China Revisited 2014

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We are back on the fast train to Shanghai. I love the fast train. I would like to bore you with a few more observations. I wish I had brought a portable printer with me. I may get one when I get home. Second, there are some things that make sense now after visiting Hefei in July. Thirteen years ago, I remember asking the guide about the Chinese staring at me in Hefei. We were in Hefei in the middle of March. She said “you are big and you do not wear any clothes”. I was wearing a pull over shirt and shorts. It was 75 F degrees in the morning. This morning at 7:30 AM it was 33C or 91F. Hefei is on a big low plain with a lot of water. Clearly, the Hefei citizens’ view of what is hot is different than mine. It will be interesting to see how Shanghai is since it is on the ocean. Third, China is still inexpensive. A cab ride is $1.00 to $1.50. An excellent meal for 3 can be had for less than $20.00. The cost of a 10 day stay at the Holiday Inn in Hefei with breakfast each day and a few suppers is 5000 RMD or about $800.00.



China has many problems from an economic prospective. Some of these are population, corruption and no natural resources. China’s one great resource is very hard working people with a great desire to improve their lot through education and hard work. I saw that China is meeting its growth objective for the quarter. The objective is 7.5%! (MISSING)It also said a lot of the growth was through increased domestic consumption. Increased domestic consumption will go a long way in preventing or at least moderating the Chinese bubble when it bursts. China has invested heavily in transportation with its fast trains, education and improved highways. China is still a third world nation but they definitely have designs on improving.

Remember when I say perceptions they are not truths, just my perceptions.

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