Different Chinese New Year

With the Chinese New Year near us, we tend to be a resolute bunch. Many of our resolutions revolve around booking tickets to come back home, preparing gifts for our parents and wondering how much benefits we could have for the end of Rabbit Year. You know, those old things we love to do several days before the New Year!

But this New Year will be different! Without Daddy around us, and mama did not find out her new life goal yet. I’m not at home to witness this, which is rough for me too. For the last 20 years, mama was very busy everyday to take care daddy, and I. Of cause she works too, but her office is 2 minutes from our flat, so she was always there for him. I have been living 5 years oversea, so i was badly helping. Now I’m back in the country, but still in a different city...
Well, I hope in 2012, I could stay with mama more time! And Buddha blesses her find the peace in her heart.

good bye Daddy!

After my last diary, I was back home for 4 months, was being around my parents for 4 months. Then, suddenly, my daddy was passed away...
Well, I cannot say it was unexpected, if someone was being ill for very longtime, like being paralytic for 20 years. But for someone we loved so much, we are never prepared for his leave…
I was not at home when he left, so I could not talk to him for the last time. That was my biggest regret. But mother said maybe that was his way to protect you from the fear of death. Because, it was a very bad image of your daddy, and a very helpless situation. I cannot know if that was his attention. But I do know that he was always worrying about me, and always wanted give me the best support he could give.
But I think he is in a better place now, after 20 years of illness, he deserves something great, happy time, and a wonderful place to be. So mammon and I prayed very longtime for him. And I believe that he will be in a great place soon.

talking to myself

My English writing isn’t very well, but I want to make some progress daily, so I decided to write my blog in English, and hoping one day people can tell me, which mistake I made, and I can make my progress!

For a long time, I believe that was I, who chosed my life style, chosed my job which I like it, and where I want to live. But after I came back home 1 year later, I think that might be a sort of flee from my responsibility and my duty for my family.
To be honest, before I left the country, I was like everyone, do my homework for the college, and work hardly for the farm, looking for true love, not find it, continue my reach, until someone betrayed me… I thought that I can don’t live like everyone else, same calendar, same plan for different people: university, job, apartment, car, marriage, child, education for kid, planning a better life for kid (whatever they want), apartment and car for kid, retire, do everything kid asked (such as babysitting for their kid, our grandchildren) …
I had not skill or courage to get myself out of these rhythm, and I didn’t know what I want for my life, what I want to be happy!
After living in France for 5 years, I saw very different lifestyles, I met people from different social class. Then, I know we can make different chose for our life. Even no money, we can help people, we can go outside and see the world! How could be a riche life, I had my ideas. If we work hard, which life could be find in France, I knew it. So I thought, this is it, I find my style, I know what I want! So, even I came back 1 year ago, for develop my experience in the Chinese market, looking for well known, I was still thinking that I will go back to France to start my career there, so I was not at home, be there for my parent, I thought, if I have a great career, and a lovely life, they could be happy like I am, so there is no need to be there for them every day.
But I was wrong, few days ago, my mammon called, I feel that they don’t want I continue my vagabondage, they want I come back home. Suddenly, I feel that all my chose before are self-serving, that was kind of flee from my responsibility and my duty for my family.
Finally, we can’t follow our inclinations, and we must be responsible for the other, like we need other’s support, we must give first!

2 years later...

I'm back to run my blog, 2 years later. I was too lazy, and we cannot run a google blog easily in CN.ok, no more politic!
thanks for who has looking for me to share their experiences with me, about my life in France, and wine.

2011 Show Bike in Bordeaux

Notes for my English thesis

Introduction

Why we have to go into the Chinese market?

Wine Market in China
China is a growing wine market with great potential in the medium to long term. Since 1995 per capita consumption of wine in China has grown by an average of 10% per year although it is still at a modest 0.2 litre per year. It is, however, expected to accelerate over the next five years.
Local wine production is also on the increase. According to the China Alcoholic Beverages Association there are currently approximately 450 wineries in China producing nearly 370,000 tones of grapes although projections suggest that this year’s vintage is likely to reach 500,000 tonnes. Large scale production has really only taken off in the past 10 - 20 years and is expected to continue to develop at a rate of 12 – 15% per year.

French wine become popular in China
For years, traditional Chinese spirit has been a must on many dinner tables in China. But now Chinese drinkers have more choices, as the grain alcohol has met with competition from overseas. Yuan Xiaoyuan takes a closer look at the rowing interest in tasting and collecting French wines.
Decades ago, wine from overseas was a luxury for most Chinese people, but now it has become more major.
In many cities like Shanghai, imported wine is easily found at most supermarkets, and many of them are in growing demand, particularly French wines.
Some customers seem professional in judging the quality, even though they are not wine connoisseurs.
A customer said, “Sometimes when you turn it upside down there are a lot of bubbles. Good wine doesn’t have bubbles.”
French wine is becoming more popular than ever in China. Statistics show the industry grew by a spectacular 145 percent in 2007 alone, pushing China to the 11th largest market by value for French wines and spirits.
French wine merchants are optimistic about the future of the booming market. But what pleases them even more is the growing interest in wine culture.

