About China

China needs no introduction as it is one of the oldest civilizations in the world. It was inhabited by ancient human beings as far back as 600,000 years, and the present day Chinese came around 20,000 years back. There is a documented history of China going back to 3,300 years. However, evidence exists that ancient Chinese flourished in the Huang He (Yellow River) valley between 2500 and 2000 BC.

This is the uniqueness of this great and ancient civilization – its continuity of history and culture for more than 4,000 years and into the 21^st century.

China Today – Economic Development

China is one of the world powers today and there have been lots of changes. It has achieved remarkable economic growth in such a short time, in fact within two decades of starting economic liberalization. It is one of the largest global economies today and is likely to surpass the United States in the next two and a half decades. Despite the economic downturn last year, China is pushing a stimulus package worth $585 billion for its economic development. Most of it will be utilized for development of its infrastructure.

Presently the second largest economy in the world, after the United States, China’s GDP last year was $8.8 trillion based on Purchasing Power Parity (PPP). It has been the fastest growing economy since 1978, when economic liberalization started. Pre-1978 China hardly has any influence in the world economy; and today its private sector companies play a major role.

This is a remarkable achievement for a very large and diverse country that has over 1.3 billion people, and 56 different ethnic groups; a country that has 41,000 towns, 700,000 villages, and only 333 cities!

The main contribution to China’s economic development has been through Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). More and more international companies are establishing themselves to do business in China. There has been an infusion of FDI into China to the tune of $350 billion. This is 10 times than that of Japan and about 35 times than that of Korea! Because of this FDI boom, many people are interested in investing in China and they would do well to remember its traditions and culture. It is a country that stands on ceremony and etiquettes, and you would do well to keep this in mind.

Possibly your negotiation skills that are excellent as per western concept may not work here as you think it might. They have their own beliefs, their own thoughts, their own language, and their own customs. They have their own way of doing business, and one may well remember this when sitting across the table from them.

Social Responsibility

Today, China is one of the main pillars on which the global economy rests. Gone are the days when China conducted its business in mysterious ways. Labor practices were always surrounded by controversies then. Things have started to change for the better as China has started to grow into a global player. Companies are complying with the practices that are generally accepted globally, and more and more corporations are focusing on social responsibility in China.

However, the Chinese companies define social responsibility in a variety of different ways. It had a different meaning when the People’s Republic of China was founded in 1949. Then the social responsibility of China was to produce goods; ensure that its citizens were cared for; and further ensure they were appropriately schooled.

Today, the businesses are required to hold to higher international standards and comply with new and stringent laws. Terms, such as sustainability, corporate citizenship, supplier compliance, product safety, and green technology, are increasingly being used to enhance social responsibility. What needs to be seen is that these should not remain mere terms to be used for public relations, but are actually complied with.

Few years back was a time when China and Chinese companies were hesitant about embracing social responsibility norms. The main fear then was the additional costs the compliance of social responsibility entailed – leading to costly exports. This, of course, is all history now.

Not only are the foreign companies that are investing in China embracing social responsibility norms, other sectors, too, have done so and are complying with the international as well as domestic standards. No wonder that this has led to China reaching great heights and becoming a major player in the global economy.

Many Chinese companies, such as Haier and Lenovo, among others, are foraying into foreign countries. These companies have no choice but to embrace social responsibilities and engage themselves with the consumers, investors, and suppliers, and improve their compliance and better their manufacturing ethics. Today, companies have a global supply chain; and one broken link howsoever small can cause disaster up and down the line, costing millions, if not more.

To increase their market share in the global market and with the need to tone down their risks of operating in the global environment, Chinese industries and businessmen thoroughly understand the need to focus, assess, and implement programs of social responsibility in China.

Tourism

If you are visiting China as a tourist, there are many breathtaking places to travel to and see the local attractions. One of the most popular places of historical interest for tourists is the Great Wall. It is estimated that more than 80% of those who come to China prefer to see this great monument. This is the last human structure an astronaut can see on Earth while flying into space!

Other popular places that tourists prefer visiting are the Imperial Palace, the Summer Palace, the Temple of Heaven, and the Tiananmen Square, among many others. With such a rich cultural heritage and history, there are many other places such as the Dazu stone carvings, the Forbidden City, and Qufu (Confucius’ hometown) that are worth visiting, among others.

To make touring easy for tourists, China has a comprehensive transport system comprising of rail, road, water, and air transport; with air being the first choice of foreign travelers. Flight booking can be done online as well as through travel agencies, ticketing offices, and hotels. Language should not be a problem for foreign tourists, as staff aboard the aircraft can speak English fluently, and the announcements are also made in English in addition to Mandarin.

For city transport you have the choice of using buses, taxis, or minibuses. Taxis are a convenient way of moving around the city, and they are available at hotels, railway stations, as well as airports. They are also available around the urban areas in the city.

Trains are another way of conveniently moving from one city to another. As a tourist, you can explore the far away tourist spots of China by train. Not only are trains inexpensive, they are quite efficient, as well.

Out of the many cities in China that are steeped in history, there is one in Shaanxi Province. This is the city of Xi’an. The famous Silk Road that linked China with the ancient Roman Empire starts from Xi’an. It was also the first capital of unified China. This city always played a central part during the rules of many dynasties, such as the Zhou, Qin, Han, Sui, and Tang dynasties, down to the Qing.

Its garden style Shaanxi Provincial Museum has many ancient cultural relics on display. It also has the richest collection of stele in China. These ancient stone slabs are in large quantities, representing the eight dynasties from the Han to the Qing. Historians and those interested in calligraphy find these steles, which are more than 1,000 in number and of great value and interest.

Just as Xi’an is a beautiful place to visit, full of ancient Chinese history, there are so many other equally exotic and beautiful places to visit and enjoy. You need to get in touch with an agency that offers tour packages. You can arrange tours in small groups of 6 to 18 or arrange a private tour.

You can enjoy the mysteries of China through your tailor-made itineraries. The advantage of such itineraries is that they can be as flexible as you like them to be. You can plan your schedule to be as flexible as your budget is.

You can also book city tours for different cities, such as Beijing, Gulin, Shanghai, and Xi’an, among others.

Trivia

Though Shang dynasty is thought to be the first dynasty, archaeological records are now known to prove that there was another dynasty before the Shangs. This dynasty, known as Xia, existed from 2200 BC to 1750 BC. Whatever little is known about this first dynasty indicates that they descended from the Longshan people of the Yellow River valley. The Longshan were famous for their black lacquered pottery.

Economists are of the opinion that China is destined to be a leading industrial power in the 21st century. It is also predicted that by 2035 it will become the largest economy of the world. The trends that are already seen do not leave any doubts about the sustainability of its economic growth.

There is no longer any doubt, after one understands the road from their ancient history up to the modern times that China has indeed come very far.