Beijing has always held a certain sense of allure to me. 

Forbidden City

Henceforth, I will conquer her.

The 1 1/2 million visitors who are lucky enough to explore the many things to do in Beijing during the 2008 Olympics can expect an experience of a lifetime, but the 4 billion who are relegated to their living rooms can still enjoy a virtual tour and get a taste of the Beijing Olympics experience.

So kick back and let’s explore the attractions near some of the Olympic venues.

It’s not often an entire city gets a facelift. But hosting the Olympic Games is a task of epic proportions so Beijing devoted 7 years and $43 billion in changing the face of Beijing! And not just with immense Olympic structures like the “Bird’s Nest” National Stadium but with everything that branched off from them. From immense structures like a new airport and subway lines extended to include 85 more miles to color accents like trees and flowers lining the streets…to the tune of 22 million trees and 40 million flower pots!

GETTING AROUND

So, how does one get around a city of 15 million people? Beijing wanted to ensure that visitors could find their way to the Olympic venues so getting around now will be much easier than it was before. Still, we recommend you start your vacation by booking an airport-to-hotel shuttle. That way, you can relax and enjoy your first introduction to Beijing and leave the driving in the capable hands of someone who knows the city well.

If you’re planning to hit some of the rural areas outside of Beijing as one of the things to do, you’ll probably want to rent a car but count on traffic delays. First time visitors might fare better using the subway system, where all the signs are written in both English & Chinese. A good planning strategy is to take one subway line each day of your visit and make stops along the way.

STARTERS

After you’ve settled into your hotel & adjusted to the time difference, it’s time for discovery. You’ll want to hit the most famous attractions first:

Six miles from the Beijing Olympic Green Hockey Stadium, sits the Forbidden City. For almost five centuries, it served as the home of the Emperor and his household, as well as the ceremonial and political center of Chinese government. The complex has 70 structures and more than 9000 rooms with a royal garden behind the palace.

The Forbidden City sits on the north side of Tiananmen Square, the largest public square on Earth, covering more than 100 acres. It’s the founding site of the Peoples Republic of China in 1949 and is considered the most iconic location in China.

MUSEUMS

Check out the route of the Olympic Subway Line and make stops along the way. Not only will you discover museums near the National Indoor Stadium, like the China National Film Museum, but also shops and restaurants within walking distance. The museum is an extensive 63-acre museum devoted to film. It houses an IMAX theater and numerous exhibition halls, with 20 hosting permanent collections. Detailing the work of 450 filmmakers, 1500 films, and 4300 stills, it actually offers more things to do than can be covered in one day.

PARKS AND GARDENS

Near the National Stadium, sits Bei Hai Park: Originally built in the days of Kublai Khan, this park was used for recreation by the emperors of post-Kublai Khan dynasties. Famous features include the Nine-Dragon Screen, the Five-Dragon Pavilion and the White Dagoba, a memorial to a visit by the Dalai Lama in 1651.

Another noteworthy park is Eight Sites Park, with the chance to see eight temples and pagodas along the path to the top of the hill.

For those interested in China’s history, check out Stone Scripture Hill in the Shi Jing District. A total of more than 1000 volumes of Buddhist scriptures were carved and housed in the nine caves here in an attempt to preserve Buddhism when it was abolished the second time.

For months we’ve heard about Beijing, little tidbits to whet your appetite. Now it’s burst upon the scene with pomp & circumstance, starting with the Opening Ceremony Extravaganza on 8-08-08. I have my feet planted firmly on California soil but will thoroughly enjoy visiting Beijing virtually. And someday, when I visit Beijing in person, I’ll already know which places I want to see and what things to do there.

The bods on chowhound have been hyping a new joint in Soho called Taste of Beijing. Being local to work I though I’d give it a bash for a quick lunch.

I’m fairly up on my Cantonese and Sichuan but the northern cuisine from Beijing was a new one for me. There’s a bit of a trend towards regional Chinese cuisine at the moment and it’s only going to gain momentum as the country gets more and more powerful. Lucky, lucky us.

Chive Dumpling  - £2

I asked the waitress what was in with the chives and she told me ‘Everything. Everything that is good’. I smiled sweetly at her and guessed egg. The pastry was light and crisp and the filling was pungent with chive. Not earth moving but this is a street snack and beats our equivalent of a mystery meat hotdog hands down.

Zha Jiang Mian – £6

Thick wheat noodles with minced pork in a fermented soybean sauce. Served here with carrots, cucumber and bean sprouts.

Rich and dense to the point of being a not very nice. When no one was watching I diluted it with my Jasmin tea. Much better; the noodles were thick and had a good bite and the sauce was deeply meaty, salty and savoury. The raw veg took the edge off.

The waitress must have seen me snapping away so while I was paying she eagerly showed me through the rest of the menu and dropped in they open from 7am-4am. I’d definitely come back here late doors after a few soho beers not sure about breakfast.

Funthyme

When I was living in a small college town in the US, one of the things I missed about living in a big city is city nightlife, particularly clubbing. As much as it was fun to regularly hit up college bars, knowing that I would bump into a lot of familiar faces wherever I ended up at, I was getting tired of Charlottesville’s 2am curfew and was ready to party till, well, I can’t say this out loud because my mom also reads my blog – but you get the picture.

Needless to say, I was looking forward to experiencing Beijing nightlife. The city has not disappointed me, as it offers a wide variety of party and music scenes – from the classic hiphop and Beijing’s Battle of the Bands to Norwegian Electronica and Mongolian folk music. A handful of A-list international DJ’s and performers also make their presence to local venues regularly. It is glorious.

But one thing that I definitely did not expect from Beijing was a seedy place called Chocolate. Once you arrive at this unassuming club, a midget bouncer will greet you at the front door, inviting you to head down the Escalator to Hell where your night’s downfall is about to begin. Chocolate offers blasting euro-trash music, Russian satellite TV shows, sexy-border line-kinky dance performances, and a kinky-border line-vulgar dance floor for those who dare to participate. You can also opt for downing shot after shot of vodka with fellow Russians and Central Asian patrons. Have I mentioned how Chocolate is plastered with velvety faux-Baroque décor with countless chandeliers and ceiling-mounted paintings, not to mention the most pimp-out section of all – Chocolate’s famous golden toilets?  To put it simple, there is absolutely nothing Chinese nor chocolate-y about Chocolate.

