Super Volatile

Krzysztof Szafranek's link blog

Hi, I'm Krzysztof and I make websites.
When I'm not making websites, I read these.
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Mar 27, 2012 / 1:36am

Manufacturing: The end of cheap China

Fourth, China’s supply chain is sophisticated and supple. Professor Zheng Yusheng of the Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business argues that the right way to measure manufacturing competitiveness is not by comparing labour costs alone, but by comparing entire supply chains. Even if labour costs are a quarter of those in China to make a given product, the unreliability or unavailability of many components may make it uneconomic to make things elsewhere.
more on economist.com

When we were not paying attention, China graduated from a mere supplier of cheap labor to a country with the most efficient and flexible supply chain on the planet, making manufacturing elsewhere – wasteful.

Filed under: china   economy  
 
Apr 16, 2011 / 5:39pm

Chinese business: When fund-raising is a crime

China’s entrepreneurs are left with plenty to worry about. Many have to rely on a form of financing that now seems to be interpreted by the courts as a grave crime. The distinction between being a successful tycoon and being an enemy of the people has been blurred, a step back to the days when China was communist in more than just name.
more on economist.com

On of the wunderkinds of Chinese economic revolution faces death penalty. A friendly reminder of what kind of country it still is.

Filed under: china  
 
Dec 29, 2010 / 10:25pm

Asian Development Bank Meets the Smiley Curve

The Journal illustrated the pattern this way, through costing out the components of an iPhone. Using current counting techniques, in which the phone's entire value is assumed to be "Chinese," on its own it accounts for nearly $2 billion of the Chinese surplus with the U.S. But if it is allocated to its real sources, most of the surplus is from Japan (famous for its "failed" economy), and second-most from Germany. The US-China direct exchange is actually a small surplus for the US.
more on theatlantic.com

Interesting information on how export deficit is calculated and why it can be so easily misleading.

Filed under: china   economy   usa  
 
Sep 5, 2010 / 9:08am

I think the Chinese leadership are heading in the right direction

Recently I read about a speech given in China by prime minister Wen Jiabao in which he said :

“China has to resolve the issue of excessive concentration of unrestrained power” and “create conditions for the people to criticize and supervise the government”. He said China should build a society of “fairness and justice.” (3rd September 2010 issue of The Economist)

more on samonsoftware.com

Interesting quote, but I'm not as sure as post's author that Chinese government is really going to give up any of its power so easily. Let's see. Probably time and free market will do more for democracy in China than political moves (or the lack of thereof).

Filed under: china  
 
Jul 11, 2010 / 7:03pm

Beijing Renews Google’s License in China

But Google’s approach failed to appease Beijing, and Google was forced to modify it again late last month, by offering users a link on Google.cn rather than the automatic referral to the Hong Kong site. The move, though seemingly insignificant, apparently satisfied China.
more on nytimes.com

Google reached agreement with Chinese government and will provide search services in China, though from its Hong-Kong site. A side effect is that censoring Google's search results is now China's burden.

Filed under: censorship   china   google