Hello my friends! Break out the champers, because CHINA BLONDE - the memoir is here!!! If you've been following Mint Mocha Musings for awhile now, like I know so many of you loyally have since 2012 (yes it's been that long), you've probably heard me talking about writing a book.... a lot. And, you've probably wondered if I was making it up -- I don't blame you, it's taken that bloody long! But let me tell you, there is nothing remotely quick about writing a book. I've always wanted to write a book, don't all journos think they've got a book in them? Ha! Probably. But, in all reality, I had no idea what my first book would be about....that is until I got to China. Then it all became 'oh so clear'. Xi'an - this fascinating second-tier city of nine million people, the first ancient capital of China. A city bearing thousands of years of history. Fascinating... until I had to live there. You may remember, culture shock hit me head on like a lightening bolt. Waking up that very first morning, daring to peek outside the hotel window, I felt like I couldn't breathe. Sure, I'd lived in Hong Kong for four years, the Pearl of the Orient. I'd been spoilt and I'd grown to love the glittering harbour city so fiercely, I wanted to call it my forever home. I also, rather foolishly, thought the fragrant harbour had me prepared for mainland China. How wrong I was. … [Read more...]
China’s Coronavirus Comeback
Eight Weeks On...... Wuhan - a city we almost moved to once. A city I wrote about in this blog post, that then, was a city few outside of China had ever heard of. Now the infamous city is a household name right around the globe, sadly for all the wrong reasons. The official epicentre of the Coronavirus, over 2500 people have died in Wuhan, although that figure is said to be as high as 40,000 by some, who claim China has covered up the number of covid-19 deaths. This weekend saw Tomb Sweeping Day in China. An annual celebration of loved ones who’ve passed, locals go in their thousands to cemeteries to 'tidy up' graves, remove the weeds etc, and leave offerings of ‘cold’ food and money, among other things. Instead, Wuhan locals were asked to stay away from cemeteries, in a bid to avoid further infections breaking out. Since the coronavirus outbreak, many have been unable to bury their loved ones. The grief right now, is understandably uncontrollable and raw. In recognition of this, on Saturday, China held a national day of mourning. Chinese flags were flown at half-mast across the country, the public asked to observe three minutes of silence at ten am, during which air raid sirens blasted out across the country and car owners everywhere sounded their deafening horns in a show of gratitude. While in many countries around the world, the crisis is at fever pitch, on Wednesday April 8th, Hubei Province - population of 60 million - including its capital Wuhan, will have its lock down lifted after more than two months of draconian measures, that are now, sadly, becoming all too familiar in other countries. Measures which saw ‘door to door’ health checks, forcibly isolate every single resident, all food and medicines inspected, drones hovering above streets, and people scolded for not wearing face masks - are now being removed. The last of temporary 'panic built' hospitals like this one, has been taken down and thousands of Chinese medical workers sent to help have been allowed to return home. And, in a sign the city is coming back from the brink, factories are reopening, and operations are being restored step by step. Busses and trains are being disinfected ready for people to start commuting again. Commercial flights will once again begin, excluding international routes and trips to and from the capital Beijing. And in a sure-fire sign, things are slowly returning to normal, Wuhan’s famous hot dry noodles are making their way back to the streets amid the blooming cherry blossoms. The week ending March 23rd China’s official figures showed only 233 new cases for the whole nation, most apparently from outside visitors. But don’t be fooled, life right across the Middle Kingdom is still anything but normal. Some cities have put even stricter rules in