Not All Factories in China are Sweat Shops

March 5, 2010

Originally Published at Speak Without Interruption on February 15, 2010 by Bob Grant — publisher/editor for Speak Without Interruption. Posted on iLook China, 3/5/10 at 08:00

As I write about my personal experiences in China, I again want to note that they are strictly that—my “personal” experiences.  I am certain there are people, who have visited China who could contradict everything that I have, or will write.  The products I imported perhaps did not lend themselves to the typical “Sweat Shop” stereotype in terms of the factories that produced them.

However, I never saw or visited any factory that, in my mind, would fit that definition.

If the factories were not what I would call “modern”—they were certainly clean.  The employees (factory workers) wore uniforms at most places I visited.  They seemed proficient in their work and the products produced, and for the most part, were without quality problems—certainly no different from products produced in other countries.

There are more photos at Speak Without Interruption

Most of the factories tended to be in Industrial Parks that were quite large.  Usually, the factories were a “small city” into themselves.  There was housing provided for the employees on the factory grounds along with areas for recreation.  I don’t suppose there was another way of doing it, but I saw a lot of laundry hanging from outside the housing units plus commercial apartments buildings I saw throughout China.

Most factories had certifications that were either the same or similar to those held by US factories.  I saw elaborate R&D sections in most of the factories I visited.  The office space was usually as modern and pleasant as any I had visited in the US.

A ritual that I truly enjoyed was at every meeting when hot tea was served. Sometimes the owner or general manager had tea to make in their office and other times it was brought in.  However, I can’t recall a meeting where tea was not offered.

Being a non-smoker, another ritual I did not enjoy was in almost every meeting I attending most of the parties present smoked.  I heard a figure once that 85% of Chinese men smoked. I can attest that this is probably a good estimate.  Once inside the office or meeting room, the smoke became quite thick and uncomfortable for me; however, I was their guest and felt I could put up with the discomfort in the course of conducting my business affairs.

I have fond memories of my factory visits and discussions. I think the fact that I came to China, and met with the factory personnel aided my business immensely versus doing business in name only.

If you enjoy this piece by Bob Grant, you may want to read “A Contradiction of Times” at http://wp.me/pN4pY-bT

 

Leave a Comment » | America, business, China, Chinese Culture, environment | Tagged: , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Lloyd Lofthouse

A Contradiction of Times

March 1, 2010

This guest post from Bob Grant had several photos.  If you want to see them, I suggest you click on the Originally Published link and visit Speak Without Interruption.  I will add two photos here that I took on my last trip, And yes, Bob, I also wish I had taken pictures every time I have visited China since 1999.  I took my first pictures in 2008. Digital makes it easy.

Shanghai

_____________

Originally Published at Speak Without Interruption on February 12, 2010 by Bob Grant — publisher/editor for Speak Without Interruption. Posted on iLook China, 3/1/10 at 12:00

During my trips to China, I wish I had taken more photos of the places I passed, to and from the factories I visited.  In lieu of those photos, I am going to mix some that I found on the Internet with those that I took.

The one phenomenon that I experienced was the contradictions in times as I passed through the cities and into the countryside and back again.  As I have mentioned in earlier postings, I have been traveling to China since 1998.  My time spent there was mainly for business purposes—I rarely took time for sightseeing.

Guilin

However, it was the “everyday” sights that interested me the most—not the so called tourist spots of which China has many.  I would pass from new building construction to old crumbling buildings in a matter of blocks.  I would drive by places in the countryside where it appeared to me that people were living the same way they had for millions of years.  We would drive from beautiful multi-lane highways to rutted brick and dirt roads in a matter of miles.  Workers were sweeping the freeways and other roads with large straw brooms.  Everywhere I looked, I could see new and old in a single setting—a large high rise apartment building next to agricultural areas where people were working the land by hand and animals.

Our office was in Bao’an, which is a suburb, if you will, of Shenzhen which is in southern China across from Hong Kong.  Here is a photo of the view from our office.  Shenzhen has around 14 million people—according to the sources I checked—and it was nothing but swampland almost 30 years ago when it was designated China’s first economic zone. 

The construction that goes on in this and other larger cities is unbelievable. 

However, we visited one factory in what I would call the countryside where the owner was enticed to build a new factory because of the inexpensive cost of the land—somewhere around $4 per acre as I recall as the government wanted to build up business in this rural area. 

