It is time to tackle growing packaging waste problem
[2016-03-09 08:14]The express packaging waste problem requires both careful analysis and an effective solution.
Awareness campaigns vital to startup boom
[2016-03-08 08:17]China's current emphasis on entrepreneurship, innovation, automation, technology upgrading, think tanks and foreign talent suggests the share of services in China's GDP will likely grow progressively in coming years.
New nanny economy thrives on fast skills upgrading
[2016-03-04 08:36]Weeks before our second child was born in January, my wife found something that dampened our excitement: The costs for a month-long confinement nanny had soared and we could be priced out of a good one.
Firms can profit from serving foreigners as expat arrivals rise
[2016-03-02 08:28]"Even if we are supposed to write for expats, I had no idea of the difficulties that foreigners go through on a daily basis," a Chinese colleague of mine recently confessed to me after I published an article about two startups that offered virtual personal assistants for expats in China.
Time to fully embrace English to bolster China's global clout
[2016-03-01 10:00]It is crucial for China, including corporate China, to embrace English fully－and stop using it incorrectly.
Important lessons for future financial security
[2016-02-25 08:00]Chinese children's pocket money is increasing as household incomes in urban areas are elevated by economic growth, and the one-child policy has resulted in four grandparents and two parents doting on one child.
'Toilet revolution' must flush away bad memories
[2016-02-24 07:59]Jeniffer Smith and her husband, a couple in their 60s from Australia who encountered an unpleasant experience when answering the call of nature during their trip to China a decade ago, were impressed by the changes in public toilets during a recent visit.
E-commerce firms adopt targeted approach
[2016-02-23 10:09]The week-long Spring Festival holiday gave me plenty of time to do shopping online for the Lantern Festival, which fell on Feb 22 when Chinese people ate sweet dumplings for good luck.
Cheaper electricity may help power up rural consumption
[2016-02-19 07:34]As a major grain-producing region and one of the most populous provinces, rural power usage accounts for about 60 percent of Henan's total electricity consumption.
Will Chinese corporate 'verbinouns' catch on?
[2016-02-18 07:56]The best way of getting your firm's name in lights, is to be inducted into what I'd like to call the Verbal Hall of Fame.
Women hold up half the sky, but men own homes
[2016-02-17 07:29]Homeownership is widely accepted as the centerpiece of personal financial security after housing assets became the dominant component of Chinese household wealth.
Soccer helps Chinese firms aim for bigger goals
[2016-02-16 07:49]In only two years, China has developed a sudden passion for the sport, seeking to take advantage of the commercial opportunities that soccer can bring to its global ambitions.
New Year resolutions made easy for businesses
[2016-02-09 16:02]The New Year is almost upon us, and promises to herald many changes as China calibrates its economic priorities in the 13th Five Year Plan (2016-20). But what's a New Year without some resolutions? So, here are 16 resolutions that I wish China's businesses and industry would adopt for 2016.
Planning to invest in homes outside key cities? Think again
[2016-02-05 08:19]Nearly five years ago, I made the biggest investment decision of my life－to buy an apartment.
Will the monkey play havoc with China's tech companies?
[2016-02-04 08:17]We Chinese love to wear something red during the Chinese Lunar New Year to exorcise evil spirits. If you do not, misfortune will hunt you down the entire year - so was I told by my grandma.
Demand for high-quality info on China will only grow
[2016-02-02 08:18]Newspapers may be in decline. But a service that supplies useful and high quality comprehensive information will always be in high demand as long as people rely on it to make decisions and to make sense of the world.
Time for cheaper international phone calls
[2016-01-29 13:27]When my son left Beijing for France for his master's degree program in early September, I thought I could no longer maintain frequent contact with him for the next two years, as international calls were always too costly.
Home offices can help achieve healthier work-life balance
[2016-01-28 11:25]I am even happier than my son when his fall semester finally ends and the winter vacation begins. I won't be puzzled again by my inability to be with him when the red alert for smog is issued and the school is closed.
Smart solutions can keep homes clean, problems at bay
[2016-01-26 10:06]Liu Guihua used to work three hours every Sunday afternoon to help clean my home for a payment of 80 yuan ($13), but last week Liu told me she was going to return to her hometown in Anhui province early next month for the coming Spring Festival holiday.
Curbs on cars: A tale of two polluted cities
[2016-01-22 08:06]When they become available, smog-hit Beijing might like to review them. Beijing and New Delhi, besides being national capitals, are comparable in terms of population (22 million and 16 million) and the number of motor vehicles (9 million and 7.5 million).
