LANGFANG, China — Road checkpoints erected this week around Beijing to boost security for the Olympic Games have put a chokehold on regional commerce and created ripples likely to reach [...]

Normally its the price of fuel, the latest trends in home furnishings and any and all things “quality control” related, which get us excited. But these days, for us (and most others in China), the closer we get to the Beijing Olympics, the less we are able to focus on much else. Like “mommy to [...]

There is tons of press at the moment discussing the upcoming Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, ranging from political debates to complaints concerning visa restrictions. Obviously its just too much to cover in a singe post but there are a few points worth bringing up here; some related to business, others simply related to China in [...]

Everyone knows the Olympics is causing major headaches for anyone in or planning to come to China during these past and next few months. From Visa cancellations to the sudden demolition of warehouses (as a result of last minute beautification campaigns) to unannounced restrictions on transport (to curb pollution) - its all headaches! Some of [...]

I can’t remember where I saw this article on the web though apparently it was originally written for Time.com. It came out in January and I have been meaning to post it up here for quite some time, though only just getting around to it now. Much of what occurred seemed to echo [...]

  There is a great Chinese saying “sleeping in the same bed but dreaming different dreams” (tong chuang, yi meng). I find it seems to apply to so many situations ranging anywhere from causal friends to long-term business relationships. I was reminded of this yet again on Friday afternoon. I jumped onto the light [...]

China’s Factory Blues http://www.spiegel.de/international/business/0,1518,543929,00.html   Hsu’s new factory, it turns out, is running at just 60 percent of capacity, and he predicts that half of China’s lighting factories — almost all based in Guangdong — will have to close their doors this year. When more than a hundred South Korean-owned factories closed over the Chinese New Year in the [...]

If I were worried about one single element of doing business in China today, it wouldn’t be inflation. Nor would it be the rising costs of exports due to the rapid appreciation of the yuan. Or rising fuel costs for that matter. Air pollution? Nope. The cost of labor going up would not [...]

As any experienced importer can tell you, the logistics of transporting large quantities of product internationally across oceans, local borders and even more so through national customs, involves quite a lot effort. Things can go wrong. In fact, things frequently do go wrong. Customs can hold up your order, freight damage can occur due to [...]

This is an email which we mailed out to many customers, but I think its important enough to be posted here as well. If you import product from China, work in China or have any plans to travel to China between now and October, then pay close attention because this effects you! As a result [...]