As bizarre as it is, what startles me most is how Chocolate is actually a hit among the Beijing expat crowds. Most foreigners living in Beijing know Chocolate too well to admit. We all think it’s tacky and ridiculous, yet we keep going back to it. I cannot tell you how many times I have experienced the ‘I am at Chocolate. Why am I at Chocolate?’ moment. Still don’t understand Chocolate? Just make sure you give it a chance next time you visit Beijing and let it work its magic. The next thing you know, well, I’m afraid you won’t be able to remember anything.

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ในช่วงที่เราเรียนปริญญาตรีที่อเมริกา หนึ่งอย่างที่เราคิดถึงระหว่างที่พักอยู่ในเมืองมหาลัยเล็กๆก็คือ nightlifeของเมืองใหญ่ๆ โดยเฉพาะการเที่ยวกลางคืน เพราะถึงแม้ว่าการเป็นขาประจำแวะเวียนไปตามบาร์มหาลัยจะสนุกจากการได้เจอเพื่อนหรือคนหน้าคุ้นเสมอๆไม่ว่าจะลงเอยที่บาร์ไหน แต่พอนานๆเข้าเราก็เริ่มเบื่อกับการที่บาร์แถวมหาลัยต้องปิดตีสองตั้งแต่ไก่ยังไม่โห่ ทั้งๆที่เราพร้อมที่จะอยู่ต่อจนกระทั่งถึง อ่า…ถึงเมื่อไหร่อันนี้บอกกันโจ่งแจ้งตรงนี้ไม่ได้เพราะว่าแม่เราก็อ่านบล็อคของเรา เอาเป็นว่ารู้ๆกันอยู่แหละนะ

การย้ายฟากมาอยู่ในเมืองใหญ่อย่างปักกิ่งทำให้เราอดตื่นเต้นไปกับnightlifeของที่นี่ไม่ได้ และปักกิ่งก็ไม่ทำให้เราผิดหวัง ที่นี่มีปาร์ตี้และดนตรีดีๆมากมาย ไม่ว่าจะเป็น hiphopยืนพื้นและการดวลวงดนตรีท้องถิ่นที่ปักกิ่ง ไปจนถึงelectronicaจากนอร์เวย์และดนตรีพื้นเมืองของมองโกเลีย นอกจากนี้DJและนักร้องแนวหน้าทั่วโลกก็ยังแวะเวียนมาปักกิ่งเพื่อแสดงคอนเสิร์ตเสมอๆ เรียกได้ว่าจุใจมากสำหรับคนที่ชอบnightlifeและดนตรี

แต่อย่างหนึ่งที่เราไม่คาดคิดว่าปักกิ่งจะมีก็คือที่เที่ยวกลางคืนแห่งหนึ่งที่ชื่อชอคโกแล็ต ซึ่งดูเผินๆอาจจะเหมือนสถานที่เที่ยวกลางคืนทั่วไปไม่มีอะไรน่าตื่นเต้น ออกจะไม่ค่อยมีรสนิยมด้วยซ้ำ แต่ขออย่าได้ดูถูกคลับชอคโกแล็ตเด็ดขาด ใครก็ตามที่มาถึงอย่างแรกจะต้องผ่านด่านตรวจหน้าประตูที่มีคนแคระเป็นbouncerเช็คกระเป๋า (ที่นี่ไม่ต้องตรวจบัตร ขอให้มีบัตรเครดิตก็เข้าได้) ก่อนที่จะลงบันไดเลื่อนสู่วังวนมืดอันเป็นจุดเริ่มต้นของคืนที่คุณจะจำไม่ได้ ชอคโกแล็ตเล่นเพลงสไตล์ euro trashให้ฟัง, มีรายการเคเบิลทีวีของรัสเซียให้ชม, มีโชว์เต้นออกแนวเซ็กซี่เชิงเร่าร้อนให้ดู, และมีฟลอร์แนวเร่าร้อนเชิงล่อแหลมให้เต้น หรือถ้าใครอยากเลือกที่จะดื่มแทนเต้น ก็สามารถดวลวอดก้าช็อตต่อช็อตกับคนรัสเซียหรือคนตะวันออกกลางซึ่งเป็นกลุ่มคนส่วนมากที่มาเที่ยวชอคโกแล็ตได้ ทีเด็ดอีกอย่างของชอคโกแล็ตคือสไตล์การตกแต่งของคลับที่ออกแนวบาโรคพิสดาร มีผ้ากำมะหยี่สีเหลือดหมูยืนพื้น มีกรอบรูปหลุยส์ติดเต็มผนัง แถมด้วยแชนด์เลียร์ห้อยระย้ามากมาย ที่น่าประทับใจที่สุดคือห้องน้ำสีทอง พี่เค้าทองจริงๆตั้งแต่อ่างล้างมือยันโถส้วม พูดง่ายๆ คลับชอคโกแล็ตไม่มีอะไรเกี่ยวข้องกับเมืองจีนหรือขนมหวานชอคโกแล็ตเลย เวลามาเที่ยวที่ชอคโกแล็ต คนเที่ยวกลับจะรู้สึกเหมือนเริ่มต้นคืนที่ปักกิ่งแต่ไปจบลงที่มอสโคว์

แม้ว่าคลับชอคโกแล็ตจะเป็นที่เที่ยวที่ดูแปลกประหลาด แต่ที่ประหลาดกว่าคือการที่มันจัดเป็นหนึ่งในสถานที่เที่ยวยอดนิยมในหมู่ชาวต่างชาติที่อาศัยอยู่ที่ปักกิ่ง expatที่ปักกิ่งโดยทั่วไปรู้จักคลับชอคโกแล็ตดีกว่าที่ตัวเองอยากจะยอมรับ พวกเรารู้ว่ามันทั้งพิลึกและออกจะไร้รสนิยม แต่ใครๆก็กลับไปตายรังที่ชอคโก-แล็ตอาทิตย์แล้วอาทิตย์เล่าทั้งนั้น เราอายเกินกว่าจะบอกว่ากี่ครั้งที่เราจับพลัดจับผลูอยู่ดีๆก็มาจบลงที่นี่ ถ้าเพื่อนๆยังไม่ค่อยเข้าใจเสน่ห์ของชอคโกแล็ตก็ไม่เป็นไร ไว้พอมาปักกิ่งก็แค่เคลียร์คิวหนึ่งคืนลองมาเที่ยวที่นี่ดู ให้โอกาสชอคโกแล็ตได้แสดงความเป็นตัวตนที่แท้จริงของมันออกมา แล้วเพื่อนๆจะรู้ว่าเสน่ห์ของคลับไม่ค่อยมีสไตล์แห่งนี้มันเป็นอย่างไร ว่าแต่ว่าอย่าดื่มหนักจนจำอะไรไม่ได้แล้วกัน

Tokyo, 24 November 2009 - Pabrikan otomotif asal Jepang, Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) memboyong varian Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) premium, Lexus GX 460 ke ajang pameran otomotif terbesar di China, Guangzhou Motor Show yang dibuka Selasa (24/11) ini.

