China - o noua putere mondiala

[ablium]

Originally Posted by SF

ablium, care e punctul tau de vedere vizavi de limita impusa importurilor din China?
Nu esti de parere ca prea multe importuri vor afecta producatorii interni?

According to the original agreement of WTO (World Trade Organization), the global textile quote was supposed to be lifted in 2005. However, rise of Chinese textile export to EU and US was faster than expected, which lead to re-negotiation of the quota. According to the new agreement, the quota will be lifted in two years, if I remember correctly.

At present, Chinese annual export of textile and apparel is at about $150 billions, roughly 15% of total Chinese export. The percentage of textile export in total Chinese export is declining. China has built huge textile industry capacity. I think that Chinese textile industry will still be competitive even Chinese currency appreciates 50%. This year, Chinese export is expected to reach $960 billions, with surplus of $150 billions. Within three years, it is expected that China will emerge as world top exporter. China certainly would like the textile quota lifted. However, the huge trade surplus with US and EU has escalated trade friction with US and EU. The foreign exchange reserve of China has reached one trillion dollars now, which no other countries have ever achieved. I don’t think that it is in the best of the interest of China to allow the reserve to rise further. So I would like to see the Chinese currency to make a significant appreciation to balance the trade.

Within the EU, the opinions about the textile quota are divided. Northern European countries and Germany do not necessarily support the quota. Southern European countries including Italy, Spain, and supposedly Romania too after 2007, are traditional textile makers and would certainly like to have quota imposed. No doubt, Chinese competition in textile and footwear has posed strong challenge for these Southern European countries. European strength in textile and apparel is their brand, design, and control of fashion trend, but not in manufacture and cost structure. In America, I rarely see European apparel. Americans are casual and sloppy. Few Americans dress in suit. Americans care more in comfort than fashion or brand. The standard dress in Silicon Valley is khaki trouser or jeans and cotton Polo shirt. In Japan, almost every man wears nice suits at work. Textile quota system can work in short term to protect European textile industry, but I don’t think that it will work in long term unless current globalization trend reverses and global trade system collapses, which is extremely unlikely. Levis Strauss (the inventor blue jeans, headquartered in San Francisco) had to close its last factory in US a few years ago and move the production to Mexico. I think that European textile companies should focus on brand, design, fashion trend, and distribution.

The other way for European economy to compete is move away from the textile industry to more technology-intensive sector. Unfortunately, most European countries are not doing very well in this direction. Japan used to be a big textile exporter in 1960s, South Korea and Taiwan used to be big textile exporter in 1970s and 1980s. Japan, Korea, and Taiwan have now moved away from textile industry to more technology-intensive sectors. Among major European economies, Germany is probably the only one that is strongly positioned against Chinese competition. I really admire Germany. Its current export is higher than US and China despite of much smaller land size and population. Even Japanese can not shake the status of Mercedes and BMW. I think that, for a quite long period, Chinese can not touch several industrial sectors that are dominated by German. By the way, the technology of the world first commercial Maglev train in Shanghai was supplied by Siemens of Germany. (There is a thread talking about Romanian immigration to UK. Has Germany opened its labor market for Romanians?)

East Europe has many talents. The west Europe should use these talents well to improve its competitiveness in the new industries. I recently saw the ranking of topcoder contest (worldwide computer programming contest), the East European countries beat China and performed much better than India. TopCoder Statistics - Top Ranked Countries
In 1980s, Americans were very scared about the industrial competition of Japan. US media often showed “X” curves to indicate the trend, American decline ( \ in the X curves) and Japan rise ( / in the X curves). But in the 1990s, Americans reversed the trend in the emerging industries, such as PC, internet, networking, and software. Behind the American success in 1990s, there are a lot of hard works of foreign-born talents. I also believe that East Europe can also create world class companies in the new industries if sufficient capital is injected and management expertise is introduced.

[ablium]

3D Real Image Map

This is probably the world first 3D real image city map. It is a better city map than Google Earth which is basically satelite image. It is the map of Shanghai. Click any point on the map of the right side. You will see an eye icon and fan shape in blue color, which indicates your viewing direction at the position. You can move the fan shape to change the viewing direction. The image that you view is shown on the left side of your monitor screen. It is in Chinese and the English version is not available yet. But you still can take a look how future electronic map is going to be. The server is not too fast, so you have to be patient.

