 About Me
I had been Zhuhai Ready for 15 days., and 11 hours 20 minutes later, l can finally say hello! I’m Michelle, Zhuhai’s (ç æ”·) new Business Development, Marketing & Sales Intern, and I am currently a student at Nottingham Trent University. Prior to arrival, l had my doubts on whether I would make it, but despite a few hiccups, InternChina ensured my arrival went untroubled- even arriving out of hours InternChina was still unexpectedly there for me!
Background
Having been raised in a multi-cultural society, Iâve always been keen on seeing the world. I’m interested in how different cultures work together as one team, motivated and influenced by the business sector; with the opportunity of a placement year during university, l genuinely couldn’t have picked a better destination than Zhuhai!
The attitude locals have towards foreigners is determined by the smallest interactions and observations here. China definitely seemed
to be a challenge, and prior to arriving, I became skeptical- which as a pretty normal feeling. Nonetheless, it has been the most rewarding experience yet, and I am 100% looking forward to the rest of my time here and to have IC by my side as I embark on this journey.
Zhuhai so Far
16 days since arriving, Iâve tried some weird and great food, meet some of the most amazing people and I have 100% mastered the transportation systems! It takes getting lost to learn, and I was no doubt lost when l figured this out.
Aim high youâll be amazed by the view, and ç æ”· has some breathtaking views. Opportunities like this donât come by often; I may get frustrated, shocked and amazed but it is absolutely worth it.
What happened when Zhuhai let two American Allstars loose on the IC Instagram!
As much an opportunity for us to be nosy as for our interns to gain marketing experience, we gave up the reins of our Instagram to see what what would happen with interns in charge for 1 whole week.
Best friends Anthony and Norah jumped at the chance to show off their insta worthy photo skills. They are in Zhuhai on an extensive language and cultural exchange program from International Business and Mandarin at Bryant University, Rhode Island. Offering homestays and campus living alongside internships and University study, the program provides full immersion into Chinese culture. The Instagram take over therefore allows us an insight into what the two get up to when they’re not enjoying downtime with their Chinese family or perfecting their accents in the dorms.
Although at home Norah enjoys flying planes while Anthony has a flair for Spanish and salsa, in Zhuhai they get to take part in InternChina activities like âwingshunâ or cooking. The pair are also looking forward to taking Taipei, Beijing and Shanghai by storm as part of the program.
A weeks worth of palm trees, ice cream and waffles later, here’s how Norah and Anthony got on.
 Follow @internchina @Pointedthought (Anthony) and @Norahh39 on Instagram today!
Do you find it difficult writing an e-mail? Or just need a quick refresh? Check out the essential things I make sure are in my e-mail when writing to future employers.
First things, first, what is your subject line? Itâs important that the subject is clear so that the receiver can get an understanding of what the email is about. Examples;
âInternship interview for Friday 15thâ or âImportant documents requiredâ
After you have that sorted out, we can move on to the greeting. If you know who the receiver is, add their name. Depending on the level of familiarity, you can decide how to start a greeting.
“Dear Mr. Smith,”
“Dear Ms. Jones,”
Have you ever gotten an e-mail where you didnât know if the person was a male or female? I have. My advice is to use the whole name in the greeting.
Dear {Name} {Last Name},
Just make sure you donât make a spelling mistake with the receiverâs name!
The Body
I like starting off an e-mail in a positive tone. Whether itâs thanking someone for replying or asking them how their day is going. It doesnât have to be long or too personal, just one sentence should be fine.
As for the rest of the body, be clear of what message you are trying to get across or want to receive. The length of the body should not be too much because the receiver might not have time to go through a lengthy message. Do make sure though that you give or request the essential information you require.
Keep your e-mail nice and clean. Use an appropriate font style and size, such as Arial, Helvetica, or Tahoma at size 12. Donât forget about your grammar and spelling! Your e-mail can be your first impression in terms of communication. Make sure your confidence is shown in your writing style.
I personally like to end the body of the e-mail with a positive sentence as well. Some of my examples are;
“Thank you for your time.”
