TeamBridge Business Social Club

TeamBridge Business Social Club is pleased to present photographs by residents and visitors to Jilin Province. Click here to view the TeamBridge Business Social Club photo gallery.

projects

Northeast Opportunity

When they first heard of a plan to live, work and investigate business potential in Changchun, northeast Asia, the Chinese family were a little surprised. "Where?"

They come from Tianjin, on the tourist route. Tianjin is not far from Beijing, a developed area well used to foreign influence. Some of the world's larger corporations first penetrated there over a hundred years ago.

I think they thought I was another crazy foreigner and had said I was going to live on the Great Wall. They had left that all behind them when they settled a world away in Auckland, New Zealand.

No, I said. It is here. I showed them on the map, waving my chopstick at the developing area somewhere above Beijing and below Russia, between Mongolia and North Korea. Not at all the cosy cultured climate of their new verdant island home.

I felt at the time I had some good reasons to leave that home of mine for some years. And since I've been out I've found more incentives to stay away from the nest a while ...

• Reasons to be busy
• Reasons to be here
• Reasons to be mindful
• Reasons to be cheerful
• Reasons to smile more
• Reasons to get excited
• Changchun is an industrial city
• Other major cities are nearby
• The modern flavour of Changchun
• History influences the present
• Progress marches on
• Welcome to Changchun, the centre of the northeast
• About the author

ooOOoo

[back] Reasons to be busy:

The northeast is a region now reaching out to the wider world. Wherever there is development there are fresh challenges and new opportunities. It might not be easy for a small trader, but then it rarely ever is.

The world's great brands were marching through the last secluded oases of mystery and I hoped to follow in their rear if I could not sneak in ahead of them.

There are now hundreds of familiar stores and other arms of big name foreign brands locked in a romantic embrace with the public.

This is an alien land to someone with western sensibilities, a border region melting pot of cultures. A peaceful place, welcoming to outsiders. A strange place of weird sounds, queer odours, strange ideas.

Several different groups of ethnic Chinese live alongside small representative communities from man areas of the globe. The desire to independently establish free trade has been suppressed. That was a privilege until now enjoyed by the government. Times are changing.

ooOOoo

[back] Reasons to be here:

I arrived here into one of the many centres of the irresistible economic explosion that characterises the modern corporate colonisation of Asia from Beijing in April of 2000, on an efficient train packed close with curious friendly strangers, just as the last big snow was drifting down.

Changchun has an urban population approaching 4 million, almost everyone with a cellular phone it seems.

Pure white hid the dirty frozen earth and the mounds of winter's refuse that clung to it among stubborn war preparations of long ago. I saw well-equipped, well-trained soldiers mindful ever of their duty to the future.

Near the Changchun central train station I thoroughly enjoyed my first real Chinese meal and considered further my plan for being here in the political and geographical heart of influential old Manchuria, the cultural centre of the three northeast provinces, the recognised home of standard Mandarin, the official language of China.

Besides the expectation that given enough time and a little luck I could eventually set up shop, a life-long interest in all things oriental was reason enough to settle here for a while, but there are other inducements.

It is possible to live without working too hard.

I might find my muse.

Here, in a foreign land, a foreigner has no duty to offer opinions that challenge accepted government policy. In another country far from home, one that is not even a democracy as it is commonly understood, one is free of that particular duty.

ooOOoo

[back] Reasons to be mindful:

Before leaving for the last great communist state I had been part of a team of writers. We had been battling to reestablish political satire on the televisions of our own nation at a time when there had been none for several years.

A revolution had passed without comment. There was a growing feeling that someone wanted to keep it that way. Indeed, I had a vaguely insulting letter from the television authorities stating categorically that they had "no plans" to air political satire or to produce it themselves.

Aha, thought I. That's just what I would write if I were a good little Nazi functionary.

