Forums > Living in Kunming > Carrefour Giving Up On China Carrefour is selling and 80% stake, does not necessarily mean that stores will close. Initially stores and staff will be absorbed by the new owner Sunning. For those areas that do not currently have a Sunning presence, t first all that will change will be the name on the door.
Forums > Living in Kunming > Carrefour Giving Up On China Tesco did have a JV in China, but they pulled out several years ago.
Forums > Living in Kunming > Carrefour Giving Up On China Airless holes. I think that sums up a lot of superstores/hypermarkets, in many parts of the world, that are located in a larger multistorey shopping complex. True for Walmart, Homemart, Sunning, Metro, and other places I have visited.
Forums > Living in Kunming > Bike registered - Selling second hand The authorities have been trying to control the ebike market for several years and previous attempts have not been successful. This time I believe it will be successful.
Almost daily I see police with a recovery/flatbed vehicle seizing unregistered machines. There seems to be a clear mandate to get the no longer legal ebikes off of the road.
Like @JanJal, I thing the main issues have been around safety. When I first came to China in 2004 ebikes were small, light, and only did about 20kph. I also believe they were only 12 v.
Now ebikes are bigger and heavier than a gas scooter, 72V and capable of over 60kph, and still no license, insurance, or training is required to ride one.
I have been hit by an ebike once, whilst riding my bicycle, and nearly been wiped out on at least two other occasions by kamikaze ebike riders.
I have seen several ebike crashes caused by riders who do not have proper control of their vehicle (using feet as brakes, slamming on the front bike causing a low-side and dropping the machine, panicking and just freezing as they plow into other vehicles), this is a training issue. Alternative, let the untrained ride smaller and slower machines.
The market needed controlling. Yes there will be some waste, but in the next 4 years some sanity will quickly return to the streets and cycle paths.
The alternatives are to let the 'arms race' (bigger faster ebikes) and carnage continue, or do what other cities have done and ban ebikes and bikes from downtown (more cars would be the pattern, not desirable), or let the old bikes die through natural wastage (bureaucratic and uncontrollable).
Forums > Living in Kunming > Bike registered - Selling second hand It looks like the police are actively trying to phase out the older machines.
Kunming new home sales plunge
发布者Personally, I do not see a huge re-adjustment of prices anytime soon.
The reason is that a lot of this property was bought for investment and is not used for homes. Many are undecorated and will remain so. Many Chinese are still looking to buy a bargain, but again as a possible investment.
No-one is in a hurry to sell, except developers. Unless the banks get heavy with them, and a red envelope usually cures that, they will not drastically drop prices to sell units. In fact if they did it would affect their equity, as the housing stock would be worth a somewhat less on paper.
Many private owner here have 2 or more properties. I know one guy with over 30. Many local companies also own properties, also mostly undecorated. The only thing that would force people to sell would be if there was a recession that hit China and people needed to liquefy their assets. Property prices could then tumble due to a rush to sell before the bubble burst, and this would become a self fulfilling prophecy.
But most Chinese will play the long game.
my 2 cents
Recipe: Spicy taro and greens
发布者I would like to see more recipes like this.
Simple recipe for a common local food.
There are many fresh foods that I have not seen before and am not sure what to do with them. I am sure I am not alone.
There are also some dishes that are more palatable for foreigners, than others.
Perhaps GoK could open up to submissions of simple recipes from other writers.
Getting Away: Xishan
发布者Went there last week. Did not see what happened at ticket office, but if you get the chair lift (I enjoy the ride) they make you buy tickets for Long Men (Dragon Gate) as well. Even if you don't want to go to Long Men.
Chinese college freshmen increasingly unfit
发布者PS
The comment about kids going to the doctors during military training in the article. There is nothing wrong with the kids, this is a 'sick note' culture developing. "Mummy, I don't want to go to school today. My tummy hurts".
Chinese college freshmen increasingly unfit
发布者There is no emphasis on sport in schools. Yes kids to physical jerks every day, but it is not strenuous. Also, participating in a real sport will lead to improved physical dexterity (as well as strength), and for team sports kids will learn to be part of a unit that works together, something missing at the moment.
All of this will require taking time out of the classroom learning schedule. What many people here don't acknowledge is study burn out, taking time out of class for sport can and does improve classroom performance.
Not everyone will excel at sport, but all who do it will benefit in many ways. Not just in fitness.