âI look forward to hearing from you soon.â
âI look forward to your advice.â
âI look forward to meeting you soon.â
The sign-off
With a more formal e-mail you will want to sign it off with a;
âKind regards,â or âYours Sincerely,â
Followed up by your first name and last name.
One last time!
Finished writing the e-mail? Do a quick check and make sure you have everything down, added the attachments and have proofread the mail. Once you are done, press that send button! Make sure to check your inbox regularly afterward for a reply.
I hope my tips can help the next time you write to a future employer.
Cheers from the Panda City.
Women of Business at The Bookworm
This week in Chengdu I had the pleasure of attending the Chengdu Women in Business workshop organized by Chengdu Expat. It is a four-series event to encourage the professional development and entrepreneurship by sharing resources and knowledge of like-minded business women in Chengdu. As a business student in my final year, I try to attend as many of these workshops as possible. Not only do you learn about other peopleâs stories but you build a great network.
General Manager of Chengdu Expat
These workshops provide professional assessments, books, interactive exercises with professional coaching. We went through the books self-assessment over the areas of âHow you play the game, how you act, how you think and how you brand & market yourself, how you sound, how you look and lastly, how you respondâ. It gave me an insight of what I am strong at and which area needs improving. The night essentially consisted of how we can stop making unconscious mistakes in business.
My group discussing “How You Respond”One of the things that really impressed me was when the guest speaker, Raquel Ramirez, mentioned that at the age of 15 she already knew exactly what she wanted to do in life and what it required to get there. That is something that fascinates me, people that can have that drive and focus to achieve all they set out to do and more!
Though, it doesnât come easily, as Raquel mentioned; sometimes we go through bumps in the road such as family issues, financial stability, other peopleâs judgement or even sadly, your own securities and low confidence. Despite all of this, the atmosphere in the room was electric, a room full of strong, similar minded women that came together to learn what it takes to succeed as a professional.
Raquel RamirezSo, it got me thinking, what decisions have I made in the past that have helped me to where I am and where it will lead me in the not-so distant future. For sure, one of them was moving to the Netherlands to continue studying. This later gave me the opportunity to study abroad in China where I fell in love with the country and its culture. That ultimately ended with me moving to Chengdu, where I am doing my final year internship at InternChina.
What was yours? Let me know what was your turning point decision and where you are now or even heading!
Check out other pictures from last night’s event at Fun and Bike.
For information on the next workshop of Women in Business keep an eye out on Chengdu Expat.
World Economic Forum (WEF) Background:
In 2007, a Swiss non-profit organisation approved the creation of the World Economic Forum (WEF), which is also known as the Annual Meeting of the New Champions or the Summer Davos. The event takes place annually and the 2017 WEF is held in our North-Eastern Chinese city, Dalian between the 27th of June and the 29th of June. The Summer Davos is held annually in China altering between Dalian and Tianjin. The Summer Davos has around 2000 participants from the Global Growth Companies foundation, which is generally made up of emerging countries with rapid growth, such as China, Russia, Mexico, Brazil and India, but there are also several developed countries involved in the foundation. WEF is a community with members from around 90 countries, involving governments, leaders of major multinationals, civil society, media and academic individuals. WEFâs annual meetings include not only members of the foundation, but also fast-growing regions, global leaders, international technology leaders and competitive cities.
The effects of the Summer Davos WEF in Dalian is noticeable in various areas. There are large number of reconstruction of buildings and roads in the city and increased security measures everywhere in the city center. The number of both international and domestic visitors increased during the week of the WEF. Therefore, most of the flights and hotels are already booked out. The media and press pays increased attention on the happenings and events in Dalian. The World Economic Forum along with many other internationally known events help Dalian to gain international recognition and to become one of the globally known Chinese cities. This enlarged international acceptance will benefit Dalian, by becoming the host of other international events, undergo further projects and turn into a new international trading center of China.
