China
Barbie Moves into Mobile Home as China Dreamhouse Shutters
After two years of living in her six-story Shanghai mansion, Mattel’s iconic American doll Barbie is moving out. The dream house has officially closed, and according to analysts, it’s because Barbie didn’t quite cut it with Chinese shoppers in the big city. Barbieshanghai.com A notice announcing Barbie’s new itinerant lifestyle in China after her Shanghai mansion went into foreclosure. Mattel says Barbie was ready to move on. The Shanghai flagship store, which featured a spa, a cosmetics counter, and a cocktail bar, served its purpose and was meant only to establish Barbie’s brand in China. “It did that successfully,” a Mattel spokeswoman said in an interview today, “so Barbie is ready for her next move in China.” Like many other companies that are seeking more growth with China’s growing middle class, Barbie is moving beyond her big-city life to experience her days in smaller towns, where consumer demand is building. She’ll be jumping in her “ Barbie Pink Bus ” to head on tour in the near future, the spokeswoman said, declining to disclose further details. The hope will be to take Barbie’s name further than the Shanghai store could, but Mattel could have an uphill battle. It joins a growing roster of U.S. retailers that are struggling in China. Electronics retailer Best Buy announced last month plans to shutter its China operations. Home Depot recently closed some of its China-based stores as well. Globally, Barbie sales have been stagnant for years and Mattel has tried repeatedly to give Barbie a makeover in attempt to spur a comeback with consumers. In 2009, Barbie’s 50th anniversary, Mattel spent millions of dollars promoting “Fashionista” Barbies, whose clothing and accessories were inspired from well-known designers, such as Vera Wang. The El Segundo, Calif., company hired a seasoned choreographer to spin up “The Barbie,” a special dance filmed for debut on the “Today Show.” And it opened its massive, nearly 38,000-square-foot, Shanghai store . (See our video from those optimistic days below.) China’s toy market can be particularly rough for toy makers, said Bi Sheng, chief executive of online shoe company Letao.com. Mr. Bi says he attempted to start an online toy company before he set up his shoe business, but he figured out quickly that Chinese parents would rather have their kids studying than playing with dolls or cars. “There are a lot of children here, but the toy market isn’t as ideal as many people think it would be,” Mr. Bi said. Barbie will still be sold in other shopping outlets across China, Mattel’s spokeswoman says. With any luck, the company hopes she’ll be making it to a lot of new dream homes outside of Shanghai. – Laurie Burkitt. Follow her on Twitter @lburkitt
After two years of living in her six-story Shanghai mansion, Mattel’s iconic American doll Barbie is moving out. The dream house has officially closed, and according to analysts, it’s because Barbie didn’t quite cut it with Chinese shoppers in the big city.
- Barbieshanghai.com
- A notice announcing Barbie’s new itinerant lifestyle in China after her Shanghai mansion went into foreclosure.
Mattel says Barbie was ready to move on. The Shanghai flagship store, which featured a spa, a cosmetics counter, and a cocktail bar, served its purpose and was meant only to establish Barbie’s brand in China.
“It did that successfully,” a Mattel spokeswoman said in an interview today, “so Barbie is ready for her next move in China.”
Like many other companies that are seeking more growth with China’s growing middle class, Barbie is moving beyond her big-city life to experience her days in smaller towns, where consumer demand is building. She’ll be jumping in her “Barbie Pink Bus” to head on tour in the near future, the spokeswoman said, declining to disclose further details.
The hope will be to take Barbie’s name further than the Shanghai store could, but Mattel could have an uphill battle. It joins a growing roster of U.S. retailers that are struggling in China. Electronics retailer Best Buy announced last month plans to shutter its China operations. Home Depot recently closed some of its China-based stores as well.
Globally, Barbie sales have been stagnant for years and Mattel has tried repeatedly to give Barbie a makeover in attempt to spur a comeback with consumers. In 2009, Barbie’s 50th anniversary, Mattel spent millions of dollars promoting “Fashionista” Barbies, whose clothing and accessories were inspired from well-known designers, such as Vera Wang. The El Segundo, Calif., company hired a seasoned choreographer to spin up “The Barbie,” a special dance filmed for debut on the “Today Show.”
