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Could Chinese hold a WEF-like event?

By You Nuo (Chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2010-02-02 14:40

You Nuo

Don’t Chinese participants think they’re the only ones who speak that language in Davos."Nimen cong na'r lai?" (Where are you guys from?) Five Chinese journalists were stunned when asked by the only other passenger on their shuttle bus the other day, who later explained he was from New York, again in perfect Mandarin.

In fact, many participants have been to China and many of them can speak some Chinese. They are also glad that China is nowadays having a bigger presence in Davos – this year most noticeably CCTV and Sina.com.

As Feng Jun, CEO of Aigo from China and a WEF participant for the last four years, pointed out for China Daily: “Although many things have helped to make WEF a success, Prof Schwab has been promoting it as an individual. Why can’t any Chinese organization do a similar thing? Why can’t China Daily do it?”

But isn’t Prof Schwab’s success precisely because he is an individual – admittedly or a very committed sort – free from the organizational fatigue commonly seen in all bureacuracies? Maybe Feng Jun should start one some day.

The author is senior consultant and business columnist at China Daily. He is currently in Davos for the Davos Forum.