World Economic Forum Welcome SignAims of the 2017 Summer World Economic Forum (WEF):Â
The main focuses of this yearâs World Economic Forum meeting will involve the sharing and circular economy, new technology innovations and green investment to improve environmental management. By discussing these topics, the WEF members try to address the global environmental risks, facing all countries around the world. These possible environmental risks were pointed out in the latest annual Global Risks Report of the committee. Climate change, sustainable growth and environmental protection are the prime discussion cases during the 2017 Summer Davos meeting in Dalian. The WEF committee plans to centralise their concern on the climate change issue, which is one of the most impactful risk and therefore a vital problem, affecting all members of the WEF as well as other countries around the world.
One of the reasons for keeping this yearâs Summer Davos meeting in China is because China plays an extremely important role as world leader in sustainable and green development. In 2016, the worldâs biggest issuer of green bonds was the Shanghai Pudong Development Bank. However, China is facing environmental challenges, including smog, which is becoming a major issue in most metropolitan cities around the world. Therefore, the 2017 Summer Davos meetingâs top priority focus will be on solving environmental issues, such as smog, in order to improve the urban air quality of populous cities.
Annual Meeting of the New Champions 2017 DalianThe WEF committee believes that global cooperation can be created between public and private sectors in order to create new alliances and counter the existing environmental issues and prevent the rise of further environmental problems in the future. By establishing cooperation between firms in the public and private sectors, the members of the WEF assume that they can demonstrate collaborations, instead of isolation, to the younger generation and attain benefits to all in the future.
Further plans that the members propose to carry out after the 2017 WEF meeting, include investment in green energy, green infrastructure, green transportation and they believe that having a circular economy is fundamental to raise the level of economic growth. Furthermore, Chinaâs goal is to highlight the idea of sustainability and innovation alongside with strong Chinese characteristics and an international appeal. The annual World Economic Forum helps to unite the existing and new fast-growing organisations, which shape the future of business and society. It is an event that highlights relevant global challenges from economic, societal, environmental and political backgrounds, and encourages its members to act in a way that will benefit to everyone in the long run.
Start your career with one of our InternChina programmes, Apply Now!
6 reasons why you should do a summer internship
Youâve finally handed in that last piece of coursework, those end of term exams are fast approaching (if not already in full swing), and despite promising yourself for the whole year that youâd never do it, youâve actually waited outside the university library at 7am for the doors to open so you can get the good seat. Iâve been there.
The light at the end of the tunnel might seem as far away as it’ll ever be right now, but before long, itâs all over and youâre left with three months of freedom, a headful of ambition but thereâs a good chance youâre still asking yourself the question: What am I going to do with my summer, and how am I going to make it worthwhile? Join your parents for that walking tour of the Pennines? Finally sit down and read all that George Orwell and Emily Bronte that you’ve been meaning to read for the last two years? An internship abroad? (hint hint – it’s the last one!)
So here they are: the six killer reasons why a summer internship abroad is a great way to combine travel with training for the professional world! In short – a solid investment in your future and a fantastic opportunity to make lasting memories!
1 – Gain hands-on experience in the workplace
Joining a company as an intern is a great way to learn how businesses and organisations work in the real world, and not just on paper. This is especially the case for start-ups and small to medium-sized businesses, where you get the chance to see first-hand how businesses grow and transition into larger and more mature entreprises. Far from fetching the coffee and making photocopies, interns play a vital role in keeping the cogs of a business turning and if they excel in their position, can have a real impact on the direction of their host company!
2 – Immerse yourself in another culture
More so than if you were simply passing through as a traveller, interns in a country like China have the time to truly immerse themselves in the local culture and learn about what it means to be a citizen of another society. Because youâll be working alongside them and sharing your day-to-day life with them, you will learn to eat, drink, work and play like a local. Thereâs no better way to smash your stereotypes about a country than to go there in person and share a hearty cup of baijiu with your coworkers who have lived there their whole lives!
3 – Prepare yourself for a truly globalised world
Interning in a country like China can prepare you in so many ways for the world of the future â you will gain vital work experience, learn how business is conducted in a country that is rapidly becoming the main trade partner of every other country in the world, learn to adapt to quickly changing working environments and function as part of an international team. Moreover, the skills you acquire during your experience interning abroad will make you stand out among your peers and will boost your future employability to no end!
