Wandering China

AN 'OVERSEAS CHINESE' STUDENT'S JOURNEY INTO DISCOVERING THE IMAGINATION OF CHINA.

September 29, 2011 • 12:01 am 0

Chinese SUV safety recall [The Age]

Public diplomacy roadblock as one of two of Chery’s first vehicles for the Australian market hits a snag? Australia’s cheapest soft roader comes under scrutiny. Interesting to see how Aussie netizens react to the news that the Chinese SUV Chery J11 SUV is set for further recalls over crash safety fears. Here is a sample of the comments that came with the online report; from the understanding to the dubious.

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Are you really surprised? I mean really? Would you buy a car from a country who doesn’t even value the life of their own people?

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Yeah, I am actually quite surprised. How many other car companies would replace significant parts of the seats and the center console? It shows that Chery is dead serious about breaking into this market, and that they know that the bottom end, bargain basement of the market is wide open, now that KIA and Hyundai have crept up in price.

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I’m dubious about Chinese cars in general, and this only re-inforces my doubts. It’s a simple case of getting what you pay for. A car is not something to skimp on – if you want to save money you’re better off buying a decent second-hand car than a no-frills new car that’s just learning the ropes of producing cars for western markets. Most likely the Chinese will get the hang of it sooner rather than later – Japan did, and Korea are just about there – but right now you couldn’t give me a Chinese car, unless I needed a boat anchor.

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I never tire of this quote: “The only people who buy cars like this have no interest in driving and consequently aren’t very good at it”. It’s reassuring to know that when a Chery driver crashes into me, i’m going to come off considerably better (well, unless i’m on my motorbike)…

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Chinese car safety recall
Matt Campbell
Source – The Age, published September 28, 2011

Chery J11 SUV has been recalled after poor ANCAP testing. Photo – The Age

Chinese car brand Chery has issued its second recall in as many months, this time over crash safety fears for the J11 SUV.

The J11 SUV has been recalled because: “The side impact capabilities of the vehicle may not adequately protect the occupants in the event of an accident”.

The recall affects 1664 vehicles and is a similar problem to the one that forced a recall of Chery’s J1 city car last month. Read the rest of this entry »

Filed under: Australia, Automotive, Beijing Consensus, Charm Offensive, Chinese Model, Economics, Greater China, Influence, International Relations, Lifestyle, Mapping Feelings, Nationalism, Public Diplomacy, Resources, Soft Power, The Age, The Chinese Identity, The construction of Chinese and Non-Chinese identities, Transport

August 5, 2011 • 12:55 am 0

Taxi drivers end strike in eastern Chinese city [AsiaOne/Reuters]

The democratisation of China or a reminder that the Chinese have never been happy to accept unjust conditions for too long. One only has to look back at the rise and topple of a multitude of dynasties over hundreds of emperors. Recent actions such as the Honda China strike revealed deep labour discontent at low wages amidst rising living costs. And they seem to be winning. Foxconn has been made to raise wages by up to 66-70% (depending on who you read) which is indicative of a notable shift of power back to the people. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. According to research at the Transition Institute, there have been 60 taxi strikes in Chinese cities in recent years.

For local coverage, check out China Daily – Striking cab drivers back to work in Hangzhou, August 5, 2011

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Taxi drivers end strike in eastern Chinese city
Reuters
Source – AsiaOne, published August 4, 2011

Photo: Reuters

SHANGHAI – Taxi drivers in the eastern Chinese city of Hangzhou have returned to work after three days of protests demanding higher wages, the official Xinhua News Agency reported on Thursday.

A series of similar protests by taxi drivers have hit other cities across the nation, highlighting mounting frustration among migrant workers who make up a growing share of the country’s workforce.

The drivers in Hangzhou, who have gathered at several points throughout the picturesque city for the past three days, had begun taking passengers on Thursday morning after the government pledged to hold a public hearing and adjust fares, Xinhua reported. Read the rest of this entry »

Filed under: AsiaOne, Automotive, Chinese Model, Culture, Democracy, Domestic Growth, Economics, Government & Policy, Honda Strike in Foshan 2010, Infrastructure, Mapping Feelings, Politics, Population, Reform, Reuters, Social, The Chinese Identity, The construction of Chinese and Non-Chinese identities, Transport

July 31, 2011 • 11:49 am 0

The significance of China’s high-speed train crash [Straits Times]

Singapore: Straits Times correspondent Tracy Quek, and I recall sharing her sentiments both times I managed to use the high-speed rail – ‘On my first ride, I marvelled at the sleek, white carriages, the spotless interiors, the warmth of the service staff, and above all, the smoothness and comfort of the journey…. This is the way to travel! This is the face of progress! The United States (where I have been working since mid-2009) should get its act together and build its own high-speed rail network, I remember telling myself as I snapped a picture of the monitor in the cabin showing the train’s speed hitting 300km/h.’

