The crackdown on Chinese tech firms like Baidu, Alibaba and Tencent since 2020 has been of concern not just to the tech firms themselves but to pretty much all businesses, local and foreign. Paul French discusses the fallout with author Andrew Collier Andrew Collier’s China’s Technology War: Why Beijing Took Down its Tech Giants (Palgrave Macmillan, 2022) discusses the political and economic context of China’s tech “crackdown”. Collier was previously …
As a challenging year in China draws to a close, Paul french rounds up some of the year’s best Chinese fiction in translation to get stuck into over the holidays Among all the new non-fiction, history and business books, it’s easy to forget that contemporary fiction can provide a window into a country, its consumers and its culture. It’s fair to say the last few years have been a slightly …
The Amur River, also known as the Heilong River, forms the border between Russia and China and has been a point of contention and exchange for hundreds – if not thousands – of years. A new book by Colin Thubron offers a unique traveller’s perspective on the present and future of a region where two of the world’s superpowers face each other Colin Thubron has long been one of Britain’s …
Can Hong Kong bounce back from the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic and recover its status as one of the world’s leading aviation hubs? Or will the increasing focus on the Greater Bay Area mean cities like Zhuhai and Guangdong start to take over? Paul French speaks to academic John D. Wong to find out Times have been tough for Chep Lap Kok – Hong Kong International Airport. Passenger numbers …
From owning stakes in Fortnite, Snapchat and Tesla, to funding Hollywood movies like Venom, Chinese internet giant Tencent probably plays a bigger role in your daily life than you think. A new book by Lulu Chen examines Tencent’s rise and looks ahead to its future Despite its massive influence, Tencent remains the biggest Chinese corporation that few have an in depth understanding of, with CEO and founder Pony Ma one …
A new book by former BBC correspondent and novelist Adam Brookes describes the daring rescue of ancient treasures from the Forbidden City, and how British ships played a small but important role in making sure the treasures survived their journey. Paul French finds out more Adam Brookes is a former BBC Beijing correspondent who then turned his hand to writing China-set spy fiction with the trilogy Night Heron, Spy Games …
China sees the world through the lens of relationships and nowhere is this more true than in business. So how can British businesses balance the Chinese and Western approaches to relationships to get better results in China? Joan Turley began her career as an academic specialising in modern languages. In The Business of Relationships: Creating Enterprise Success With China (Business Expert Press, 2022) Turley offers clear signposts and insights aimed …
A new book explores how Chinese entrepreneurs have developed strategies to lead their businesses in uncertain times. Paul French speaks to the authors to find out what international businesses can learn from them Let’s face it, it’s a tough time to be doing business in China. But Sandrine Zerbib and Aldo Spaanjaars have seen tough times before. The two veterans of China business have now distilled their experiences into a …
Can James Bond and Paddington beat out Marvel et al? Might Hollywood’s current fractious relationship with China be a chance for British movies to grab more screen time? And if it is, how can other industries cash in? Paul French speaks to author Erich Schwartzel to find out It’s no secret that Hollywood’s romance with China is over. Despite trying to find the Secret Sauce recipe for success at the …
The first British Airways flight to Beijing was a key moment for the airline and for British business in general, writes Paul French. This is just one of the many key events that have taken place during the 50 years since the establishment of ambassadorial relations between China and the UK British tourists were heading to China by the end of the 1970s, but invariably having to fly with TAROM, …