The Man from Ashgabat – Xinjiang’s Key to Central Asia
The Chinese have done a lot in upgrading the infrastructure in Xinjiang, and are helping with developments across Central Asia too. Road, rail, and air links have all been significantly improved. But they can only do so much, and key to this are the Uyghurs.
Photo: Kaisern Chen
Shihezi – China’s Cotton and Textiles Hub
Op-Ed Commentary: Chris Devonshire-Ellis Oct. 12 – One of the hidden treasures of Xinjiang is Shihezi. Actually the region’s second largest city after Urumqi, this has long been a farming community and is often regarded with typical Chinese aplomb as “A Shining Pearl in the Gobi Desert.”
China’s Pan Asia Gold Exchange: A New Playing Field for Speculators?
In an age when the assets of insolvent Western economies are becoming less reliable and international investors appreciate gold as a safe haven, the Chinese know it is time for them to play a larger role in the global gold market. The Pan Asia Gold Exchange – opened earlier this year allowing gold trade in China’s own local currency RMB – may make China the new epicenter of the global gold market and even trigger a bigger wave of speculative gold buying and selling.
Free China Expat Culture Book Download
Sept. 30 – China Expat, China Briefing’s sister site covering all things concerning the interaction between overseas expatriates and Chinese culture, celebrates 10 years of existence this year and has released a complimentary book – “China Expat – A Decade of Writing: 2001-2011” – with a selection of articles contributed to the title over the […]
A Business Guide to Western China – Local Markets and Exotic Exports
A complete overview of the trade dynamics and foreign investment opportunities from Xi’an to Xinjiang, and from Mongolia to Tibet. Op-ed Commentary: Chris Devonshire-Ellis Aug. 26 – China’s western regions have long held a fascination for many. The route of the ancient Silk Road, the mysteries of the orient, huge deserts, enormous mountains, a collision […]
Tax Policy Clarification Released for China’s Western Region
On July 27, China’s National Bureau of Statistics, the Ministry of Finance, and the General Administration of Customs jointly published the “Circular on Issues Concerning Tax Policies for In-depth Implementation of Western Development Strategy (Caishui [2011] No.58, “Circular”),” effective from January 1, 2011.
China’s Second Tier Cities – the New Kids on the Block
By Nicholas Hughes Jul. 6 – The HSBC Trade Exchange took place at the Park Hyatt Hotel in Shanghai’s World Financial Center last week from June 27 to June 30. It saw the gathering of business leaders from firms across Europe to understand more about the vast opportunities that are presented by the Chinese market. […]
St. Regis Opens Luxury Hotel in Lhasa
Jun. 2 – The St. Regis chain of luxury hotels, part of the Starwood Group, has just opened a five-star resort property in the Tibetan capital of Lhasa. The design of the St. Regis Lhasa is inspired by a nearby and still active monastery and is the highest altitude hotel in the world at 12,000 […]