http://silkroadintl.net/blog Your Branch Office in Asia Thu, 26 Jun 2008 12:33:00 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en I have to say the introduction of this book scared me.  Mr. Leonard prefaces his writing by admitting that he knew so little about China that he hoped a trip or two could help him “learn the basics” and then allow him to go home.  But maybe the lack of ... http://silkroadintl.net/blog/2008/06/26/book-review-what-does-china-think-by-mark-leonard/ As if visa restrictions and embassy staff weren't discouraging enough, from the NYT today: "...when an American called the China Travel Guide Tourist Agency last week, a sales clerk even discouraged the person from visiting Beijing during the Olympics. “You really don’t want to go there,” said Lorna Liu, the sales representative ... http://silkroadintl.net/blog/2008/06/25/beijing-wecomes-the-world-to-its-coming-out-party-oh-the-irony/ A couple of really good articles that indirectly have some significance for business in China. First, of course, if you didn’t know, gas prices in China just went up 18%; but they are still relatively lower than the EU or the US because of remaining government subsidies.  While the domestic consumer ... http://silkroadintl.net/blog/2008/06/24/so-are-you-hunanese-or-sichuanese/ Not sure which is more foreboding for the future of the US Chinese relations. The fact that the Chinese publicly don't think that Obama can handle the pressure or make any significant change (smarter than we give them credit for, eh?). Or The fact that "it's the economy, stupid" and McCain is economically ... http://silkroadintl.net/blog/2008/06/21/which-is-worse-for-the-future-of-the-us-chinese-relations/ [gallery] More events today and some more on yesterday's hullabaloo. The landlords were all agitated about the upcoming destruction of the fishpond scheduled for today. We planned to stand arm in arm, old people in front, women second and men in the back (seriously). They called as many papers as ... http://silkroadintl.net/blog/2008/06/19/the-joy-of-living-in-china-part-ii/ [gallery] Yup. Woke up this morning to the SZ police force outside the gates of our apartment complex, Zhonghai Huating. They brought 6 riot vans and two busses full of police to make sure that the housewives, maids and others at home wouldn't disrupt their appropriation of land for ... http://silkroadintl.net/blog/2008/06/18/the-joys-of-living-in-china/ First, Google News in China today: And this article about Thailand--um...banking on the stars?  Ok, we did have Nancy Reagan, but this is the defacto-PM himself.  Scary. http://silkroadintl.net/blog/2008/06/17/neither-of-these-things-are-good-news-for-business-in-asia/ For whatever reason(s), we just went back to my wife’s family’s village for the first time this past week. We drove from SZ to Jingdezhen in Jiangxi, about a 12 hour trip each way. Along the way up and back I gained a new appreciation for driving in ... http://silkroadintl.net/blog/2008/06/16/a-new-chinese-adventure/