China

Danone, the French dairy giant, is hoping that the third is the charm as they re-enter the China market with some creative and well-considered partnerships.
Danone, the French dairy giant, is hoping that the third is the charm as they re-enter the China market with some creative and well-considered partnerships.
about 1 hour ago
For more than a year, the China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission (CIETAC), China’s dominant arbitral institution since its founding in 1956, has been fighting a noisy and public civil war. The resulting chaos...
For more than a year, the China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission (CIETAC), China’s dominant arbitral institution since its founding in 1956, has been fighting a noisy and public civil war. The resulting chaos shows no signs of ending, and any company considering arbitration in China and any company that has an existing contract with an arbitration clause should take notice. CIETAC, which is based in Beijing, has four Sub-Commissions within the PRC: Shanghai (known as CIETAC Shanghai), Shenzhen (known as CIETAC South China), Tianjin, and Chongqing. In early 2012, CIETAC issued new arbitration rules which considerably strengthened the power of CIETAC’s Beijing office (CIETAC Beijing). CIETAC Shanghai and CIETAC South China strongly opposed the new rules, and in mid-2012 both Sub-Commissions declared their independence. A flurry of rhetoric and news releases followed. CIETAC Beijing stated that CIETAC Shanghai and CIETAC South China did not have the authority to declare independence and were no longer authorized to resolve disputes that called for arbitration by CIETAC Shanghai or CIETAC South China. CIETAC Shanghai and CIETAC South China responded by saying they had always been independent, and would continue to resolve disputes that called for arbitration by CIETAC Shanghai and CIETAC South China. These polar opposite positions placed potential litigants in a bind: who is authorized to hear their claims? The saga continued, with the situation going from bad to worse. On October 22, 2012, CIETAC South China changed its name to the South China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission, or SCIETAC, with its own set of arbitration rules that went into effect on December 1, 2012. Realizing that if one new name was good, then two new names must be better, SCIETAC also gave itself a second official name: the Shenzhen Court of International Arbitration (SCIA). Then on April 18, 2013, CIETAC Shanghai changed its name to the Shanghai International Arbitration Center (SHIAC), with its own set of arbitration rules that went into effect on May 1. Naturally they needed a second name as well, and what could be less confusing than the Shanghai International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission (SIETAC)? Meanwhile, CIETAC Beijing opened up new offices in Shanghai and Shenzhen, using the same arbitration rules that SHIAC and SCIETAC had rejected. The result is as big a mess as it appears, and should give pause to anyone drafting a contract that contemplates arbitration with CIETAC, SHIAC, or SCIETAC. Would you hire a mechanic whose own car keeps breaking down? A more immediate problem faces parties with already signed contracts that provide for arbitration in Shanghai administered by “CIETAC Shanghai,” or arbitration in Shenzhen administered by “CIETAC South China.” The parties to that contract now have to consider two troubling questions. First, which arbitral institution is entitled to arbitrate the dispute? Second, would a court enforce an arbitral award? Consider a contract that provides for arbitration administered by “CIETAC Shanghai.” Both CIETAC Beijing and SHIAC currently claim they are entitled to arbitrate a dispute arising from this contract. If the contract parties can agree on which arbitral body to use, the identity of the “proper” arbitral body is a moot point. But by the time most disputes are referred to arbitration, the parties are not agreeing on much at all. Often, the status quo favors the responding party, and as a result that party will do whatever it can to delay arbitration. In such cases, the responding party will likely argue as follows: (1)    The selected arbitral institution does not have jurisdiction. For a dispute submitted to SHIAC, the responding party would argue that the parties’ intent was for CIETAC, the institution based in Beijing, to handle the arbitration, with Shanghai being merely the location o
about 1 hour ago
Shanghai's Minhang district is to end its free bicycle rental service this month because not enough people were using the service, and people kept stealing the bikes, Shanghai Daily reports. [ more › ]
Shanghai's Minhang district is to end its free bicycle rental service this month because not enough people were using the service, and people kept stealing the bikes, Shanghai Daily reports. [ more › ]
about 1 hour ago
A fresh scandal in the Maldives is set to make March's Noodle-gate look like some pointless argument over instant foodstuffs. [ more › ]
A fresh scandal in the Maldives is set to make March's Noodle-gate look like some pointless argument over instant foodstuffs. [ more › ]
about 1 hour ago
An activist in Guangdong claims that his disabled 8 year old stepson has been kept imprisoned in a "black jail" for the past four years. However, some netizens are raising doubts about the story, and instead accuse the man of abandoning ...
