Asia Magazine #32

INDIA

HONG KONG

SINGAPORE

JAPAN

The many faces of India

State of AI today and in the future

5 places every foodie in Singapore has to experience

Innovation and startups in Tokyo

BY CHALMERS STUDENTS IN ASIA

ISSUE 32  SPRING 2019

WELCOME! In your hand you are holding the latest issue of Asia Magazine, a joint effort carried out by Chalmers students in Asia. The magazine is meant to be informative and entertaining regarding current topics of Asia as well as a source of inspiration for students curious about exchange studies. With this dynamic region in focus, it features articles on cultural, political, economical and social subjects. The magazine is coordinated and compiled by students at the Chalmers International Taiwan Office.

CITO WHO?

CITO WHAT? Chalmers International Taiwan

Office, CITO, was opened in March 2003 and is the result of a bilateral exchange agreement between

Arvid Hanson

National Chiao Tung University,

HEAD OF OFFICE

NCTU, and Chalmers University of

Management and Economics of Innovation arvid.hanson@chalmers.se

Technology. CITO is strategically located at NCTU, near the Hsinchu Science Park.

Erik Eurenius

Max Vahlström

DEAPUTY HEAD OF OFFICE

EDITOR IN CHIEF

Quality and Operations Management erik.eurenius@chalmers.se

Systems, Control and Mechatronics max.vahlstrom@chalmers.se

CITO WHY? The main purposes of CITO are: • To increase awareness about the development of East Asia, with focus on Taiwan, at Chalmers

Emil Kindgren

Fredrik Hallgren

ART DIRECTOR

ART DIRECTOR

Management and Economics of Innovation emil.kindgren@chalmers.se

Management and Economics of Innovation fredrik.hallgren@chalmers.com

• To support mobility of students and staff between NCTU and Chalmers • To enhance the visibility of Chalmers in Taiwan and in the neighbouring region • To act as a hub at NCTU for Chalmers students in East Asia

Karin Malmgren

John Fransson

CORPORATE RELATIONS

CORPORATE RELATIONS

Supply Chain Management karin.malmgren@chalmers.se

Management and Economics of Innovation john.fransson@chalmers.se

• To further develop Chalmers’ cooperation with Swedish companies in Taiwan and Asia

CITO CONTACT! Johan Johansson

Anna Wiktorsson

COMMUNICATION MANAGER/ ALUMNI CONTACTS

ACADEMIC EXCHANGE

Quality and Operations Management johan.johansson@chalmers.se

Management and Economics of Innovation anna.viktorsson@chalmers.se

Looking for internship, master's thesis or other co-operations in Asia? Or

do you just want to say hello? Don't hesitate to contact us!

www.asia.chalmers.se National Chiao Tung University Cover photo by Fredrik Hallgren

1001 Daxue Road, Hsinchu 300, Taiwan R.O.C

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CHALMERS IN ASIA AUTUMN 2018

Studying at Chalmers does not limit you to Gothenburg, Sweden. Through many exchange programmes Chalmers students are given the opportunity to study at a range of Asian universities. Likewise, students from many different countries are invited to study at Chalmers in Sweden.

Dehli

Indian Institute of Technology

Singapore

Nanyang Technological University

National University of Singapore

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Beijing, China

Tsinghua University

Shanghai, China Tongji University

Shanghai Jiao Tong University

Seoul, South Korea

Seoul National University

Sendai, Japan Tohoku University

Tokyo, Japan

The University of Tokyo

Tokyo Institute of Technology

Hsinchu, Taiwan

National Chiao Tung University

Hong Kong, China

City University of Hong Kong

The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

The Chinese University of Hong Kong

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CONTENTS 5 6 8 10 13 16 18 20 22 28 30 32 34 36 4

Editor’s Letter

Max Vahlström

Hong Kong

Economic Development in Hong Kong Linus Adolfsson

Singapore

Singapore Survival Guide Moa Josephsson

Tokyo

Grissettes of Tokyo Clara Havström

India

The Many Faces of India Joar Husmark

Hong Kong

A tour of Jazz bars in Hong Kong Simon Mölzer

Seoul

Seoullo 7017, Reclaiming the city Natalie Blom

Taiwan

Reciept lottery in Taiwan Johan Johansson

Asia Photos

Hong Kong

State of AI today and in the future Andreas Carlsson

Singapore

Balancing success and stress Isabel Vrethed Tidekrans

Tokyo

Electromobility for smart logistics Tove Mannheimer

Hong Kong

Preparing for extreme weather Jakub Fojt

Singapore

Singapore Laws

Fredrik Malmström

38 40 42 44 46 48 50 52 54 56 58 60 62

Shanghai

How learning differs between Swedish and Chinese Universities Petros Debesay

Seoul

Meet Jina Kim

Gustav Erdhardsson

Hong Kong

Contrasts in Hong Kong Agnes Karlsson

Beijing

E-commerce in China Jesper Lindström

Taiwan

Buying ice-cream or throwing garbage?