Bordeaux wine in China
More than 30% of Bordeaux wines are exported abroad in 2008. Now, in the context of the worldwide economic crisis, the traditional buyers buy few Bordeaux wines, which is the symbol of the high quality of wine and refer to traditional wine. For example, less than 12% of wine trade in the EU, and less than 3% in the USA(158 thousand/hl), but the needs from China is still strange, in 2008 China bought more than 60% of French wines compared to 2007, and became the N°8 buyer from N°10 last year for Bordeaux wines. In 2010, Vinexpo will take place in Hong Kong for the third time. CIVB also organized more shows in China, like “simply Bordeaux wines” to promote and educates Chinese people to the French wine culture.

China, crisis mix with Crus at Bordeaux wine fair
BORDEAUX- Caught napping by a consumer crisis after a series of record years. The French wine trade is lusting after the potentially budge markets of China and India as an outlet for Old World wine sales.
But this may not prevent a restructuring of the cosy grand family oriented traditional wine industry with its myriad of chateaux still on show at the opening day of the twice-a-year Vinexpo World wine and spirits industry fair.
While such European wine-makers are eager to export their wares to China, where sales are still small but growing fast, Chinese capital appears keener on buying into Bordeaux.
That message was clear from the announcement that Hong Kong firm A&A International was taking a majority stake in Chateau Richelieu in Fronasc.
Fronasc is a well-known French wine area which does not carry the same reputation as Medoc, but includes such wines as Pauillac, Margaux, Saint-Estephe and others.
The current owner is former Dutch airline pilot Arjen Pen. For the “in-crowd” of the Bordelais wine families, Chateau Richelieu, one of the eldest, had already fallen into foreign hands and was no longer in the ownership of a “dynasty”.
But then many of the local dynasties have had foreign infusions, be it in blood or capital, as the Rothschid families or the Suntory group can testify.
Simon Bradford, export director at traders Ballade & Meneret said the crisis will cut Bordeaux prices down to a level that will make them attractive to more consumers, but might also be the final, impassable obstacle for houses with shaky finances.
“It is not a big disaster for the Bordeaux sector, but for some houses with stretched finances it could be the last straw.” He told Reuters.
The top names in Bordeaux and Burgundy, and in Italy of Spain for that matter, will be able to weather the storm. But smaller firms in the lower price ranges have found an urgent need to associate themselves with partners and underline their “unique selling point” in a world that is awash with wine.
There were many examples present at the Vinexpo fair, where the number of visitors was noticeably lower than in 2007, such as the Alienors grouping of 12 female wine growers.
With unity comes strength and shared costs, even though they produce different wines. At a group tasting there were several Chinese professionals interested in, for example, the Entre-Deux Mers white wine from Veroinque Barthe.
“no, no, I do not give discounts for big volume, I produce for quality not for volume,” she told a potential female Chinese buyer, while drinks were poured for the assembled visitors. “and no, I cannot give you exclusivity for all of the mainland.”
Another way to catch the eye of the buyers is by playing the sustainable development card such as the Val d’Orbieu brand which is based in Narbonne in southern France.
“we wanted to act now and not wait until the climate changes are irreversible, and it applies to all what we do,” export director Roland Olvers said.

The situation of imported wine in the Chinese market.
Chinese people are numerous, even if few of them drink wine that means big business for the Bordeaux winemakers. Chinese businessmen buy around 10 thousand bottles or more for each contract in many times.
Mister VINCONNEAU(W&S LOGISTICS) said that one of his Chinese friends had commanded a passel of wine, he asked how many did they wanted, this Chinese showed him 3 fingers, he guessed that means 3000 or 30 000 bottles, but the Chinese businessman said, “non! I want 300 000 bottles for the first time, you can get it or no?”
China become a big producer and importer of wines, they like to become bigger than ever, if we want to export wines over the next 30 years, we cannot miss this opportunity. Besides, both new and old world wants to go into this place, if Bordeaux wants to keep the top image in this business, now it is time to start.


4. Questions:
How can we get into the Chinese wine market?
How can we thrive in this high competition market?

Conclusion


China is a difficult market
But it’s not impossible!

As we know, China is a very receptive market, but not impossible, even the American president said: “Yes! We can!”
First of all we must designate our main competiveness! This is an American business concept that it works very well in the world and in all kinds of business! As I was told about it a few years ago, from a CD class “Times Bright China Management Course” by professor YU Shiwei , a Taiwanese businessman, who has double post doctor:
- The post doctor of management form the Harvard Business School,
- The post doctor of international economy form the University of Oxford

So, what is main competiveness? It’s the entire positive points in a company that can satisfy our potential client. This makes us different from all our competitors.
There are 5 standard (categories) to find them out: speed, consistency, sensitivity, flexibility and innovation.
Speed: how quickly can we find our potential clients, to understand their desire, and to satisfy them?
Consistency: Do we necessarily care for our potential client, from chairman to final salesman. Does everybody know the expectations of our client? Does everybody know what value they can add to our company by their performance?
Sensitivity: The Chinese wine market is a very new market, they are so different from our old clients. There are many new rich and new middle class people who want to “enjoy their life” like people from Europe or from the USA, but in their own way. So do we know what the “new consumption culture” is? And how can we benefit from this culture?
Flexibility: Chinese businessmen like to negotiate, even on goods where they don’t know their real value. So, we cannot directly reveal our real price at first, we must let them know which kind of produce we are talking about with them, and what its value is, its culture, history, etc…
Innovation: We are a very creative people, we can do adapt to many innovations for clients, when we want to! Label, packaging, etc… sometimes they don’t need to spend a lot of money, some new ideas and new looks are enough!

