West China

The Chongqing-Xinjiang-Europe International Railway

By Julia Gu

Feb. 20 – Since separating from Southwest China’s Sichuan Province in 1997, the municipality of Chongqing has emerged as one of China’s fastest developing regions and is regarded by Beijing as the epicenter of the country’s “Go West” campaign.

Last year, the province-sized city with a population of 28.85 million attracted US$11 billion in foreign direct investment and its GDP grew 16.5 percent year-on-year to RMB920 billion (US$145 billion). According to the Chongqing municipal government, the city expects 13.5 percent GDP growth this year. Continue reading →

Posted in Automotive, Business, Economy and Politics, FDI and Foreign Trade, Shipping & Logistics, West China | 2 Comments

The Man from Ashgabat – Xinjiang’s Key to Central Asia

A unique combination of Islam and Russia blends to produce a unique Asian trade opportunity

Op-Ed Commentary: Chris Devonshire-Ellis

Nov. 24 – Xinjiang has long held the fascination of the exotic-minded businessman. Fabled for its association with the ancient Silk Road and Western legends through the travel exploits of Marco Polo, as well as with Chinese mythology through the epic classic “Journey to the West” mixed together with more recent shades of Britain and Russia playing out their “Great Game.” All the while set to the Oriental Islamic mysticism of veiled women, Turkish coffee, silk magic carpets and water pipes, hubbling and bubbling with pure hashish. If Xinjiang didn’t exist, it would be necessary to invent it as the setting for the ultimate Indiana Jones movie. Perhaps one day Spielberg will set foot here, and if not, Daniel Craig should in a remake of the 19th Century adventures in Imperial espionage that took place in Kashgar. Continue reading →

Posted in Business, Culture and History, Economy and Politics, Featured, West China | Tagged Almaty, Ashgabat, Astana, Central Asia, Central Asian Trade, Chris Devonshire-Ellis, Islam, Kashgar, Kazakhstan, Religion, Samarkand, Turkish, Uyghur, Xinjiang | Leave a comment

Shihezi – China’s Cotton and Textiles Hub

Op-Ed Commentary: Chris Devonshire-Ellis

Oct. 12 – One of the hidden treasures of Xinjiang is Shihezi. Actually the region’s second largest city after Urumqi, this has long been a farming community and is often regarded with typical Chinese aplomb as “A Shining Pearl in the Gobi Desert.” Continue reading →

Posted in Business, FDI and Foreign Trade, Markets, Textiles, West China | Tagged China Agriculture, China Commodities, China Cotton, China Natural Resources, China Textiles, Foreign Direct Investment, Shihezi, West China, Xinjiang | Leave a comment

China’s Pan Asia Gold Exchange: A New Playing Field for Speculators?

By Vivian Ni

Oct. 11 – In an age when the assets of insolvent Western economies are becoming less reliable and international investors appreciate gold as a safe haven, the Chinese know it is time for them to play a larger role in the global gold market. The Pan Asia Gold Exchange (PAGE) – opened earlier this year allowing gold trade in China’s own local currency RMB – may make China the new epicenter of the global gold market and even trigger a bigger wave of speculative gold buying and selling. Continue reading →

Posted in Featured, Finance, Tax and Accounting, Markets, West China | Tagged China Gold, Gold Speculation, Kunming, PAGE, Pan Asia Gold Exchange, Renminbi, Yunnan | 6 Comments

Free China Expat Culture Book Download

Sept. 30 – China Expat, China Briefing’s sister site covering all things concerning the interaction between overseas expatriates and Chinese culture, celebrates 10 years of existence this year and has released a complimentary book – “China Expat – A Decade of Writing: 2001-2011” – with a selection of articles contributed to the title over the past decade. The book is launched today both as a anniversary gift to China expats home and abroad, and also to celebrate China’s National Day, which falls on October 1.

“China Expat – A Decade of Writing: 2001-2011” brings together a collection of the published work of four well known expats for the first time in one volume. With articles taken from the archives of the original China Expat magazine, and more recently the online blog from the past 10 years, this collection will provide memories of days gone by, provoke exclamations of “I didn’t know that!” and inspire today’s generation of expats to get out, about and explore. In an age when blogs are mainly blah, the China Expat articles within will provoke, provide food for thought, and raise a wry smile.
Continue reading →

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A Business Guide to Western China – Local Markets and Exotic Exports

A complete overview of the trade dynamics and foreign investment opportunities from Xi’an to Xinjiang, and from Mongolia to Tibet.

Op-ed Commentary: Chris Devonshire-Ellis

Aug. 26 – China’s western regions have long held a fascination for many. The route of the ancient Silk Road, the mysteries of the orient, huge deserts, enormous mountains, a collision of religious, language and numerous tribal cultures, creating an enigmatic region not short of romance, mystery and intrigue. Continue reading →

Posted in Business, Central China, Culture and History, Economy and Politics, FDI and Foreign Trade, Markets, South China, West China | Leave a comment

Tax Policy Clarification Released for China’s Western Region

Aug. 10 – On July 27, China’s National Bureau of Statistics, the Ministry of Finance, and the General Administration of Customs jointly published the “Circular on Issues Concerning Tax Policies for In-depth Implementation of Western Development Strategy (Caishui [2011] No.58, “Circular”),” effective from January 1, 2011.

The western region in the Circular includes Sichuan Province, Guizhou Province, Yunnan Province, Shaanxi Province, Gansu Province, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Tibet Autonomous Region, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, the municipality of Chongqing, and the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps. Continue reading →

Posted in Finance, Tax and Accounting, Legal and Regulatory, Regulatory Update, West China | Leave a comment

China’s Second Tier Cities – the New Kids on the Block

By Nicholas Hughes

Jul. 6 – The HSBC Trade Exchange took place at the Park Hyatt Hotel in Shanghai’s World Financial Center last week from June 27 to June 30. It saw the gathering of business leaders from firms across Europe to understand more about the vast opportunities that are presented by the Chinese market.

Businesses represented at the event were either already doing business in China and were not sure how to capitalize on the new opportunities, or were seriously considering the opportunity of entering China. The guidance, advice, and exchanging of information took place in the form of a series of key-note speeches, presentation, and workshops from industry experts, FDI consultancies, and HSBC representatives. Continue reading →