Ian Rowley, China: Booming Car Sales, Tiny Profits. The small, inexpensive autos favored in the soon-to-be No. 1 market make it tough to make a buck. BusinessWeek, Sept. 7, 2009 (cover date).
http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/09_36/b4145031671178.htm
Note:
(a) WuLing 五菱汽车
(b) Ushiyama 牛山
My comment: I know nothing about car sales in China. The article does not mention profots or profit margins of Chinese car manufacturers. Foreign car makers such as GM is losing money, then why does GM expand and build a new factory, as reported yesterday?
(2) 高雄市证实市长陈菊邀请达赖喇嘛访台. VOA Chinese, Aug. 31, 2009.
http://www.voanews.com/chinese/2009-08-31-voa112.cfm
My comment: There is no need to read this report. The essence of the report is that rather than the DPP municipal bosses, Ms. Chen alone invited the Dalai Lama. Little wonder she figured prominently in welcoming his arrival.
(3) 强暴安徽访民案证人再陷黑监狱 , 官员称受害人神经病无须讨公道. VOA Chinese, Aug. 31, 2009.
http://www.voanews.com/chinese/2009-08-31-voa56.cfm
(4) Christopher Palmeri and Frederik Balfour, Starwood Is Blanketing China. The chain's Sheraton brand, already popular on the mainland, is likely to grow more so as Chinese tourism expands. BusinessWeek, Sept. 7, 2009 (titrle and date on the cover)
http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/09_36/b4145056702173.htm
(“Among other things, the preferred guest system allows staffers to see people's titles immediately. That makes it easier to give better rooms to managers than the subordinates they are traveling with, and to greet them first when a party arrives.”)
My comment: China has evolved from egalitarian utopia under Mao to a status-conscious society. I was surprised when Americans addressed their bosses or professors by the first names, which was unthinkable in the Taiwan I knew. I have not been to China, so I assumed Taiwan’s rigid hierarchy was derived from Japan.
(5) Bryan walsh, The Four-Day Workweek Is Winning Fans. Time, Sept. 7, 2009 (cover date).
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1919162,00.html
My comment: The essence is Utah is satisfied with its four-day work week for state employees. Neither China nor Taiwan is mentioned.
(6) Ketaki Gokhale, Australia Addresses Indian Students' Fears. Wall Street Journal, Sept. 1, 2009.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125172967379672609.html
Quote:
“Revenue from education is Victoria's biggest export earner. The tertiary education industry is now Australia's third-largest export earner behind coal and iron ore, generating 15.5 billion Australian dollars (US$13.04 billion) in 2008, according to government figures. Indian students represent about 18% of the 542,000 foreigners studying in Australia, second only to those from China, according to data from the Australian Council for Private Education and Training.
“Most Indian students are recruited to private Australian universities by agents based in India.
“Australian vocational institutions have been a big draw for Indian students * * * Most students have been seeking a path into the international job market rather than a quality education
Note: Victoria (Australia)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victoria_(Australia)
(a state, whose capital is Melbourne, located in the southeastern corner of Australia)