So I’ve been researching China with an eye towards giving GWSJ more of a sinocentric (a word I just learned that regards China to be unique or central on the world stage) feel.
- Might be nice to have something like the above Buddha in the Scarborough Bluffs;
- have someone drinking mao tai at the bar;
- Yuan (Chinese currency) should play a part;
- I’m imagining India is a secondary superpower, but more low key — maybe China/India have a US/Canada relationship;
- thinking about a more confident, relaxed China — what’s their relationship with Tibet and Taiwan;
Anyway, if you have links or research suggestions please shoot them over via email or comment — I’m watching Up the Yangtze soon. Just discovered this English language blog about China.
An interesting concept in China, apparently v. important in doing business is the idea of GUANXI. A good explanation of it at the link below, but as it was explained to me at a Chinese business panel as:
“Guanxi is your network of trusted relationships. It’s the most important part of doing business in China. If you don’t have good relationships in Asia, you don’t have an opportunity to do business.
There’s an old saying that every good relationship in China takes 3 cups of tea: on the first cup of tea, you’re considered a stranger, the second cup of tea you’re a friend and the third cup of tea–you’re welcome to join the family and that’s when you get to start doing business in China.”
http://chinese-school.netfirms.com/guanxi.html
The panel’s general opinion was that if you wanted to business in China, you had to be there, getting face time. Other interesting ‘macronumbers’ they listed at the panel:
1.3 Billion population
600 Million in Urban centres
$3000 per year is average wage
Media distribution numbers were:
500 Million television cable households
300 Million Internet users
600 Million Mobile users
Interesting stuff… I’m thinking I’ll rethink the relationships Oscar and Karen/Gary have with their bosses in a more Chinese way.
I had a great chat yesterday with Steven Flusty, a prof who’s spent some time in Bejing. One thing we talked about was the difference in time horizon: corporate entities in the west have to account for their bottom line every year at most, while many companies in the east can project for 5/10/even 20 year terms — this leads to them doing things like investing in the 3rd world as a future source of educated consumers.
Also, I came across this commentary of why the Japanese aren’t into Facebook:
http://neojaponisme.com/2009/05/19/the-fear-of-the-internet/
and followed a link there to the backlash against Google Street View:
http://globalvoicesonline.org/2008/08/08/japan-letter-to-google-about-street-view/
That Japanese/Facebook thing is engrossing.
Also, a timely article on “Asian Shoppers as the New Engine of the World Economy”.
http://www.edmontonjournal.com/news/Asian+shoppers+engine+world+economy+CIBC/1629422/story.html
Just a couple comments about China. Don’t forget, when people talk about “doing business with china,” they are talking the paperwork / trade-relations level. Actually doing business in china at street level is entirely another beast.
Had a friend who production-managed a feature film in China last summer.
Main things she encountered:
1. When she hired a production assistant, or any low-level crew, they usually took their wages (western-level) and used it to hire about 3 assistants for each of themeselves. This was hilarious until the catering / craft services got gobbled up at quadruple the rate – which caused her budget to go haywire immediately. When she waded into this issue fists-first, the pa’s in question just waved their hands at her, palms down, as if trying to quiet a loud / cantankerous co-conspirator who is unaware of the need to be quiet.
2. When she budgeted an item after sourcing the best deal, that seemed to be that, until she showed up to do the transaction, at which point the supplier would invariably have done their own research. “The price has gone up,” they would say, “we heard there’s a shortage.” “But…” she’d stammer, “you already signed a contract.” To this there was no reply, since none was needed: the price had gone up, contract be damned.
3. At bars, there was invariably “bottle service,” i.e. you buy the whole bottle of hard liquor. No shots.
4. “Gender issues” is an understatement. Because she was an Asian-looking female, she got approached by every male around her in rather rude and indeterminate ways, even when she said, “I’m your boss, you must stop this immediately,” it didn’t seem to matter to them.
5. She also got called by every production in town to hire her away at higher rates, i.e. to break her contract. She said no because she works in Vancouver and needs to keep a Vancouver-style reputation / career.
On a completely separate note, another friend had this film in a festival in Shanghai, and it was banned.
http://www.hamstercagethemovie.com/
When he considered doing a publicity stunt around this, the Canadian consular guy came up to him at a party and dissuaded him forcefully. “Do not make a fuss about this,” he insisted. “It will be bad for you.”
And finally, a teaching assistant in my undergrad days had studied Tiananmen Square soon after it happened. Giant puddles of blood etc. People would come out on a balcony waving democracy flags and get shot, even weeks after the main crackdown. He said the respect for foreigners visiting china was extremely high – he saw a kid get hauled off a bus for stealing film from an Australian tourist, and shot on the spot. The family was apparently charged for the bullet, though I have no idea how he’d know that. Interesting to think of the foreign-guest hospitality angle vis-a-vis the Imperialist nature of the future China you’re creating.
That’s why, in some ways, it seems like the Chinese characters in the 2nd draft are more like my impressions of Japanese TV hosts, but that’s without knowing much about Chinese TV.