4 – Help to define your career path
You may find that undertaking a summer internship helps you to discover that hidden specialism you never realised you loved! The flexibility of many internships means that you get a chance to try out the various different areas of specialism in one field of work. For example, you could well find that social media marketing really isnât your jam, but at the same time you discover that you secretly had a burning passion for events management that you would never have known of unless you tried it out during your internship! You will also make countless contacts in your field of internship that could later prove to be a lucrative entry-point into the career path of your dreams!
5 – Learn a new language
It might seem like an intimidating (or nearly impossible!) feat to accomplish in one short summer, but an internship abroad is completely packed with chances for you to learn the basics of the language of your host country! Aside from the option to attend language classes, your coworkers will no doubt be more than happy to teach you some useful phrases to help you get by (or at least the more useful insults), and the value of being able to communicate to colleagues and business partners in their mother tongue cannot be overstated enough!
6 – Come back with some great stories
Last, and certainly not least, completing a summer internship in a country such as China can be a challenging, bewildering, bemusing, enriching and mind-boggling experience all at the same time! You will be interning alongside people from all around the globe with different experiences, backgrounds and perspectives on the world, which makes for a pretty unique summer. You may have to tackle culture shock head-on, but you will no doubt board your plane home with a suitcase full to the brim with lasting memories, heartfelt friendships, and maybe even a cuddly panda keyring stuffed in the bottom.
To start your summer internship adventure in one of four great cities, apply now!
Das erste Mal China: Erste EindrĂŒcke
Hi!
Mein Name ist BĂŒsra, 22, Studentin und gebĂŒrtige Augsburgerin.
Vor paar Monaten habe ich die Entscheidung getroffen mich raus aus meiner Komfortzone und direkt ins Abenteuer zu stĂŒrzen. Und welches Land wĂ€re da interessanter als China? Das Land ĂŒber das mehr GerĂŒchte kursieren als Fakten.
Trotz zahlreicher Zweifel von Familienmitgliedern, Verwandten und Freunden (âChina? Wieso China?â, âDu sprichst doch gar kein Chinesisch?â, âWas willst du da essen?!â, âSind Chinesen nicht rassistisch/ islamfeindlich/ tĂŒrkenfeindlich/ kommunistischâŠ?â etc.), bin ich vor drei Tagen aufgebrochen, um mein Praktikum in InternChina in Qingdao zu starten. Mein Praktikum wird sechs Monate dauern und ist der letzte Schritt um mein Bachelorstudium in International Business abzuschlieĂen.
Mein Flug dauerte mehr als 14 Stunden und ging ĂŒber MĂŒnchen (MUC), Frankfurt (FRA) bis (endlich!) Qingdao (TAO).
InternChina – Destination: QingdaoMeinen ersten Oh-oh-Moment hatte ich, als der nette Immigrationspolizist am Flughafen mir auf Chinesisch eine Frage stellte. Als Antwort guckte ich nur leicht benebelt und flĂŒsterte entschuldigend auf Englisch, dass ich kein Chinesisch spreche. Gott sei Dank lachte der Polizist nur und winkte mich durch. Der zweite Oh-oh-Moment lieĂ nur paar Minuten auf sich warten, als ich am GepĂ€ckband stand, mich umsah und mir dĂ€mmerte, dass ich nichts, WIRKLICH NICHTS, hier lesen kann. NatĂŒrlich war mir klar, dass in China Schriftzeichen verwendet werden, aber es dann tatsĂ€chlich am eigenen Leib zu spĂŒren⊠Dass man etwas, was man seit dem man das erste Mal Lesen lernte als selbstverstĂ€ndlich annahm, von Schildern bis zu MenĂŒs, nicht mehr kann, war doch etwas schockierend. (SpĂ€ter habe ich erfahren, dass in den meisten Restaurants die MenĂŒs bebildert sind. Also kein Grund zur Panik. Ich muss nicht verhungern. :â) )
InternChina – Lanzhou Lamian MenuClare, die InternChina Branchmanagerin in Qingdao, holte mich vom Flughafen ab, brachte mich in meine WG und begleitete mich anschlieĂend ins SimkartengeschĂ€ft, um mich mit einer funktionierenden Handyverbindung und Internet (HALLELUJAH!!) zu versorgen.