By the way, you need the latest version of Java plugin to view the map. If you have not download the latest version of Java map, here is the site.
Download Java Software

[ild12]

good thinking...
de acolo, intre altele.
"Africa, fost teritoriu pe care China incercase sa il cucereasca din punct de vedere politic in timpul anilor '60, a devenit din ce in ce mai mult o sursa fundamentala de aprovizionare cu energie pentru China, care trebuie neaparat menajata."

toata treaba (imbracata in haine de cooperare bilaterala, eliminati foamea din lume.. etc etc) a fost conceputa de fapt pentru intarirea controlului resurselor continentului. o miscare strategica buna.

[ablium]

To view the 3D Real Image Map in my last post, you may need to download the latest version of Microsoft Java and Virtual Machine at this site
http://www.city8.com/download/msjavx86.exe

[ablium]

I hope that you can take the first peek of this most advanced map technology. The software is still in alpha version and I believe that every major city of the world will have this type of map within a couple of years.

I got report from some people that their computers can not show the pictures. If you can not see the picture similar to the attached file. You need to go through following procedures.

1. Download Microsoft VM from
http://www.city8.com/download/msjavx86.exe

2. Install Microsoft VM

3. Open Internet Explorer

4. Go to Tool menu -> Internet Options -> Advanced
a) Deselect Java (Sun) if you have installed Java from Sun before
b) Select all three items in Microsoft VM
c) Click OK to exit from "Advanced"

5. In "Internet Options" select "General", In "Temporary Internet Files", Click "Delete Files" button. Then exit "Internet Options".

6. Close Internet Explorer.

7. Restart Internet Explorer.

8. Visit the following site
3D Real Image Map

You should be able to see that the picture as the attached file. Click and hold on the picture and move your mouse, you will be able to see the whole panorama. You can also move blue-fan on the map of right side to change viewing direction.

Double-Click on any street on the map of right side to change location.
Now, you can take virtual tourism in Shanghai and visit every corner of the street in Shanghai.

Although the map on the right side can also show other Chinese cities, only Shanghai has 3D Real Image presently.

[ablium]

This is a video of one of many planned CBD (Central Business District) in Chongqing City for year 2015.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6qVe-...elated&search=

Updated Video for Chongqing in 2005

China is using this inland city as the center for driving the development of inland provinces.

China overtakes Japan on R&D
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/da4ed9f2-82f...0779e2340.html

Global R&D report for 2007
http://www.battelle.org/news/06/2006report.pdf

[ablium]

Chinezii vor să aducă tratamentul cu celule stem şi în România

http://www.protv.ro/filme/chinezii-v...ania.html#7245

[ablium]

The above video link has been changed to
http://www.protv.ro/filme/chinezii-v...file=7245#7245

EU and US have baneed medical treatment with stem cell because of the ethical concern. The stem cell research might result in the clone of human. Stem cell research is a controvertial topic in the scientific community. The ban in EU and US allows China to lead in this field. Do you think that the medical treatment with stem cell should be banned in Romania?

[ladyatrix]

Originally Posted by ablium

The above video link has been changed to
http://www.protv.ro/filme/chinezii-v...file=7245#7245

EU and US have baneed medical treatment with stem cell because of the ethical concern. The stem cell research might result in the clone of human. Stem cell research is a controvertial topic in the scientific community. The ban in EU and US allows China to lead in this field. Do you think that the medical treatment with stem cell should be banned in Romania?

banned u say?
http://www.newscientist.com/article/...the-cards.html
for us, and this
http://www.dh.gov.uk/PolicyAndGuidan...StemCell/fs/en
for uk
the scientist's concernes are about harmful immune adverse reactions, not about ethics. Clinton and bush were concerned about ethics (yeah, right:P) and that is why government's money cannot be used for stem cell research in US. But this might change:
<SINCE coming to power five years ago, President George W. Bush's administration has come under fire for letting political ideology dictate its choice of scientific advisers, and the advice that it chooses to make public.

Now the tide may be turning, thanks to a law that makes it illegal within the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) to disseminate misleading scientific advice, or to question nominees to advisory panels about their political affiliation and voting history. The DHHS is responsible for such controversial issues as stem cell research and reproductive health.>

It is stupid to ban stem cell treatment and even 75% of the very clever american nation though this way, between eating 4 hamburgers and listenig to a Doom's Day sermon)

[ablium]

Ladyatrix,
You are right. My understanding of stem cell research is somewhat outdated. The voice against stem cell research often came from religious groups. I think the US government still bans the federal funding for the stem cell research.

