By Chris Devonshire-Ellis

During the build up to the Olympics - now little more than 12 weeks away - much has been discussed - except good business and morale practice in the treatment of Chinese employees across China while the Olympics take place.

The national pride the Chinese feel in hosting such an event is unprecedented, and as we have seen in the recent national mourning that has taken place due to the Sichuan earthquakes, is unlikely now to disperse. China now needs a successful games, not just for international relations and prestige, but also to recover it’s sense of positive national unity and ability.

Accordingly, the games therefore also offer potential flash points for conflict in the workplace, in addition to opportunities for developing corporate team building and inter-company morale. This can be especially true of international organizations with a strong mix of Western and Chinese management and workers.

We would recommend the following simple steps and facilities to be put in place to maximize the benefits to your workforce the Olympics can bring, and to minimize the risk of absenteeism and a disgruntled workforce. (more…)

SHANGHAI, May 19 – Kathleen’s 5 filled on Saturday night for the restaurant’s third annual charity gala for the International AIDS Candlelight Light Memorial. With the unfolding tragedy in Sichuan at the front of everyone’s mind, the evening was not only a time for people to remember and give to the worldwide victims of the AIDS epidemic, but also open their hearts and pocketbooks for the millions affected by last Monday’s devastating earthquake.

The restaurant, located on the fifth floor of the Shanghai Art Museum and overlooking People’s Park, put on a large gala, raising over RMB200,000 for AIDS related charities. Over 92 sponsors, including Dezan Shira & Associates, contributed time, money and auction items to make the event a success. The night included a dinner, charity auction hosted by CCTV’s James Chau, and live performances by many acts including Jazz du Funk.

“It was the best night so far,” said Franck Crouvezier, the general manager of Kathleen’s 5. “we raised at least RMB40,000 more than last year, so the night was a success.” (more…)

BEIJING, May 9 – Beijing’s subway system will soon implement security checks by the end of June. According to sources, passengers carrying unidentified beverages will be asked to consume them before entering.

Passengers will be subject to security checks by machines, dogs or police officers at all subway stations. Subway entries have been equipped by Butno security excluding the Dongzhimen station in eastern Beijing along Line 2.

The Beijing subway system is used by millions of people. Last month alone, passenger volume was estimated at 4.3 million passengers a day.

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May 8 - The Olympic Flame has reached the world’s tallest mountain. Chinese climbers reached the summit of Mt. Everest this morning, hoisting the flame at 9:18 am Beijing time.

After a turbulent world relay in which protests dogged the torch, and strict measures by both China and neighboring Nepal to bar access to Mt. Everest during throughout the torch’s ascent drew controversy, Cering Wangmo, a 21-year-old Tibetan woman and the youngest member of the expedition, carried the flame atop the peak. (more…)

BEIJING, April 17 - A group of enterprising editors have launched an all out PR campaign to drum up excitement and support for the coming Olympic Games in Beijing this August.

After weeks the Olympic torch relay placing China and its international policies being placed squarely at the center of what has become in many countries an organized street riot, some in the Beijing community are responding by rolling out a concerted PR campaign in the city that is to host the games in little over three months.

All around the capital city tonight, bumper stickers boldly proclaiming “Beijing Jia you,” or “Go Beijing” can be found. From bars to metro walls to taxis, the stickers are everywhere. KFC, one of the largest Western-style fast food restaurants in China has also picked up the promotion. (more…)

Bank’s beginnings lie within the Imperial Chinese Court

April 17 - This is the first of a series of informative historical articles we will be featuring on the development of China’s banks. These articles are condensed from the forthcoming book “A History Of China As Viewed Through Its Bank Notes” to be published by China Briefing.