Karin Malmgren

Singapore

The worlds most expensive city for car ownership

Christopher Westberg

Hong Kong

The Hong Kong housing crisis Viktor Olsson

Tokyo

Everyone is a hypebeast Freja Krogh-Andersen

Shanghai

A dynamic megacity Linnéa Widroth

Hong Kong

An unforgettable experience Wilhelm Tranheden

Singapore

5 places every foodie in Singapore has to experience Oscar Johansson

Tokyo

Innovation & Startups Jacob Dalenbäck

Singapore

Is Singapore Sustainable?

Daniel Forsström

S

Editor’s Letter Editor’s Letter

2019/03/12

This Magazine is written by Swedish students from Chalmers University of Technology that has come here, to Asia, for exchange studies. You as a reader are most probably a prospective exchange student, has already been nominated to go abroad or you’re simply interested in the development and life of Asia. No matter the reason you’re holding this magazine, there will be something interesting for you to read.

The students that have written these articles come from different academic backgrounds. They have written about what they think is interesting about their host countries, and this is reflected in the diversity of articles . If you are interested in the sustainability of Singapore, there is an article for you, and if you are more interested in nightlife, we can take you to Hong Kong and its Jazz-scene. From here in Taiwan we have an article about music playing garbage trucks that might bring you back to the excitement of hearing the ice cream truck. If that makes you hungry, then you can keep it going by reading a foodie’s guide to Singapore. However, if technology interests you more we have an article covering the state of AI. When starting my studies at Chalmers, one thing kept me motivated to keep my grades high: the possibility to go abroad. When the day came to apply for the World Wide exchange program I was met with the question of where to go. I spent some time thinking of where, and it was a hard choice. I knew I wanted something exotic, where the culture was very different, so Asia was a clear winner. However, there are many countries to choose from and they are all different.

I ended up here in Taiwan and I am very happy I did! In the end, after all my research, this wasn’t my first hand choice. So, I hadn’t done much reading about Taiwan which means that I came here with little to no expectations. However, as a bonus, I got to be the editor of this magazine, and from reading all these articles, I got the feeling that this isn’t the only country I would have enjoyed coming to.

What I want to get to is that wherever you go in Asia, your thirst for adventure and for something different, will probably be satisfied and it is well worth it to go. So, study hard to not miss the chance to go, and keep an open mind about the destinations. However, do read some articles in this magazine, as well as in previous numbers, to get a hint of where you might enjoy yourself the most. Then, take the chance.

Editor in Chief, Max Vahlström

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Economic development in

HONG KONG Economic history

The Hong Kong economy struggled after the Japanese occupation ended in 1945. This struggle was worsened as the Korean War erupted and the United States, accompanied by United Nations, imposed a trade embargo against China due to the Chinese alliance with North Korea. Despite the turbulent times, this is often pointed out as the start of the industrialisation of Hong Kong.

Even though the embargo was established, Hong Kong still conducted trade with China during the upcoming years. The sharp decline in trade with China had a severe impact on the colony’s economy. However, this merely pushed the economy towards new areas of business, as the prosperity of Hong Kong could no longer solely rely on the trade with China. This shift in the economy was fuelled by the influx of immigrants during the period, with an important share consisting of Shanghainese factory owners bringing capital and technology to re-establish their operations within the 6

Hong Kong economy. This was the foundation of the upcoming boom in the cotton-spinning industry, which later laid ground for manufacturing of other labour-intensive products such as garments, plastics and electronics.

