On Chinese Media

Oriental Outlook

Issue No. 3， published on January 15， 2015

Chinas Opportunities

Promoted by the “One Belt and One Road” Initiatives as well as numerous other interconnectivity drives， the year 2014 was a critical point for Chinas investments abroad. Whether Chinas total investments abroad can exceed the amount of foreign investment at home has aroused public concern. The Ministry of Commerce predicted that this inflection point would appear by 2016 at the latest. According to estimates by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development （UNCTAD）， China had already become a net outbound investor in 2014.

In 2013， Chinas direct outbound investment reached US$107.84 billion， making it the third largest outbound investor for two consecutive years. In the same year， China absorbed foreign capital of US $123.9 billion， a year-on-year growth of 2.3 percent.

Data from the Ministry of Commerce show that from January to November 2014， Chinese firms directly invested US $89.8 billion in 5，402 enterprises in 153 countries and regions， a year-on-year growth of 11.9 percent.

The shift from commodity export to capital export marks the most significant change in the economic development pattern based on export and investment attraction since the reform and opening-up policy. Under the new normal， outbound investment is expected to become an important driver of Chinas economic growth. Undoubtedly， it will offer new markets and room for Chinas economic transformation and upgrading.

In fact， there is now uncertainty about the concept and mechanism of globalization， as regional trade liberalization and facilitation become more popular. This might become the basic principle and strategy of Chinese enterprises outbound investment.

Life Week

Issue No. 4，

published on January 26， 2015

Voices Heard in New Business Model

The biggest difference between an Internet business model and a traditional business model is that the former makes manufacturing， selling and consumption more straightforward by removing the need for the latters formal trappings. Meanwhile， it offers genuine equal opportunities. The Internet has broken through numerous technological bottlenecks to meet the real demands of the increasingly techsavvy population.

However， one technically inextricable problem remains – what do people actually like？ In a traditional business model， manufacturers expend on market research and assessment， but that does not guarantee they will pinpoint exactly what consumers want. Consumers are， therefore， in a constant state of passive consumption.

We-media is media for the new age. Initially， both Internet enterprises and network users did not realize its commercial value， but along with the surge of netizens， the business value of Wemedia has become obvious.

Making a living by using ones voice in China used to refer to stage performances. Voice and language was represented by art forms， artistic and commercial value being concurrent. But today， people can express themselves in various ways. What counts is conveying information and attitudes. Its value， therefore， rests with the quantity of users and the breadth of communication， rather than the artistic quality. Make an impact and then reap the rewards.

South Reviews

Issue No. 3，

published on January 28， 2015

The Lost Middle Class

Since the end of the 1990s， the rise of the middle class has become a consumption and cultural phenomenon in China. For over a decade it was a vague group in the social and economic structure. Along with policies that enabled Chinas rapid economic development， based on market expansion， economic restructuring and more wealth opportunities， the middle class grew quickly.

From an academic perspective， the middle class represents a political and social goal. An increase in quality and quantity of “the middle” will make China a more stable society with an olive-shape structure.

Today， we recognize that this goal is still unattainable. As Chinas politics， economy and society enter a new normal， so too does the middle class.

Confronted with exhaustion and anxieties due to the frantic pace of modern life， people need to slow down and pay closer attention to their lives， their family and to nature.

Economy & Nation Weekly

Issue No. 1，

published on January 12， 2015

Redefining “Made in China”

Since the industrial revolution， the manufacturing industry has promoted global economic growth and progress of human civilization. Manufacturing has changed the mode of production， propelled technical innovation and enriched our material wealth. For developed economies such as the U.S. and Germany， their competitiveness all relies on the steady growth of manufacturing.

Since the start of reform and opening-up， China has acquired remarkable economic growth. And manufacturing has made undeniable contributions.

With an economic slowdown and a looming loss of demographic dividend， Chinas manufacturing industry is faced with unprecedented challenges， such as cost increases and excess production capacity. In 2014， Chinas industry profitability and contribution rate fell. Innovation， therefore， is now a pressing issue.

The manufacturing industry has reached a new intersection wherein it is a part of the strategy of rejuvenating China. Through investigating the status quo of manufacturing industries， this report focuses on reform orientation under the new normal， improving the innovation environment， cultivating new advantages of manufacturing， and expanding emerging industrial development.

Entrepreneur

Issue No. 1，

published on January 5， 2015

Entrepreneurs under 30

References to “the post-90s generation” were heard frequently in 2014. Entrepreneurship among the young has become a social phenomenon.

During the same year， we officially became users of their products， such as bullet screens at cinemas （whereby the audience can send text messages via their mobile phones， which are then projected onto the screen so that at any given time the scene may be overlaid with multiple “bullets，” or comments， scrolling across the screen） and Friend Circle by WeChat. People are accustomed to these new innovations and often feel the need to keep up with modern technology lest they become “out of date.”

One can see why the Internet generation should get excited by Tesla and drone technology. But the popular“selfie stick” leaves many bemused.

Many believe that the new generation is far more relaxed than their forebears. But many of them in fact adopt a rigorous and strict management style. Unlike the competitive Internet industry of the past， these young entrepreneurs appreciate each other and at the same time value individuality.