In this instance, she reveals that little has changed over China’s handing of disasters such as this, with news that officials had ordered the damaged train carriages buried, and that China’s Railway Ministry has been less than forthright about what caused the crash, offering only vague responses to reporters seeking details.

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The significance of China’s high-speed train crash
Tracy Quek, US Correspondent
Source – Straits Times, published July 26, 2011

For the past month, I have been a regular commuter on China’s high speed trains, zipping up and down the country between major cities including Nanjing, Wuxi and Shanghai.

On my first ride, I marvelled at the sleek, white carriages, the spotless interiors, the warmth of the service staff, and above all, the smoothness and comfort of the journey.

This is the way to travel! This is the face of progress! The United States (where I have been working since mid-2009) should get its act together and build its own high-speed rail network, I remember telling myself as I snapped a picture of the monitor in the cabin showing the train’s speed hitting 300km/h. Read the rest of this entry »

Filed under: Automotive, Chinese Model, Civil Engineering, Domestic Growth, High Speed Rail, Media, Politics, Straits Times, The Chinese Identity, The construction of Chinese and Non-Chinese identities, Transport

July 29, 2011 • 12:08 am 0

Wen Jiabao’s Stunning Admission at Train Crash Site [Wall Street Journal]

The Wall Street Journal reports an ‘unusual’ admission of illness, something Chinese leaders rarely do. Now could this be a measured move, or increasing humanisation the Chinese leadership’s legitimacy to lead.

‘When rumors surfaced this month that former president Jiang Zemin was gravely ill or possibly even dead, censors on China’s most popular microblogging site went so far as to block all searches containing the Chinese word for “river,”or jiang, in an effort to quash the discussion.’

Premier Wen in this instance shares that he has been bed-ridden for eleven days, which was why it took him five days to visit the crash site of the Wenzhou high-speed rail collision.

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Wen Jiabao’s Stunning Admission at Train Crash Site
Josh Chin
Source – Wall Street Journal China Realtime Report, published July 28, 2011 

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, center, visits at the site of the Saturday July 23, 2011 train crash, in Wenzhou, east China’s Zhejiang province, Thursday, July 28, 2011. Photo: AP

This post has been changed since it was first posted. See below.

Why did it take Chinese premier Wen Jiabao five days to visit the site of Saturday’s deadly high-speed train collision near Wenzhou?

The answer, according to Mr. Wen: He was sick.

In a striking admission, the 69-year-old leader affectionately known as Grandpa Wen said Thursday that his arrival in Wenzhou had been delayed because he’d been laid up in bed for 11 days. “Over this time I’ve been ill,” Mr. Wen said at a news conference, though he didn’t say what the illness was. “The doctor only today reluctantly allowed me to travel.” Read the rest of this entry »

Filed under: Automotive, Charm Offensive, Chinese Model, Communications, Culture, Disaster, High Speed Rail, Influence, Media, Nationalism, People, Politics, Population, Public Diplomacy, Social, Strategy, The Chinese Identity, The construction of Chinese and Non-Chinese identities, Transport, Wall Street Journal

July 25, 2011 • 1:20 am 0

Toddler pulled alive from China train crash wreckage [AP/The Age]

Unfortunate news. There had been talk earlier that corruption (Corruption Hits China’s High-Speed Railway, FT/CNBC March 24 2011) could put a grinding halt the high speed rail project with breakdowns as recent as this month - High Speed Rail breaks down again (China Daily, July 14, 2011).

58 trains have been suspended and the fault has been identified as lightning-triggered.  In Chinese fashion, the accountable will be hunted down and made an example of – Senior officials sacked after deadly train collision (China Daily, July 24, 2011).

Although this line from Hangzhou to Wenzhou which I have taken is another altogether, and older.

It looks like China’s ambitious high speed rail plans (see earlier posts – China’s rail expansion is on the fast track (Straits Times, November 8 2010)) hits a major multifaceted hurdle of engineering, corruption and people’s diplomacy. The official apology from the ministry – Ministry spokesman apologizes for deadly crash + China Daily’s updates [China Daily, July 25, 2011)

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Toddler pulled alive from China train crash wreckage
AP
Source – The Age, published July 25, 2011

Off track … carriages were derailed in the accident. Photo: AP

A toddler was rescued about 21 hours after a crash involving two high-speed trains in eastern China killed at least 43 people and injured more than 200 others, state media reported.

The unconscious child was found early on Sunday evening while rescuers were clearing one of the train cars just as the cleanup efforts were almost completed. It cited an unnamed firefighter.