An activist in Guangdong claims that his disabled 8 year old stepson has been kept imprisoned in a "black jail" for the past four years. However, some netizens are raising doubts about the story, and instead accuse the man of abandoning the child. [ more › ]
about 1 hour ago
Hong Kong has over 18,000 taxis, including 45 new electric cars Hong Kong taxi drivers, love them or hate them (actually, mostly just dislike them). They’re not ALL bad, perhaps 50% are adequate. Here are a few of the reasons why t...
Hong Kong has over 18,000 taxis, including 45 new electric cars Hong Kong taxi drivers, love them or hate them (actually, mostly just dislike them). They’re not ALL bad, perhaps 50% are adequate. Here are a few of the reasons why they’re not popular. Feel free to add your own reasons in the comments! 10. They curse non-stop, and complain about where you want to go 9. They don’t help you with your suitcase, or even offer to 8. They drop you off at the wrong place, and then insist that it is correct 7. They always try to keep the change, despite giving you poor service 6. They smell bad, or the interior of the taxi does 5. They take the long way to get to your destination 4. They ransom, or simply just keep your mobile phone if it falls out of your pocket 3. They (illegally) want to know where you’re going before they’ll open the door (Which is why one person recently tried to Gangnam Style dance their way into a taxi… it didn’t work!) 2. They price-gouge, asking you to pay an exorbitant flat fee to get you someplace. It’s illegal, but commonplace in the Lan Kwai Fong nightlife area 1. They keep. Stepping. On. The Accelerator. And Then. Stepping. On. The Break. Which is. SUPER Annoying! Bonus reason: they try to adjust their mirror so that they can look up girls skirts! Ewww! H.K. taxi drivers bad reputation was once the subject of a Hong Kong movie titled “Taxi Hunter“, starring Anthony Wong Chau-Sang!
about 3 hours ago
A New York Times editorial argues that China's rapid economic growth has decreased the employment rate of urban women. It comments that the growth in numbers of women leaving work is also compounded by the 'sheng nü' stereotype which has...
A New York Times editorial argues that China's rapid economic growth has decreased the employment rate of urban women. It comments that the growth in numbers of women leaving work is also compounded by the 'sheng nü' stereotype which has been intentionally perpetuated by central government since 2007. [ more › ]
about 3 hours ago
Not much information is available about this video, which was recently uploaded to QQ (numerous times). The events depicted probably took place in Anhui, probably in March. What we can say with reasonable certainty is that this man shoul...
Not much information is available about this video, which was recently uploaded to QQ (numerous times). The events depicted probably took place in Anhui, probably in March. What we can say with reasonable certainty is that this man should never have been allowed on a scooter. Watch as he hits multiple cars and other mopeds before ending up in a massive pit. [ more › ]
about 3 hours ago
THE road in front of the gate of Huamao Industrial Park in Shenzhen, Guangzhou Province caved in last night, killing at least three people, local officials announced.The accident occurred at 9:19pm yesterday. The city's emergency managem...
THE road in front of the gate of Huamao Industrial Park in Shenzhen, Guangzhou Province caved in last night, killing at least three people, local officials announced.The accident occurred at 9:19pm yesterday. The city's emergency management office said three bodies had been found by 9am this morning. Rescuers saved one man from the sunken hole and he is in stable condition.The office said the hole is six to seven meters in diameter and three to four meters in depth. It is still unclear how many people were swallowed by the hole. Some witnesses said they saw four to five people falling into the hole. One of them climbed out on his own.Shenzhen reported a ground subsidence incident in a construction site on March 26. The deep hole killed a security guard.
about 4 hours ago
THE road in front of the gate of Huamao Industrial Park in Shenzhen, Guangzhou Province caved in last night, killing at least three people, local officials announced.The accident occurred at 9:19pm yesterday. The city's emergency managem...
THE road in front of the gate of Huamao Industrial Park in Shenzhen, Guangzhou Province caved in last night, killing at least three people, local officials announced.The accident occurred at 9:19pm yesterday. The city's emergency management office said three bodies had been found by 9am this morning. Rescuers saved one man from the sunken hole and he is in stable condition.The office said the hole is six to seven meters in diameter and three to four meters in depth. It is still unclear how many people were swallowed by the hole. Some witnesses said they saw four to five people falling into the hole. One of them climbed out on his own.Shenzhen reported a ground subsidence incident in a construction site on March 26. The deep hole killed a security guard.
about 4 hours ago