Die Menschen in Qingdao sind sehr freundlich und hilfsbereit und sie starren dich an und zwar nicht besonders unauffĂ€llig. Aber wenn ich bedenke, dass ich in den letzten drei Tagen, abgesehen von meiner Mitbewohnerin und meinen Kollegen nur drei andere âAuslĂ€nderâ gesehen habe, ist das verstĂ€ndlich. Auch ist ihr Blick nicht feindselig, sondern meist nur interessiert. Gleich an meinem zweiten Tag hier, rannte ein etwa zehnjĂ€hriger chinesischer Junge uns nach, holte auf, stellte sich vor uns hin und fragte âWhere are you from?â. Nach meiner leicht verwirrten Antwort âeeeeh⊠Germany.â, ĂŒberlegte er kurz sagte âXieXie!â (=Danke) und rannte wieder davon. Ich vermute, dass ich hier öfter als EnglischĂŒbungspartner verwendet werde. đ
Die Stadt ist ĂŒberhaupt nicht ĂŒberbevölkert, was ich als leichte Klaustrophobin befĂŒrchtet hatte. Allerdings habe ich auch gehört, dass Qingdao im Sommer viel voller ist und es ist momentan Januar. Es fahren jedoch sehr viele Autos auf der StraĂe und sie fahren etwas wilder, als aus Deutschland gewohnt. MĂŒsste ich die Fahrweise in zwei Wörtern beschreiben, wĂ€re es âno chillâ. Dabei dachte ich, ich hĂ€tte schon alles an verrĂŒckten Fahrstilen in Istanbul gesehen. AuĂerdem kann man sich den Parkstil in China wie ein Tetrisspiel vorstellen. Man quetscht sich an jede mögliche freie Stelle und berĂŒcksichtigt dabei nicht, ob man eventuell jemandem vom wieder herausfahren abhĂ€lt.
Die LuftqualitĂ€t und das Wetter waren, wider meine Erwartungen und zu meinem GlĂŒck in den letzten Tagen ganz gut. Wir nutzten das gute Wetter aus um entlang des Meers zu spazieren und paar Fotos zu schieĂen. Das Meer in Qingdao ist einfach wunderschön. Es ist schon lĂ€nger mein Traum gewesen in einer Stadt am Meer zu wohnen und endlich ist es soweit.
InternChina – Yellow Sea
InternChina – Qingdao Seaside
InternChina – Cakes and HappinessAnd last but not least: Das Essen. Traumhaft. Jeder der etwas lĂ€nger Zeit mit mir verbracht hat, weiĂ wie wichtig mir gutes Essen ist und hier gibt es mehr als genug davon! Vergisst die Nudelbox mit oder ohne HĂŒhnerfleisch und die FrĂŒhlingsrollen! Chinesisches Essen ist so viel mehr! Vor allem ist es so gĂŒnstig. Eine mehr als sĂ€ttigende Portion kostet um die 14 RMB (=1,91âŹ) und das sind weniger als zwei Euro. Adieu, DiĂ€tplĂ€ne⊠Ich habe vor wirklich jede Chance zu nutzen, alle (nicht allzu verrĂŒckten) Arten von chinesischen Gerichten zu probieren.
Generell sollte man so wenig Erwartungen an China haben, wie nur möglich und eigentlich alles, was man je ĂŒber das Land gehört hat nicht so ernst nehmen. Jeder macht unterschiedliche Erfahrungen, aber ich denke es ist es auf jeden Fall wert das Land mal selber zu sehen und eigene EindrĂŒcke zu sammeln.
Falls du auch Lust hast mal aus deiner Komfortzone rauszukommen und in ein Abenteuer zu stĂŒrzen, informiere dich hier!