“When we found him, he could still move his hands,” Xinhua News Agency quoted the firefighter as saying. Read the rest of this entry »

Filed under: 52 Unacceptable Practices, AP, Automotive, Beijing Consensus, Chinese Model, Civil Engineering, Corruption, Crime, Disaster, Domestic Growth, Economics, Environment, High Speed Rail, Infrastructure, Modernisation, Population, Social, The Age, Transport

July 21, 2011 • 12:01 am 0

100 km of frustration on Beijing-Tibet Highway [China Daily]

100 km of frustration on Beijing-Tibet Highway
Source – China Daily, published July 20, 2011

A traffic jam caused by road works stretches nearly 100 km on a section of the Beijing-Tibet Highway in Ulanqab, Inner Mongolia autonomous region, on July 19, 2011. Photo - Xinhua

Two drivers trapped by a traffic jam have to eat instant noodles for their supper, on July 19, 2011. A traffic jam caused by road works since July 10 stretches nearly 100 km on a section of the Beijing-Tibet Highway in Inner Mongolia autonomous region. Photo - Xinhua

Filed under: Automotive, Beijing Consensus, China Daily, Chinese Model, Civil Engineering, Communications, Communist Party 90th Anniversary, Domestic Growth, Infrastructure, Population, Social, Tibet, Transport

July 14, 2011 • 12:26 am 0

High-speed train breaks down again [China Daily]

China’s high speed rail’s pride and joy, the newly opened Beijing-Shanghai line starts to show operational and expectational cracks. The USD$33 billion dollar line halves the rail journey time between China’s political and financial hubs to just five hours, and was celebrated as a milestone but perhaps a lesson can be learnt as seen in the quote below –  ’rationality should have been fostered from the very beginning…’

“If the railway department pre-warned that high-speed trains could be disrupted by thunderstorms and gales, or that problems are inevitable in the initial stages, I would not have such high expectations … Rationality should be fostered from the very beginning.” Zhang Quanling, anchor with China Central Television

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High-speed train breaks down again
By Xin Dingding
Source – China Daily, published July 14, 2011

BEIJING – A northbound train on the newly opened Beijing-Shanghai high-speed line broke down on Wednesday, the third such incident since Sunday when services were disrupted by power outages.

The Beijing railway bureau said on its official micro blog that the train encountered “a sudden malfunction and could not operate normally”.

Passengers had to take a back-up train, which arrived at Beijing South Railway Station at about 5 pm, two and a half hours behind schedule, the bureau said. Read the rest of this entry »

Filed under: Automotive, Beijing Consensus, Charm Offensive, China Daily, Chinese Model, Civil Engineering, Communications, Communist Party 90th Anniversary, Domestic Growth, Economics, Environment, High Speed Rail, Infrastructure, Modernisation, Nationalism, Transport

February 24, 2011 • 12:08 pm 0

[Chery J1] $11,990: New car for the price of a 1986 Corolla [The Age]

Australia | Hot on the heels of Great Wall Motors (whose tagline is ‘The Great Cars of China are Here’) and Geely Motors (the relatively recently minted owners of Volvo), comes Chery attempting to set new standards in affordability by offering $11,990 for a brand new cut-price hatchback. The price? Apparently the price of a 1986 Corolla.

For more on the Chery, check out their international site here. Founded in 1997 by 5 Anhui state owned investment companies, they rolled out their first in 1999. By 2007, they had rolled out their millionth. Quite some milestone indeed.

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$11,990: New car for the price of a 1986 Corolla
Richard Blackburn
Source – The Age, published February 24, 2011

Cherry J1 - Photo - The Age

Chinese car maker Chery is about to turn the clock back 25 years for new car buyers, with a new small car going on sale next week for just $11,990 drive-away.

That price is less than a Toyota Corolla cost in 1986.

The cut-price hatchback, called the J1, will be joined by the J11 compact SUV, which at $19,990 drive-away is the cheapest softroader on the market by a considerable margin. That price includes leather trim and standard airconditioning. A third vehicle, the Corolla-sized J3, will go on sale in the middle of this year. Read the rest of this entry »

Filed under: Australia, Automotive, Beijing Consensus, Charm Offensive, Chinese Model, Economics, Greater China, Influence, International Relations, Nationalism, Soft Power, Strategy, Technology, The Age, The Chinese Identity, The construction of Chinese and Non-Chinese identities, Transport

February 8, 2011 • 1:28 am 0

Surge of people on move set to hit peak [China Daily]

77.3 million people were moved in the first Chinese New Year period between Jan 19 and Feb 2 according to China’s Ministry of Railways (helmed by Liu Zhijun). This peak period for domestic railway travel in China is known as 铁路春运.