Daily our freedoms were eroded and we were treated with disrespect. I was greatly heartened by the response I received to my modest recruiting advertisement requesting that a volunteer force raise up its communal finger.

Polyticks Poke (Team Satire) eventually included the talents of such well known professionals as Rhys Jones, Executive Producer, who developed an interest in political satire during his term as a London Parliamentary Press Gallery reporter, and John Carlaw, Project Director, known for his award winning documentaries, at that time, "Hillary" and "Revolution".

Warner Music NZ Ltd. allowed us to use some of their playlist without charge. Many around town seemed to wish us well.

Beneath our generals Carlaw and Jones, we were fifty brave irregular pioneers, artists, singers, dancers, some already well known, all of us working professionals, who volunteered to land that night as Polyticks Poke before the cameras, drawing a steady rain of spontaneous applause and bouquets of laughter.

It was only later, back at barracks, when those who might have aided us cast their lot with the enemy, that we succumbed to sniper fire and the occasional solid blast of ill will.

We knew we could not be punished for making fun in a free land. But we were unable to break out of our hard won beachhead. Within days came the news that a 'new' satirical TV show was to hit the airwaves.

The enemy generals had tapped their favoured in-house solution to damp the itch that we had begun to scratch. Their men had been among us, had studied our plans, had dug up their old guns and recalibrated them. They didn't shoot at us.

The old guns were, we suspected, to be used to lob dummy rounds close to the enemy positions to generate the illusion of battle. And so it was. They spoke, then died away. Silence again.

Later a younger team under another general bit the bullet and did themselves proud, I have heard, emulating the Polyticks Poke plan of attack, though perhaps they had not known of us.

But we had decamped by then. Polyticks Poke demobbed. Our tattered sweat stained banner twisting forlornly in the breeze.

We had not won the battle, nor could we without sufficient materiel support, but, behind cartoonist Dylan Horricks, we had fired the first volley. Privateers we were in a way. Mercenaries unhired.

Voluntary exile began to look an attractive option.

I toyed with the idea of applying (begging?) yet again to Creative New Zealand - the official arbiters of national taste - and asking for funding to observe how the Chinese take over of Hong Kong was affecting personal freedoms. I had planned to observe a theatre troupe, perhaps one of those responsible for some of the colour on the news broadcasts of the mass rallies occuring there at that time.

But why bother? I had already learned - more than once - that Creative New Zealand was in truth a government department and had no interest in assisting the likes of me or others with a similar finger pokingly irrepressible spirit. We tend to get in the way. Draw attention to things. We are useful only as long as we can be used.

It's not what you know, it's who, did you know? And you really better make sure you toe the line.

Navel gazing rapidly loses its appeal. Not much to be found there. Back to work. Duty calls.

Polyticks Poke was remobilised as a force of three. Our last foray was Parliamentarian Paint Ball Tag in 1998, where two teams of Parliamentarians were to open fire on each other. The then Leader of the Opposition, the Right Honourable Helen Clarke had heard of the plan and was considering it, we were informed by her batman.

Other parliamentarians and electorate officials, all told five as I recall, had confirmed that they would attend. The media were informed and the day before we were contacted by TVNZ and TV3 news for confirmation of the next days battle.

We made a judgment that day based on bitter experience. Can a parliamentarian be trusted?

I made the decision to withdraw. Confirmed attendance numbers were not high enough to guarantee victory. We would need to rely on sympathetic coverage and I would not risk losses. We withdrew and drank tea. The tea was good.

We live. Wounds heal.

A foreign expedition was planned.

Such extreme sports as political satire are not really dangerous in a modern model democracy such as New Zealand.

But it is not like that in China. It is possible to suffer the same fate as the editor of Beijing Scene {http://www.beijingscene.com}, who was in solitary confinement for a month before being deported.