place with fears there will be a second wave of the virus. In most cities, temperatures are still taken at all entry/exit ways to any public space. The whereabouts of locals is easily monitored via high tech tracking systems and there are limits on the number of people from each house that can go shopping at any one time. Walls, corridors, streets and buildings are continually sprayed down with disinfectant and masks are still worn by most. An American friend Michael Michelini is currently in hotel quarantine in Shenyang in China’s far north, hoping to eventually be reunited with his Chinese wife and two kids after more than three months away. His temperature is reported to a We Chat group of 60 other people also quarantined in the hotel, six times a day. He’s also had a visit from health workers in hazmat suits; the first time, swabbing his throat for coronavirus, the second, a blood test. In my earlier post here, I mentioned my friend Jenna who was in lockdown with her husband Matt and two young girls in their apartment in Xi’an, Central China. Two weeks in to lockdown, the UK Embassy advised them to leave for their safety, which they did, waiting it out in Thailand for four weeks. With the coast seemingly clear, they recently got the green light to return to their home in Xi’an. Flying in via Shanghai, they landed in Xi’an at 5pm, where they were taken straight from the plane to a waiting bus, and their month’s whereabouts tracked on their phones amid a myriad of paperwork. With new rules to be implemented any day, stipulating quarantine is to be in a hotel for 14 days (at their own expense), the Gods were smiling on the family of four and finally at ten pm, Jenna, Matt and their weary girls were escorted to their home by an airport official. Once inside, their front door was literally sealed up with a big red sticker slapped on the front indicating they were foreigners in quarantine. It seems they arrived in record time with China since temporarily suspending entry of all foreigners, even those with current valid visas and residence permits. Meantime, they’ve been required to send their temperature checks in twice daily to their district government leader via We Chat, with a visit from an official in full hazmat to test them for Covid-19. All food shopping has been done online, the guards at the complex collecting it and bringing it to their door, health workers testing them regularly for coronavirus. Each resident across China has now been colour coded based on their health and travel status which can be scanned on their mobile phone via QR Codes at any given time. Red equals house or hotel quarantined. Yellow means you can go into the garden and take walks on the street and to work. Get colour coded green, and you can go (almost) anywhere. Green means you have had no contact with anyone infected or suspected to be infected with Coronavirus. Green code or not though, many so called ‘foreigners’ like Matt and Jenna are still being denied entry to many places, including hotels, subways and malls and told some roads are closed to them. A hard pill to swallow after calling China home for 13 years, says a teary Jenna. Meantime, analysts say it could take at least a year for the country to recover, largely due to softening demand from the rest of the world. And in Hong Kong, despite strict measures and schools closed since January, the city may have to impose a wider lockdown and close all non-essential businesses for several weeks, after a top government adviser warned of a “third wave” of the outbreak. So, as we all watch our individual worlds turned upside down from our respective parts of the globe, and we grapple with the human and economic devastation wrought by this unprecedented pandemic, let’s as global citizens avoid pointing the finger of blame. Stand together, united as one and remember… “After all this is over, all that will really matter is how well we treated each other.” Stay well. Nicole Webb is a Sydney Journalist, Writer and Speaker who spent seven years in China. Her debut memoir 'China Blonde' will be out mid 2020. … [Read more...]
Ground Hog Day: This is what life in China’s Coronavirus lockdown is really like.
