China Pec 2011 Tangzhou Zhejiang

by norman on September 24, 2011

China Plastics Exhibition and Conference 2011

Finally after much travelling I arrive at the Chinese Plastics Exhibition

It is a good exhibition.  There are others in China of course, and this one has given me a taste of them.  I’ll be back to China Pec and I’ll be going to many more.  I’m not sure if I’ll purchase machinery or moulds or products but I might.

When I had my meeting at New Zealand Central in Shanghai with New Zealand’s consulate and other business people (and before I go on, I just want to say how very helpful they were to me as a small, albeit growing fast, new businessman, thank you)… anyway, I asked them what were the most important points about business in China. They gave me these pointers:

  • The China Price.  This isn’t just that it may be cheap, very very cheap, but it can also differ extremely from one supplier to another, from one distribution channel to another, and also from one supplier depending on if they want to do businesses with you.
  • Close to China Price is quality, connected to price, it also has a huge variance.  They said to be very careful and to check, check and double check.
  • Size and volume.  The Chinese don’t sell by the box or pack.  It is by containers, 40 foot ones.  This is a big place with very very big factories.
Promo Girl in China

The staff of the various Chinese companies were very helpful, most booths had English speakers, they were happy, fun, and hard, hard working.

I haven’t really explored Tangzhou, a large city of about 5 million people further south than Ningbo from Shanghai, about a 1 hour flight.  However, at the same time, it is really a huge urban sprawl and much more industrial than Shanghai seems to be.  It seems smaller than the 5 million in many respects, the airport is more famililar to say Invercargill or Timaru, certainly less impressive than say New Zealand’s second tier airports such as Dunedin or Hamilton and these cities are only 1/50 the size of Tangzhou.  China can be a bit like this.  It wouldn’t surprise me if I came back in 2 or 3 years and Tangzhou Airport was international and larger than Auckland or Kingsford Smith in Sydney.  I’m not just saying this, I mean it seriously.  Hangzhou for example is not really a lot larger (9 million), it is the capital of the province that Tangzhou is in,  the Zhejiang province that is west and south of Shanghai.  It has a large, new and modern international airport.

One thing that was lacking at the conference was food, or decent food.  Most was McDonalds that was provided by the nearest McDonalds down the road that would ship in Big Macs in big styrofoam chilli bins (hot bins if you know what I mean).  YUMMY, not.  There was not one cup of coffee to be found.  However, I guess you don’t come to conferences to be feed but we had to leave every so often for refreshments.  The booths were all staffed by very keen owners and staff of the various factories, mostly from this “Glorious Plastics Province” of Tangzhou and most had good english speaking staff to help too, they were great.

And of course there were all the plastics machines, and the place was alive with humming, clanging of moulds, bottles and injection moulded parts be ejected, hopper loaders blowing, grinders destroying bottles, conveyor belts, and the din of negotiation and oohhhs and ahhhhs.  Noisy!!  and fun.

 

 

 

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Last Night in Shanghai

by norman on September 23, 2011

It was a fabulous night, Zina was sleepy so went home and David and I walked along the Bund.  He explained what the builders were, what they became during the cultural revolution and what they were now.  At the far end of the Bund away from the Boulevard Mansions Hotel I took this video.

Shanghai China at night from The Bund across to the Pudong

Shanghai 1994

The Pudong financial district in Shanghai in 1994. Not that long ago. Compare this photograph to the video and see how much things have changed. They are still changing this fast. It has to be seen to be believed.

Interestingly it wasn’t that long ago that the Pudong was essentially just market gardens and farmland.  David remembers it very well. Inside the Shanghai tower they have various photos of the Pudong, essentially the financial centre of Shanghai over the years.

Including this one that clearly shows the development. In addition I visited the Shanghai Urban Planning Museum (remember my previous post about unusal but intereting museums).

Shanghai 2020

This is a model of the urban plan for Shanghai for the year 2020. Unlike many plans this one is actually almost finished. When the Chinese plan they do it. Only the largest building to go and it is under construction.

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Mao’s Little Red Book and Pink Puffer Jackets.

by norman on September 23, 2011

For those reading fb (and why I say it as fb) will understand the next statement regarding some people reading this: THANK YOU, for letting me post. And get over it and accept some criticism.

