Archive for December 17th, 2010
Apprehensive in China
Posted by w_thames_the_d on December 17, 2010
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China’s Thirst for Coal
Posted by w_thames_the_d on December 17, 2010
excerpt:
“In 2009, the United States exported 2,714 tons of coal to China, says the U.S. Energy Information Administration. That figure skyrocketed to 2.9 million tons just in the first six months of this year.
International Energy Agency predicts that China’s thirst for energy will rise by 75 percent until 2035, when it will account for more than one-third of global demand.
China currently relies on coal for about 70 percent of its power.
Richard Heinberg, a senior fellow at the Post-Carbon Institute in Santa Rosa, Calif., wrote in a recent report, “China’s reliance on coal cannot be significantly reduced as long as its demand for electrical power continues to grow at anything like current rates. And even if energy demand growth tapers off and alternative energy sources come on line quickly, the country’s ability to supply enough coal domestically will still be challenged.”
To meet its demand for coal, China is relying more and more on imports from the United States, Canada, Australia, Indonesia, Colombia and South Africa.
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Freaking People in China
Posted by w_thames_the_d on December 17, 2010
Posted in People, Photos | 2 Comments »
China in Photos- Waiting in Line
Posted by w_thames_the_d on December 17, 2010
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Russian Area of Beijing
Posted by w_thames_the_d on December 17, 2010
Here is a shot from the Russian area of Bejing. Its by “The place” , kind of quaint, in an old fashioned sort of way….
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China To Sell Cars in The USA- Sounds Like a Good Time to Invest in Auto insurance Companies
Posted by w_thames_the_d on December 17, 2010
from popular mechanics:
“BYD is perhaps the most ambitious of the Chinese automakers, with proclamations from its leadership that it aspires to become the world’s biggest automaker by 2025. BYD, which started out as a battery company, sold 449,000 vehicles last year in China, and began exports to South America, Africa and the Middle East. This December, the company plans to begin selling electric crossover vehicles through a small dealer group in California to establish its beachhead in the U.S.
Chinese automakers have long been criticized for copying, or knocking off, Western designs. But while the exteriors of the vehicles occasionally look similar to Chevys and BMWs, they haven’t been able to copy quality engineering. The latest indication came from the China Association for Quality, which said buyer complaints have been rising, not falling. Complaints about cars that have quality problems within six months of purchase increased nearly 60 percent in the first quarter of 2010. Complaints about safety issues and production defects rose 15 percent compared to the same period in 2009. That’s a setback, according to J.D. Power and Associates, which had measured an improvement in quality from 2008 to 2009 in its Initial Quality Study.
Brilliance Automotive, which, like BYD, has displayed vehicles at the Detroit Auto Show as a precursor to selling in the U.S., is withdrawing from Europe after a poor reception and widespread reports of deficient quality. “One of the things that clearly holds back the Chinese so far is their apparent unwillingness to put Westerners who know these markets into key leadership positions,” says Los Angeles marketing consultant Dennis Keene. “They don’t seem to know what they don’t know about the export markets they are going into.”
Another possible culprit? Jim Federico, vehicle line engineer for Buick, which has been operating in China for a decade via a joint venture with Shanghai Automotive, says that while Chinese engineers are capable in single-skill areas like brakes, suspensions and wheels, “they are very challenged when it comes to integrating all the systems in a complete vehicle”
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China Running Out of Coal
Posted by w_thames_the_d on December 17, 2010
China’s dramatic economic rise and population are probably unsustainable. For instance, according to the excerpt below, China will be out of coal in about 20 years. The consequences of a coal-less china are pretty profound. The question is, what will they do when the coal runs out….
excerpt:
“With domestic coal demand increasing around 10 percent each year, China would run out of coal in 21 years, even if it were to cut demand by 5 percent, Hong Kong brokerage CLSA Asia-Pacific Markets said in a recent report.”
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How Much College Grads Make in China- Ouch!
Posted by w_thames_the_d on December 17, 2010
From the chinadaily
“The estimated monthly salary employers would offer to fresh college graduates in 2010 was 2,694 yuan ($404), 155 yuan lower than the 2,849 yuan expected, People’s Daily reported citing a consulting firm’s survey.”
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