"Ever heard of the movie Ground Hog Day? Well that pretty much sums up how we feel." Those are the words of my good friend, Jenna, living in Xi'an, North West China with her husband and two girls, nine and thirteen. "With school closed until at least the 18th of February, it's get up, breakfast, exercise, play with toys, boardgames, cook, repeat," she says. Xi'an is in Shaanxi Province which shares a border to the south with Hubei Province, and its capital Wuhan, the epicentre of the Coronavirus outbreak. Currently over 20,000 people worldwide have developed the virus with over 400 confirmed deaths. While that figure is steadily rising, and has now overtaken the death toll from SARS, it's still only a two per cent fatality rate. But China's Communist Party is taking no chances. At least not at face value. The outbreak has prompted a response unlike any other in modern history, with Chinese authorities locking down many cities and towns around Wuhan, the city of 11 million where it's believed the virus originated in a market selling wild animals. That's tens of millions of people effectively shut off from the outside world. Anyone who's ever been to China will tell you, there's rarely a quiet moment in the nation with the world's largest population. The streets are at best, chaotic - humming with people, cars, busses, motorbikes, food carts, and street cleaners, day and night -- all fighting for their space amongst the pandemonium. The noise can be almost deafening. But not this month. "It feels very eery, like a ghost town, everything is closed down. The only places that are required to stay open are the supermarkets and hospitals. At our complex one gate is completely sealed off, with one left open for us to get out and go shopping. No one from outside the building is allowed in. No family, no friends." "The days are still and far too silent for this city of 9 million people." says Jenna, who having lived in China for 13 years, has seen it all. Her main concern though is the millions who sell fruit and veggies at the local wet markets or run local restaurants. "How are they going to get an income?" she wonders. "At least the big companies are looked after by the government." An Australian friend Robyn, who's been in China for nine years, and was due to return home to Australia any day now (flights depending) is feeling bereft that there will be no goodbyes in person, no last hot pot meals, just a quiet exit. "We are now very isolated in this crowded city," she says. She has a friend who lives in the south east of Henan, very close to the border of Hubei Province, just three hours drive from Wuhan. She tells her, all roads into my village are barricaded. "So instead of the normal flocks of people returning to celebrate Spring Festival, my village is very quiet. Everyone is bored and strangely no groups of people are milling around talking and no children are playing." Temperature taking is the new norm across the Middle Kingdom. Officials in full Hazmat-style body suits are taking temperatures at random, catching people when they go out, and when they return home, and everything is being recorded. Police and security guards are knocking on people's doors to check if anyone in the household's feeling unwell, is harbouring any visitors or has travelled anywhere in the past week. And in a nation that survives on Taobao deliveries with thousands of little Tuk Tuks weaving in and out of laneways delivering packages to one and all 24/7, now, all deliveries are left at the gates, making contact minimal. Messages come through on We Chat, the What's App equivalent, informing people there will be 'centralised spraying of medicinal drugs by aircraft." What drugs nobody is really sure. The communal areas in Jenna's apartment are regularly sprayed down with vinegar, while a friend's complex is doused in bleach. Public transport is down to a bare minimum. Didi the Uber equivalent has stopped and taxis are few and far between. If you do manage to hale a taxi and they stop, you need to show your passport; all details are recorded including where they picked you up and dropped you off. In Wuhan, naturally, things have reached another level with almost everything closed. Bibby, a Chinese local says, people are told not to go out unless it's an absolute emergency. "Supermarkets are open for a limited time from 10am to 6pm with meat and veggies the most difficult to buy, and always the first thing to run out." Face masks, which have usually only been an accessory for foreigners protecting themselves against the heavy pollution are now mandatory, or face a hefty fine. Hotel General Manager, Peter, in Shenzhen, China's far southwest, had just come through the border crossing from Hong Kong after evacuating his teenage daughter, when he messaged me. "It's unheard of but almost no-one is at immigration and everyone going through has to fill in a health declaration." He has 400 hotel staff due back from various provinces around China after Chinese New Year and is renting rooms to quarantine them. Meantime, in Hong Kong, thousands of medical workers have gone on strike, demanding the city’s government shut down all of its borders with mainland China, to keep out the spread of the virus they call WARS. Many foreigners have chosen to leave the city which is already reeling from months of pro-democracy protests, not to mention the 2003 SARS epidemic which still weighs heavily on the city. Hong Kong local, Mona, says back then, they all worked together to fight the disease but 2020 is very different. "We urged the government to close the borders as quickly as possible but they are not listening." "Because of no planning the supply of masks is extremely tight and people are queuing up for four to five hours to buy just one box of masks, with some stores selling them for HKD900 (US$115). Hong Kong infectious disease experts are urging the government to take 'draconian' measures, estimating as many as 44,000 people could be infected in Wuhan, a figure far higher than official numbers. Amongst the uncertainty, it's believed the epidemic could peak around the end of April, early May. This article from Well Women explains why, despite the risk, so many expats are still choosing to stay in China. For them, ground hog day or not, it's still home and in many instances, probably safer than travelling. Nicole Webb is a Sydney Journalist, Writer and Speaker who spent seven years in China. Her debut memoir 'China Blonde' will be out mid 2020. … [Read more...]