The economic prosperity of Hong Kong has largely been ensured by political and social stability provided by officials. Central factors include protection of property rights, independent and impartial judiciary system as well as a high degree of economic freedom – unmatched by many countries in Europe at the time. This setup allowed for Hong Kong to evolve from a manufacturing economy into a service economy, ultimately catching up with many previously far more developed countries such as Germany, Finland, the Netherlands and Sweden. As a mere indication of the speed of the development, the Swedish GDP per capita has grown by a compound annual growth rate of 5.9 percent since 1960, whereas Hong Kong boasts a growth rate of 8.6 percent during the same period.

Current state and As a first-tier financial centre outlook

The current setup in Hong Kong is still characterised by an unmatched degree of economic freedom with the country topping the economic freedom index globally, followed by a similar economy – Singapore. Moreover, the autonomous region of Hong Kong manages to maintain this sort of economic freedom while simultaneously keeping a seventh place on the Human Development Index as of 2015, which is a current tie with Sweden.

A factor determining the future of Hong Kong is the change or preservation of the “one country, two systems” economic structure. Hong Kong is under this system an autonomous part of China, which has kept Hong Kong free from limitations associated with the Chinese political scene, whilst still preserving good trade relations with China.

The autonomous region can maintain extensive trade with China, while keeping things such as the current “controlled democracy” structure and its own legal system allowed under the autonomy.

These are central advantages for Hong Kong since they can avoid being ruled by the Communist Party, which might present substantial threats to the economic growth for Hong Kong.

As with the current system, Hong Kong’s outlook is remarkably good. As a first-tier financial centre and trading hub in close proximity to China, Hong Kong has had, and will have, substantial possibilities for growth. Even though this leads to a vulnerability to a potential slowdown in the Chinese economy, the opportunities for growth exceeds the opportunities in most other regions globally. With Hong Kong maintaining old characteristics of economic freedom, flexibility and a favourable business climate, it seems unlikely that the Hong Kong economy does not outperform its peer-countries in Europe and the rest of the world.

Hong Kong gets the opportunity to tap into the growth of a rapidly growing economy such as China, while already having made the transition to a highly developed service economy.

There is, however, a major downside with the proximity to China. Chinese inhabitants have long viewed Hong Kong as somewhat of a safe haven due to the liberal capitalist social structure. Therefore, the real estate market has absolutely explod-

and trading hub in close proximity to China, Hong Kong has had, and will have, substantial possibilities for growth.

ed, with costs of accommodation far surpassing acceptable levels for the lower percentiles of the population. Hence, this is currently impacting the quality of life. A question apart from the economic growth is therefore whether the quality of life measurements can keep up as the economic prosperity in terms of GDP might rally.

WORDS AND PHOTO Linus Adolfsson

City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Industrial Engineering and Management Currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Management and Economics of Innovation linusad@student.chalmers.se

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SINGAPORE SURVIVAL GUIDE Singapore is a modern city-state known for its clean streets, multicultural population and high fines. The city is filled with cool skyscrapers, shopping malls and restaurants. Although, before setting a foot in The Fine City, there are some things that you should know.

Dress for the four seasons “Hot, Hot, Damn hot and Very Hot” I left Gothenburg with the hope of not having to live in a city with 163 rainy days per year. I expected Singapore to be a country where it was summer all year long, where I could wear cute dresses and get the nivce tan I’ve always wanted. It did not take long before I realized that I should’ve done my research better. I had no idea that Singapore had an average of 179 rainy days per year and that the tropical climate could swing from blistering sunshine to torrential downpours in just a few minutes. Not bringing a raincoat or an umbrella turned out to be a BIG mistake. However, “rainy” in Singapore means heavy rainfall for one hour compared to Sweden’s all-day-long rain, so it is still a little bit better than Sweden.

The average temperature in Singapore is 27 degrees, but it isn’t always as nice as it may sound like. The extremely high humidity makes Singapore hard to live in since you get sweaty as soon as you walk out the door. There is no trick to avoid sweating, you just need to get used to it. One of our professors stated that there are four seasons here in Singapore – Hot, Hot, Damn hot and Pretty hot – and I couldn’t agree more. The damn hot season peaks in April, the hot season bottoms in January,

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and November is the rainiest. One good thing is that most condos have big pools to cool down in, so don’t forget to bring a swimsuit. However, Singaporeans use (what I consider) a little bit too much air-conditioning. Some MRTs are hot like a sauna while others are cold like the Swedish winter. Choosing clothes that fits all the requirements isn’t easy, that’s probably why the typical Singaporean look is as simple as jeans- shorts and an oversizeda big t-shirt.