And it opened its massive, nearly 38,000-square-foot, Shanghai store. (See our video from those optimistic days below.)
China’s toy market can be particularly rough for toy makers, said Bi Sheng, chief executive of online shoe company Letao.com. Mr. Bi says he attempted to start an online toy company before he set up his shoe business, but he figured out quickly that Chinese parents would rather have their kids studying than playing with dolls or cars.
“There are a lot of children here, but the toy market isn’t as ideal as many people think it would be,” Mr. Bi said.
Barbie will still be sold in other shopping outlets across China, Mattel’s spokeswoman says. With any luck, the company hopes she’ll be making it to a lot of new dream homes outside of Shanghai.
– Laurie Burkitt. Follow her on Twitter @lburkitt
Cumulative appreciation of the renminbi against the US dollar since the end of the dollar peg was more than 20% by late 2008, but the exchange rate has remained virtually pegged since the onset of the global financial crisis.
The government vowed to continue reforming the economy and emphasized the need to increase domestic consumption in order to make China less dependent on foreign exports for GDP growth in the future.
China is the world’s fastest-growing major economy, with an average growth rate of 10% for the past 30 years.
Available energy is insufficient to run at fully installed industrial capacity, and the transport system is inadequate to move sufficient quantities of such critical items as coal.
Its mineral resources are probably among the richest in the world but are only partially developed.
The technological level and quality standards of its industry as a whole are still fairly low, notwithstanding a marked change since 2000, spurred in part by foreign investment.
China’s increasing integration with the international economy and its growing efforts to use market forces to govern the domestic allocation of goods have exacerbated this problem.
Both forums will start on Tuesday.
From January to June, the ODI in financial sectors was up by 44 percent to $17.9 billion, and in July alone, the ODI recorded $8.91 billion, the highest this year.
China reiterated the nation’s goals for the next decade – increasing market share of pure-electric and plug-in electric autos, building world-competitive auto makers and parts manufacturers in the energy-efficient auto sector as well as raising fuel-efficiency to world levels.
China’s challenge in the early 21st century will be to balance its highly centralized political system with an increasingly decentralized economic system.
Even with these improvements, agriculture accounts for only 20% of the nation’s gross national product.
China is the world’s largest producer of rice and wheat and a major producer of sweet potatoes, sorghum, millet, barley, peanuts, corn, soybeans, and potatoes.
China ranks first in world production of red meat (including beef, veal, mutton, lamb, and pork).
China is one of the world’s major mineral-producing countries.
China’s leading export minerals are tungsten, antimony, tin, magnesium, molybdenum, mercury, manganese, barite, and salt.
The largest completed project, Gezhouba Dam, on the Chang (Yangtze) River, opened in 1981; the Three Gorges Dam, the world’s largest engineering project, on the lower Chang, is scheduled for completion in 2009.
Beginning in the late 1970s, changes in economic policy, including decentralization of control and the creation of special economic zones to attract foreign investment, led to considerable industrial growth, especially in light industries that produce consumer goods.
The east and northeast are well served by railroads and highways, and there are now major rail and road links with the interior.
Read the original here:
Barbie Moves into Mobile Home as China Dreamhouse Shutters
Business
China Limits Apple Operations as BYD Manufacturing Moves to India and Southeast Asia Amid Trade Frictions | International Business News – The Times of India
China is restricting the export of high-tech manufacturing equipment and personnel to India and Southeast Asia, aiming to maintain domestic production amid potential US tariffs, impacting companies like Foxconn and BYD.
China Curbs on High-Tech Manufacturing
China is intensifying restrictions on the movement of employees and specialized equipment essential for high-tech manufacturing in India and Southeast Asia. This measure aims to prevent companies from relocating production due to potential tariffs under the incoming US administration. Beijing has urged local governments to restrict technology transfers and export of manufacturing tools as part of this strategy.
Impact on Foxconn and Apple’s Strategy
Foxconn, Apple’s primary assembly partner, is facing challenges in sending staff and receiving equipment in India, which could impact production. Despite these hurdles, current manufacturing operations remain unaffected. The Chinese government insists it treats all nations equally while reinforcing its domestic production to mitigate job losses and retain foreign investments.
