Whatever happened to the weekend getaway?

In Asia, it can be hard to do.

There’s the Friday night conference calls with executives back West. Congested roads all weekend long. Tourist spots that are too far from one another for a quick drive.

What’s a busy, but leisure-minded expat to do?

The Wall Street Journal suggests there are still good road trips in Asia, and recommended a three-hour drive from Shanghai to Moganshan, China for one.

There also are short drives that get you quickly into pseudo countryside.

A drive from Beijing to…well…outer Beijing (Shunyi) can hit the spot, at a place like Agrilandia. See our article here.

But based on my experience, the best three-day weekend involves some flight time.

A couple years back, I took a long weekend from Beijing to Hanoi, Vietnam in what was a perfectly comfortable, no-rush trip.

In three days, I did just about everything there was to do in Hanoi, including a side-trip to the majestic Ha Long Bay.

During my time in Asia, I’ve also learned:

• You don’t need much time in Singapore to experience all there is to do there. Enjoy the nightlife. Hit Santosa Island. You’re done. Unless you want to get a down and dirty glimpse of Malaysia across the border. Just get some delicious seafood on a Saturday night there, and you’ve tasted enough Malaysian culture for the time being.
• You can feel like you’ve experienced enough of Cambodia in a weekend. Siem Reap is the place to be to live it up like Angelina Jolie in Tomb Raider. Get in a sunrise at Ankor Wat on Sunday morning, and some sightseeing before and after at various temples. Hit the downtown (which feels more like some laid-back place in Latin America than Asia). And you’re ready to come home. Oh, but you wanted to see the Killing Fields in Phnom Penh? Dude, it’s the weekend. Give yourself a break.
• A Bangkok tuk tuk gets a decent sightseeing job done in a day. Somewhat obnoxious stops at a friend’s diamond shop and multiple tailor shops are included. But with this vehicle, part of the destination is the journey. You’ll see temples galore too. Save Phuket for a real vacation.
• Hitting up the cafés in Ho Chi Minh City is all you need to relax a weekend away. Oh, but you wanted beach time? No problem. Catch a speedy riverboat on the Saigon River and head to Vung Tau an hour or so away. Or take a motorbike, which is definitely – per se - an adventurous destination.

So you see, Clark Griswold, you don’t need weekend road trip to have fun in Asia.

You do need a set of wings, a little more spending cash than gas money, and hopefully, a lot more to go for business class. We guarantee, that’s better than a Chevy.

Doing business in Asia is challenging, thrilling and quite possibly very lucrative.

Sometimes, it’s also heartbreaking.

My grandfather died yesterday and I was one of the last family members to know.

You can listen to why I believe coping with a family death from faraway is the greatest of expat sorrows here.

If you live in China or Asia, you can also visit family back West a little more often, or at least send flowers from time to time and call more frequently. I’m sorry I didn’t do enough of this, granddad.

It’s interesting to read in today’s Wall Street Journal that China’s insurers legally may be able to invest in real estate soon – but they’re already doing it.

According to the Journal:

Compared with their counterparts in the West, Chinese insurers are relatively restricted in which assets they are allowed to invest in, and they have been lobbying for longer-term assets to match the big payouts they are expecting to make as China’s rapidly aging population retires. Jeanne Kang, a real-estate lawyer with Jones Day in Beijing, described the rule change as a victory for an insurance industry that has long pushed for more freedom to invest in the property market.

The insurance industry correctly recognized though, that in China, while lobbying may be a long-term strategy (and we noted how to do so here), finding today’s loopholes is the bread and butter of Chinese business.

The Journal continues:

Mei Jianping, a finance professor at the Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business in Beijing, said some insurers already have taken advantage of loopholes that allow them to buy properties they occupy, using 10% of the building and leasing out the rest.

That’s how it is in China.

Finding ways around the law often is more important than finding ways to abide by the law.

The article officer further insight into why this is the case:

[Ms. Kang] said how much [the new regulations help] the real-estate industry will depend on what she calls the “micro rules” — the notices, circulars, guidelines and administrative orders issued from China’s myriad ministries and government bodies.

Often in China, administrators or lower level authorities are what matter most to whether or not you can successfully set up shop or go after new business. The old Chinese saying, “The mountains are high and the emperor is far away” is no less certain in China business today. What Beijing proclaims as law is open to interpretation – or even refusal to comply – elsewhere.

What greases those administrators’ wheels often are corrupt practices.

James McGregor’s book, One Billion Customers: Lessons from the Front Lines of Doing Business in China, suggests: “China’s modernization is aiming at ‘rule by law’ not the ‘rule of law,’ so relationships and personal power reign supreme.’

He adds: “If you decide to sell your soul and succumb to China’s corruption, get a good price and focus on charity work in your old age.”

There’s still a lot to be said for following the law in China.

We’ve done a lot on correctly reading the tea leaves in China (here, here and here) in undertaking new business because what the government decrees does matter.

But we’ve also done a lot on ways to make headway in restricted industries, like media (here and here).

Perhaps the best advice with regard to the law in China is to try to follow it like you would in a developed Western country, but don’t be a slave to it. There’s a lot of law-subverting competition out there that’s quite willing to eat you alive.