Views from Both Sides of the Border: Hong Kong and China, the People’s Voice.
My heart tightens when I think of Hong Kong. The place where my only baby was born, the enchanting land where we were embraced and emboldened by its people to call it our home for many years. I have yet to meet a nation of people who’re so humble, hardworking and harmonious. Truly. Open up any newspaper around the world today though, watch any news bulletin and you’ll read, see and hear of the violence and anger that has gripped the financial hub of 7.5 million for the past few months; you’ll hear of an economy plunging, a tourist haven in jeopardy and you’ll likely feel the fear, fear of the unknown. So, as I watch on with the rest of the world holding our breath, waiting for what comes next, after eleven consecutive weekends of protests that have involved many hundreds of thousands of people desperate to be heard, I can’t help but wonder where this will end. You see, I also know China, the real China. A city in the very heart of the mainland whose people also took us into their fold welcoming us with open arms, begging us to stay when we had to call it a day after 2.5 years.Sure, the constitution that surrounds and imbues China is poles apart from Hong Kong, but its people, essentially carry the same hallmarks of decency and kindness. This I know. But, despite the resonating, well-meaning civility that comes from both sides, there is clearly a great divide. After all that’s what started this whole mess isn't it? And now it seems the divide is spreading like wildfire amongst Hong Kong’s own people. Pro-Government versus anti-government, police versus the protesters, generations against each other, everyone’s cage is rattled. "I feel ashamed of our Chief Executive who ignores the voices of the Hong Kong people -- Carrie Lam is the one who has put the police force right upfront to fight against the citizens of Hong Kong while she hides behind them. She has turned us into enemies whilst we are all from the same root. Shame on her!" One impassioned local tells me. Another is preparing to leave his home of Hong Kong after 50 long years. A former member of the police force and then ICAC, he's furious and deeply saddened about what’s happened to the city’s police. Either way, the passion from most locals is evident and only continues to grow stronger with each new day. Mona Wong calls herself a proud Hong Kong citizen and has participated in the peaceful rallies. She says, while she doesn’t agree with any form of violence or abusive behaviour from the protestors or police officers, she can feel the protestor’s pain. “After weeks and weeks of peaceful protests our government hasn’t listened to our noise or demands, using excessive force to stop the protestors,” she says. In a move perhaps not seen before anywhere else in the world, there is no protest leader, and actions are decided on the spot. It seems the protestors have borrowed a strategy from a Bruce Lee movie, known as Be Water, My Friend. Instead of staging massive sit ins, they move in unexpected waves, rolling from one spot to another, a “formless” protest in Lee’s words – to sustain their momentum and secure the continued goodwill of the public. But that hasn’t always panned out so well. The city's international airport was in lockdown after anger spilled over and anti government protestors and police clashed, forcing hundreds of flights to be delayed or cancelled. Vivian* born and bred in Hong Kong says, “I one hundred per cent support the protesters. But when they act wrong, we will remind them. Like blocking people to get on a flight, that’s why the youngsters sent an apology letter yesterday.” “We make a mistake, we own, it we learn from it, we improve from it. We are very proud of this generation.” She says. And they did. A full-page apology for the airport fiasco was issued. Many in Hong Kong have taken to wearing black every day to show their support for the protestors and essentially show which side they're on. But it seems not everyone is prepared to follow suit. “My aunts and uncles are afraid of us in our black shirts, they think we are the ones to stir things up.” Vivian says. Another tells me, she’s witnessed many family fights erupt because of the protests. “It’s breaking families apart.”Some even say they’ve heard students are being paid to take things a step further. HK$500 per brick/per window broken – many reportedly doing it for petty cash. And for some, despite supporting the initial cause, their sympathy is fast running out. Businessman and long time resident of Hong Kong, Chris* believes, few have a realistic view of the outcome. “Most of those who are supporting the protesters don’t know China well and are of a