Shanghai

Finally! Guangzhou to get 72-hour visa-free stays… at the end of the year

Posted: 02/21/2013 9:30 am

If you have friends and family who want to visit, this is good news.

Guangzhou is set to introduce 72-hour visa-free stays at Baiyun Airport for inbound visitors by the end of the year in a bid to spur on the province’s weak tourism market. It follows Shanghai and Beijing, both of which also implemented 72-hour visa-free stays.

A special conference was held to look at ways to address Guangdong’s lack of tourism appeal, where the visa policy change was announced. The move will give Guangdong a chance to showcase it’s tourism credentials.

Beijing and Shanghai introduced their waiver at the start of this year, encouraging hassle-free short-stays for travellers in 45 countries, leaving the south of the country isolated.

Arics Lam, the General Manager of The China Hotel, A Marriott Hotel told TheNanfang.com last year that more could be done to promote Guangdong to overseas visitors:

Arics is one of many general managers in discussions with the Guangzhou Tourism Bureau on how hotels can work together to help promote the city. “We’re suggesting repositioning Guangzhou. Going into the international market is important. How we can propose to government bodies how we can form something to promote the city.”

With warning signs down the road, at least in Guangzhou, hoteliers hope to work more closely with the tourism bureau to drum up business. Bosses are also hoping for more trade fairs and exhibitions to soak up supply. Horwath Asia Pacific notes the bi-annual Canton Fair can result in 40 per cent of total annual revenue for major brands.

Here’s some data from the tourism authority cited in WCARN:

According to the data provided by Tourism Administration of Guangdong Province, the number of inbound overnight visitors increased 4.74% in 2012 by comparing to 2011, while the number of inbound visitors through ports was 107.95 million, down 2.6% by comparing to 2011.

Authorities will, at last, be able to address the imbalance between business and leisure travellers.

Guangdong has not been immune from the global financial crisis and in recent years some southern cities have taken a bigger hit with the lion’s share of business travellers scaling back spending.

Images: Taiyofj/Flickr

Tagged: 72-Hour Visa-FreeArics LamBeijingBusiness TravellerChina Hotel - A Marriott HotelGlobal Financial CrisisLeisure TravellerShanghaiTourism

Guangdong to loosen school entry restrictions for migrants, but some say it’s not enough

Posted: 12/31/2012 10:00 am

Getting into a reputable high school or college is a difficult task for even the most privileged of Chinese students. Yet the situation for the children of migrant workers is infinitely worse. The Communist Party’s long-standing household registration policy, or hukou, has barred the children of migrant workers from even applying to many university-track high schools and universities. Yet according to a report on China National Radio, Beijing, Shanghai and Guangdong plan to gradually relax the restrictions.

As of 2013 in Beijing, and 2014 in Shanghai, the children of migrant workers living within city borders will gain access to higher-education exams. However, the rights are far from what their urban counterparts currently enjoy. The plan includes removing restrictions on admissions to vocational-track schools, and will only permit university access to those students who have first graduated from a vocational school programme. Even if they successfully complete such a program, their university applications will continue to be processed in their legal hometown.

According to reformists, the new policy will continue to discriminate against rural migrants. “It’s not ideal,” says Zhan Haite, the 15-year-old daughter of migrant workers who, despite being raised in Shanghai, was barred from attending a university-track high school. Her father’s campaign to secure education rights in Shanghai resulted in protests earlier this month, and ultimately his detention for several days. “They have just made the regulations more detailed, not changed the underlying situation,” she said, adding as long as rural migrants are perceived as second class citizens, they will never be accepted as equals within higher-education: “I bet only 5 per cent of the kids would meet the new requirements.”

While Guandong won’t introduce similar education reforms until 2016, they will not be subject to the same restrictions as students in Beijing and Shanghai. According to the report, Guangdong students will be able to apply to university on an “equal footing with legal residents”. However, as more specifics have yet to be released, it remains unclear as to how equitable Guangdong’s policy will actually be.

