My life in ChinaBeijing, China
Bagging Luxury Goods – Beijing, May 17
17 May 2013 | posted by Jim | in Beijing, Business, China0
China has an enormous appetite for luxury goods – it will soon surpass Japan as the world’s largest market. In Beijing, Shanghai and increasingly second- and third-tier Chinese cities, Louis Vuitton, Cartier, Coach, and more are everywhere. In fact, sales of Louis Vuitton hand-bags (in part, explained by China’s continued dependence on a cash economy..
The Capital on Three Wheels – Beijing, May 16
16 May 2013 | posted by Jim | in Beijing, China, Pollution0
I hopped this three-wheeled taxi in Beijing the other day. It’s really just a small motorcycle with a cabin on top but it’s one of millions of vehicles crowding the capital’s streets today. Just over ten years ago, there were fewer than 500,000 cars in Beijing. Today there are more than five million – and..
Beijing’s Hip Cafe Culture – Beijing, May 14
16 May 2013 | posted by Jim | in Beijing, Business, China, Uncategorized0
“The Rug” cafe has become a favorite spot for me in Beijing. Like many of the western-style hangouts in the capital, it could be anywhere in the world – the mellow music, mismatched furniture and organic menu shout London’s West End or New York’s West Village. It can seem so artificial. But listen to the..