Rencananya, generasi teranyar Lexus itu akan diluncurkan awal 2010 mendatang. Sumber Toyota seperti dikutip autoworld menyebut, mobil ini dibekali mesin V8 4.600 cc yang mampu menyemburkan tenaga hingga 300 daya kuda.

Sementara torsi maksimum 446 Newton meter (Nm) disalurkan ke keempat rodanya melalui piranti transmisi otomatis enam tingkat percepatan.

“Yang istimewa dari mobil ini adalah, sistem torsen all-wheel-drive dimana sensor torsi differensial tengah torsen mampu membagi 60 persen daya ke roda belakang di saat kondisi laju mobil normal,” papar sumber tersebut.

Bahkan, pada kondisi tertentu kemampuan membagi daya itu bisa ditingkatkan hingga 70 persen guna meningkatkan stabilitas pada waktu mobil melesat di jalan menikung. Terlebih sistem suspensi mobil ini menggunakan kinectic dynamic suspension system yang merupakan pengembangan teknologi suspensi yang dilakukan Toyota.

Perangkat tersebut, bisa mengurangi gejala oleng ( body roll). Sebab, perangkat itu mampu mengaktifkan silinder hidrolis kecil yang dipasang pada alat yang disebut anti-roll bar. “Bahkan, disediakan (opsional) perangkat adaptive variable suspensionmulti-mode untuk peredaman secara elektronik, sehingga suspensi bisa diatur sesuai keinginan pengemudi,”

Kenyamanan suspensi bukan satu-satunya fitur kenyamanan yang ditawarkan mobil ini. Sebab, di jok bagian depan terdapat ventilasi dan pemanas, AC climate control, wiper dengan sensor air hujan, sensor lampu senja, kamera belakang, sistem audio berfitur bluetooth dengan sembilan speaker menjadi fitur standar.

Sedangkan perangkat navigasi satelit, perangkat audio kelas premium bermerek Mark Levinson dengan 17 speaker serta pemutar di DVD menjadi fitur opsional. Soal keamanan, jangan ditanya. Sebab, mobil ini dilengkapi sederet fitur keselamatan meliputi kontrol stabilitas, kontrol traksi, antilock brake system (ABS), electronic brake force distribution (EBD) dan brake assist (BA) dengan dilengkapi monitor untuk mengontrol kondisi perangkat-perangkat itu saat digunakan.

Namun, pihak Toyota belum memberikan keterangan ihwal harga yang dibanderol untuk mobil tersebut. Hanya disebutkan, varian SUV premium teranyar itu untuk tahap awal baru dipasarkan di Amerika.

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Touring this city requires a lot of walking – a good physical condition helps if you are here – but mentally you never get tired of this dynamic metropolis.

With a 3,000-year history, sights, myths and tales from the past are found around every corner. It’s why tourists love Beijing and believe me, Beijing loves its tourists too. The city has great restaurants featuring the world cuisine and some of the hotels match the best in the world. For the best deals on hotels in Beijing, check out http://www.hotelscombined.com/City/Beijing.htm?a_aid=4d780272

Let’s take a closer look at some of the main sights and attractions.

Forbidden City

The former palace of Ming and Qing Dynasties, and now one of the most incredible museums in the world. It’s so huge (800 buildings! 8,886 rooms! 720,000 square metres!) you need at least half a day to get a good impression of its beauty. The palace was forbidden ground for ordinary people until the fall of the empire in 1912.

Temple Of Heaven

Many regard this as the most beautiful temple in China. Located in the south eastern part of the city and surrounded by parkland, it’s really a complex of buildings of which the main, beautifully decorated temple was built in the 15th Century. Not a single nail was used to build it and it still stands firm like a rock. Tiananmen Square Just outside the Forbidden City, and the world’s biggest square: 880 metres long, 500 metres wide. This square simply breathes authority. Built in 1417, it has been the site of many historical and political events. It’s entirely flat, except for two buildings: the mausoleum of Mao Zedong and the Monument to the People’s Heroes.

Summer Palace

Just outside the city this park of 716 acres used to be the imperial garden retreat during hot summers. It was burned down in 1860 during the Anglo-French invasion but rebuilt in 1888, and once more in 1902 after another attack. The main building is the Hall of Benevolence and Longevity. The 60 meters high Longevity hill and the Kunming Lake dominate the park.

Further away, but still easily reached from the capital is the Great Wall of China.

If you’re a fan of history and interested in Chinese culture, this city has so much to offer.
But make no mistake. Despite its historical sights and signs of communist glory, young people in Beijing live the life of today. And today in China means a country with a booming economy. Mobile phones and (copy) designer clothes are seen in every street, and people show a great interest in everything that comes from the western world.

It has given this crowded city a feel that makes tourists from all over the world feel welcome, even though much is so different from their life at home.

The broad boulevards of Beijing are now full of cars – yes, there are still zillions of bikes, but they’re losing ground – and shops, business and entertainment flourish like never before. Beijing is a world on its own, and visiting this city is – like the rest of China – an experience you’ll never forget.

The Forbidden City in Beijing is no longer forbidden territory anymore. And we should be grateful for that. Why? If you have had the honor to visit this extraordinary place, you will understand.

This stunning complex of imperial buildings, right in the heart of the Chinese capital, is one of the most magical sights in the world. It’s so overwhelming that once you’ve been there, you’ll keep talking about it whenever you have the opportunity.

Let’s look at some facts.

The Forbidden City is the former palace of Ming and Qing Dynasties. It was planned and built from 1407 to 1420, and for its design and layout principles of Feng Shui were used. An estimated 200,000 workers helped to construct it.