So anyway, back to the flow.  Our translator in Shanghai was fantastic, David Tang who can be contacted on davidtlx@sina.com highly educated, thoughtful, use him.  For instance, I wanted a copy of Mao’s Little Red Book, in fact, I wanted a specific second hand version.  1966, the year I was born and of course the year that the Cultural Revolution started. Guess what, I’ve got one, a chinese version and also an english translation all with the help of David.  Zina of course was more interested in clothes. Back in New Zealand she has found it impossible to find, read that as impossible to find, as in zip, nil, zero, the ability to find feminine clothes that are for her figure ie. a slim model.  Why?  who knows about New Zealand women’s fashion, such things don’t really interest me, other than the appreciation of a woman dressed in great fashion, as I guess a guy in a fine tailored suit. I’ve noticed that chinese women are very slim and fashionable, very similar to Russia.  So Zina, has been in her shopping paradise with regard to fashion.  While she has  been so preoccupied, I’ve been busy in the amazing museums.  Interestingly, the Shanghai Museum (great bronze collection) had a very special exhibition of the “Treasures of the Otago Museum” in its most prestigious position.  Great.  Very popular too.

Norman and Zina in old Shanghai

Click on this photo to see an enlarged version. Norman and Zina in old Shanghai. 30 million people, growing at 10% per annum, and having grown at this rate for 20 years. Just one of the mighty cities of China seeing the greatest greatest creation of wealth in the history of human kind. You can feel it.

 

Another amazing thing is to go to a museum that has bronze axes and other such items that are about 4,000 years old.

China has such an old culture, and due to our education that is focused on some very dubious things of interest of value I’ve never been taught about any of it.  I just hope that things have changed.  However, given that Otago University has chucked away it’s Russian department, yes amazing… do they not know that there are more billionaires in Moscow than any other city in the world, do they not know that some of the largest companies in the world are in Russia, that Russia has the bomb if you want to be blunt.  Philistines, but then it is the university that banned some members of parliament from speaking on campus and in fact threatened them with trespass notices.

Bronze Axe Shanghai

Beautiful bronze axe 4500 years old in the Shanghai Museum.

 

China, an ancient culture.  Is this now the future of the world.  I just hope the people who have the power to guide its future have read Brave New World and 1984 because some things in this country are absolutely amazing.  Things the world hasn’t seen since the rise of the English/American or the Roman Empire.  However, with regard to freedom it feels immature, but am I just Euro or Western philosophically centric… I would love to have some comments on this below.  I’m happy to discuss.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Popular Chinese Saying – Live in Hangzhou

by norman on September 21, 2011

So we were in Hangzhou in the first place because that is where Air Asia hubs in this area of China.  If they didn’t land here I probably wouldn’t have look what there was to do, and hence, once I discovered this is one of the most popular tourist destinations for Chinese people, I decided to stay longer and look around.  I organised to have a private tour guide – Jenny.  I’d recommend her to others wanting to visit this particular area of China, her email is jennytong2003@hotmail.com

Hangzhou Restaurant

Jenny (our guide) eating in her favorite restaurant she took us too.

This is a photo of Jenny eating with us in her favorite family restaurant in Hangzhou.  Zina and I had a beautiful meal.  Hangzhou is generally cheaper than Shanghai in most respects.  I’d say than Hangzhou is certainly very beautiful, and remember this comes from someone who lives in New Zealand.

If you know me you know that I love tea.  Hangzhou is the most famous place in China for the production of green tea.  In fact, the Chinese National Tea Museum is located in the city.  You see, China is such a huge country it has the opportunity to have some of the most obscure of all things well represented in a grand scale.  Last time I was in Shanghai for instance, I visited the Museum of Patriotic Communist Posters.  So don’t be surprised there is a National Tea Museum.  Sadly, we found out tonight the Barbie Doll Museum had closed (shame).  Anyway, I digress and I’m not up to Shanghai yet.

Green Tea Bushes Hangzhou China

Norman visits green tea plantation near the Chinese National Tea Museum Hangzhou.

The wonderful thing about China is that most of the museums are free, although there is heavy pressure (well not that heavy) to buy things in the shop.  I was so overcome with excitement from my visit to the museum I spent $50 on a box of green tea leaves.  The private tea tasting ceremony was totally cool (I’m a hip person you see and I know what cool is I can tell you).

