the English China Daily
Dec 13, 2011, 4:55 pm
#31
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The gap is much narrower if you look at things from a disposable income frame of reference, particularly for the 小白领 (white collar workers born after 1980) demographic that comprises the lion's share of the urban workforce. Since most of them either live with their parents or in apartments paid for by their parents, and generally rely upon public transit to/from work, they often have more cash on hand than their counterparts in the west.
Basically, y3,000 per month jobs are relatively easy to snag in BJ/SH/GZ/SZ/etc. (I speak from experience because I routinely hire people for such positions, and am not especially picky.) Deduct from that y3,000: lunch @ y10*20 + transit @ y8*20.... and you're left over with y2640, or $420 to spend at will. That's enough money to buy latest generation Apple products as fast as Apple can churn them out AND spend a holiday in Sanya.
Then, you need to account for the fact that foreign companies with insane marketing budgets (e.g. LVMH, Gucci, Porsche) are constantly throwing expensive parties (free everything; nice spreads) to which these kids are welcome, and there are enough rich people around to take care of them as well, their lives really aren't especially rough. Oh, and I should also note that a considerable portion of those grueling "work" hours are spent on QQ chatting with their friends or, better still, selling stuff on taobao (in order to generate additional disposable cash).
While it should go without saying that my observations pertain to some of the most prosperous cities in the country, I'm just trying to add a bit of on the ground perspective.
Basically, y3,000 per month jobs are relatively easy to snag in BJ/SH/GZ/SZ/etc. (I speak from experience because I routinely hire people for such positions, and am not especially picky.) Deduct from that y3,000: lunch @ y10*20 + transit @ y8*20.... and you're left over with y2640, or $420 to spend at will. That's enough money to buy latest generation Apple products as fast as Apple can churn them out AND spend a holiday in Sanya.
Then, you need to account for the fact that foreign companies with insane marketing budgets (e.g. LVMH, Gucci, Porsche) are constantly throwing expensive parties (free everything; nice spreads) to which these kids are welcome, and there are enough rich people around to take care of them as well, their lives really aren't especially rough. Oh, and I should also note that a considerable portion of those grueling "work" hours are spent on QQ chatting with their friends or, better still, selling stuff on taobao (in order to generate additional disposable cash).
While it should go without saying that my observations pertain to some of the most prosperous cities in the country, I'm just trying to add a bit of on the ground perspective.
No free parties this end of town. No luxury goods or rich people to look after you. Now, scientists are not a large percentage of the population. But neither are PR people for luxury brands. Of the chinese I've met, many are not well off, and although some have rich parents, many don't.
tb
Dec 13, 2011, 8:06 pm
#32
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I think you can get a bit of a skewed view if you live and pretty much stay mostly in central Chaoyang District. Beijing has quite a number of wealthy people (in absolute terms and relative to local population). But I think still has more "have-nots" and "wanna-haves" then actual "haves." Living or spending a lot of time in Haidian or Chongwen or even poorer districts and the perspective sort of comes back, per trueblu's post above.
Dec 13, 2011, 9:24 pm
#33
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To put some alternative perspective: many scientists in my university earn just over 3k/month (with MSc). Unlike scientists with PhDs or graduate students, no subsidised accommodations. So if no family means (science, given that it's mostly based on university exam performace tends to draw many people from the provinces, with little family means), that means living in a tiny room, eating in university cafeterias and still only having <500 RMB/mo left over, if they are really frugal.
Dec 14, 2011, 8:37 pm
#34
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True, but I have to agree with jiejie's general stance here. There are lots more people who are "have-nots" than haves. The white collar numbers are increasing, but on an absolute basis they still constitute a tiny percentage of overall population.
Dec 14, 2011, 8:56 pm
#35
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That's relative.
Trickle down effect..imposed by government.
With re-adjustment of yuan and forced increase in minimum pay of factory workers
avg 12-15% per year over the last 3-5 years.
Have noticed factory parking area for workers has gone from 10USD value bicycles to 200USD chinese scooters. So have nots have become have somethings.
Trickle down effect..imposed by government.
With re-adjustment of yuan and forced increase in minimum pay of factory workers
avg 12-15% per year over the last 3-5 years.
Have noticed factory parking area for workers has gone from 10USD value bicycles to 200USD chinese scooters. So have nots have become have somethings.
Dec 23, 2011, 2:49 am
#36
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I read both the China Daily and Global Times today... good stuff.