The numbers explain why so many people were needed: there are 800 buildings with a total of 8,886 rooms. The word ‘city’ is not misused as it measures 961 meters from north to south and 753 meters from east to west.

A 52-meter wide moat (6 meters deep) and an 8-meter high wall around the complex kept intruders (and ordinary people!) away until the fall of the Empire in 1912.

Now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the buildings are used as a museum.

Again, the numbers are impressive. The Palace Museum holds no less than 340,000 pieces of ceramics and porcelain as well as 50,000 items of paintings. I regret to say that once you’re there, you won’t have time to see everything, but even a quick review can make you speechless.

The sheer size of the complex is impressive, but a problem at the same time. How can you make the most out of your visit?

If you go there on a guided tour, the guide will likely follow the middle path to save time. In two hours time you’ll see the most important parts of the city, but since there’s so much to pay attention to, you will hardly have time to stop.

If you go there alone, use a full day and come early. Don’t plan to visit any other sights on that day, just the Forbidden City. If you take your time and enjoy what you see, you can spend half a day and still only see half of it.

Another good idea is renting the audio guide at the entrance.

Don’t be intimidated by the crowd at the entrance. Yes, it’s very touristy and it can take a while before you are in, but once people have got their ticket the crowd splits up in several groups.

Take a rest in the imperial gardens. Jingshan Park, with an artifical hill, is the most famous. You’ll feel an emperor for a second when you sit there!

Finally, if you want to get into the mood, you could watch The Last Emperor, the first Hollywood movie for which the government of China allowed to film inside the complex.

The Forbidden City is right in the heart of the city, so it’s easy to reach from the place you’re staying. For the best deals on hotels in Beijing, check out http://www.hotelscombined.com/City/Beijing.htm?a_aid=4d780272

Who has NOT heard about The Great Wall of China? No one, I guess. Even young children are already fascinated by one of mankind’s greatest achievements. Visit the wall and you’ll never be the same!

The world’s longest human-made structure measures 6,400 km or 4,000 miles, or that’s what is believed. Due to the rough terrain it is not entirely clear how long it is, but the aforementioned number comes close.

It is often said the Great Wall of China is so big it can even be seen from the moon.

However, this is an urban legend, dating back from times mankind still had to visit the moon.
No astronaut who actually went to the moon said he had seen the wall. This is easy to understand when you know it is only 10 meters or 30 feet wide (at maximum) and has about the same color as its surroundings.

Another myth says the Great Wall of China surrounds China.

Not true: it lies in the northeast of the country. It was built between the 5th century BC and the 16th century to protect the northern borders of the Chinese Empire. The current borders of the country are much further north and further west.

The oldest parts are made of earth, stones and wood. Later also bricks, tiles and lime were used. Watchtowers were built for storing weapons.

Several sections close to Beijing were renovated and now attract millions of tourists each year. Other parts, in more remote areas, are often in a rather poor condition or have been destroyed to make space for a new construction.

Visiting the Great Wall of China is an unforgettable experience. It’s the highlight of many trips to Asia. However, be aware the wall is often very steep. Elderly people may have trouble keeping their balance and many never walk further than a few kilometers. Stairs are uneven, the surface is rough and the wall is sometimes only a few meters wide – which can be a problem if there are many people walking by.

And still, it’s something you should not miss!

The most popular place to enter this megastructure is Badaling, 80 km northwest of Beijing. There’s a new expressway connecting Badaling with the capital. Here most tour groups come. No wonder it’s very busy. The portion was constructed during the Ming Dynasty.

If you prefer a quieter section, I recommend Mutianyu, 70 km northeast of Beijing. It is also well-preserved, surrounded by forests and rivers and includes no less than 22 watchtowers. At Mutianyu the wall is 7 to 8 meters high and 4 to 5 meters wide.

No matter if you find it too touristy or not, you haven’t seen China if you haven’t been to the wall.

Most people visit the Great Wall during their stay in Beijing. For the best deals on hotels in Beijing, check out http://www.hotelscombined.com/City/Beijing.htm?a_aid=4d780272

Last week, Barak Obama was doing the rounds in China, hoping to further cement ties with the world’s most populous nation. Every year, China’s influence and power in the world is growing, and this past year, which experienced a severe financial crisis, is no different. As China’s power increases, so does the United State’s need to either befriend them, or at least rein them in. Whether they like it or not – and I am willing to bet they dislike it greatly – China is a serious contender for no.1 power.

Obama met with President Hu Jintao to discuss a range of issues, some of those being to further isolate and/or pressure rogue countries such as Iran, Sudan and North Korea, who blatantly disregard nuclear restrictions placed upon them. Things were looking positive with China partly agreeing – or seeming to – with the key word floated around being ‘dialogue’.

So now, China’s Defence Minister, General Liang, a former veteran soldier of the Korean War has come out and renewed military ties with North Koreas capital, Pyongyang.

”No force on earth can break the unity of the armies and peoples of the two countries, and it will last forever,” he was quoted as saying, also mentioning that ties were “sealed in blood.”

In addition to this, China’s Security Chief also led a fresh delegate to Sudan – another problem country.

I get the feeling that China acts like this on purpose. Inwardly it would take great pleasure in annoying the United States, knowing full well that there’s little to nothing the USA can do about it.

As much as I enjoy following Chinese news and current affairs, I do not envy the foreign diplomats and politicians who must deal with this absolute handful of a country on a daily basis – it would be not unlike banging your head against the proverbial wall.

U.S. President Barack Obama, left and Chinese President Hu Jintao reach out to shake hands after a press conference at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2009. Photo: AP

He did it! During his trip to China, President Barack Obama mentioned human rights and the importance of free thinking, and China didn’t dump its massive pile of U.S. dollars. America must still have some sway left in the world.

Perhaps Obama is now on a roll and will score a last-minute deal with China on climate change reduction targets or revaluing the Chinese yuan to get the global economic order rebalanced. Not.

Despite all this Asia trip fanfare, the truth is, America is foundering beneath Obama’s sizzle. The world doubts America’s ability to achieve objectives that it has set for itself — and this includes several key goals Obama had before going on his wide cut through Northeast and Southeast Asia.