Hangzhou also has the National Silk Museum.  Probably not as cool as the tea museum for me, but other people will be the opposite.

Hangzhou is probably most famous for the lakes in the area.  The city is built on one side of the West Lake.  The area took my breath away with regard to how beautifully integrated the lake, parks and city were.  Almost like a giant bonsai diorama but on a city scale.  The Chinese saying goes that you meet a woman in xyz province, you eat in Canton, live in Hangzhou and die in some province that makes good coffins (I know I’m great at mutilating Chinese proverbs, but you get the gist).  Now this post is getting to be a bit like a Lonely Planet like guide to Hangzhou.  So I better get more interesting.

West Lake Hangzhou

Norman explores the giant bonsai like city of Hangzhou sits on a rock by West Lake.

 

Tea Museum Hangzhou China

Norman standing at the Entrance of the National Tea Museum Hangzhou China

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So here are a couple of pictures of public toilets, which are probably on a general level the best I’ve seen anywhere in the world, this also goes for the ones I discovered in Shanghai.

Chinese Public Toilet Exterior

Zina looks approvingly at the public toilets of Hangzhou.

Clean, plenty of them, no graffiti.  The ones in New Zealand are barbaric in comparison, and many of the people that use them are even more barbaric, what with the mess they leave behind  and the damage they do to their community’s facilities, scumbags we have (cats and dogs are cleaner than some of our people).

Thinking about public toilets, I wonder what they are like in Dunedin’s new stadium.  It is one of the few things I didn’t like about the old stadium, too few toilets so that people were left with no other option but to urinate against the walls and on the pathways, like I said, barbaric, but in that case it was the institution that had forced it on the public.  I’d find it very ironic if the new stadium was no better.

Interior Chinese Public Toilet

The interior of a mens public toilet. No graffiti, very clean, no smells, plenty of them, no waiting. Unlike the dirty versions in New Zealand.

After Hangzhou we caught the train to Shanghai.  Probably about the same distance between Christchurch and Dunedin, but being such a developed country the distance was no issue when you are travelling at nearly 300 kilometers per hour.  We went first class and the cost was 150 Yuan ($29NZD, $23USD) and took just over an hour.  2nd class was about 90 Yuan, but don’t think this is back with the chickens, visions of people hanging off the side or sitting on the roof of the train, in fact, next time I’ll probably travel 2nd, there didn’t seem to be much difference.  The seating was similar to an aeroplane just more space both in 1st and 2nd.  It was a shame we traveled at night, the countryside looked very interesting and certainly still very densely populated with lots of market gardens.

The Chinese are building the fastest most advanced and largest rail network in the world.  This isn’t the fastest or most advanced train.

Last time I was in Shanghai I took the Maglev train to the city centre from the international airport, Maglev being Magnetic Levitation I’d imagine.  The train arrives some distance from the centre of Shanghai so there is a need to get another form of transport.  We used a taxi, and unlike our arrival in Hangzhou we swatted scalpers.  It took about 30 minutes to the city centre and cost 80 Yuan ($15NZD, $12USD).

299 Kilometers per Hour

It was fascinating watching the speed climb as we departed.

We were certainly very happy to arrive at the Broadway Mansions Hotel which is just north of The Bund, next to the Russian Consulate, Zina seem overjoyed and excited when I pointed this fact out, well actually she looked at me as if… well just as if.  I’d recommend getting a river view room, I chose city view thinking it would be looking out over Pudong, but it was just out over  non discript urban sprawl.

Shanghai Train Station

Our fast train arrives in Shanghai station from Hangzhou. At this point we catch a taxi to our hotel in The Bund area.

That night craving some Western food like philistines we went on the hunt for some KFC (yes I know).  Zina got some Subway and I got a lovely berry smoothy come slushy thing.  We walked along The Bund that is the old Art Deco financial district across the river from the new financial district called Pudong (means East of the River).  Both sides are probably best viewed from their opposing bank of the river to appreciate how dramatic each is, either the new or the old.  As usual, no scumbags and miscreants on the street.