Broader Implications for India
Additionally, these restrictions affect electric vehicle and solar panel manufacturers in India, notably BYD and Waaree Energies. Although the measures are not explicitly targeting India, they complicate the business landscape. As foreign companies seek alternatives to China, these developments are likely to reshape manufacturing strategies amidst ongoing geopolitical tensions.
China
China’s GDP Grows 5% in 2024: Key Insights and Main Factors
In 2024, China’s GDP grew by 5.0%, meeting its annual target. The fourth quarter saw a 5.4% increase, driven by exports and stimulus measures. The secondary industry grew 5.3%, while the tertiary increased by 5.0%, totaling RMB 134.91 trillion.
China’s GDP grew by 5.0 percent in in 2024, meeting the government’s annual economic target set at the beginning of the year. Fourth-quarter GDP exceeded expectations, rising by 5.4 percent, driven by exports and a flurry of stimulus measures. This article provides a brief overview of the key statistics and the main drivers behind this growth.
According to official data released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) on January 17, 2025, China’s GDP reached RMB 134.91 trillion (US$18.80 trillion) in 2024, reflecting a 5.0 percent year-on-year growth at constant prices. During the 2024 Two Sessions, the government set the 2024 GDP growth target of “around 5 percent”.
By sector, the secondary industry expanded by 5.3 percent year-on-year to RMB 49.21 trillion (US$6.85 trillion), the fastest among the three sectors, while the tertiary industry grew by 5.0 percent, reaching RMB 76.56 trillion (US$10.63 trillion) and the primary industry contributed RMB 9.14 trillion (US$1.31 trillion), growing 3.5 percent.
A more detailed analysis of China’s economic performance in 2024 will be provided later.
(1USD = 7.1785 RMB)
| This article was first published by China Briefing , which is produced by Dezan Shira & Associates. The firm assists foreign investors throughout Asia from offices across the world, including in in China, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Singapore, and India . Readers may write to info@dezshira.com for more support. |
Read the rest of the original article.
China
Can science be both open and secure? Nations grapple with tightening research security as China’s dominance grows
The U.S.-China science agreement renewal narrows collaboration scopes amid security concerns, highlighting tensions. Nations fear espionage, hindering vital international partnerships essential for scientific progress. Openness risks declining.
Amid heightened tensions between the United States and China, the two countries signed a bilateral science and technology agreement on Dec. 13, 2024. The event was billed as a “renewal” of a 45-year-old pact to encourage cooperation, but that may be misleading.
The revised agreement drastically narrows the scope of the original agreement, limits the topics allowed to be jointly studied, closes opportunities for collaboration and inserts a new dispute resolution mechanism.
This shift is in line with growing global concern about research security. Governments are worried about international rivals gaining military or trade advantages or security secrets via cross-border scientific collaborations.
The European Union, Canada, Japan and the United States unveiled sweeping new measures within months of each other to protect sensitive research from foreign interference. But there’s a catch: Too much security could strangle the international collaboration that drives scientific progress.
As a policy analyst and public affairs professor, I research international collaboration in science and technology and its implications for public and foreign policy. I have tracked the increasingly close relationship in science and technology between the U.S. and China. The relationship evolved from one of knowledge transfer to genuine collaboration and competition.
Now, as security provisions change this formerly open relationship, a crucial question emerges: Can nations tighten research security without undermining the very openness that makes science work?
Chinese Premier Deng Xiaoping and American President Jimmy Carter sign the original agreement on cooperation in science and technology in 1979.
Dirck Halstead/Hulton Archive via Getty Images
China’s ascent changes the global landscape
China’s rise in scientific publishing marks a dramatic shift in global research. In 1980, Chinese authors produced less than 2% of research articles included in the Web of Science, a curated database of scholarly output. By my count, they claimed 25% of Web of Science articles by 2023, overtaking the United States and ending its 75-year reign at the top, which had begun in 1948 when it surpassed the United Kingdom.