There’s no doubt about it now: London has a tough act to follow hosting the summer Games in 2012.

Indeed, the mayor of London recently said, “I think I speak for millions of people in the UK, when I say we have been dazzled, we have impressed, we have been blown away by these Beijing Games but we have not been intimidated. And in our own sweet way, without wasting taxpayers money, I am absolutely convinced that we can do just as well in 2012.”

Despite some obvious detractions, Beijing is clearly basking in the limelight right now and relishing the possibility of intimidating and “showing up” a developed country’s games - and rightfully so.

When faced with a formidable challenger, London’s mayor is sticking to his guns, and to this point being quite respectful. But what happens when doing business in China, a formidable challenger bullies you and doesn’t live up to his side of the bargain?

Steve Dickinson of China Law Blow believes that not succumbing to intimidating Chinese opponents is crucial, especially in regards to taking on the local legal system.

Mr. Dickinson recently represented a Japanese client who was owed a sum of money by a Chinese partner, but in no explicit written terms. When a new contract was agreed upon, and a specific sum of money and date of payment agreed to, Mr. Dickinson pushed for China law jurisdiction for all future proceedings should they become necessary. The Japanese client feared bias in the Chinese court system, but eventually agreed to Mr. Dickinson’s legal plan.

Mr. Dickinson continues: “As we expected, the Chinese party did not pay on the due date. We then hired a local lawyer to file suit in the hometown of the Chinese defendant and as we usually do in commercial litigation, we had the local lawyer seize assets from the defendant in a prejudgment writ of attachment. This required our client post a money bond, which we had arranged in advance using our contacts in the local bonding community. Within three weeks of our filing suit, the Chinese defendant paid all amounts owing, together with interest, court costs and attorneys’ fees.”

Had Mr. Dickinson’s firm bowed to pressure from the client and proceeded with arbitration in Hong Kong, the firm never would have been able to seize assets in prejudgment, which had the desired effect on the defendant of relinquishing payment.

Of course, leaving it to the professionals - in this case lawyers - helps when trying to overcome an intimidating bully. But ultimately, courage is a personal choice – not a consultation.

If you’re on the verge of succumbing to cowardice, check out these modified tips from eHow.com so you don’t: Read More →

Nothing brings out responsible marketing messages like big-time Olympic sponsorships.

From Exxon Mobil touting its “green” initiatives endlessly on U.S. commercial breaks, to the ubiquitous McDonald’s ads showing truly ripped athletes biting into their favorite deep-fried sandwich, Olympic tie-ins really seem to be stretching the limits of common sense.

In fact, only McDonald’s is allowed on the Olympic Green, leaving many lamenting the lack of food options, much less healthy ones.

Even golden boy Michael Phelps can’t escape some of the criticism with his decision to endorse Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes over the traditional Wheaties cereal box. With 1/3 the fiber, and 3 times the sugar, obesity experts are wondering what message this sends to kids, according to NYDailyNews.com.

Perhaps the message that a few extra zeroes on a paycheck really do make a difference.

Or maybe that life is full of contradictions?

Yes, contradictions like these are all too common in business and marketing today, and one can look to the streets of China to see a lot more of them. Even amid rising gas prices, worsening traffic, and small families, the demand for SUVs and Hummers is through the roof. Read More →

When speaking of cultural differences between China and the West, much is often made of the collectivist Asian society versus the individualistic Westerners.

But a look at some of the performances of Chinese teams in the Olympics doesn’t make a strong case for being communal today. And in many cases, Chinese aren’t.

The basketball team lost its opener to the U.S.A. even with the home crowd support of superstar Yao Ming, and the men’s soccer team is a consistent source of embarrassment. China is relying on medals in more individualistic or partner sports such as diving, gymnastics, and ping-pong in its quest for the top of the medal leaderboard.

Confucian cultural norms and traditions aren’t holding true in the sports arena, and who’s to blame?

Maybe management.

The men’s soccer team has only made it to the World Cup once, yet players are making in excess of one million yuan per year, and their playboy lifestyle is followed in the news, says the New York Times.

But it’s not just the state that is having a hard time managing teams and getting them up to a competitive, international level. Businesses have to work hard to foster an atmosphere of community in order to survive China’s human resources nightmare and thrive. Read More →

Another day, another controversy at the Olympics.

Debates now are raging over whether western media is being too harsh in their coverage on Chinese organizers.

Many of us who live and work in China saw many of these issues coming from a smoggy marathon away.

Some things just get lost in translation, which seems inevitable and inconsequential in day-to-day China life. I don’t even think twice about taking the “Ho entrance” usually.

But Olympic organizers are now seeing their words shot around the world on the Internet in defense of some less-than-forthcoming events now being seen on the global stage.

Reports recently surfaced that perhaps the 56 children from each ethnic minority seen in the opening ceremonies were not actually from those groups, but merely dressed in the traditional clothes.

