Chinese brands gain on rivals

Chinese brands gain on rivals

Thursday, May 22, 2014 – 09:17

China Daily/Asia News Network

CHINA – The overall value of Chinese brands is rising but not reaching global levels. That signals they need internationalization, according to the 2014 BrandZ Top 100 ranking. Read more of this post

China corruption fight turns on ‘naked officials’ with family overseas

China corruption fight turns on ‘naked officials’ with family overseas

Thursday, May 22, 2014 – 20:47

Reuters

BEIJING – China has removed a senior”naked official”, one whose spouse and children have emigrated, from his post in the southern province of Guangdong, state media reported on Thursday, as the government’s anti-graft campaign turns its focus to a group it sees as a corruption risk. Read more of this post

Thai coup leader shows ruthless streak again

Thai coup leader shows ruthless streak again

Friday, May 23, 2014 – 18:13

AFP

BANGKOK – The Thai general who took power in a coup is a staunch royalist with a penchant for wading ruthlessly into the country’s political turmoil – and justifying his actions as a defence of the nation and its revered monarchy.

Read more of this post

Philanthropist, big spender, warlord: Chinese tycoon’s Australian faces

Philanthropist, big spender, warlord: Chinese tycoon’s Australian faces

12:34am EDT

By David Lague and Charlie Zhu

PERTH/HONG KONG (Reuters) – Former managers and staff at Liu Han’s Australian operations were dumbfounded when the Chinese tycoon went on trial last month for leading a murderous, mafia-style gang. Read more of this post

Industry 4.0 (aka “integrated industry”): Huge potential for value creation waiting to be tapped

Industry 4.0: Huge potential for value creation waiting to be tapped

May 23, 2014

Industry 4.0 (aka ”integrated industry”) will upgrade as an industrial location by bringing on the fourth industrial revolution. With trade flows becoming increasingly internationally interlinked, the Industry 4.0-related elements of increased automation and more flexible production structures will become more and more important. According to a recent study by Germany’s Fraunhofer Institute this opens up the prospect of generating significantly higher added value across numerous sectors. Especially for Germany with its particularly favourable basic conditions, Industry 4.0 thus provides the major opportunity to consolidate the country’s appeal in the international competition for investment – also relative to the fast-growing emerging markets. Read more of this post

Chinese patents: Ever more inventive; Mainland companies are building up their intellectual property

Chinese patents: Ever more inventive; Mainland companies are building up their intellectual property

May 24th 2014 | SHANGHAI | From the print edition

CHINA’S leaders see patents as rungs on the ladder to becoming an innovation powerhouse. So in five-year plans and through subsidies and official exhortations, they have encouraged locals to file patents. And locals have responded with gusto. Two years ago China’s patent office became the world’s busiest. Sceptics have scoffed that most of those filed are “utility model” patents—short-term ones granted for relatively trivial ideas, as opposed to proper “invention” patents—and that few Chinese inventors have won patents in countries where standards are higher. Read more of this post