The Hupu Bank
The Hupu Bank was organized by the Imperial Ministry of Revenues in 1904 during the Qing Dynasty. It is the oldest government owned and operated bank in China and opened its first office in Beijing on September 27, 1905 (August 29, 31st year of Guangxu - Qing Dynasty). In 1907, the Hupu Bank established a Jinan branch. In 1908 its name was changed to “Great Qing Bank” (The Da Ching Government Bank) The Imperial Court of China effectively ended in 1911 when Pu Yi, the young Emperor, abdicated in favor of the new Republic of China envisaged by Sun Yat-Sen. The Republic of China was promulgated on January 1, 1912, with the seat of government being based in Nanjing. (more…)

BEIJING, April 9 - Beijing Capital Airport’s new Terminal Three opened to passenger traffic on March 26. Designed by Sir Norman Foster’s architectural practice Foster & Partners, the Dutch airport planners NACO and engineered by Arup, the new terminal is expected to handle the massive increase in passengers expected for the 2008 Olympics and China’s increased role in global economy from its entry to the WTO.

The new terminal will allow Beijing Capital airport to increase capacity from 27 to 60 million passengers annually by 2015. The same team of planners, architects and engineers were responsible for the Chep Lap Kok airport in Hong Kong.

We sent our intrepid staff to find out how the new terminal was stacking up. (more…)

Foreign criticism often misguided

By Chris Devonshire-Ellis

April 9 - With so much talk recently of Tibet for various reasons, and so much Western paranoia about even mentioning the name of the country (blogs running the name as T*bet or T1bet displays rather a lack of confidence, or a somewhat bizarre notion of harboring anti-China naughtiness. It’s almost become a trendy fashion to mistype the capital city that cannot, apparently be actually spelt for great fear of the Chinese police shutting them down) we decided to dig out an old, long deleted back issue of China Briefing about the investment environment there, which we ran in 2002 (click on cover to download the pdf).

Then, China Briefing hadn’t quite reached the glossy professionally produced standards it has today, but it was at the time – pre-blogging of course – pretty much the only source of China investment information available concerning FDI legal and tax issues about China, at least for free. 40,000 print copies were produced for this issue and distributed across China, and online. The issue followed meetings I had with the Tibetan autonomous regional government, at the time headed up by Guo Jinlong, the Party Secretary. Guo, now the mayor of Beijing, spent some time with me explaining the issues China faced with Tibet, and was a generous host, treating us to Tibetan banquets, dancing and singing. He was also obviously a man who enjoyed getting out and about in Tibet’s harsh sunshine; he had become very dark tanned indeed. (more…)

Both countries have now established tourist promotion offices in each others countries

BEIJING, April 7 - The Indian Minister of Tourism and Culture, Ambika Soni, opened the first Indian Tourism office in Beijing last night in front of the Chairman of the China National Tourism Administration (CNTA), Shao Qiwei at a packed Beijing Hotel gala dinner with over 700 specially invited celebrities and guests.

With the famous Bollywood Indian actor Kabir Bedi as master of ceremonies, the event featured speeches by Mme. Soni, Mr. Shao, the Indian Ambassador to China Nirupama Rao, a 40 minute performance by over 50 Indian classical dancers choreographed by Leela Samson, and a slap up Indian five course dinner prepared by Indian master chefs, specially flown for the event.

Mr. Shao noted that cultural ties were improving and were greatly linked to an increase in cross border trade that was doubling every two years, and looked towards an increase in Indian tourists to China and vice versa. Shao, a long-time personal friend of our Senior Partner and Publisher of China Briefing, Chris Devonshire-Ellis, was congratulated by Chris on the opening of the Chinese equivalent in August last year in New Delhi. Chris commented: “Shao Qiwei and I have known each other since he was the vice-governor of Yunnan province some ten years ago. It’s great to see him now as head of the CNTA and taking such a lead with the promotion of China-India bilateral relations in particular.” (more…)

Mar. 15 - Well, the cat got out of the bag…for all those who have been wondering about the Communist Tax Law site, it seems curiosity killed the cat and certain people have  leaked details of the website, which forces us to tell all before the planned May 1 launch date, which is a bit unfortunate.

Anyway, to prevent any misunderstandings, the Communist Tax Lawyer site will deal with investment law and taxes in communist countries, and ex-communist states. Certain aspects of doing business in these countries have similar themes, and it takes a certain type of business approach to deal with law and financing in regimes that are experiencing shifts from communist based legal systems to capitalist models. This site aims to provide a forum to discuss these matters and to introduce professionals dealing in this fascinating area of developing law to each other and to build an online community of people with similar expertise but doing so in very diverse locations. (more…)