In a press conference reported in the Telegraph, Wang Wei, executive vice-president of BOCOG commented to a reporter on the issue, “I think you are being very meticulous…I would argue it is normal for dancers, performers, to be dressed in other races’ clothes. I don’t know exactly where these performers are from.”

This seems to stray pretty far from the official Olympic guide stating, “Fifty-six children from 56 Chinese ethnic groups cluster around the Chinese national flag, representing the 56 ethnic groups.”

These Olympic moments may forever be filed under ‘lost in translation’ as the world struggles to understand the Chinese motivation behind them, but the same need not happen in Chinese business today. Read More →

As Michael Phelps has been stealing headlines worldwide in his successful quest to become the ‘greatest Olympian,’ reports surfaced that Phelps’ name recognition within China remained relatively low throughout the opening week.

In the U.S. however, audiences needed no reminder of who to root for. NBC is posting great numbers in the ratings, with estimates that about 168 million people, or half of all Americans have tuned in at some point, according to the New York Post. And much can be attributed to Mr. Phelps, whom Xinhua has taken to calling “the American superfish.”

In an attempt to help familiarize Chinese audiences with the star, Mr. Phelps’ website is available in Chinese; the only other language besides English. While it may not have done a great job generating buzz on the mainland before the games, it could prove to serve a greater purpose.

A large part of web marketing is just helping convey and strengthen the story of what has already happened in the real world.

“The success of an event or promotion spreads across the Internet like ripples on water - blogs and BBS are just tools for conveying messages from the real world,” Phat Song of Oglivy Beijing tells Asia Times Online.

Mr. Phelps’ successful run has undoubtedly brought even greater name recognition for himself, and having a web presence with a forum for fans to interact and get to know the star could help raise his profile in the country.

Too bad the official website, MichaelPhelps.com, hasn’t been updated in over a year. He doesn’t need a Chinese fan base to win medals, but that’s clearly a missed opportunity.

The key, experts say, is the proper mix of online and real-world events for maximum buzz and word of mouth (WOM) generation in China.

Here are more tips for building successful WOM campaigns from the report, which will – sorry - involve a bit more than an annual website update: Read More →

Beijing 2008 has shaped up to be groundbreaking, but beyond the awe-inspiring opening ceremonies and shattering of world records, it’s also being billed as the first web 2.0 Olympics ever.

For the first time, it is likely that the majority of spectators have the ability to text video, photos, and messages about the games to people around the world instantly. They can upload images to websites such as Facebook and Blogger, which have the potential to be seen by many more millions of people.

But let’s turn away from the blog frenzy for a moment and look at how web 2.0 can be put to real use for you in China right now.

Working and living in China usually means a lot of travel, and especially now for those who have had to make extra trips abroad for visa renewals and remedies. Here are three incredibly simple time and money-saving new travel sites that will make you wonder how you ever survived web 1.0:

• Yapta.com: This amazing new application lets you easily search and track flights for trips you have planned in the future. It will notify you automatically of price drops. Already bought a ticket as the price goes down? No problem, the site can help you get a refund for the price difference.
• Tripit.com: This magical website keeps everything related to a trip in one handy, printable itinerary that you can customize to include weather, restaurant, hotel, and anything else you have planned on your journey. Just forward any e-confirmation you’ve ever received to plans@tripit.com, and it sets up an account, and picks out the information it needs automatically, saving you the trouble of ever filling anything in. I’m thinking about using this even when I’m not traveling.
• Vayama.com: This website specializes in international flights, and consistently finds the best deals I have seen on the web. Although U.S. and Canadian origin flights seem to have better deals, even those originating in China have deals that beat most other sites.

Don’t get turned off by the ridiculous website names as they try to stand out from a wide array of competitors. One good experience, and you will be Yapta-ing as much as you Google.

With the Chinese women (and we use that term loosely) winning the gold medal in team gymnastics recently, more attention is now focused on the 16-years-old age minimum to compete in the Olympics event.

Three members on the Chinese team look to be at least a few years from puberty, and back in America, Olympics commentators would not let the issue rest throughout the performance.

The New York Times reported that the American gymnasts are on average 30 pounds heavier, and 3 ½ inches taller. One Chinese competitor, on the other hand, appears to be losing baby teeth.

The Chinese coach Lu Shanzhen retorted to the doubters: “If they think they can tell someone’s age just by looking at them, well, if you look at the foreign athletes, they have so much more muscles than the Chinese. They are so strong. Do you then say that they are doping?”

We admire the unique Chinese nature of this distracting argument. It’s the typical kind of reversal that can leave a Western logistician exasperated and ultimately, retreating.

The same bizarre-offense-is-the-best-defense strategy can be expected from your Chinese competitors in business, especially regarding the ever-increasing cost of practically everything.

China manufacturers and producers have considerable excuses to raise prices now – including inflation and rising labor costs – but probably have a lot more poor excuses.

Here’s how to avoid passing on necessary – and likely unnecessary – price increases to your customers, according to SourceJuice, a China-sourcing blog:

• Confirm price increases with global prices. Don’t just assume that price increases passed onto you are legitimate. Is the price of steel, or any other material you need actually still rising significantly, or are producers just seeing what they can get away with?

Read More →