Be prepared to spend some money Singapore is the 7th most expensive country in the world and the 1st in Asia, so be prepared to spend some money during your stay. For example, you can get one package of yoghurt in Singapore for the price of five in Sweden. Singapore places high tax on alcohol and cigarettes, so getting a drink at any club or restaurant is an expensive affair. The only thing in Singapore that is cheaper than in Sweden is the meals at so-called hawker centers. A Hawker center is just another name for food court, and they are widely popular among the Asians. There are 114 hawker centers in tiny Singapore and all of them offer tons of alternatives with kitchen stalls from all Asian cuisines for only S$2-S$7. Chicken and rice is a safe card that

comes in thousands of different forms; steamed, fried, w/o skin, Thai style, w/o egg etc. and tastes the same anywhere you go. One or two weeks of eating chicken and rice is fine but trust me, you’ll get bored after a while. Try different stalls, the not-so-attractive food might surprise you. If you don’t know what to get, just join the stall with the longest queue. If you are concerned about hygiene standards, look at the colored placards from A (best) to D (a risk) displayed at each stall.

Take the MRT or Grab The cheapest and easiest ways to get around in Singapore is by taking the extensive public transport system consisting of busses and MRT (Singaporean metro) or by taking a Grab. Pick up and charge an EZlink-card at any MRT-station and just blip it when you enter the MRT or bus. The trains leave every three minutes but they are VERY slow compared to most other big-city metros. Travelling the 43 km from east to west, takes one hour but feels like three. However, considering the low cost, it is worth it. If you see your train at the station, there is no need to rush – it will probably stand still for at least one minute after you’ve entered. While you’re sitting on the train, you can, like the other Asians do, take the opportunity to catch up on the lost sleep from sleeping at the Asian rock-hard beds.

Like everything else in Singapore, the MRT’s are clean and well organized. The MRT bans pretty much everything other than entering and travelling. Drinking water or eating on the trains or at the stations is a big no-no that will give you a fine of S$500 and bringing the surprisingly popular durian fruit on the train would give you a higher fine or even jail, even if you’re not planning to eat it. Grab works like Uber and is cheaper than taxi.

The drivers are polite and the app is easy to use.

Know the rules and keep an eye out for signs There is a reason why Singapore is called The Fine City and is rated as one of the safest countries in the world. I have collected some of the rules you should know about.

DO NOT feed monkeys in parks (S$50 000 and/or jail) or pigeons (S$500) DO NOT chew gum, spit on the streets or litter (S$1 000) DO NOT forget to flush on a public toilet (S$150) DO NOT walk around naked or look at porn, even in private (S$2 000 or up to 3 months jail)

DO NOT jaywalk (S$20 to S$1 000 or 3 months in jail, doubled if you are caught twice) DO NOT take drugs before entering Singapore (from S$20 000 to 10 years in jail).

Know the un-written rules DO NOT connect to unsecured wi-fi. It is considered a crime almost akin to hacking.

DO NOT urinate in a public elevator. Some of the public elevators are equipped with urine detection devices that set off an alarm and close the doors until the police arrives if any urine is detected.

DO NOT break the hawker stall seating code.

Leaving a bottle of water or any belongings at a table is considered as reserved.

If you follow these simple guidelines, I’m sure that you will have an amazing stay in the modern, living, city-state Singapore.

WORDS AND PHOTO Moa Josephson

Nanyang Technological University, Singapore Holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Industrial Engineering and Management Currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Quality and Operations Management moajos@student.chalmers.se

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Grisettes of Tokyo

Silently they pass me by as I am moving through the narrow streets of the inner city. Blending into the crowd yet holding the secrets of the most modern trends and ancient traditions; the Grisettes of Tokyo.

Wearing the simple color of gray, at first glance they might pass for nothing more than a symbol of the working class. Like the 17th century fashion workers of Paris, the lean concrete residential houses sprinkled throughout Tokyo reveal the tradition of precise and high quality craftsmanship. Though a cheap and unyielding material, the sculptural qualities and simplicity of concrete brings the purity of traditional Japanese architecture into the modern city weave.