Tomorrow I’ll talk more about our travels in Shanghai.  Also I have my meetings at the New Zealand consulate and also the Shanghai Chamber of Commerce.  I’ll leave you with a taste of what is to come.

View from the bottom of the tower.

Actually this is a view from the bottom of the Shanghai tower on a misty night. Remember all these photographs are taken by moi.

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Departed LCC Terminal at Kuala Lumpur.  Upgraded via Optiontown to Business Class (they call it Premium, but it is much much better than say Air New Zealand’s version of Premium).  As usual Air Asia blow everyone else out of the water.  Sure it’s a low cost budget airline, but the value for money is excellent.

Flight to Xiaoshan City (morphed into Hangzhou City) close to Shanghai was uneventful, slept well, as you would on flatbed seats.  This was the first time I’d travelled like this, when was the last time your airline upgraded you?  Lines were processed very quickly, none of the Air New Zealand or Jetstar issues of thinking people love to wait in queues.  Landed, got our luggage, processed through immigration and biosecurity in 20 minutes, all inside a beautiful terminal.  Got scammed a little bit on the outside with the typical Taxi scam, ie. just a local’s car.  Paid 3 x too much we worked out later, but not a biggie.  Just use a metred taxi and see what you are getting into first.  Taxis in China are a bargain, more on what isn’t later.

Business Class Air Asia

Exhausted Zina sleeping on Air Asia flight to Xiaoshan

So have you ever heard of the city, if you are like me you will be feeling desperately ignorant, this is hard for me because I think of myself as very well read, well travelled and with significant general knowledge.  The Hangzhou/Xiaoshan City has a population of 8 million people.  Although it must be remembered that it is in a general area (Shanghai area) that is much richer than other places in China, the area appears rich, or becoming so fast, I say this in comparison to New Zealand ie. richer, yes richer.

Arrive at our hotel, New Century Grand Hangzhou. 5 Stars, and a bargain at 764 Yuan, about $145 NZD ($118 USD) per night using booking.com, and there wouldn’t be too many hotels in New Zealand as nice as this.  Breakfast was fantastic and included, free internet (although I’ll have a discussion on this at a later date… stops working on odd and suspicious times).

Norman and Zina's bathroom in China

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Kuala Lumpur International Airport

by norman on September 17, 2011

Arrive in Malaysia on Asia Air. Thought we had a business class upgrade, but my error, the upgrade is for the next sector to Hangzhou. I’m looking forward to that. I recommend Asia Air, it is cheap and excellent value for money. Sure it is a budget carrier, but I think you’ll agree all the others are budget carriers too, they charge rip you off. Most of my dealings with Air Fiji and Air New Zealand have been very “budget” at full cost :)

Air Asia still flys into the LCCT (Low Cost Carrier Terminal) at KL International Airport. It’s “ok” but you can see they are certainly building something somewhere else as this is in need of some repairs and maintenance, but hay, if you’re moving and this terminal is becoming the freight terminal then who cares. Very confusing signage. Long lines but processed very very fast (good for a low cost terminal). Last time I flew into Christchurch International we were in the line for 1 hour, I think that’s a record.

I’d heard so much about the apparent best Airport in the world (certainly not LCCT, but no mind for reasons above), so we tried to figure out how to get from one terminal to the other. No signage and information was closed. Local police and army personal (of which there are many) weren’t too knowledgeable but were very keen to help. In the end got a prepaid taxi trip to the new big flash “world’s best airport” terminal. You can only do the prepay thing, which is ok, at least you know you’re getting the standard rate. About $20 for 10 – 15 min journey. That’s ok.

Now this terminal. A bit like the recommended retail price of 200gm of echolocate being $9.99, REALLY? It is just a big terminal that is newish. A few places to eat and not much shopping, unless you go through immigration I’m told it is better, but judging by what is out here, couldn’t imagine it. Anyway, we depart back at the LCCT. It was more bustling, not flash, but all said and done probably better shopping than here (Zina’s thing), shock horror. Came here to see if we can get a shower, information (open in this terminal) said that the hotel in the airport can do something… we’ll see and I’ll let you know. I’ll pop in a few photos. Ceiling is ok.

There is free wireless that is a very slow, but still excellent. New Zealand is just starting to catch on that wireless is more like air than it is something you should charge for. I’m having a bit of trouble downloading mail and getting on to yahoo mail, that xtra uses. Not sure if its my problem, yahoo, xtra or the wireless here.