younger population who're hoping to send Hong Kong back to a time that never was. They are also millennials who know nothing of the lives of their parents or their work ethics which built the foundation of Hong Kong. It was never open or democratic - under the British they complained of the British and proclaimed they were Chinese. And now? They had everything going for them as a key open and free city in an emerging China with the best legal system in Asia and they are squandering it all. They will never accept they are sowing the seeds of their own destruction and will always blame China for that.” While most expats in Hong Kong (and there are over 300,000) support the general ideals, saying they have no plans to leave at the moment, many are expressing concern with each week that passes. ‘The protesters whilst trying to be creative and fluid, will start to test the patience of otherwise sympathetic citizens,’ one expat says. But they freely admit, the Hong Kong government appears to be tone deaf when it comes to listening to the people, reeling out generic responses. ‘They do not seem to want (or are allowed) to listen.’ Another longtime expat, Aaron* says, “The police and Carrie Lam have shown themselves to hold the people of Hong Kong with contempt. I’m guessing she isn’t able to do anything without approval from Beijing and they won’t acquiese to the demands of the people. Imagine the implications of that!” With emotions running high, no matter which side of the fence you sit on, for most people living in Hong Kong it’s simple - let us keep our freedom, let us be. For the protestors and those supporting them, they want their five demands met -- until then, the fight to be heard continues. Those five demands are: A full withdrawal of a proposed bill that would allow Hong Kong people to be extradited to mainland China. A retraction of any characterization of the movement as a “riot.” A retraction of charges against anti-extradition protesters. An independent committee to investigate the Hong Kong police’s use of force. Universal suffrage in elections for the city’s chief executive officer and legislature by 2020. What about China though, is Beijing about to lose patience? With military troops stationed just over the border, there are grave fears, they’re just waiting for their cue to roll in. The Economist says, it’s unlikely. China’s understanding of its own power and influence has changed since, for example, the crackdown on Tiananmen Square 30 years ago. It is more powerful, more confident and has an understanding of the role that prosperity plays in its stability….and of the role that Hong Kong plays in its prosperity. Still, China views all protests and pro-democracy political voices as potential challenges to its one-party rule. It perceives Hong Kong’s calls for democracy as particularly threatening because of the city’s international prominence and it sets a dangerous precedent that any compromise on political reform could flow on to China’s other regions, including Tibet, Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia, Macau, and Taiwan. What about average citizens on the ground in China, what do they think about the protests, that have now largely become a case of Hong Kong versus China, and have fast gained world-wide attention? For them it’s generally a lot simpler, many to this day, because of the way China’s history is recorded, are still very much unaware of the Tiananmen Square massacre.They support the police because in their eyes, 'In Mainland China, the police stand for stability and peace.' I messaged a few people to gage their opinions; many didn’t want to speak about it on We Chat, the What’s App/Facebook equivalent, fearful of being watched, and none wanted their names mentioned. Several of my emails simply didn’t make it. One that did was to local Chinese hotel manager in Sanya, Mr Ma. ‘Hong Kong is a rich brother we lost to Britain for many years, the students do not understand the real situation - they are Chinese, any other country does not sincerely care about Hong Kong people,’ he said. In what could be labelled a case of irony, there is a definite sense that Hong Kong protestors are being manipulated. ‘Young students are being used by powerful people who hate China,’ Mr Ma says. Weibo, the Twitter equivalent, is in overdrive with comments reporting users are sad for Hong Kong and the continuing protests must have had support from hostile forces to disturb the Chinese and Hong Kong economy. Mr Ma agrees though, that they should maintain the ‘One country, two systems,’ approach, and in a line borrowed from another old Hollywood movie, he quotes, ‘Hong Kongers need to understand the difference between citizens and being civic-minded - Someone who has a sense of responsibility towards the community as a whole.’ And in testament to his views, (among many) this video by British scholar Martin Jacques appears to be circulating amongst the masses in China. Professor Jacques says, "There is a view that Hong Kong did well before 1997, it was smart, clever, and free, because it was tied to Britain. This is a serious misinterpretation of history, he says. Hong Kong did well in the late 70’s and the handover, because it got lucky. China in 1978 started to open up, step by step, not fully until after the World Trade Organisation agreement in 2001; So while it was opening up in a piecemeal fashion, Hong Kong could take on some of the functions China would’ve done, as a front office, and it was the beneficiary." Many Chinese nationals are of the belief, Hong Kongers look down on them. ‘If I go to Hong Kong, I don’t dare to speak Chinese to them, just English,' a friend tells me. For more on the China-Hong Kong relationship, this is an earlier post I wrote. Other Chinese citizens who simply fight to exist in the still largely poverty-stricken population of 1.4 billion, believe Hong Kong is part of China and that’s that! Despite the majority having never been to Hong Kong, they believe the two sides are firmly entrenched together. ‘We are one, we are always together!’ While the snippets of news generally show Hong Kong in peril, in reality, away from any protests, many are keen to make it known, its mostly business as usual and there is genuine hope the city’s long held reputation for peace and prosperity will not be tarnished in the long term. To all of you, I say, ‘Jia You’ or ‘Add Oil’ - the Hong Kong/English expression to offer encouragement and support - a 'hang in there' if you like, during this turbulent time of unbridled uncertainty and fear. *** *Some names have been changed. *For a rundown on what's happened in Hong Kong, thus far, watch this video made by Hong Kongers. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CsjiZD2E6h0&feature=youtu.be&fbclid=IwAR3T4AAaT1A2mFy4IRKc_VU5ddQeIn9wOpEH2VKq9tEYA8DAXzVobIfMHx8 And for more on the background story between China and Hong Kong here's a good piece from the Council on Foreign Relations. … [Read more...]
Back to China: The Place Where Anything is Possible
And just like that …. I was back, in China. My China Southern flight landed with a bump and we rolled along the runway. Out of the tiny oval window, I could see that familiar muddy grey haze stretching out, almost touching the maze of concrete highways in the distance. I grimaced. I’d forgotten just how gloomy it can look after basking in Australia, with its high definition backdrop for 15 months. Yes it’s been that long since we left Xi’an, so the opportunity to come back and co host the Cross Border Summit in Shenzhen was too good to pass up. I wanted to soak up everything ‘China’ … my writing mentor excitedly urged me to take notes, on everything, thus I was armed and ready! Stepping into the airport, oddly I felt nervous. I definitely wasn’t as gung ho or nonchalant as I had been by the time we left China after 2.5 years, living it. Cautiously I eyed up the police in buggies and the military guys with their guns, watching from every corner. I stood in line in customs wondering if my Chinese would come back to me. The minute I was through with my luggage, strangers approached me from every direction… “Taxi? Taxi? You need taxi?” “Bu yong xie!” i found myself automatically saying. “No need.” Phew, I still had some Chinese up my sleeve. I was getting picked up, or so i thought. After standing conspicuously in the middle of the airport for about twenty minutes, twenty ‘bu long xies' later I realised I did need a taxi after all. I knew better than to take up one of the random strangers hovering close to me and headed to the rank. At least they’d put the metre on. Stepping outside, I inhaled….ahhh that smell. Each country has it’s own unique smell, doesn’t it? Just what was China’s? Describing it has always perplexed me, but in the name of book research, I was determined to nail it. Stale cigarettes mixed with a hint of steamed noodles? Someone mentioned that, yes, that mixed with a whiff of decomposing food that sits outside restaurants. And definitely a dash of unwashed arm pits. Hmmm..still, something else? The drive was erratic, the horns constant and the buildings looming. Everything covered in a fine coat of dust, even the cars, I mused. I was busy taking it all in… until it appeared my driver was lost in his quest to find the Day Hello hotel. Suddenly I was back in Xi’an, with a driver who couldn’t speak English and no Sat Nav. I’d given him the address in Chinese, but it wasn’t enough. Construction