China From Afar
By Leo Stachnik
I graduated with a Masters degree from Renmin University (The People's University) where the medium of study was Mandarin. Hence, I am proficient in Mandarin. This proficiency enables me to watch and read news from Chinese language sources in addition to English language sources. I enjoy using my experience and my insights to share opinions on China-related current events.
China From AfarSep 27, 2021
If bugs become a common source of protein, will China be a muse for the industry globally?
If bug-sourced protein becomes more common, might we see market-players emerge in China which consolidate the experience of bug-edibles to create marketable alternative-protein-source products in China and then export these products from China to other markets? Might we see market players from outside of China taking concepts from various ways bugs are consumed in China and then creating their own products based on these?
Also available as a blog post: http://chinafromafar.com/2021/10/07/if-bugs-become-a-common-source-of-protein-will-china-be-a-muse-for-the-industry-globally/
Penalty For Heist Of NZ Gold…..en Kiwifruit – A Cup Of Water On A Blazing Inferno?
According to an announcement released on the website of the Courts of New Zealand, due to his smuggling of Zespri's golden kiwifruit variety – “SunGold” - into China, a former kiwifruit grower Haoyu Gao has been ordered to pay damages to the kiwifruit grower Zespri in the sum of NZD 12.1 million. 1
While the above ruling against Gao may on the surface appear to be a win for the New Zealand kiwifruit industry and its battle against the propagation of smuggled kiwifruit in China, rather it is somewhat insignificant in light of:
- (1) There are still 5,500 hectares of SunGold kiwifruit
growing in China3 and these are unaffected by the ruling on Gao. - (2) Ultimately, when feasible, Chinese corporations
generally favor partnerships at different parts of the value-chain over pure
import and distribution.
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://chinafromafar.com/2021/09/10/penalty-for-heist-of-nz-gold-en-kiwifruit-a-cup-of-water-on-a-blazing-inferno/
The Chinese government has banned tuition?
You have probably heard that recently in China there has been on a ban what is known as “Off-Campus Tutoring”. If a related news headline passed your glimpse, then perhaps you may have thought “Why on earth would the government ban Off-Campus Tutoring?” Or even, “How can the government do such a thing, is this not violating various personal liberties?”. These are certainly questions that seem to be common amongst mainstream media reports on this issue.
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://chinafromafar.com/2021/08/31/the-chinese-government-has-banned-tuition/