We had a short chat with the Director of Operations at Weiguo Solutions. Weiguo, ćšćœ âWay Gwoâ, meaning âTo Shake the Nationâ was established in 2007, and is an employee-owned business head-quartered in Hong Kong. Here is a brief insight into the internships that Weiguo Solutions offers and how it can make a statement on your CV.
Introduce yourself and your company
Hi Iâm Abs, from Mauritius. I have a BSc in Psychology and I am currently Director of Operations at Weiguo Solutions. Â Weiguo Solutions is a company that does product design, development and distribution in the outdoor industry, especially for travel and sports gear.
Why is Weiguo Solutions based in Zhuhai?
Zhuhai is a very light city, meaning itâs not very developed yet. It is undergoing development and there are a lot of opportunities and new things happening here. It is also very close to Macau and Hong Kong making it very convenient.
Could you provide a brief overview of your internship positions at Weiguo Solutions?
We usually take people in finance and we have taken on a lot of interns recently in our operations department; meaning supply chain, customer logistics, and quality control. We also do a lot of design and development which is a new area where we try to work with InternChina to get some more people in graphic design and design.
What do you expect from an intern?
Ambitious. We need them to be ambitious!
Do you have any tips for interns to get the most out of their time in China?
You have got to be outgoing and got to be ready to try new things. It is important to be passionate and ready to embrace the experience when you get here; the food, travel and culture. You will get a completely different way of looking at the world.
How do you feel experience abroad can impact an internâs future career?
I think it gives interns a better perspective of how the job world works; in terms of management, leadership, how you get into a job, what do you make of a job. Itâs full immersion as we say.
How does your company benefit from interns?
Interns bring new ideas; you know us in management have been doing a job nine to ten years so weâre not in touch with the academic aspect of things. Interns bring a new way of looking at and approaching things.
Two interns in Zhuhai, AlizĂ©e Ville and Alice Roberts, interning at a biochemistry company, were recently given the opportunity to travel to the north of Guangdong province. On 28th-29th June their manager Wesley invited them to visit two farms in the Guangdong countryside which were to become suppliers for his new restaurants. Hereâs how they got on whilst they were away.
Day 1: Â
Chicken restaurant
After a long drive, our first stop was at a restaurant where they served us famous Chinese chicken and the âbest bamboo root in chinaâ. The bamboo root was freshly cut and cooked so it lacked the strong smell that not-Âso-Âfresh bamboo roots give off. It is common in china to serve the heads and tails of any meat and fish, so it was new to see chicken and duck head on the plate. We also tried unfertilised chicken eggs before they are shelled.
InternChina – dishes from the chicken restaurantFei Sha Hu near the lake: office + new theme park
We then visited Mr Laiâs office, which was in a traditional style building by a large lake. When we arrived, we spotted a calligraphy table, where we practiced some Chinese writing (æžæł ShĆ«fÇ) and were taught how to hold the brush. Calligraphy can be considered an art form in China.
During this trip I have realized the importance of tea in social gatherings and business meetings. It is used as a symbolism of hospitality and is the first thing presented on arrival. When we arrived at Mr Laiâs office, he had a beautiful table made specifically for âChayiâ, the art of drinking tea. The water was boiled on a hot plate built into the table and used to clean the china, and then the remaining water was poured over a small porcelain four faced Buddhaâs head (supposedly representing Brahma Hindu). The tea was a mix of green tea leaves and herbs, which Mr Lai took pride in. While the tea was served, I noticed a common courtesy was to tap two fingers on the table, near your cup, as a way of saying thank you.
InternChina – Wesley, AlizĂ©e & AliceDuring the tea ceremony, the atmosphere is very friendly and casual. I have noticed that Chinese business culture differs to western, as friendly talk is mixed with business talk, rather than having strict meeting schedules. After a while, a poster of a proposed theme park map was shown to us and it was explained that around the lake, Mr Lai and his colleagues are planning to build a theme park.