First introduced by the Communist Party in 1958 to control the movement of workers from rural to ballooning urban areas, the hukou registration system imposes controls over health care, education, and housing for those workers seeking employment outside of their own geographical region. While reforms were introduced in the 1990’s and again in the early 00’s, the Chinese Ministry of Public Security has justified the continuation of the policy on the basis that densely populated urban centres lack the necessary resources and infrastructure to support the overwhelming influx of rural Chinese that has occurred over the last three decades.

Tagged: BeijingEducationeducation reformGuangdonghukouShanghaiZhan Haite

Nanfang TV: Incredible time-lapse video of Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Shanghai

Posted: 11/16/2012 9:06 am

We *really do* live in the most awesome part of China, and this video showcases the PRD (and, well, Shanghai) in all its glory.

Random Wire (via Beijing Cream) has brought our attention to this stunning time lapse video of three of China’s most dynamic and fast-paced cities. All three boast huge migrant and foreign populations and continue to grow and evolve at a breakneck pace. The video is shot on a Canon 5D MII.

Random Wire is a photographer based in Hong Kong, but previously lived in Mainland China (you can check out his highly-recommended photo blog here). He had this to say about the video:

Living inside one of China’s behemoth cities is a humbling experience, such is the enormity of their size and the human endeavours taking place there. The timelapse video above by zweizwei brings back fond memories of my time spent in mainland China and captures everyday life in Shenzhen, Guangzhou, and Shanghai extremely well – sunshine and smog included. Despite the endless sea of people streaming in from all over the country for the opportunities they provide, these cities can be strangely impersonal and isolating…

Enjoy.

Tagged: GuangzhourandomwireShanghaiShenzhentime lapsevideovimeo

Microblogger in Foshan provokes outrage after putting cat in freezer

Posted: 08/2/2012 7:00 am

China has a considerable track record of cruelty to animals. Peta has published an expose on the country’s fur farms, and vegetarian singer Morrissey labelled the Chinese “a sub-species of the human race,” due to their habit for cruelty to animals.

A Sina Weibo user in Foshan was human-flesh searched after uploading pictures of his cat in a freezer, according to Southern Metropolis Daily. He claimed in the microblog post that the cat had been in there for two hours.

With the username of @Henly-谢世亨, which he would soon change, the user announced: “My cat has been in here for two hours, and still hasn’t frozen solid,” followed by two smiley faces. The post added, “It’s still very grumpy.” After the human-flesh search began, the user claimed to have been mystified by how much outrage he had caused.

Initially, the microblogger justified his actions by saying he was trying to “train” the cat. Then he claimed the cat had climbed into the freezer of its own accord. After that he claimed the cat was now out, safe and warm, and playing with its owner.

He had been forced to back down after netizens asked questions such as, “Why would you leave the freezer door open?” and “How do you know he has been in there for exactly two hours?” Even after the user produced photographic evidence that the cat had emerged safely, netizens were calling for the cat to be taken off him, because his behaviour amounted to maltreatment.

After deleting the initial post, the user, now under the name of @_M eloey, posted a picture of the cat next to his phone which had the time and date: 16:36 July 30. But even this did not appease many netizens who continue to insist the cat be given to a more responsible owner.

Recently, a Shanghai woman named Zhou Ying who was found to have mistreated a kitten and caused its death saw her address, photograph and phone number posted online. Netizens insisted she publicly apologize or even be taken to court, but Zhou is yet to acknowledge wrongdoing.

So are Peta and Morrissey right about the Chinese? Alhough cruelty to animals is far from a thing of the past, the public is evidently getting more enlightened. Perhaps they should boycott Morrissey’s music…oh, wait.

Tagged: Animal CrueltyCatFreezerMorrisseyPETAShanghaiSina WeiboZhou Ying

Hong Kong’s US retail invasion: J. Crew next to move in

Posted: 07/31/2012 11:05 am

One of the big benefits of living in the PRD is having access to all that Hong Kong offers just south of the border. While those in Shanghai and Beijing get their “authentic” China experiences, we’re fortunate to get the best of China where we live with the added convenience of having access to the foreign retail chains in Hong Kong, cheap electronics, and even a wide selection of books unavailable on the Mainland. (Not to mention fast and unfettered Internet when it’s needed).