There are a few locally edited lifestyle magazines in Beijing these days, but Beijing Scene remains my favourite. The editor, an American journalist and long time resident of China, was swept up in a little diplomatic raspberry blowing with Washington at the time the USA had been caught attempting to conceal surveillance devices in the Chinese Government's newly purchased equivalent to Air Force One and had bumped a Chinese Air Force plane to destruction.

I have read the article that is alleged to have created offense. Mr. Savitt wrote a piece in remembrance of the tenth anniversary of Tianamen Square. He was there at the time and suffered as many others did but his article contained nothing that could be construed as subversive and less that could be considered insulting. Not enough for the penalty he suffered.

But his experience is worth noting. Foreign visitors exist in China by grace.

Modern China is still a world away in many respects though increasingly as East meets West we share many of the same trials and dreams.

Guaranteed free education, quality accessible health care, affordable housing, and the universal rights of all mankind to free peaceful expression of their identity. Full employment in a safe environment the responsibility of representative government. Where in the world could there be such a place?

Our world, in some quarters, is more ardently and selfishly capitalist than a gigolos dream.

China is becoming a superpower, again, as it once was of old.

So there can be no faulting a plan to study the culture and language of the most populous nation on Earth while steering clear of internal politics. Its just good manners.

But for old time's sake, snippets of material from Polyticks Poke are archived here - lest we forget.

ooOOoo

[back] Reasons to be cheerful:

Changchun was founded only 200 years ago. It was the home of the Puppet Emperor, Pu Yi. The Japanese built two palaces for him and much of the city infrastructure.

It is an industrial city sited on a great plain two hours from a forested mountainous reserve where the native Siberian tiger has recently been released again into the wild.

It is only a few hours these days from Beijing by the new fast electric trains, a similar distance from the international port of Dalian and its restful beaches, within easy reach of the tourist-friendly Harbin and close to historic Shenyang.

In possibly the greatest real-estate scam in history, Changchun (Long Spring) was so named in an effort to induce migration into what had previously been empty wilderness.

Spring in Changchun is noteworthy, but it is the beautifully cold winter that seems to last nearly half a year, dipping to as low as minus 30 degrees Celsius. The winters are getting warmer though. It snows less these days.

Summer temperatures can peak at a little over 35.

For a foreign business person thinking of setting up here there are a few things that need be considered.

Your US dollar or Euro can buy you around 8 Chinese RMB.

A street level office, shop or workspace might be found for around 2000 RMB per month in a good area.

The Shangri-La Hotel provides serviced suites for companies like Ericsson.

Some shops will enter into commission-based arrangements for the right to sell from their premises or may charge a flat fee.

Food and medicine is cheap and plentiful.

Internet and telephone service is not expensive and is maintained at an acceptable standard.

Travel and freight costs are low.

A common three-roomed fully serviced apartment can cost 1000 RMB per month.

The cost of living and of doing business can be less than in Beijing or the other larger more usual destinations.

ooOOoo

[back] Reasons to smile more:

Entertainment seems to mean beer for most people, foreigners too. But there are active sports clubs, notably soccer, and movie theatres. Two professional basketball players from the United States show how it's done.

Rumour is there will soon be a cricket team.

There are also live theatres featuring a local type of comedy famous throughout China. There's boating on South Lake. Pond fishing for carp is a popular pastime. In the winter, ice skating and skiing.

Trade fairs are a regular fixture, good entertainment even if you do not buy. Art, agriculture, education, technology and automotive shows draw great crowds to purpose built exhibition centres. It is sometimes so crowded that even the locals complain so plan to avoid the crush.

ooOOoo

[back] Reasons to get excited:

Along the borders to the north and east there are towns that have long enjoyed special official status as free trade zones; a destination for the more adventurous entrepreneur. To the west lie autonomous regions stretching toward Mongolia.

At the large border trading markets one can find many interesting things - MIG fighter aircraft helmets, for example along with ethnic items.

Changchun airport has regular flights to many destinations.

Investigative car, bus, train or donkey tours to outlying areas can be arranged.

