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Issue 433

WiC 433 (Nov 23, 2018)

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How they spend it

China Consumer, Talking Point Conflicting indicators on whether the Chinese consumer is in retreat

The reshuffle in Hong Kong’s benchmark Hang Seng Index (HSI) often reflects more fundamental changes in the Chinese economy. Take Tingyi. The ...

The Mittelstand man

Corporate Q&A, HSBC Partner Content Second-generation owner discusses how Germany Inc views China trends

For decades Fiducia has been helping German companies to do business in China. With a client roster of some of the key manufacturers from the ...

Green consumers

China Consumer China’s fascination with jade has an 8,000-year history

In his Book of the Marvels of the World, Marco Polo described Xinjiang’s Hotan as a land of milk and honey. The oasis town was part of a ...

What went wrong?

M&A ‘China’s Facebook’ exits social media business

One of the problems with social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram is that all the photos of lovely holidays and stimulating social lives can ...

Flat battery

Internet & Tech Does air-con tycoon regret Yinlong purchase?

When Xi Jinping embarked on his high-profile ‘Southern Tour’ in October, his first stop was a factory run by Gree Electric Appliances, China’s ...

Lacking the personal touch

China Tourist New Alibaba hotel in Hangzhou hopes to dispense with human workers

Generally speaking, hotels love to talk up the ‘people skills’ of their staff when they are promoting their services. Not so at Flyzoo, ...

China’s chequered flag

World of Weibo China’s chequered flag

Sport has often had a strong political undertone in China. The state trains the vast bulk of athletes in a system inspired by the Soviet Union. And ...

Geng Shuai

Red Star China’s wacky inventor

Few would disagree that Tat Man-sai is one of the most memorable characters in Stephen Chow’s movies. Appearing in the Hong Kong director’s 1994 ...

Political reporting

Media & Gaming Newspapers told to downplay bad news

What’s the best way to work out how well the Chinese economy is doing? It’s probably not a good idea to rely too much on the official GDP figures, ...

Acceptance speech furore

Entertainment Political comments prompt a broadcast halt for film awards ceremony

The entertainment industry has occasionally used its award ceremonies as a platform to express its political preferences. In 1993, when the actor ...

Booze buying

Planet China As we reported last week, Alibaba’s Singles’ Day once again set…

As we reported last week, Alibaba’s Singles’ Day once again set sales records ($30.8 billion was spent during the online shopping bonanza). ...

Sparks at the summit

Sino-File “The United States deals openly, fairly. We do not offer a…

US Vice-President Mike Pence renews his criticism of China, this time at the APEC meeting in Papua New Guinea. His remarks were aimed at Xi Jinping’s ...

A sense of an ending

Cartoons A sense of an ending

While Alibaba celebrated record sales on Single’s Day this year, a lot of daigou were overwhelmed by a sense of their own demise. Literally ...

Getting the runs

And Finally Another great escape from a Hong Kong toilet

Yip Kai-foon was dubbed by Hongkongers “the robber king”. The name stuck until he was arrested in 1985 and sentenced to 18 years in jail. Four ...