Among Obama’s goals for this trip were, first, to convince Asians that the region is a U.S. priority at the presidential level. Box checked. Second was to get into the race of multilateral trade that Australia, China and Japan are each spearheading in their own way. Trans-Pacific partnership — check (but a pathetically sized check).

Third was to secure support for serious, binding targets to cut greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2050, particularly for China. Missed target — sizzle fizzled. Fourth was to strike a deal with China and other key Asian nations to structurally re-engineer their economies to prioritize consumption over production — and to encourage them to buy American products on the way to rebalancing the global economy. Another big fizzle.

Obama is a mesmerizing force on the global stage. His presence and open-minded, swaggerless posture, his way of framing opportunity and hope not just for the U.S. but for the world, are all welcomed by other nations and their citizens. But the world is interconnected in exactly the ways that Obama described during the campaign.

That means that America’s being stuck in a worsening quagmire in Afghanistan and pricked hard as it tries to adjust its forces out of Iraq have created doubt in allies about U.S. dependability, along with an appetite for change among global foes.

If America is perceived as weak militarily — and, after exporting toxic financial products to the world, dethroned economically — and also morally doubted given the ongoing drama at Guantanamo and memories of Abu Ghraib, then nations will not easily be moved to a course Obama is encouraging.

The reaction around much of the world is that the Copenhagen climate change meeting in December will be a soft summit, not a hard one that moves beyond pretense to action.

Given expectations and Obama’s own early declarations of its importance, Copenhagen is now dead. But what killed it is a fundamental error of the Obama White House: that it can be all things to all causes.

Obama’s attentions are spread too thin. It is vital for the White House to demonstrate an ability to accomplish goals, be they in reorienting Iran’s course, establishing a Palestinian state, ending the embargo of Cuba, creating a new global management pact with China, establishing a Manhattan Project for the next generation or developing renewable energy — anything that might create a “Nixon goes to China” strategic leap out of the incrementalism and inertia driving America’s course now.

But Obama has pulled off nothing big yet, and until he shows an ability to change the way gravitational forces have pulled global affairs out of equilibrium, then the world will resist America’s most benign entreaties to collectively solve problems that face all of us — particularly climate change.

Steve Clemons directs the American Strategy Program at the New America Foundation and publishes the political blog The Washington Note.

Fonte: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1109/29626.html

Postado por Lais Niman

When I attended my first expat wives coffee morning here, one of the most heated topics of discussion was the treatment of expat husbands in the Chinese workplace.

Not so much in terms of support from corporate HQ, although that came up, (congrats Microsoft, your HR support for accompanying families and working spouses is the only one I’ve heard consistently good things about) but the day to day reality. The overwhelming sense was one of bewilderment.

Of course, adjusting expectations and battling to understand complex behavioural norms is a fact of life for expats. Add a language barrier and you have yourself a situation.

Neither is it fair to say every expat working here has an awful time. Everyone has come here for the opportunity to work in the most important market of the 21st century. Most love it. Some never leave. But almost everyone will also admit to some serious frustrations at one point or another.

I’m not going to touch on the issue of “face” or table manners or how to present business cards. What follows is based on raw observation and feedback from the coal face – tips from anecdotes heard over the past 6 months:

• Start learning Mandarin – you can have an interpreter (and sometimes this is a useful negotiating tactic during meetings with clients) but they will always edit and you won’t gain as much respect as if you have a go;
• However, make sure it is clear from the outset to HQ and the local team that language ability does not happen overnight and, in the vast majority of cases, that’s not why expat workers have been bought in;
• Insist on a foreign line manager – a truth universally acknowledged in Beijing is that reporting to a Chinese boss does not work, leading to massive stress and resentment on both sides which often filters back to HQ. If you can’t, insist on having a liaison at HQ (NOT someone in HR);
• Likewise, understand that for most Chinese, having a foreign boss is like a slap in the face. While it will never be acknowleged publicly, the view is that expat workers are lazy and spoiled and completely unecessary. Maybe they are. More often than not, you will be resented. See point 1;
• Understand that while most Chinese employees will get a kick out of being invited into your home, trying western food and drink, hearing western music etc, it is almost always done out of politesse and will last a very short time. One woman I met spoke of preparing for hours before her team came for a drinks party, only to have them arrive en masse and leave after 30 mins.
• The office hierarchy is unspoken but strict. If you manage to make real Chinese friends at the office, count your blessings, it is extremely rare and will probably consist of Chinese who have studied abroad;
• Yes, at some point expect to be presented with bizarre foods and plenty of booze. And yes, it is a test of your manhood;
• Get used to finding 15 different ways to explain something – short and simple in as many ways as you can think of;
• After handing out instructions, set a deadline for the team to come to you and ask questions. If you don’t, you may find that when you check in on progress days later, team members are still struggling to understand what needs to be done or discussing it amongst themselves;
• Don’t be surprised if after a team discussion about a task where no one appears to have immediate questions or concerns, a team members is appointed by his/her fellows to come to you with questions. Understand that culturally, this is extremely hard for the person in question;
• Don’t be surprised if you receive negative appraisal/feedback on your performance. Remember the Chinese education system is based on trying to shame pupils into good habits and on fierce competition where all tactics are considered valid. Try not to take it personally but above all manage it with HQ – if you work with teams in other offices, insist on feedback from them to provide a more balanced perspective;
• Get used to resentful colleagues sending emails directly to your boss, with you in CC, for all manner of petty issues. These normally revolve around the fact you have refused to do your colleague’s work for them. Emailing up is a daily occurrence, it seems.

Forewarned is forearmed, right?

PKKH

Fayaz Wani

With US president Barack Hussein Obama seeking China’s help in normalizing the relations between nuclear arch rivals, India and Pakistan, the Chinese government has started making inroads in Indian administered Kashmir (IaK), much to the delight of the separatist leadership in the region.  A Non Governmental Organisation (NGO) of China has invited one of the senior separatist Kashmiri leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq to present his perspective about the Kashmir dispute in Beijing.

This is the first instance during the 20-year old turmoil in Kashmir that China has shown interest in hosting a Kashmiri separatist leader and willingness to listen his point of view about the issue, which is a bone of contention between India and Pakistan. The two countries have fought three wars and were close to nuclear war in 1998 to wrest the control the region, which has been declared as “nuclear flashpoint” by former US president Bill Clinton.