Guides, Chinese and/or Russian and native English speakers can accompany you.

ooOOoo

[back] Changchun is an industrial city:

Special economic zones, entire city districts, have been constructed in Changchun. Overheads are low and there are other incentives offered by the authorities.

The official and the common hope was and remains to attract more business, more investment. The plan is achieving success.

Engineering, forestry, technology, chemicals, building materials, foods and tourism are all rapidly developing sectors.

ooOOoo

[back] Other major cities are nearby:

Other major centres of the northeast are Harbin, Shenyang and the port of Dalian.

Four hours by train north of Changchun is Harbin on the Song Hua River. Harbin is the home of the Ice Festival, wonderfully romantic and well worth a visit every year if it were not for the sight of poor animals forced to work in the bitter cold. The city is richly endowed with Russian architecture.

A similar distance southward lies Shenyang, the main supply market for the northeast. Traders flock there and return home with bulging baggage. But the differences in prices between Changchun, Shenyang and the commodity supply centres of southern China are not great as transport is inexpensive and wholesale prices are constrained.

Further south on the Bohai Sea perches Dalian, the more desirable location for someone concerned about aesthetics but the cost of living and of doing business is higher there, though the economy is warmer than in the other cities.

ooOOoo

[back] The modern flavour of Changchun:

Outside in the Changchun cold, back in 2000, tens of thousands of red 80's style sedan taxis crammed onto the broad streets. Ragged donkey carts darted across the paths of long black limousines. A child, fearful of ever-watchful Fagin, begged for money from passersby under a stark leafless tree. Tomorrow might be different.

Single cylinder diesel three-wheelers belched black smoke as they thumped and banged along the road. Lopsided minibuses charged toward their waiting punch-clocks. Cross the road, look both ways. Look up and down, look all around, take a deep breath, look again.

The northeast has a largely agricultural economy based on wheat, corn, rice and forestry among others including oil, coal and gas, augmented by tourism, art, film, education, light and heavy industry.

Traditional natural medicines, wine, chemicals, technical equipment, cars, trains, maritime vessels and steel are made here.

A cultural heartland of the communist revolution, the northeast was protected from the first wave of the new free market economy. The opening up began in the 80's and has until recently largely only influenced the south. The northeast was initially spared the experiment with market reforms because much strategic industry is based here, like the huge First Automobile Works, now in partnership with Volkswagen.

Historically important, the large Changchun Film Studio was until recently still busy creating more art and less propaganda, defunct now in name, the people and facilities who made it what it was still exist and are still busy. Along with the city and provincial television stations their labour and modern facilities are competitive and open to hire. A steady stream of production companies are opting to have part or all of their filming and post-production done in Changchun. The already expansive film studios have been refurbished and enlarged.

The Jilin Provincial Opera Troupe also tours overseas and offers lessons to the willing.

Traditional martial arts are taught here, tai chi and traditional medicine.

The universities offer a wide range of competitive courses ranging from physical education, languages, nursing, graphic design and many others through to computer programming.

ooOOoo

[back] History influences the present:

Life here has not always been easy. Many people still are suffering from the past, but less than I had believed. You see a lot of hope here and expectation of a brighter future.

Decades of invasion, oppression and domestic political instability, history now, have bred a peculiar breed of businessman, one seemingly totally absorbed by self-interest.

Only slowly, as relationships develop, is it possible to achieve an even handed treatment. If a friend can introduce you, so much the better.

It is advisable to follow the local practice and watch closely over any work that you have asked to be done. This is expected. If your business is important you will be there. This is still the general rule even now, particularly in those areas less influenced by international business practice, though the situation is improving.

ooOOoo

[back] Progress marches on:

Five years later Changchun is a much cleaner city, it seems to me, and it has grown so much larger.

A massive building project that has included the relocation of many of the largest university campuses along with creating a new fully serviced technology manufacturing district has shifted the centre of the city several kilometres.