On my daily bike route to university, a narrow concrete building in Meguro-ku catches my attention every time. The format of a 3 by 5 standing rectangle with one single opening is not a common sight in my hometown of Gothenburg Archipelago. Despite the small lot, the building stands at a significant distance from the surrounding houses. I am taught by my teacher, Tsukamoto Sensei, that the gap is specific for this town due to city development encouraging limited plots, and civil laws requiring that the exterior wall must be set half a metre back from the edge of a lot. The 20th century agenda of ownership which allowed a city of two story high blocks to spread across the land in infinity, is today made more dense by dividing each lot into smaller parts. And so, what I first recognized as a tall concrete alien, liberated from its neighbours, has now become a natural part of the city pattern as I make my way to school. I bike onwards through the neighborhood of small houses.

It is calm and the main roads entering the area are blocked by a sign saying �no cars allowed between 7:30-9:30�. The streets with pedestrians and bikes become a small village, and it feels like I am home 10

in the tiny streets of StyrsĂś island. In contrast to the public opinion of concrete in Sweden, I have found the Japanese perception is still that of a sustainable, luxurious and hospitable material. Due to high pollution in production and association with the gloomy complexes of the Million Programme, concrete has had to face a lot of criticism among Swedes. Unlike Sweden, where people prefer wood or brick in their homes, the islands of Japan are affected by the continental drift. After the San Francisco earthquake of 1906, it was clear that brick could not manage the quake whereas reinforced concrete proved to be strong. The building method was thus adopted by the Japanese. In Uehara,

The embroidered flowers in the facade of villa CouCou

Narrow infill-house in Meguro-Ku.

The gap between buildings typical for residential houses in Tokyo

Structure showing in the surface of the wall in the work of Kazuo Shinohara.

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Light play similar to the one achieved with Shoji in traditional Japanese architecture.

a district adjacent to Meguro-ku, I pass by a house drawn by Kazuo Shinohara. It is a playful building that reveals its inner structure in the very surface of the facade. The fire resistant, cheap and easily managed concrete is used in a high precision manner like it has been used, and still is today, by the most influential architects of Japan.

Suddenly I am brought to a full stop by the red lights of a heavily trafficked highway, the fire and safety barrier dividing the districts from one another. I enter the next cluster of two story residences where I stumble upon the work of Takamasa Yoshizaka, who has worked together with the well known Swiss architect Le Corbusier. This was during the time when Le Corbusier was in to brutalism, working with heavy, bare concrete in organic shapes. In contrast to Shinohara’s sharp form of clear structural elements aligned with the wayside, one can see the influence of the European exchange in the soft, organic touch to Villa CouCou. With an arched roof that meets the ground, it sits modestly in a surrounding of lush greenery, like an old lady quietly watching over her garden. Small openings and embroidered flowers decorate the wood cast wall. A friend in school has earlier shown me drawings made by Yoshizaka, he said he could feel the many hours put in by interns in the precise lines.

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A mushroom shaped skylight, casting light in the otherwise dark interior, is revealed in the drawings. From the road I can only see the facade, in every detail there is a delicate and tactile feeling reminding of the qualities of Shoji, timber and the purity of traditional Japanese buildings.

In its simplicity, the concrete buildings dressed in gray become, just like a haute couture seamstress, a symbol of the rich, the people and the creators of the city. I continue my journey home, along the many homes of Tokyo. Now and then I catch a glimpse of the slender gray residential houses, the Grisettes, telling me the story of Tokyo city planning, the movement of the tectonic plates and the long tradition of craftsmanship in Japan.

WORDS AND PHOTOS Clara Havström

Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo Holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Architecture Currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Architecture and Urban Design havstrom@student.chalmers.se

The Many Faces of India From the tropical beaches of Goa to the astonishingly high mountains in the Himalayas, India is a country of many faces. Here you can see the most expensive private home in the world, or walk another fifteen minutes to see the biggest slum in all of Asia. Whatever you may encounter, India is breathtaking in many different ways.

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Arriving in Delhi, there are two ways to get from the airport to IIT Delhi campus. One will guide you through broad, clean streets of the embassy area where men in tailored suits rush for work and flashy Mercedes cars occupy the roads.

The other way to the campus shows a completely different side of India, where the narrow streets are filled with people who seemingly do not have a job to rush to and auto-rickshaws, cows, and trash battle for the limited space on the roads.

Mumbai, the most important city in India in terms of trade and overall economy, displays the same picture as Delhi yet even more extremely so. The south of Mumbai is home of skyscrapers, monuments, luxury restaurants and cozy cafes.