This factory was in an extremely picturesque location and from the owner’s balcony, I took a photo of an older boat going down the river.  It reminded me of how the setting (or view) must have been centuries ago.  China has a tremendous amount of history associated with their country—I could see it, in many ways, as I looked out the vehicle window passing to and from our meetings during my numerous visits in country.

I certainly found China to be a country in transition—but as a visitor—I hope they never modernize their country to the extent that it is no longer a Contradiction of Times.

If you enjoyed this piece by Bob Grant, you may want to read these guest posts
I have a Love Affair with China and its People  http://wp.me/pN4pY-5p

I Am Not the Manchurian Candidate http://wp.me/pN4pY-6o

I ate no Dog, I Ate no Cat http://wp.me/pN4pY-8y
 

 

Leave a Comment » | China, Chinese Culture, environment, tourism | Tagged: , , | Permalink
Posted by Lloyd Lofthouse

The Future of Health Care in China at Risk

February 28, 2010

Although China’s government has promised that by 2010, basic medical and health care will cover all rural residents, if someone becomes seriously ill and can’t afford medical care, he or she is out of luck.

Under this proposed basic medical system, subscribers will be funded at a level of fifty yuan per person (twenty yuan from the central government, twenty from the local government and ten from the individual).

Chinese peasant

Rural health care in China has become a challenge. For many peasants in rural areas, this could mean as much as ten percent or more of their annual income would have to go toward basic health care insurance. The rural people do not have a choice. The government will force everyone to pay his or her share.

Read about the Rural-Urban Divide at http://wp.me/pN4pY-69

Leave a Comment » | China, Chinese Culture, economy, health care, politics | Tagged: , , , | Permalink
Posted by Lloyd Lofthouse

China’s Health Care During Mao’s Time

February 27, 2010

After the Communists won China in 1949, health care improved. Prior to that, life expectancy for the Chinese people was thirty-five years. By Mao’s death in 1976, average life expectancy had increased by twenty years.

There were three basic areas of medical care. Free substandard medical care was provided to the proletarian working class, meaning workers and peasants.

Mao started a program called ‘bare-foot doctors’. This program was the backbone of rural health care in China. This meant anyone could become a doctor.

  • Video: Documentary of Bare-Foot Doctors in China

Mao told the people that if you wanted to be a doctor, you didn’t need to go to medical school. All you had to do was have the motivation to provide medical care to needy people and the government would support you and provide limited training.

The second class of medical care went to people like teachers, clerks and secretaries, ‘friends’ of the working class, the proletariat. The only difference was that these ‘friends’ had to pay to get medical treatment. It was possible to face financial ruin from one hospital stay.

The third class were termed enemies of the proletariat like former shop-owners, landlords and denounced intellectuals like liberal arts professors. These people were denied treatment altogether.

Learn about China’s Urban Rural Divide

______________

Lloyd Lofthouse is the award-winning author of The Concubine Saga. When you love a Chinese woman, you marry her family and culture too. This is the love story Sir Robert Hart did not want the world to discover.

To subscribe to “iLook China”, look for the “Subscribe” button at the top of the screen in the menu bar, click on it then follow directions.

6 Comments | China, Chinese Culture, Chinese history, Communism, cultural differences, government, health care, history | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Lloyd Lofthouse

Only a Name

February 27, 2010

I’ve heard and read that the United States has the greatest government on the earth.

I disagree.

It’s true that America is the wealthiest and most powerful country on the planet. But the most important difference is that the United States has a “Bill of Rights” designed to protect the citizens from government abuse. Remove the “Bill of Rights” and what do we have—a government that will get carried away with unrestricted powers like so many have in the past.

The Founding Father’s (at least the key players) understood that power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. King George taught them that, so they developed a structure to limit that corruption so it would not spill over and hurt the citizens.

The sad thing is that the “Bill of Rights” doesn’t protect citizens from street gangs and drug dealers and all the other crazy things that go on in a country with the largest prison population on the planet. China has the second largest prison population and that is about half of those locked up in America while China has four times the population.

And many ignorant people in the United States believe China is a bad place to live because of a government with the word “Communist” in front of it. Words are words. There is little difference between the word Democrat (8 letters), Communist (9 letters) and Republican (10 letters).

See “China’s Modern Dynasty” at http://wp.me/pN4pY-9j

 

Leave a Comment » | America, China, government, politics | Tagged: , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Lloyd Lofthouse

« Previous Entries
Next Entries »