For those that like to head south to pick up items unavailable up here, you’re going to like this: US fashion retail icon J. Crew is moving in. The brand - adored by the likes of First Lady Michelle Obama - is now scouring Hong Kong looking for a place to open a flagship store.

J. Crew won’t be the first US chain to open in the territory, either. The city has seen a US retail invasion over the past few years with the Gap having opened in Central and Abercrombie and Fitch set to open on Pedder Street on August 11. J. Crew has over 200 retail stores in the US and Canada and believes entering Asia through Hong Kong - which is seen as a mature market - is a stepping stone to further growth in China. After all, Hong Kong has a strong combination of local consumers and 42 million tourists, including 28 million Mainland visitors.

J. Crew chairman and CEO Mickey Drexler told Bloomberg today: “You must be in Hong Kong, you must be in Shanghai and… We need to grow quickly.”

While western brands are moving in, there are signs of a spending slowdown in Hong Kong. Figures for October 2011 showed growth of 23 per cent, but in May 2012 it tumbled to 5.8 per cent, the slowest pace of growth for 18 months.

There’s no word on when the new J. Crew store will open.

Tagged: Abercrombie & FitchBeijingBloombergCentralGapJ. CrewMainland TouristsMichelle ObamaMickey DrexlerPedder StreetShanghaiShenzhen

Laowai’s cost of living in Shenzhen, Guangzhou exceeds New York

Posted: 06/23/2012 7:00 am

The cost of living in Shenzhen and Guangzhou has exceeded that of New York for the first time, according to Southern Metropolis Daily

It was reported June 12 that according to the world’s biggest human resource managerial consultation company Mercer Human Resource Consulting, the cost of living in the cities exceeded that of New York in March this year. The research method involved comparing payment levels for companies and governmental institutions whose staff work overseas.

The survey covers more than 200 indexes including housing, traffic, food, clothes, household appliances and entertainment. The report ranks New York 33th, the highest in the U.S. Five cities in China are above New York on the list, including Hong Kong which is number 9, Shanghai in 16, Beijing in 17, Shenzhen in 30 and Guangzhou in 31.

The reason for the soaring prices is the appreciation of the RMB and the increasingly volatile housing market, according to the report.

Tagged: BeijingCost of LivingGuangzhouInflationLaowaiMercer Human Resource ConsultingNew YorkShanghaiShenzhen

15 year old dresses in schoolgirl uniform to solicit sex, says “anything better than being poor”

Posted: 05/3/2012 11:59 pm

Police arrested two teenaged girls - one of them only 15 - in Foshan last week after they found the girls soliciting sex, according to the Southern Metropolis Daily.

The two girls wore uniforms from the local technical school in Sanshui District and reported to their 23-year old female ringleader known as “Hei Mei”. The girls both admitted they were ashamed of their profession, but had no other source of income. They said they could demand a high price if they went out dressed as school girls, with one of them saying “anything is better than being poor”.

This isn’t the first time young teenaged girls have been found soliciting sex. A similar case was reported in Shanghai last fall.

Tagged: FoshanPoorProstituteProstitutionSanshui DistrictSchoolgirlsSexShanghaiSouthern Metropolis Daily

Fashion alert! Britain’s Topshop ‘pops up’ in Shenzhen

Posted: 05/2/2012 11:40 pm

Hundreds of eager people flocked to Shenzhen’s King Glory Plaza for China’s first Topshop as it opened its doors on Tuesday morning. Throughout the day, the store was packed, proving popular with shoppers queuing to get inside.

Vivien Zao (left) and Lei Sheng Nan (right) holding up their new purchases

As large crowds gathered for the opening, the British fashion retailer was already amassing high levels of interest with more than 4,500 followers on Weibo.

One female shopper almost feinted standing in the long queue to use the changing room. She was determined not to lose her place.

While store manager Jeffrey Zhang said the demand had beaten his expectations, some shoppers had a mixed response to the new store.

Lei Shengnan, 26, from Shenzhen snapped up some purple denim hotpants: “I waited half an hour to use the fitting room but I did because I really like the style. It’s exotic compared to other native Chinese fashion shops.”