At first glace, Dharavi looks like a place of utter misery

Here, the city is blossoming with business, nightlife and tourism. In the middle of Mumbai stands the impressive Antilia, a two billion dollar private home with three helicopter pads, six stories of parking space and over 600 workers. With littering and air pollution being a major problem in Indian cities, Mumbai has taken initiative to prohibit the use of plastic bags, plastic spoons, and other plastic utilities and replaced these with textile or wooden counterparts.

The south of Mumbai is really showing the progressive side of India. However, two train stops north, another reality is displayed: Dharavi.

Dharavi is the biggest slum in India (in fact it is the biggest slum in entire Asia), being the home for over one million people. The area is only 2.1 square kilometer in size, meaning that roughly 500 000 people share one square kilometer of land. You might recognize Dharavi from the famous movie “Slumdog Millionare”, a movie that most people from the area hate. The word “Slumdog” undermines the humanity of the residents, and the movie contributes to an already distorted image of In-

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dian slums according to the inhabitants. Because of this, they are eager to show what Dharavi really is.

At first glance, Dharavi looks like a place of utter misery, but if you enter the narrow alleyways of the slum you will realize that what you first saw was just the tip of the iceberg. The entire area is a complete, although informal, economic ecosystem, with local barbers, retailers, and schools.

Dharavi has numerous household enterprises (5000 businesses and 15 000 single-room factories) such as potteries, leather making and textiles that employs most of the slum residents. Perhaps the most interesting industry in Dharavi is the recycling industry. The industry employs roughly 250 000 people and together they recycle close to ten tons of plastics each day! The plastic is collected from the streets, landfills, and from the sea by fishing boats to be recycled in Dharavi. In this way Dharavi helps to maintain Mumbai a relatively clean city, and the seemingly unemployed citizens are actually employed.

The government has made several attempts to redevelop Dharavi by providing basic infrastructure and housing for the slum residents. The residents have yet refused these redevelopment plans due to the fear of losing their informal businesses that have a total yearly turnover of over one billion US dollars. In response, the government provided the residents with electricity and water supply, fully legalizing the area and the presence of its inhabitants.

This is just one example of how multifaceted India is. Once you think you know the country, it finds many more ways to surprise you. India is the only country I have visited so far that can both be disturbing and utterly beautiful at the same time.

Being the world’s largest democracy and one of the fastest growing economies, the country is undergoing a massive change. Who knows what face India will be showing in the near future?

WORDS AND PHOTOS Joar Husmark

Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi Holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering Currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Quality and Operation Management hjoar@student.chalmers.se

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A tour of Jazz bars in Hong Kong

Among the many things that Hong Kong is famous for, its nightlife is one of the big things.

From the party district of Lan Kwai Fong with its many nightclubs and bars, to the skyscraper rooftop bars, everyone can find their type of party here. And for those who enjoy other music than the EDM club bangers, Hong Kong has one of the best Jazz scenes in the world. There is a multitude of cool jazz clubs featuring talented musicians and tight bands. Each club has its distinct style, some feature a house band playing every night and others have varying acts. The clubs are spread all over town, from Kowloon to Central on Hong Kong Island. And when it comes to the drink selection you can find just about anything you would expect from a regular bar, beer, cocktails, wine, you name it. Here are a couple of my personal favorite picks and recommendation for anyone looking for a night of fantastic music performances and good drinks!

One of the most classic bars in Hong Kong is Ned Kelly’s Last Stand. It’s been around since 1972, making it one of Hong Kong’s oldest bars. The bar is quite cozy with a classic wooden-style decor. In here you will find people from all over, local Hong Kongers, tourists and expats alike gather to hear some solid jazz music. Ned Kelly’s has its own house band that plays every night of the week, and it definitely shows. The band has a wide repertoire of songs and all the musicians are individually very talented. Besides guitar, piano and bass, the band features a very nice brass section as well.

Peel Fresco, located on Peel Street near the Mid Levels, is one of my favorite clubs. It is one of the best live music bars in all of Hong Kong. They have regular shows by famous local artists such as Allen Youngblood and Eugene Pao. Peel Fresco also features many talented visiting international artists travelling through Hong Kong. The location is nearby Lan Kwai Fong and there are many great restaurants nearby if you’re looking to grab a bite

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to eat before heading to the bar. There is usually live music from around 9PM until late into the night.