[ablium]

3D photo map is also availble now for Beijing. I am not aware that any other cities in the world have this type of map except Beijing and Shanghai. See

http://bj.city8.com/panosearch-pid19...FD_u_8D38.html

You need Flash version 9 installed in your computer and minimum RAM memory of 512 MB to see the 3D map.

*************************************************************************************
Celebration of Christmas in a non-christian country
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=424060

I think that China just uses this holiday as commercial sale promotion season rather than the celebration of religion holiday. There are only a few christian churches in China.

[ablium]

Oops, the world largest shopping mall is having trouble to get enough retailers to fill its 1500 store spaces. Is it a sign of economic bubble?

http://www.ibnlive.com/videos/29062/...e-miracle.html

[Ivan]

Neah, e doar o mica greseala de calcul. In cazul in care s-a facut vreun calcul si nu cumva a fost vorba de un hei-rup capitalist, cumva opusul rafinariilor si combinatelor siderurgice construite de ceausescu.

[ablium]

Best Buy (the largest company of electronics retail chain store in America, with over 1100 superstores in North America) has just opened its first store in China. The 8,000-square-meters facility is the company's largest store anywhere.

http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/0...ever-in-china/

Will it be successful? Either the chain will flop miserably, or the Best Buy name will become part of the permanent Chinese retail landscape. Best Buy will have to compete with several other Chinese chain stores of electronics (some of them also have several hundreds of chain stores.).

[ablium]

I hope that both China and US reserve their capability of destroying satellites only for shooting alien flying vehicles.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/19/wo...&ex=1169355600

[ablium]

Ce s-a intamplat?
http://www.protv.ro/filme/chinezoaic...le=10605#10605

http://www.protv.ro/filme/situatie-i...le=10757#10757

[low_level_superhero]

And it focuses on a special situation in Bacau, where Chinese workers at a textile factory have turned against the management in a dispute over salaries.

The newspaper.reports that while the manager complains that the law discriminates between local employees and immigrant employees - who may earn some 300 USD, three times the minimum salary a Romanian would receive - the Chinese workers are stunned they earn far from the 20,000 USD they hoped to earn in a three-year period.

Evenimentul Zilei also reports on the strike of Chinese workers in Bacau and quotes the Chinese women planning to return home, after only six months in Europe.

Still, it notes that they have little to return to in Asia as one worker, who had worked abroad before coming to Romania, said “it is worse in Cambodia than in Romania, and the weather is worse still”.

http://english.hotnews.ro/What-the-n...icol_44170.htm

And Gandul writes that about 200 Chinese workers employed at a textile factory in Bacau, eastern Romania, have attacked their general manager with forks and spoons yesterday, demanding higher salaries.

The newspaper quotes manager Sorin Nicolescu, who claims the workers have been taunted into launching such a strike by the company that recruited them in China, which makes nice commissions based on the salaries of such workers.

http://english.hotnews.ro/What-the-n...icol_44158.htm

[bogdan george]

Dupa intrarea in UE, angajatele au cerut marirea salariului la 750 de dolari (sau euro?) pe luna, dar patronul n-a acceptat decat o crestere pana la 450, asa ca s-au dus chinezoaicele sa-l "convinga" cu furculite si cutite in mana. S-ar parea ca tot scandalul ar fi fost iscat de firma care a intermediat angajarea chinezoaicelor (firma cu pricina primeste 25% din salariul lor). Acum patronul s-a suparat si zice ca nu le va desface (sau nu va innoi) contractul de munca. Pe buna dreptate, zic eu. Sunt destui romani care ar accepta sa munceasca pe mai putin de 750$/luna.

[ablium]

I guess that the recruiters promised too much when they recruited the workers.

"Still, it notes that they have little to return to in Asia as one worker, who had worked abroad before coming to Romania, said “it is worse in Cambodia than in Romania, and the weather is worse still”.

The reporter does not understand labor market and international economy. I don't understand why the worker and the reporter want to compare Romania to Cambodia. Cambodia is not only far worse than Romania, but also far worse than China. Cambodia is an under-developed country and Romania is medium developed country. Its income per capita is about 1/3 of China

[low_level_superhero]

Maybe they are from Cambodia, hence "returning home" spells "returning to Cambodia".