In 1980, China had no patented inventions. By 2022, Chinese companies led in U.S. patents issued to foreign companies, receiving 40,000 patents compared with fewer than 2,000 for U.K. companies. In the many advanced fields of science and technology, China is at the world frontier, if not in the lead.
Since 2013, China has been the top collaborator in science with the United States. Thousands of Chinese students and scholars have conducted joint research with U.S. counterparts.
Most American policymakers who championed the signing of the 1979 bilateral agreement thought science would liberalize China. Instead, China has used technology to shore up autocratic controls and to build a strong military with an eye toward regional power and global influence.
Leadership in science and technology wins wars and builds successful economies. China’s growing strength, backed by a state-controlled government, is shifting global power. Unlike open societies where research is public and shared, China often keeps its researchers’ work secret while also taking Western technology through hacking, forced technology transfers and industrial espionage. These practices are why many governments are now implementing strict security measures.
Nations respond
The FBI claims China has stolen sensitive technologies and research data to build up its defense capabilities. The China Initiative under the Trump administration sought to root out thieves and spies. The Biden administration did not let up the pressure. The 2022 Chips and Science Act requires the National Science Foundation to establish SECURE – a center to aid universities and small businesses in helping the research community make security-informed decisions. I am working with SECURE to evaluate the effectiveness of its mission.
Other advanced nations are on alert, too. The European Union is advising member states to boost security measures. Japan joined the United States in unveiling sweeping new measures to protect sensitive research from foreign interference and exploitation. European nations increasingly talk about technological sovereignty as a way to protect against exploitation by China. Similarly, Asian nations are wary of China’s intentions when it seeks to cooperate.
Australia has been especially vocal about the threat posed by China’s rise, but others, too, have issued warnings. The Netherlands issued a policy for secure international collaboration. Sweden raised the alarm after a study showed how spies had exploited its universities.
Canada has created the Research Security Centre for public safety and, like the U.S., has established regionally dispersed advisers to provide direct support to universities and researchers. Canada now requires mandatory risk assessment for research partnerships involving sensitive technologies. Similar approaches are underway in Australia and the U.K.
Germany’s 2023 provisions establish compliance units and ethics committees to oversee security-relevant research. They are tasked with advising researchers, mediating disputes and evaluating the ethical and security implications of research projects. The committees emphasize implementing safeguards, controlling access to sensitive data and assessing potential misuse.
Japan’s 2021 policy requires researchers to disclose and regularly update information regarding their affiliations, funding sources – both domestic and international – and potential conflicts of interest. A cross-ministerial R&D management system is unrolling seminars and briefings to educate researchers and institutions on emerging risks and best practices for maintaining research security.
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development keeps a running database with more than 206 research security policy statements issued since 2022.
Emmanuelle Charpentier, left, from France, and Jennifer Doudna, from the U.S., shared the Nobel Prize in chemistry in 2020 for their joint research.
Miguel RiopaI/AFP via Getty Images
Openness waning
Emphasis on security can strangle the international collaboration that drives scientific progress. As much as 25% of all U.S. scientific articles result from international collaboration. Evidence shows that international engagement and openness produce higher-impact research. The most elite scientists work across national borders.
Even more critically, science depends on the free flow of ideas and talent across borders. After the Cold War, scientific advancement accelerated as borders opened. While national research output remained flat in recent years, international collaborations showed significant growth, revealing science’s increasingly global nature.
The challenge for research institutions will be implementing these new requirements without creating a climate of suspicion or isolation. Retrenchment to national borders could slow progress. Some degree of risk is inherent in scientific openness, but we may be coming to the end of a global, collaborative era in science.
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
- China Limits Apple Operations as BYD Manufacturing Moves to India and Southeast Asia Amid Trade Frictions | International Business News – The Times of India
- China’s GDP Grows 5% in 2024: Key Insights and Main Factors
- Can science be both open and secure? Nations grapple with tightening research security as China’s dominance grows
- China Lures Indonesia to Ease Its Position on the South China Sea
- EFIS Maroc and China Eastern Airlines Set to Launch Service Between Morocco and China
- China Considers Selling TikTok US Operations to Musk as a Viable Option – Bloomberg