Anyway, some photos. No, looks like their wireless isn’t really for work or anything beyong the most simple surfing. I’ll try a few tricky things and see if I can upload a photo. If not I guess the airport isn’t that suitable for people wanting to work.

Here goes.. no, so not sure why. My iPad gave me an error of Parse error not well formed. So who knows. Could be an Apple device error. Although its worked before, making me think I can’t upload from this connection. Off to see if we can do the most basic of thing in this airport and have a wash… So far the airport is 5/5. If we can get a wash 6/10 if not (at a reasonable cost) its 4/10. Sad for the best airport in the world huh. Getting close to The Antarctic Centre’s $65NZD for its experience.

So the airport doesn’t have those facilities but in the airport is the 5 star Pan Pacific and 60 ringets about $20 NZD you can use their day spa, beautiful outside tropical pool, sauna, gym, so if you’re at the airport come here. Staff are lovely. About a 15 min completely enclosed walk.

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Are they serious about the price of chocolate

by norman on September 16, 2011

So I go to buy a block of chocolate in the duty free at Christchurch International Airport. There it is printed that I’m getting a bargain when I buy a 200gms block for $8.69 because the RRP is $9.99 REALLY? Last time I looked I could get it for about $3 to $4. Just another example of false advertising and trying to pull the wool over unknowing tourists. We better wake up or we will get a bad name. When I get back I’ll do some price comparisons so watch this space. Remember I’ll be doing some research soon on just why books are so expensive in NZ and who is profiteering, because someone sure is, and I can speak from the position of owning a book importing business trying to fight the good fight.

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Review: International Antarctic Centre Christchurch New Zealand. Got some time to kill while waiting for a plane at Christchurch International Airport? You could consider going here, it is pricy, and I’m actually not sure it is worth the money. An adult is $65 NZD. You can easily spend a couple of hours looking at the various displays and the kids there seemed to be having lots of fun. There is a all terrain snowmobile ride that hurtles around the place, it is the same track driven tank like vehicle they use at the South Pole. There is a 4D movie, the 4th dimension being wind, some water spray, fake snow and rain… kids love it.

Essentially the centre is straight ahead as you exit the airport. It is about a 15 minute easy flat walk. As you get further from the airport it becomes increasingly obvious as it is a large building. There are also penguin footprints to guide you.

There is a little blue penguin pool, and you can see them swimming through glass both above and under the water, plus you can spy into their nests/burrows. There was an excellent audio visual show of just music and beautiful photography and video of Antarctica through the seasons.

Christchurch airport is also getting a much needed renovation. There is a lot more eating and shopping options. There is free wireless too and some excellent work stations to plug in and power up your devices.

Below is a photo I took just now, you can see my phone, coffee and keyboard, no iPad as it is taking the photo. I recommend the wireless keyboard if you are an intensive user as the popup cyber screen keyboards are a bit tiresome after a while, especially if you are a type by touch. Mine cost about $124 NZD, so not too bad for an Apple bit.

20110916-064612.jpg

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My wife and I will depart for China on Friday 16th of September 2011, flying Air Asia via Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.  We will arrive Xiaoshan International Airport near Hangzhou late on Saturday. We will take the opportunity to look around this city before travelling to Shanghai.

Shanghai Regional Map

Business Trip Route by Norman Wood September 2011

The purpose of the trip to China is many fold:

  • to establish import/export logistical support, warehousing, freighting, LCL (Less than Container Load) aggregation arrangements.
  • to develop relationship with Shanghai Chamber of Commerce, Trade and Enterprise New Zealand and also investigate the “New Zealand Central” facility.
  • to attend the China-Pec Trade Show, that is being held in Taizhou, we will fly there from Shanghai on Thursday 22nd of September 2011.
  • our factory needs some new blow moulding equipment, we will investigate sourcing directly 4 – 10L capacity machinery.
  • develop relationships with product development expertise, mould and die making etc.
  • investigate sourcing finished product that we can sell through our extensive network of customers in New Zealand and Australia.
  • investigate raw material sources.

We depart back to Kuala Lumpur on Saturday 24th September 2011.  We stay for one week in KL.

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