“I have been invited by a Chinese NGO to Beijing. I will go there after the holy festival of Eid-ul-Azha, which falls on November 28. I have to speak about the Kashmiri perspective of the Kashmir issue. I will tell them that Kashmir is a political issue and not a territorial or religious dispute,” said Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, a Kashmiri separatist leader, who intends to hold separate talks with Indian and Pakistan government on Kashmir issue.

Welcoming the recent joint statement of US and Chinese presidents in Beijing, the Kashmiri separatist leader said, “Although China is not a party to the Kashmir dispute but it definitely has a stake in the region’s peace as it is an emerging power and Pakistan has given some part of Kashmir to the country as well,” he said.

China occupied Aksa Chin from India after 1962 war and was gifted 5000 sq kms territory of Kashmir by Pakistan in 1963.

The political observers in Kashmir attach significance to China’s renewed interest in Kashmir. “Since the eruption of turmoil in Kashmir in 1989, China has been silent and never gave any space to the separatist voices. One of the senior separatist leaders in 1990s had sought appointment with Chinese envoy in Indian capital to discuss the Kashmir issue but was politely refused permission by the embassy officials,” said a political science teacher of University of Kashmir, highest seat of learning in Kashmir.

The China government is already providing special travel documents – stapled visa – to Kashmiri citizens intending to travel to the country. The visa, however, is not being entertained by India and as a result scores of Kashmiris were not allowed to visit China by Indian authorities.

The China’s Kashmir interest will further strain the relations between India and China. India has accused the Chinese army and Air force of incursions and air violations in Indian territory. Chinese government recently opposed the visit of Buddhist spiritual leader Dalai Lama into India state of Arunachal Pradesh. China claims Arunachal Pradesh as its territory and accuses India of ‘illegally occupying it’.

China’s interest in Kashmir is not good news for India, which has already expressed its reservations over America’s moves to seek Chinese help in stabilizing South Asia. “India will now found itself cornered. Pakistan has always been talking about resolution of Kashmir dispute and has been linking Kashmir resolution with the success against ‘war on terror’. The US administration too is trying to encourage India and Pakistan to resume the dialogue process and resolve the vexed Kashmir issue and now with China’s entry things will get complicated for India,” said a Kashmir analyst.

He said with assistance from China, Pakistan can further increase the pressure on Indian government to resolve the 60-year old Kashmir dispute.

However, a senior pro-Indian Kashmiri leader and former deputy chief minister of the region, Muzaffar Hussain Beigh opposes Chinese involvement in Kashmir issue. “We have already got three stake holders on Kashmir issue and the entry of China will further complicate the issue and its resolution. We need to keep China away from it,” he said.

Beigh said that China is playing Kashmir card to pressure India to soften its stand on Dalai Lama and Arunachal Pradesh issue.

But the China’s interest in Kashmir has brought delight among the separatist leadership. Believing in maxim “enemy of enemy is a friend,” most of them feel that China’s involvement will pressurize India to seek a peaceful settlement of the issue.

The political observers feel that it will be difficult now to keep the dragon away. “Now it has to be seen what will be the effect of dragon’s entry into Kashmir,” they added.

Let us wait and watch!

The author is a journalist based in Indian administered Kashmir and can be reached at fayazwani123@gmail.com

Wherever I travel, I love checking out the signs on shops, restaurants and highways. I have found so many good laughs, especially in places where English is used as a second language. Here are a few of my recent favorites from Shanghai and Beijing, complete with a few hard to resist comments:

Don’t follow too clowsely

Don’t dring and drive

Donkey Meat for sale. (Do people really eat donkey?  Never mind, don’t answer that given that I saw dog heads for sale in a street market.)

Baby on Road (This was on a car window sticker in Beijing. I could not decide whether it was a joke or a spelling error.)

Best restaurant and store names: Gotta Pick My Precious Love (I am not sure what is sold here, but the name is spectacular.)

Paris Lice (Yuck. Lice does not sound good for a clothing store, even when you place Paris in front of it.)

Happy Everyday Bar, Happy Station Restaurant (There were lots of happy places in Shanghai.)

Baby Move (clothing store).

Hot Taste Restaurant.

“Behavior and upper taste” on a billboard advertisement with all the rest of the writing in Chinese. I would like to think that I have behavior and upper taste.

Now, what are some of your favorite signs?

China’s National Working Group of Eliminating Pornography and Illegal Publications has announced achievements that it has made since campaigns were launched earlier this year against illegal online and mobile phone publications. NWGEPIP stated on October 20 that since the special campaigns were launched to crack down on vulgar online and mobile phone content, China had seized 1414 illegal online literary works, closed 20 websites that were found spreading pornographic information, and deleted a total of more than 30,000 links to illegal web pages. Meanwhile, NWGEPIP has also issued a special circular which asks each region around China to make efforts to stop the spread of vulgar novels online and remove unhealthy content from websites. In addition, NWGEPIP also states operators of websites publishing pornographic publications will be severely punished. A representative from General Administration of Press and Publication stated that in the first nine months of this year, various measures were taken to monitor online publications and up to 50,000 literary works of more than 4000 websites were monitored. GAPP will continue to focus on four areas: making relevant regulations, speeding up the construction of online publication monitoring system, establishing a GAPP online publication monitoring center, and promoting the construction of Chinese online literary publication platform. News about these closures comes days after Chinese authors rallied online against Google’s plans to start a digital Chinese library service. Chinawriter.com.cn has posted a message allegedly from Google which states that the American search engine will compensate Chinese writers USD60 for each book of each writer who agrees to allow Google to use the book online. The search engine stated in the announcement that it would pay at least USD60 to each writer for each book if the writer agrees to reconcile with Google, and the writer can receive 63% of the revenue from readers’ online downloading of the book in the future. Many writers have refused to accept the reconciliation agreement and have spurned Google’s take-it-or-leave-it attitude. The authors state they plan to continue to fight Google’s plans.

Source: Shanghai Daily

S&F Law

Posted by Audiegrl

AP/Christopher Bodeen—Washington’s ambassador to Beijing hit out Friday at negative U.S. media coverage of President Barack Obama’s visit to China, saying it failed to take into account important progress on many issues.

Although producing no breakthroughs on key issues, Obama’s first state visit to the Asian giant that ended Wednesday was heralded by both sides as a success.

The trip was the top news story in China, drawing strong interest from the Chinese public who, surveys suggest, are largely positive in their view of the American president.

