trekearth
THE GREAT PEOPLE
Sudoku
Acrobatics
Easy
6
9
2 8
3 1
7
4
5 9
8
3
6
1
4
5
7
2 1
9
5 7
1
4 8
1
2
3
4
8
6 5
1
9
SudokuShack.com
http://www.flickr.com/puyecomic
German Speaking Christian Community
Beijing
Shanghai
Contact:
76
by: PUYE
Date
10th October
16th October
23rd – 24th October
24th October
31st October
7th November
13th November
21st November
28th November
Time
11.00 am
5.00 pm
Weekend
10.00 am
11.00 am
10.00 am
5.00 pm
10.00 am
11.00 am
theol. Seminar Beijing
German Embassy
Qingdao
German Embassy
German Embassy
German Embassy
German Embassy
German Embassy
DSP
Place
Service
3rd October
10th October
17th October
24th October
31st October
7th November
14th November
21st November
10.30 am
3.00 pm
10.30 am
3.00 pm
10.30 am
3.00 pm
10.30 am
3.00 pm
Lakeside Villa
St. Peters Church
Pudong, Pucheng Lu
St. Peters Church
Green Valley Villas
St. Peters Church
Green Valley Villas
St. Peters Church
Protestant
Catholic
Protestant
Catholic
Protestant
Catholic
Protestant
Catholic
Beijing:
Dr. Karl-Heinz Schell – Protestant Pastor | ' 136 9363-1857
* [email protected] | www.egpeking.de
Catholic Services | * [email protected]
Protestant
Catholic
Protestant
Protestant
Catholic
Protestant
Catholic
Protestant
Catholic
Shanghai + Suzhou:
Peter Kruse – Protestant Pastor | ' 139 1765-4475
Michael Bauer – Catholic Priest | ' 137 7431-0216
* [email protected] | www.dcgs.net
77
COMMUNITY
CHAMBER EVENTS CALENDAR
Regular Events
Chamber Calendar
Date North China
12rd October
18th October 14th October
9 th November
13th November
East China
13th October
14th October
18th October
21st October
22nd October
26th October
28th October
4th November
15th November
16th November
18th November
23rd November
27th November
South China
Event/Topic
Praktikantenstammtisch
Kammerstammtisch
Presentation on «Hidden Champions»
by Prof. Dr. Hermann Simon
AHK Leadership Seminar
German Ball
Chamber Breakfast Expo VIP Tour
Special Seminar: HR
Germany and China Day
Happy Hour 2
Special Seminar: Insurance
Chamber Meeting and Education Fair
Breakfast Seminar
Workshop TFL
Workshop Controlling
GC Roundtable
Workshop HR
German Ball
8th – 12th October
Oktoberfest (Guangzhou)
General Manager Roundtable (Shenzhen)
12th October
th
Business Forum (Zhongshan)
13 October
Networking (Zhuhai)
14th October
th
Meet the Trainer of October (Guangzhou)
15 October
th
st
German Film Festival by Consulate General (Guangzhou)
18 – 21 October
InterChamber Networking Drinks (Shenzhen)
19th October
st
West China Workshop (Shenzhen)
21 October
th
Legal Seminar (Zhuhai)
26 October
th
Plastic Roundtable (Shenzhen)
28 October
th
th
Oktoberfest (Shenzhen)
4 – 7 November
GM Roundtable (Shenzhen)
9th November
th
Meet the Trainer of November (Guangzhou)
12 November
Legal Roundtable (Shenzhen)
16th November
North China
East China
Beijing Kammerstammtisch
every third Monday of
the month at Paulaner
Bräuhaus, 7.00pm
Deutscher Stammtisch every
second Tuesday of the month
at Paulaner Bräuhaus Fenyang
Road, 7.00pm
every second Tuesday of
the month at changing
locations, 7.00pm
every third Wednesday of
the month at Mural Bar,
7.30pm
Tianjin Kammerstammtisch
every last Wednesday of
the month at two changing
locations - Euro Place and
Drei Kronen
South China
German Happy Hour
Guangzhou –
every last Tuesday
of the month
Stammtisch Shenzhen –
every third Thursday of the
month in Galleon Bar,
InterContinental Shenzhen
Stammtisch Zhongshan –
every last Wednesday
of the month
Young Professionals
Stammtisch Guangzhou
every second Thursday
of the month
Guanxi-Connecting Shenzhen’s Young Professionals
– every last Thursday of the
month
Event Highlights
North China
10th German Ball in Beijing
Rise to the occasion and support our community - sponsor the
German Ball in Beijing. 2010 will mark the 10th German Ball in
Beijing. This year, too, it will be the support of our sponsors that will
make yet another memorable evening of dining, show and dance
possible. Make your appearance at this celebrated annual event on
13th November and leave a lasting impression with your sponsorship.
For more information please contact our ball coordinator
Ms. Magdalena Kempa at 6539 6664 or under kempa.magdalena@
bj.china.ahk.de
East China
German Ball –
Dancing on the Orient Express on 27th November
The German Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai proudly presents
the highlight of the year and welcomes you to the 13 th German
Ball in the Grand Hyatt Shanghai. With the theme “Dancing on the
Orient Express” expect to enjoy yourself on an adventure-filled trip
including live bands, show acts, an exquisite dinner buffet, free flow
of Hofbraeu Beer as well as delicious wines all night long.
South China
Oktoberfest in South China
Join our OKTOBERFESTivities in South China and have a barrel of
fun with live entertainment, games, hearty food and much more.
Celebrate German culture with friends, colleagues and clients
and enjoy the unique Oktoberfest atmosphere in Guangzhou and
Shenzhen. The Guangzhou Oktoberfest will be held from 8th-12th
October for the 6 th consecutive time in cooperation with China
Hotel, a Marriott Hotel in front of the Jinhan Exhibition Centre. The
Shenzhen festivities follow suit from 4th-7th November at the Crown
Plaza Hotel. For further details or enquiries, please contact us under
[email protected]
78
79
COMMUNITY
80

Part 2 - AHK Greater China

Transcription

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