Leading Beijing journalist, Andy McEwen, contemplates China’s global responsibilities from the dizzying heights of her futuristic technological platforms: Google caused a big stir in China earlier this year when its artificial intelligence system beat the world’s best Weiqi (围棋) player at a tournament in the ancient canal town of Wuzhen, China. “The age of intelligence” is here, Google chairman Eric Schmidt announced to a previously quite naive world. This impressive victory for American knowhow created quite a stir in the West too,  » Read more »

The Retail Revolution China has fast become the holy grail of shopping. Be it high-end or low-end, costly or counterfeit, China is the place where you can find just about everything. In the last decade, the biggest manufacturer in the world has developed the largest consumer base globally. This large population of freshly minted consumers has caused luxury retailers to scramble for a piece of the pie, or should we say, cookie? While sold out Louis Vuitton shops and limits on how many Rolex’s one customer is allowed to buy have been picked up by Western media,  » Read more »

As a country with a global reputation for cheaply manufactured goods, China is now making moves to shake off its ‘Made in China’ label and show the world its capacity for innovation, creativity and ingenuity. That said, China’s fashion industry is caught in a contradiction. China is one of the largest producers of fake luxury goods, while at the same time boasts the single largest market for luxury retail in the world. This contrast has become the perfect breeding ground for a multi-faceted and diverse shopping culture to arise.  » Read more »

Wolfgang Puck, the famous Austrian-born American chef and restaurateur has brought his acclaimed American casual dining concepts to China for the first time. Wolfgang’s new hot spot is perfectly situated in the hip and affluent shopping and eating district of Xintiandi in Shanghai. And as there was a new celebrity chef restaurant in Shanghai, my friend and I felt obliged to experience it first hand. The outside of the restaurant was inviting with a soft gray brick exterior contrasting with rich wooden doors and flowing metal vines swirling through the windows.  » Read more »

The Year of the Rooster Chinese New Year, also referred to as Lunar New Year and Spring Festival, is the biggest and most important holiday in China. In terms of significance in Chinese culture the Lunar New Year is comparable to combining Thanksgiving and Christmas together. We have assembled some traditions and facts behind one of the world’s largest celebrations to provide a better understanding of this holiday. We have also put together some useful travel tips should you wish to experience this festival first hand.    » Read more »