French Wine energetically enter into Chinese supermarket

The Minister of French Foreign Trade Ministry disclosed a few days ago that the promotional strength of French wines in the Chinese market, especially the investment of promotion in Chinese supermarkets, will be enhanced. Currently, the industry of French wine actively supports the efforts of Chinese wine businessmen for improving customers’ knowledge and consumption level of wine. The French government will organize 1,000 middle and small-scale French enterprises to create a partnership with Chinese partner in the same scale in November, and promote these French products in large supermarkets and some retail shops.

Now let’s talk about some propositions for middle and small size wineries who want to entre the Chinese wine market:

1. To become a partner with a medium sized Chinese company in oenology, in technology, or in management.

2. To become a partner with a medium sized Chinese distributor or marketing company.

3. Buy one Chinese company or construct a winery in china

4. Sell our winery in Bordeaux to Chinese people, become their manager and consultant, and use their distribution network to import wine to China and the other countries.

Hong Kong strives to be wine-trading centre of Asia

There were a few quizzically raised eyebrows last week when Hong Kong's commerce and economic development minister Rita Lau told a lunchtime audience at the Vancouver Board of Trade that part of the territory's plan to survive these perilous times involves promotion of its wine industry.
Eyes went blank as diners sifted through their memories trying to recall pictures of their last visits to Hong Kong and whether Kowloon Peak, the hills above Sai Wan or Lo Fu Tau had suddenly sprouted vineyards without them having noticed.
And if indeed Hong Kong has suddenly arrived on the global wine stage, what sort of product would it be?
The Motherland China's foray into this market with the aid of French partners in the 1980s has so far produced vintages which many wine buffs consider sub-plonk.
But Hong Kong's genius has always been trading rather than production.
Less than a year ago the Hong Kong government and the wine trade industry looked at the prospects for wine sales in Asia and saw an opportunity.
The predictions, as Lau told her Vancouver audience, are that by 2017 the value of wine imported into Asia, excluding Japan, will be up to $1.5 billion US a year. And of that about $870 million US will be heading for China, where many among the wealthy elite have developed a highly sophisticated taste for the best wines available.
Hong Kong, of course, never does things by halves. Once the decision was made that Hong Kong was going to become THE wine trading centre of Asia, the cultural machine that sees government and business function as one was thrown into gear.
In February the Hong Kong government reduced the duty on wine from 40 per cent to zero, making Hong Kong the first free wine port among the major economies and giving it a decided edge over the current wine trading centres of Singapore and Tokyo.
Wine traders and dealers from all over the world immediately sat up and took notice. After all, when you're flogging bottles of Chateau Lafite '82 for, say, $3,200 a pop, a saving of $1,300 on duty that no longer has to be paid is a very attractive proposition. It can pay and pay big for dealers in the world's premier wine trading centres of London and New York to go through their caves, load up containers and ship them off to Hong Kong for sale.
A problem, of course, is that Hong Kong is in the tropics and fine wines are not best pleased when subjected to heat or gyrating temperatures. They like it cool, dark and consistent.
From the start of Hong Kong's wine hub project, attention was paid to the problem of storage. In fact, the territory is blessed with countless suitable caves burrowed into the mountain sides by the British military and, during the occupation of Hong Kong by the Japanese, to store munitions or serve as air raid shelters.
And so solicitous is the Hong Kong government of the health of the territory's burgeoning stores of delicate wines that customs inspections can now be conducted at the traders' temperature and humidity-controlled premises.
Hong Kong conducted its first International Wine Fair in August. It attracted 8,800 trade buyers from 55 countries and territories, including 80 Canadians from 45 companies.
But the true test of Hong Kong's success so far in striding into this market is the results of auctions. And while those results have been good, it is evident that even the excessively rich are curbing their enthusiasms in these troubling times.
The inaugural Hong Kong auction by the New York wine dealer Zachys in October sold 85 per cent of the 871 lots for $5.2 million US, about $400,000 US below the pre-sale estimate.
And another American wine auction house, Acker Merrall & Condit had a similar experience in mid November. It sold 90 per cent of the 950 lots of fine wines and champagnes for $6.7 million US, with many lots selling for up to 20 per cent below their low estimates.
This was in contrast to Acker's inaugural auction in May which brought in $8.2 million US after frenzied bidding.
But there is little doubt Hong Kong is on the track to becoming a major player in the Asian wine market.There was sure confirmation of that recently when the former Portuguese colony Macau, now also a special administrative region of China and always jealous of Hong Kong's greater success, decided to follow Hong Kong's lead and also eliminate entirely its duty on wine.
from www.canada.com by 2008-12-02