However, much of the U.S. media coverage was strongly negative, accusing Obama of failing to gain concessions on key issues such as Iran’s nuclear program and climate change, as well as being weak on human rights.

Ambassador Jon Huntsman said the reports missed the fact that the visit had yielded important progress on cooperation in areas such as clean energy, military-to-military exchanges and stopping the spread of nuclear weapons.

“I attended all those meetings that President Obama had with Hu Jintao and Wen Jiabao,” Huntsman said, referring to the Chinese president and premier.

“I’ve got to say some of the reporting I saw afterward was off the mark. I saw sweeping comments about things that apparently weren’t talked about, when they were discussed in great detail in the meetings,” he said.

Huntsman made the comments during a question-and-answer session with Chinese and American students attending an international relations program at elite Peking University.

He said criticism about limited Chinese exposure for Obama’s remarks at a town hall-style meeting with students in Shanghai failed to consider the ubiquity of the Internet and blogging in China, where 350 million people use the Web.

“Go check some time and see how messages bounce around from Web site to Web site and blogger to blogger for a very long period of time and you’ll get a sense of what the communication revolution is all about,” Huntsman said.

More @

I chose to stay at Mövenpick – a nice looking 4 star hotel with several restaurants offering European cuisine. It’s not that there is something wrong with Chinese cuisine, but I discovered that there were many different types of Chinese cuisine depending on the region.

It appeared that the one known in Europe is not the same as the one in Beijing. In Beijing they use a different type of soya sauce which is quite sweet. Luckily, you can always find some Stella Artois to make your life easier.

night skyline across beijing city

There are many things to be seen around Beijing: The Temple of Heaven where the emperors used to prey;  many Buddhist temples; the Beihai park -  full of extraordinary flowers and plants; the Forbidden city, of course.

Do you remember “The Last Emperor”? The summer palace of empress Tz’u-hsi is very impressive. Tz’u-hsi was maybe the cruelest woman emperor in all times but also one of the most powerful. Her story is very intriguing.

Amongst the many places, undoubtedly the most spectacular is the Great Wall. Needless to say it is full of tourists. I was surprised to find out that it looked exactly like on the ancient paintings I’ve seen. It is winding along the mountain ridges, intangible, unthinkable, unending. Longer than you could imagine.

The Great Wall of China

It stays there as a monument of some clever defense plan or of some megalomaniac ambition. I don’t know which one of the two. The wall is something you must see at least once. I can’t help but remember that beautiful song of Bob Dylan:

“Then take me disappearin’ through the smoke rings of my mind,

Down the foggy ruins of time, far past the frozen leaves,

The haunted, frightened trees, out to the windy beach,

Far from the twisted reach of crazy sorrow.

…

Let me forget about today until tomorrow”

21st Sept

I awake early, my roommates are lying sprawled in the their beds, I dont expect them up anytime soon. I wander around Beijing for a while eating jiaozi (dumplings) from street venders with little stalls with stacked steaming bamboo baskets. Security on Tianamen square has noticeable been ratcheted up a notch, bags are being xrayed on entering, nobody is going to rain on their parade thats for sure.

After a while I return to my hutong, the room is empty now but after a while one of its other inhabitants returns. A heavily tatoo australian named Jim, he looks like a cross between Wayne Rooney and an Irish rapist. We go through the usual perfunctory conversation, a conversation which would be played out countless times over the next few months, who are you, where you from? where you going, what do you do? etc, feigning interest while in reality attempting to ascertain the liklihood of the other guy taking a dump in your rucksack early some morning while you are asleep, a possibility I estimate as being as high as 50% for this guy.

We decide to go for a beer despite it being only 5 in the afternoon, on the way out we meet another, and who would prove to be pivotal, misfit in the hotel lobby. Jacob a partially insane manic french canadian nutcase who for a some bizarre reason is also apparently fluent in Chinese. He has a dangerous glint in his eye which puts me ill at ease, the look of a man who probably enjoys farting in the elevator just as it reaches his floor. He spoke a continuous babble at about 200 words a minute with almost no cohesion between sentences. The conversation seems to center around him haggling with a hooker over a $1 “happy ending” massage the previous night and the funny pills Crazy Aussie bought the previous night from some Nigerian dude outside a club which had him speaking in tongues. I had a hard time following precisely whats going on. Along with another french guy we decided to go get some dinner.

We eventually end up at a Korean bbq, nicely sauced up on rice wine at this stage. When the menu arrives I joke that we should check out the dog. Through the drink induced haze my idle comment was misconstrued as some sort of masculine call to arms prompting a chorus of hell yeah Id eat a dog. Id unleashed a monster and it was too late to back out now even thought it was quickly obvious that everyone was having second thoughts. So dog we ordered amongst a few other normal dishes which were delivered raw and bloody to the table for us to barbecue. Whatever breed it was it must have been some fatass dog, the little meat that each slice of fido was stringy and came apart easily after being cooked having the texture and consistance of old mutton. It wasnt particularly tasty, the beef proved far more popular, maybe there is a reason why people dont usually eat dogs.

Fido, centre stage, top

All the while we continued our drinking and eventually ended up in a seedy looking karoke bar most probably because either one or both of my companions had mistaken it for a brothel. The place was utterly deserted most likely due to the ridiculous prices ( beer was close to dublin prices which was madness considering you could buy it in the shop around the corner for 30 cent a big bottle). Myself and Crazy Aussie were anxious to move on but Crazy Canadian was busy flirting with a bar girl in a tiny pair of hotpants thanks to his fluency in chinese.

Several beers later we get a taxi to Hohoi the bar area in Beijing, Crazy Aussie is very drunk at this stage and making a general ass of himself, hes one of these guys fairly quiet while sober compensating with alcohol and losing the head with a bit of drink taken. He is prancing up and down the road running into oncoming trafic and generally acting the fool with the perplexed locals passing by.