This area of the world is like a garden in spring. Everyday there is change, development.

The graceful, though a little dirty, coal fired steam locomotive that awakened me pleasantly with her chuffs and bright whistle was suddenly retired to a city park. A bold modern diesel electric shunt engine now grunts the same line.

A trip to a favourite shop can be surprising. It may no longer be there. An entire city block levelled and a massive new complex springs up in its place.

There seems a little more hope for the poor. There is employment for most and accelerating economic development, new challenges, fresh opportunities.

A newly electrified high-speed rail link makes travel even more of a pleasure.

There are now more varieties of cars and world-class buses in a wonderful array of colours.

Electric vehicles are becoming commonplace. Solar and other renewable energy resources have been embraced.

China has placed a man in space.

The Olympics are coming.

Deregulation of the banking industry has opened up competition with outside financial institutions.

Free trade is becoming a reality.

Many more small businesses and huge corporations, including Wal-Mart, have seized on fresh opportunity and thrown open invitation in the hope of giving a welcome new home to wandering RMB and USD.

Foreign brands command more respect and higher prices.

But the old dream of a more equal society firm footed and strong has not died.

The dishonesty I was warned of has not greatly bothered me though it may bother the begging child, who remains without schooling and protection, dangerously stationed in the changeable slip space between fast, heavy opposing traffic.

There are many good and greathearted people here. Some will remain firm friends. And the food tastes the same, as delicious as ever.

ooOOoo

[back] Welcome to Changchun, the centre of the northeast:

Hospitals and corner shop pharmacies are well stocked with modern western medicines, but one should not submit to treatment without the intercession of a reliable advocate.

It is common sense to ensure that you have received all your recommended vaccinations from your own doctor before departure, as a precaution.

A network of student translators and independent guides exists, local Chinese and long-term resident foreigners. They have accumulated a wealth of personal connections and of experience concerning the daily realities of living and doing business here, things that less casual advocates for regional or personal development will be reluctant to tell you.

Employment opportunities exist, though most are still for English language teachers. The workload can be rewarding, difficult or easy depending on your professionalism, luck, personality and understanding of local conditions.

To set up shop here alone or in partnership is a difficult undertaking.

There are many hurdles to overcome such as communication and in some cases official approval. These barriers are not impassable.

For example, Joseph, from Sierra Leone, speaks French, English and Chinese. He had invested in and created his own bar but was eventually forced to close by the authorities. He became too successful too close to other bars operated by locals with good connections. He now manages another successful bar across town where a Filipino band plays.

Avi, an Australian, who has a firm command of the local language and an engaging personality, generated a deal of fame during the period he had his own television show. "I like it here," he says.

David Puckett, from the USA, opened his own English language school in 2000 and now employs several other English teachers.

Xavier and Nicola Lynch with their four children from New Zealand have been here for four years. Xavier works as a kindergarten teacher and shares his Christian faith in English with a growing network of Chinese friends.

There are, by some estimates, about around a thousand or more people from other lands living and working or studying in Changchun. The number includes the German community connected to the Volkswagen joint venture, British engineers, backpackers, teachers, students and businesspeople from other Asian nations, Africa, North America, Europe, Australasia and others.

Work and business visas can be obtained on your behalf by one of the companies or government offices authorised to do so.

It is becoming more difficult to transfer a visitor's permit into a renewable residence and work permit.

The official Jilin Provincial Government web site can be found at http://www.jl.gov.cn and a quick letter to manager@TeamBridge.net or a visit to www.TeamBridge.net will put you in contact with the established foreign community, employment opportunities, guides and advice.

At least one independent USA based consulting firm offers a fee based service for businesses seeking to set up shop.

You could make Changchun your doorway into the northeast or into the rest of China.

[back] About the author:

PLG Sayers has been working in Changchun as a trade agent, activity organiser and as an English teacher since 2000.