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Some facts from China, Inc.
Posted by Chris Knudsen on January 25th, 2007
I just completed reading China, Inc. I wasn’t too impressed with the book -Â I thought it was poorly written (but who am I to criticize another for that). Here are some interesting facts from the book:
- China must build urban infrastructure equivalent to Houston’s every month in order to absorb the three hundred million Chinese who will move from rural to urban areas over the next 15 years.
- 220 Billion text messages were sent in china in 2005 - it’s probably doubled by now.
- 74 million Chinese families can now afford cars.
- The Chinese auto market will be bigger than the U.S. auto market by 2025.
- China has more speakers of English as a second language than America has native English speakers.
- China has 300 biotech firms that don’t have to deal with PETA, the religious right or ethical standards boards.
- American companies make an average of 43% return on their Chinese operations.
- China has 220 million “surplus workers”. America has a work force of 140 million.
- An El Salvador apparel worker makes $1.65 an hour. In China they make about $.78 an hour.
- China has 186 MBA programs.
- China has 340 million people under the age of 14. The entire population of the U.S. is 300 million.
- More people use the Internet in China than in the U.S.
If you just read that then you don’t really need to read the book. You get the point. Â
My brother owns 2 businesses and, one of them, is largely based in Asia. He spends 2.5 weeks per month in China and he is amazed every time he goes there at how technologically advanced they are; how advanced they are in industrial engineering; how advanced they are in manufacturing. He tells me all the time to come up with an idea, he’ll source it in China — from concept-to-delivery.
I haven’t caught the China bug yet; but, one of these days I’ll travel to China with my brother and I’ll better understand why he’s so bullish on China.
Left by Pete on 01/25/2007Efficiency concerns aside, aren’t we supporting a communist regime by sending our business to China? I don’t think I’ll catch the China bug anytime soon…
Left by Connor on 01/25/2007@Connor
You bring up a very valid point. When I worked in the outdoors industry, this was debated all the time since most of the equipment in the industry is manufactured in China.
While the government is communist and many of the companies in China are owned and operated by the Chinese military, their system is definitely capitalism. However, these two things, capitalism and communism, cannot exist in the same space without one over taking the other.
China is at a crossroads. It’s either all the way in or all the way out. I don’t see them throwing out all that progress and direct foreign investment to preserve communism. They know its bunk and that’s why they laid the reforms in the 1970’s that are giving us the China we know today.
It will be interesting to see what happens.
Left by Chris Knudsen on 01/25/2007I am married to China and struggle with the issue of the moniker “made in China” on an everyday basis. My supplier is a small family business, employing father, son, daughter, and other relatives. When you get down to the level of people and not “communist government”, the act of trade with China is people helping people get a leg up in society.
That said, I am anxious to get the business to the point where I can support China sources for sub assembly work and local US labor for final customization–helping both China and US labor and providing a product customized to a customer’s specific needs. I see the relationship as symbiotic and fulfilling.
Left by David on 01/26/2007Oh, by the way–the son I noted above is the owner of the business–a forty-something Chinese entrepreneur. Not child labor…
Left by David on 01/26/2007[...] Friday Round UpWork, school and the changing dynamics of paySome facts from China, Inc.Big thanks to Connor on the new themeNoah’s - one building with hundreds of uses [...]
Left by ChrisKnudsen.biz - Chris Knudsen on life, business, and entrepreneurship » Friday Round Up on 02/02/2007