Arriving in Hohoi, we disassociate ourselves with Crazy Aussie after he steals a bottle of whiskey off a table by reaching through the window. He runs off and we find him later swigging from it, in conversation with a police man who was continually refusing his offers to join in with him. After about half an hour more of this nonsense the effect of the spirits begin to take hold and Crazy Aussies legs start to fail him. This leaves myself and Crazy Canadian in a difficult predicament. We couldnt just leave him there, afterall in the unlikely event of him somehow surviving the night he’d still have ample opportunity to shit in my rucksack, although it must be said that the lift-farter was perfectly happy with this solution, so we drag him back to the taxis. I stand on the footpath with CA while CC argues with the taxi in Chinese, eventually we agree to pay 100 kuai for the cleaning of the taxi when CA inevitable throws up the dog meat he was eating earlier. All the while Chinese are filtering past laughing pointing and taking photos of CA sprawling out on his back on the footpath with his shriveled genitalia protruding out of his unbuttoned pants.

I attempt to force his head out the window as he starts throwing up during the return journey, eventually I give up and deftly use his bag as a vomit shield. Gingerly dodging chucks of semi digested dog I clamber out of the taxi at the hostel and myself and CC drag him feet first along the rubble and shit strewn alleyways. I believe at one stage he may have soiled himself but I cannot confirm whether this was the case or did we simply drag him over a large pile of human feces. At the hostel we are faced with the difficulty of getting him up a series of steps, a nice old chinese lady hovers around offering advice in chinese, I imagine her to be saying wise old chinese proverbs to us about the folly of associating with mentally unstable australians, but ultimately proves ineffectual. He is absolutely flithy at this stage and appears to be missing a shoe, neither of us wants to touch him, after about 20 minutes were steel ourselves, pick him up and drag him into the hostel, it should be stated that all the while during this escapade he was projectile vomiting.

Understandably the other people sleeping in our room arent too happy when we arrive at the door with our associate. My quip that perhaps we could just leave him in the corridor is met with eager approbation. We drag him into the room, I roll him on his back with my foot to stop him choking to death, there still seems to be a large amount of vomit in him.

Was wash our hands and return to the seedy bar where CC pick up where he left off with Chinese McHotpants.

Finally peace and tranquility reign.

Pangu 7 Star Hotel, Beijing’s newest luxury accomodation address, has opened opposite the 2008 Beijing Olympic Park. Overlooking the ’Bird’s Nest’ National Stadium and ‘Water Cube’ National Aquatic Center, the hotel is part of the iconic dragon-shaped Pangu Plaza complex and enjoys convenient connections to Beijing Capital Airport and the city’s major attractions.

Designed by Taiwanese architect C. Y. Lee, whose portfolio includes the 508-meter Taipei 101 Tower, the hotel occupies a 21-storey tower incoporating a East-meets-West interior by Brazilian designer Ricardo Bello Dias. Marble embellished with traditional Chinese motifs engraved by local craftsmen can be found throughout the building, which also features lighting by Italian consultants Metis and Venini, while the lobby is adorned with solid granite dragon thrones and rosewood ceiling murals carved with scenes from the Chinese classic ‘A Dream of Red Mansions’.

The hotel’s 234 guestrooms, including 140 suites, range from the 45-square meter Grand Deluxe Rooms to the 488-square meter Pangu Presidential Suite. Each room is furnished with a luxury King-sized bed with 600-threadcount Egyptian cotton bedding by Frette, spacious bathroom with separate bathtub and monsoon rain shower accompanied by Ferre and Hermes bath products, heated towel rack and hand-sculpted dual washbasins, LCD televisions with Bose surround sound system, complimentary high-speed internet access, IP telephones, full-size executive workdesk with plug extensions, in-room safe and complimentary minibar.

Discerning guests can also choose to stay in Pangu Plaza’s 770-square meter Sky Courtyard. Priced at RMB 1 million a night, the residence situated on the 23rd floor with private lift access recreates traditional Chinese courtyard living. Built with antique carved wooden walls from southern China and featuring art-infused decor by fashion label Shanghai Tang’s Sir David Tang, the residence also features a rooftop garden, wading pool and a retractable electric glass roof.

Pangu 7 star Hotel boasts 3 signature restaurants and 2 elegant lounges. The 300-year old Kyoto kaiseki restaurant Minokichi opens its first international branch with Kaden Minokichi, while Pangu Wenqi Chinese restaurant offers Chiu Chow and Cantonese private dining in 26 individually styled dining suites. Auspicious Garden, the hotel’s all-day dining venue, serves a buffet spread of Asian and International specialties. Guests can enjoy high tea and evening aperitifs at the Karma Lounge, or proceed to the alfresco Happiness Lounge on the 21st floor for cocktails against views of the 2008 Olympic competition venues.

Business travellers and meeting planners have 2 floors of event space at their disposal, including 2 large, pillarless ballrooms that can accomodate up to 500 guests. The hotel also has 5 meeting rooms ranging in size from 68 to 176 square meters. All venues are equipped with state-of-the-art audio-visual facilities and supported by a full-service Business Center. For recreation, the hotel currently offers a fitness center with Technogym facilities and will add a day spa with luxurious spa suites and an indoor swimming pool in 2010.

For more information, visit www.panguhotel.com.

It snowed yesterday night! Which was unexpected as well as unusual. On Tuesday I had to go to a business trip to Jinan. The weather in Beijing was still very warm (about 25’C) when I went. When I came back on Friday, the temperature had already dropped by around ten centigrade, and on Saturday morning we had 30cm of snow everywhere and temperatures below freezing!Now normally I don’t mind snow as such. Having lived in Munich, we had snow from October till March (still fought a lonely battle with colleagues who wanted to drag me to go skiing). But the snow fall here caused some different problems:

First, my entire winter clothing is still in Chinese customs since I don’t have a residence card yet and only once I get this, my stuff can be delivered to me. This made getting dressed this morning quite interesting (I wore both of my jumpers and my summer jacket). Second, the Chinese state run heating and gas suppliers only turn on the heating systems in mid November and turn them off again in mid March…no matter what the temperature is like. Third, the snow fall obviously led to utter traffic chaos, since it rarely snows in Beijing (winter is the dry season), especially not in October. Having said that, the Chinese coped much better during the course of the day than people in England (where I lived for seven years) who were always extremely surprised that after autumn, winter followed.

But the most interesting aspect about the unexpected weather change I found in an article of China Daily (“Weather office brings selfish snow”). Apparently, the Beijing Weather Modification Office (do we have anything like this in Europe or America?) explained that they “enhanced” the snowfall by firing 84 packages of silver iodide into the clouds above Beijing to prompt precipitation since it had gone more than 100 days without rain. This sounds like science fiction to me and also gives the job of “Weather Man” a completely new meaning.