Summary:
-lots of articles (comprising nearly a third of each publication) about Japan and weibo (微波)
-my favorite was a (long) article about China giving two pandas to the people of Sendai to help make them happy in light of the pain they suffered as a result of the tsunami. For the most part, it was quite touching, but it expressed a bit of concern for the fact that Japanese zoo keepers don't know how to give Pandas proper love (apparently, they killed one of the Kobe pandas a few years ago by giving him an overdose of fertility drugs)
-apparently, Line 1 in Beijing (the oldest and the busiest) was out of service during rush hour yesterday. The article said that while the subway people denied this claim, the passengers it interviewed were in complete disagreement. While it didn't go so far as to say the subway managers were lying, outright, the implication was there. To me, this is a sign that journalism in China is continuing to make great strides. Sure they didn't attack Hu Jintao, but providing the perspective of the people v. a minor government run entity is still highly encouraging
-a nice piece about the 2 year old girl was killed by car a while back, and nobody bothered to help her, urging Chinese people to be more compassionate, but also praising them on their (ongoing) use of weibo to spread the message
-a Chinese lesson focused on useful weibo terminology
Summary:
-lots of articles (comprising nearly a third of each publication) about Japan and weibo (微波)
-my favorite was a (long) article about China giving two pandas to the people of Sendai to help make them happy in light of the pain they suffered as a result of the tsunami. For the most part, it was quite touching, but it expressed a bit of concern for the fact that Japanese zoo keepers don't know how to give Pandas proper love (apparently, they killed one of the Kobe pandas a few years ago by giving him an overdose of fertility drugs)
-apparently, Line 1 in Beijing (the oldest and the busiest) was out of service during rush hour yesterday. The article said that while the subway people denied this claim, the passengers it interviewed were in complete disagreement. While it didn't go so far as to say the subway managers were lying, outright, the implication was there. To me, this is a sign that journalism in China is continuing to make great strides. Sure they didn't attack Hu Jintao, but providing the perspective of the people v. a minor government run entity is still highly encouraging
-a nice piece about the 2 year old girl was killed by car a while back, and nobody bothered to help her, urging Chinese people to be more compassionate, but also praising them on their (ongoing) use of weibo to spread the message
-a Chinese lesson focused on useful weibo terminology
Aug 21, 2013, 8:51 pm
#37
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Aug 22 articles.
The China daily had some neat articles today- Thursday Aug 22.
- Front page of business-(page 13) Chinese 'tourists go it alone' seek culture, good food, etc.
- Brewer beer story on page 15- story about the brands and chinese beer business.
- Page 1 & 5- interesting article with charts on study of mainland corruption cases.
- Front page of business-(page 13) Chinese 'tourists go it alone' seek culture, good food, etc.
- Brewer beer story on page 15- story about the brands and chinese beer business.
- Page 1 & 5- interesting article with charts on study of mainland corruption cases.
Aug 25, 2013, 12:56 pm
#38
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I have a soft spot for the China Daily. It was the only English paper I could get in the place I was living during my first extended stay in China back in '98. It was only 4 pages at the time - one piece of newsprint. I was so starved for English content at the time that I'd read that thing over and over for several days until I had it semi-memorized until the next edition showed up. China Daily may be the paper's name but for some reason my local newsstand only saw fit to order a few copies a week.
The quality of the paper is way better than before. The only sections for me that consistently continue to hit the depths of inanity are the letters to the editor.
The quality of the paper is way better than before. The only sections for me that consistently continue to hit the depths of inanity are the letters to the editor.
Aug 26, 2013, 12:40 pm
#39
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When I lived in a provincial (but still huge) Chinese city some 11 years ago, the China Daily was remarkably hard to find... only a couple of vendors stocked it, and even then it was carried sporadically at best. However, it was nice to pick up a copy and read an English-language newspaper...just like home! And it didn't cost an arm and a leg like import copies of the IHT or the Economist.
The content was always a little goofy but still entertaining... I always considered it more of a general interest periodical rather than a true hard news source. The paper has way more content these days, and yes, the quality is better, but the general tenor really hasn't changed that much. It's still laughably "official" in tone.
The content was always a little goofy but still entertaining... I always considered it more of a general interest periodical rather than a true hard news source. The paper has way more content these days, and yes, the quality is better, but the general tenor really hasn't changed that much. It's still laughably "official" in tone.
Aug 26, 2013, 12:55 pm
#40
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When I lived in a provincial (but still huge) Chinese city some 11 years ago, the China Daily was remarkably hard to find... only a couple of vendors stocked it, and even then it was carried sporadically at best. However, it was nice to pick up a copy and read an English-language newspaper...just like home! And it didn't cost an arm and a leg like import copies of the IHT or the Economist.
The content was always a little goofy but still entertaining... I always considered it more of a general interest periodical rather than a true hard news source. The paper has way more content these days, and yes, the quality is better, but the general tenor really hasn't changed that much. It's still laughably "official" in tone.
The content was always a little goofy but still entertaining... I always considered it more of a general interest periodical rather than a true hard news source. The paper has way more content these days, and yes, the quality is better, but the general tenor really hasn't changed that much. It's still laughably "official" in tone.
Aug 26, 2013, 1:21 pm
#41
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Aug 27, 2013, 9:58 pm
#42
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I read both the China Daily and Shanghai Daily every day when I'm here for my visits to my partner. I make it a morning ritual to walk to the news stand and check out the local 85 Degrees.
Some days its a very quick read, others longer read. Reading about the Bo Xilai trial is very entertaining.
And, strangely, this exercise makes me realize how much of US news is soft and mushy.
Some days its a very quick read, others longer read. Reading about the Bo Xilai trial is very entertaining.
And, strangely, this exercise makes me realize how much of US news is soft and mushy.
Nov 27, 2013, 8:52 pm
#43
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Nov. 27th issue
the editorial comments in the english china daily have some polite views. Anyway the Goodbye to GL oponions in the wenesday 11-27 issue on page 9 is an interesting read... And no mention of the chinese social media rumours!.
Nov 28, 2013, 1:57 am
#44
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