and a wall along the main street meant we were going in circles. He started speaking quickly in Mandarin to me. Ugh… nope I don’t understand. “Ni zhi dao ma?” Do you know, I asked? Hopefully. Then I got something. He wanted me to call someone.”Ah Dui, Keyi.” (Maybe I should keep up those weekly lessons.) Meantime, he stopped the car in the middle of the road and got out to ‘take a look’…. I called one of the conference volunteers and handed my phone to the driver. Phew! Turns out we were just around the corner. I handed him 100 kuai — even the cash was dusty. The Day Hello hotel was impressive. Luxurious even… but English was limited, which surprised me a little. Shenzhen is one of China’s first tier cities, just across the border from Hong Kong. Until recently it was the fastest growing city in the world, an IT hub, filled with ideas, creativity and money! The front desk sent me to the first floor, lugging my own bags….even though my room was actually on the 9th floor. As I soon as I entered my room, the door bell rang. There stood a lady with a trolley full of loose oranges. "Ni Yao ma?" Fruits! Sure! The epitome of luxury in China. Bags dumped and it was on for young and old. I had the VIP dinner to attend, in an effort to get to know my fellow conference goers. From that moment on, for three days, I didn’t stop. Walking to the conference venue, I remembered the friendliness of the street cleaners and security guards. They all gave me that silent nod and a smile as I walked by. The Chinese music bellowing out of restaurants and shops and this nation of people that can sleep anywhere, any which way. At the summit, I met people from all corners of the globe…and admittedly whilst at the beginning I knew nothing about ECommerce or cross border selling…. by the end, regardless, I was enlightened and most definitely inspired. We were a mixed bag, but everyone carried that common thread - a lust for life. And I realised, I'd missed the diversity. There were the expats who’d come to China on a wing and a prayer for a different way of life, a chance to pursue their passions. I could see the same sense of adventure in their eyes as they told me their stories. That unmistakeable urge to step out of your comfort zone and really live. The thirst for Asia and it’s unparalleled energy. I felt it, and I remembered it. Oh the addictiveness of Asia. There were the speakers. At least forty of them (including me) talking on everything from international branding to Amazon selling, marketing, manufacturing, technology and the media (me), even cultural differences. China’s biggest YouTuber…from South Africa, Winston Sterzel, otherwise known as SerpantZA told us how he’d ridden the length of China on a motorbike. His stories were beyond your wildest dreams, his one million followers, among the most dedicated. Look him up! The young ‘dude’ from Minnesota who’s obsession with UFC boxing now sees him run a squillion dollar business selling boxing paraphernalia on Amazon and makes him an FBA Mastermind. The entrepreneurial skills of this 24 year old were mind boggling. The former UK DJ, now podcast and Amazon guru Danny McMillan, broadening our horizons with all guns blazing; the young and gorgeous Russian girl who blew everyone away with her enthusiasm and knowledge of China’s social media. Watch out for her! She's going places. The Chinese lady who runs a shipping company, alone; the Aussie guy importing much sought after western food into China. (By the way, thanks for keeping me going for three days on your muesli bars)! The serial entrepreneur from Poland and the Israeli with ten years in China wowing us with his inside knowledge. It was like a United Nations meeting of business gurus. The dedication of these people was palpable. By the end of it, people were buzzing and so was I - not just on the cheap 'bai pu tao jiu' (white wine) at the after party either! Oh and while it’s no secret China moves at a rate of knots, I wasn’t quite ready for the fact that cash is barely used anymore. I’ve even written a post on the possibility of China becoming the first cashless society and it seems to be well and truly on the way! The bar staff were dumbfounded when I handed them cash, and then disappeared out the back for ten minutes, scrounging for my change. We celebrated on a rooftop balcony overlooking Shenzhen and I knew I’d met friends for life. Taking an Uber back to the airport the next day, I was on a high….and when the driver opened the door and spat on the road at the toll gates, I didn’t even flinch. I was back. China, still a land of many contradictions, but a place where anything is possible. This is China. … [Read more...]
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