Sunday 4 March – Lantern Festival: the end of firecrackers and holiday craze

Posted on by Gilbert Van Kerckhove

Sunday marked the 15th day of the eight month of the lunar calendar and the last day of Spring Festival celebrations. It’s also the day to eat YUANXIAO, the sweet round glutinous rice dumplings and set off the last firecrackers. I spent the day very quietly – simply because a vicious Beijing flu was trying to ruin the day.
China Daily estimates about 410,000 boxes of fireworks were sold in Beijing, 71% more than last year. Considering the fireworks madness it all went well and relatively few serious accidents were reported.

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one of the many stalls selling firecrackers, right in our street

According to Xinhua: 400,000,000 text messages (SMS) were sent by Beijingers on the eve of Chinese New Year (17 February). Or 5,800 per second. Nationwide, China Mobile and China Unicom estimated that Chinese people would send around 14 billion festival text messages during the seven-day Lunar New Year holiday. No finger injuries were reported.
Official statistics indicated that Chinese people sent 429.6 billion text messages through mobile phones in 2006, a daily average of up to 1.2 billion.
There were more than 460 million mobile phones subscribers in China at the end of 2006.
China’s railways transported 100 million passengers during the 25-day Festival rush. Just imagine if those people would grab their car instead like in the USA.

Napping is good for you

Posted on by Gilbert Van Kerckhove

China has put its citizens health on its agenda during the current congress.
I remember the early eighties when most offices had to supply beds so the staff could have a nap after lunch. With the years the habit disappeared. Personally I am a big fan of it and whenever I can I’ll have my 15-20 min powernap after lunch (so don’t call me then, mobile is OFF). Now western countries start admitting this is good both for the health and to increase productivity in the office. Unfortunately, many companies still feel this is not “OK”.

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The SCMP reported the Chinese Parliament currently in session is experimenting with the powernap, as their photographer documented. Well, this is what we all suppose. Or not?

Opening of the Tourist Office for Flanders / Belgium

Posted on by Gilbert Van Kerckhove

The new office welcomed us all on 28 February for drinks and snacks in the Beijing Kuntai office building (Chaoyangmenwai). The office will mostly liaison with tour operators and special groups who want to discover Flanders. They also have a website: www.visitflanders.com.cn

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See Karel Ooms and Bai Lei of the Office with Belgian ambassador Bernard Pierre, in front of the poster of Ghent – my home town.

Flanders may be small but it has some real nice places to visit, like Ghent, Bruges, Antwerp and many more. And for the people like me who still feel Belgian: Brussels, Namur and many other spots cannot be missed either.

Lecture for US students at UIBE Beijing

Posted on by Gilbert Van Kerckhove

On 26 February Gilbert spoke to about 26 students from 7:30 pm to 10 pm on the Beijing Olympics, some issues affecting China and general tips on business in China. Location: Jing Mao Daxue – University of International Business and Economics (in front of the China Daily building).

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Michael Furst, 2006-2007 president of Beijing Rotary Club (trying) to prepare the equipment for the presentation. Mike invited Gilbert to speak. Another of the varied activities our Rotary Club is involved in.
The group participated actively and came up with some interesting questions during the Q&A. Mike failed to provide Belgian beer and Gilbert rushed back home to satisfy his craving for a beer and cigar.