Qingyuan (Lilac Garden Hotel)
We spent the night at the Lilac Garden Hotel, in Qingyuan, by the Bei River. Home to four million people, the city is growing alarmingly fast, with new high rising residential towers being built everywhere.
InternChina – the hotel at QingyuanBoat Fish restaurant (in Qingyuan)
That night, we were invited to dinner on a boat restaurant, where we were served freshly fished seafood. The place also raised ducks and geese, so all the meat and fish couldnât have been fresher. During our dinner, men from our neighbouring table were even fishing while they were eating. We were introduced to Chairman Xie, leader of the Agricultural Board of the Qingyuan district, whom joined us for the festivities. We were then served Fei Xia Ye, a special locally made rice liquor, which is sipped during the meal. Strong, it also has a floral aftertaste.
Day 2: Â
Chicken and pig farms
The morning of the 29th we drove to the chicken farm that planned on supplying Wesleyâs new restaurant. To get there, we had to climb up a hill, despite it being one of the easiest ones to access. Once we reached the top, we saw a chicken pen but no chickens. These chickens were so free range that they were able to roam the hills without fences, so much so that we were not able to see one. As these are free range, they eat whatever they find in the hills so they are not guaranteed to be organic, however the farmers in this area are not educated on how to use fertilizers and pesticides so they do not tend to use them, making the chickens most likely organic.
We did not stay too long and were soon back on the road, to visit an organic piggery. Situated in Donghua (near Yingde), Mr. Zeng Fanweiâs farm hosts domestic Tibetan pigs. Tibetan pigs are (quite obviously) native to Tibet, from around the Brahamaputra river, which is elevated at about 3500 meters. These pigs are thus comfortable in high altitudes and prefer wide pastures, which is why they seem to strive in the Donghua area.
InternChina – organic pig farm & the group that went on the trip (top right)The pigs are kept in age groups, starting at 3 months old (the younger ones being kept with mothers until they are weaned), and acquire bigger pens as they grow. The older ones are allowed to roam freely in the mountain. Being an âEcological Agricultural Science and Technologyâ company, the pigs are raised in respect to organic norms and humane treatment.
Journey home
After lunch and lychees at the pig farm, we started our journey back to Zhuhai. However, within 300 metres, one of the tyres burst and we were all stuck in the Chinese countryside. After a few complications, and some tea at the neighbourâs house we were able to get to a garage and fix it. While driving back we saw lots of beautiful countryside and passed over Guangzhouâs huge industrial harbour.
InternChina – Guangdong countrysideInterested in being presented with opportunities like this? Apply now to intern in China.
How Chinaâs development can benefit you
Since China decided to open up their market to the world, known as æčé©ćŒæŸïŒGaige Kaifang in 1978 major trade opportunities have developed from having access to such a large number of clients.
China is a country that loves technology and is developing faster than anyone could have predicted. As the country becomes richer, so does itâs people and thus their desire for modern products and fashionable items grows. The picture above highlights the level of development in only 20 years.
Major brands such as Apple, Intel, and Gillette and taken the country by storm, offering high quality products. Furthering this, there is a growing sense of consumerism here with locals opting to spend more on luxury items, such as coffee. Thus whilst China is still a developing country, even those who donât earn a lot are willing to pay for high end, luxury products.
The fashion industry has also become highly popular among the richer population, with designer brands being displayed in every shopping centre. These brands often use western models and designs, which attract customers who want to show off their wealth. Beauty products, especially for women have taken off as some of the most popular foreign items for women,often being seen as better quality than their Chinese counterparts.
If you are looking to expand your business, the Chinese market is probably the best way to go. Locals are willing to pay top dollar for products which they believe are trustworthy and valuable. This creates a market for expensive goods in China, as it provides locals with an outlet to demonstrate their wealth and success.
By cleverly marketing your products as high end, expensive and with a modern feel, youâre business is likely to boom in the Chinese market. And remember, for many Chinese , when buying luxury items, west comes out best.
For more Chinese business insights, check out one of our interns blogs at https://chinesebusinessblogblog.wordpress.com