Staggering numbers are fast becoming a norm in the understanding of China’s scale, and what is heartening from this report is that volunteers are pitching in to help travelers out (the dominant number being poor migrant workers) - ”One day, I helped more than 70 passengers with their luggage and, after all of them got on the trains, it felt like my legs were almost paralyzed,” Liu Chen, student.

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Surge of people on move set to hit peak
By Yan Jie and Cheng Yingqi
Source – China Daily, published Feb 08, 2011

 

A father, traveling from his hometown in Anhui province to Jiangsu province carries his son during a stop-off in Xinyu, Jiangxi province, on Feb 7, 2011. Photo – Xinhua

BEIJING – China’s railroads and highways will see their busiest day of the Spring Festival holiday on Tuesday when the number of travelers returning to major cities hits its peak, just as a cold snap sweeps across much of the country, the ministries of railways and transport said on Monday.

The Ministry of Railways said on its website that there had been a sharp rise in the number of travelers leaving smaller cities on Monday bound for such places as Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou.

The ministry said the number of people on the move on Tuesday is likely to make the day the Spring Festival travel peak.

The nation’s roads are also likely to be at their Spring Festival maximum on Tuesday and Wednesday, the Ministry of Transport reported on Monday on its official website. Read the rest of this entry »

Filed under: Automotive, China Daily, Chinese Model, Culture, Domestic Growth, Economics, Environment, Influence, Migrant Workers, Migration (Internal), People, Population, Social, Spring Festival, Transport

January 24, 2011 • 4:29 am 0

Rich Chinese Women Open Throttle on `Man’s World’ With $400,000 Maseratis [Bloomberg]

Contemporary China – where women have the desire and ability to seek equal standing with male counterparts.

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Rich Chinese Women Open Throttle on `Man’s World’ With $400,000 Maseratis
Liza Lin
Source – Bloomberg, published January 14, 2011

Beijing resident Lily Liu has always liked driving fast, and she doesn’t mind spending to indulge that passion.

Liu, 44, bought a gray Porsche AG 911 Carrera S two years ago for 1.2 million yuan ($182,000) and is shopping for an Aston Martin, the sports car made famous by James Bond movies. The construction company president said she is “quite proud” of being the center of attention when she motors around the city.

“Fast cars have always been a man’s world,” Liu said. “Women buying such cars are just seeking an equal standing with our male counterparts.” Read the rest of this entry »

Filed under: Automotive, Bloomberg, Chinese Model, Culture, Domestic Growth, Economics, Influence, Lifestyle, Media, Nationalism, Public Diplomacy, Social, Trade

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Good Reads

A History of Hong Kong (Welsh, rev. 1997)

Behind the Open Door: Foreign Enterprises in the Chinese Marketplace (Rosen, 1999)

Beyond the Chinese Face: Insights from Psychology (Bond, 1991)

Charm Offensive: How China's Soft Power is Transforming the World (Kurlantzick, 2007)

China and the Chinese Overseas (Wang, 2003)

China Off Center - Mapping the Margins of the Middle Kingdom (Blum & Jensen, 2002)

China Wakes (Kristof & Wudunn, 1995)

China's Transformations(Jensen & Weston, 2007)

Chinas Unlimited (Lee, 2003)

China’s Security Interests in the 21st Century (Ong, 2007)

Chinese among others - Emigration in Modern Times (Kuhn, 2008)

Chinese Kinship (Chao, 1983)

Chinese Nationalism (Unger, ed. 1996)

Chinese Strategic Culture and Foreign Policy Decision-Making (Feng, 2007)

Dialetic of the Chinese Revolution (Ci, 1994)

Don't Leave Home - Migration and Chinese (Wang, 2001)

Integrating China into the Global Economy (Lardy, 2002)

Interpreting China’s Grand Strategy - Past, Present and Future (Swaine & Tellis, 2000)

Kinship, Contract, Community & State (Cohen, 2005)

Re Orient - Change in Asian Societies (Vervoorn, 2006)

The Gare of Heavenly Peace: The Chinese and their Revolution, 1895-1980 (Spence, 1986)

The Great Chinese Revolution: 1800-1985 (Fairbank, 1987)

The Overseas Chinese of South East Asia (Witzel and Rae, 2008)

The Paradox of China's Post-Mao Reforms (Goldman and Macfarquhar, ed. 1999)

The Real Chinese Question (Holcombe, 1901) **

Understanding China: A guide to China's Economy, History, and Political Structure (Starr, 1997)

Understanding China and India - Security Implications for the United States and the World (Lal, 2006)

Weaving the Net: Conditional Engagement with China (Shinn, ed., 1996)

Where Underpants Come From: From Checkout to Cotton Field - Travels through the New China. (Bennett, 2008)

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