Vivian Zao, 24, also from Shenzhen wasn’t as complementary, describing the store as small compared to her Topshop experience in Singapore.

Li Yue from Shanghai

Li Yue, 20, from Shanghai, said: “I think the clothes Topshop produced aren’t good this season. I’m expecting better in Shanghai, but I don’t know if Topshop will open there. I just heard it will.”

With all of the momentum and hype, Topshop’s innovative ‘pop-up’ concept store will be on the move in a couple of months’ time. It’s the first brand of billionaire Sir Philip Green’s Arcadia Group retail empire to set foot in the greater China region.

The opening is seen as a test ahead of possibly launching more pop-up stores. Beyond that, it expects to open its first flagship store in China next year.

Fei Space’s Ray Lee, who brought the Topshop and Topman brand to China, explained to The Nanfang why he opened up in the Pearl River Delta. “We know the Beijing market, we know the Shanghai market. Shenzhen is a really different market. It’s also a very modern city as opposed to a very traditional one like Shanghai or Beijing.”

The Topshop store

Tagged: Arcadia GroupBeijingFei SpaceJeffrey ZhangKing Glory PlazaLifestyleLuohuMay DayRay LeeShanghaiSingaporeSir Philip GreenTopshopWeibo

Surprise: survey shows poor people in Guangzhou are miserable

Posted: 12/9/2011 2:21 pm

Shoppers are happy, at least. (Photo from allycheang.com)

We like these happiness surveys in China that seem to come out every few months. Usually, they aim to figure out who’s the happiest in China based on city. The survey that came out this week, however, took a closer look at happiness in relation to income. And we highly doubt anybody will be surprised by the results.

The Guangzhou Public Opinion Research Centre found that a vast majority (81%) of high-income earners in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou are satisfied when it comes to “realizing their personal values”, while only 18% of low-income earners said the same. (And one thought personal values were income agnostic).

What made people unhappy differed in the three cities, however:

Beijingers were the least satisfied with their individual income, public transportation and health care. Residents of Shanghai and Guangzhou said they were the most discontent with health care.

No doubt transportation is a horrific problem in Beijing (did nobody mention air pollution?), but it’s interesting to see that healthcare is a problem for many in Guangzhou.

The survey results aren’t exactly unexpected, but they are still problematic for policymakers: poor people aren’t happy, and there are a lot more poor people in China than rich ones.

That wealth gap and polarization of the high and low income groups will need to be addressed soon. Wang Wenjun, the Executive Director of the Guangzhou Public Opinion Research Center, said ”The indexes of the survey were designed to study the feelings of individuals. But the need to improve public services is urgent.”

Tagged: BeijingGuangzhouHappinessHealthcareIncomePollutionShanghaiSurveyTransportation

Guangzhou beats Beijing, Shanghai for best quality of life

Posted: 06/16/2011 12:00 pm

In a move nobody saw coming, Guangzhou has been ranked as the best city to live in all of Mainland China.

In a survey called the China City Life Quality Index Report (a quintessentially Chinese bureaucratic name), Guangzhou ranked first as the most livable city in China with a score of 64.07, followed by Shanghai at 60.5. Where’s Beijing? Oh, it’s down in eighth place with a score of 56.23. Beijing’s poor showing is being blamed on poor city management and traffic chaos (which anybody who’s visited the dusty capital can certainly attest to).

The China Daily tells us how these figures were reached:

The “Life Quality Index” for Chinese cities was calculated using objective indicators such as per capita income and inflation rates, as well as subjective indicators provided by urban residents, such as their opinions on their incomes, living costs, medical care and living environment.

Subjective indicators were weighted at 40 percent in compiling the index, organizers said.

Shanghai city blog Shanghaiist couldn’t resist taking a few shots at its northern rival in a post titled “Suck it, Beijing: Shanghai life quality way better than northern capital’s“:

We did it! We’re #1! Err actually were #2, but at least we beat those big, smelly, good for nothing, uncivilized louts from Beijing!

Got to love the competition between Shanghai and Beijing. What neither city gets is that they are fighting it out for second place.