So with all the basics out of the way, here is why Peel Fresco is one of the coolest places in Hong Kong; the people who hang out there. The atmosphere is very welcoming and laid back. The music really feels alive and there are many magic moments each night. During my first night at Peel Fresco a jazz singer was performing with a back-

ing band and putting on a great show. Suddenly between songs, a woman from the crowd says “I wanna play the drums, can I play the next song?”.

The band members look at each other and say “sure let’s try it”. This new drummer walks up on stage and just goes “I’ll follow you”, the guitarist starts playing the opening riff and the rest of the band joins in. The new drummer was quite good and you could really tell that everyone on stage was having fun. Peel Fresco also features open mic nights where anyone can jam. If you know how to play anything you can join in on these nights.

If you are in Hong Kong and have the time, the jazz clubs are a must go to in my opinion. Even if you’re not the biggest fan of jazz, the shows put on by the local musicians are very entertaining and one of the best ways to end a long day of work or studies.

WORDS AND PHOTOS Simon Mölzer

The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science Currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Computer Systems and Networks molzer@student.chalmers.se

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Seoullo 7017, Reclaiming The City Seoullo 7017 is a linear park stretching about 1km between Seoul Station to Hoehyeon Station.

The former highway overpass was redesigned by MVRDV, a Netherlandish architecture firm that won the project in the international competition initiated by Mayor Park in 2014. The name Seoullo means “towards Seoul” or “Seoul street” in Korean, whilst 7017 stands for the year the motorway was constructed (1970) and the opening of the skygarden (2017).

Exiting Seoul Station subway station on a bright Saturday at the end of October, the blue sky and crisp air match well with the shiny high-rise buildings lining the street. The sidewalk I’m strolling is broad. On my right, the buildings groundfloor has high ceilings, big glass windows, and sleek café interiors. On my left, the busy traffic of Hangangdae-ro street is passing on 6 lanes in each direction. I can see the old Seoul Station building on the opposite side of the road. A renaissance style building, designed by Tsukamoto Yasushi, during the Japanese colonialization in 1925. Other than the old station, the buildings are pretty similar to each other, embodying perfect generic architecture.

Approaching Seoullo 7017, it is not obvious that the old motorway is an actual attraction. The concrete structure has been a part of the city for almost 40 years and in a fast-developing city like Seoul, that is a long time. Looking closer though, one can see glass railing along the edges and small treetops sticking up in irregular shapes, sizes, and colours.

I take the escalator up, and as the distance to the busy street grows larger the mood changes. As a pedestrian, I am no longer at the bottom of the street hierarchy. I am above it.

As I enter Seoullo 7017, the first thing I notice is the circular shapes. Everything except the pre-existing structure is circular. The planters, the elevator shafts, the cafes, and the small observation decks are all circular in plan, giving every vertical surface a curved and smooth finish. The lack of compromise regardingform creates a strong visual coherency where the circle is not merely a decorative strategy, but symbolic and iconic. No matter the perspective, the circle looks the same.

It possesses perfect symmetry and has therefore throughout history been a symbol of integri18

ty, eternity, intelligence and science.[3] Also in Seoullo 7017, the circular shape succeeds in creating a character of integrity and science/technology. However, the somewhat randomized and unsymmetrical disposition of the different elements brings about playfulness and awakens curiosity.

Another strong characterizing feature is the uniform material surface. The old concrete structure is matched with a smooth light grey cement plaster dressing the walkway and seamlessly extending up to the new concrete objects. There isn’t any distinct difference between the textures, which makes the entirety of the skygarden possible to perceive as one visual object. According to MVRDV one of the main goals was to “…change the forgotten and existing infrastructure into a green symbol that will become a catalyst for a greener quarter for Seoul”.

The program contains 50 different species of Korean trees, shrubs, and flowers and is arranged as a sequence of smaller gardens, each with its own characteristics. Within the gardens, each species is isolated in its own planter resembling an exhibition layout. The planters are basically giant concrete cylinders of different radius and height. On

each cylinder, there is a plate with the plant’s Korean and Latin name on it.

The layout resembles an exhibition where one observes the greenery as separate items and not like a green texture in whole. I notice people stopping and reading the names of the different species, then pointing, discussing and taking pictures.

Behaving just like as if in a museum.

Some people use it as a park though. Strolling and relaxing in the shade whilst kids run and play around the oversized pots.

Yet, it is not first and foremost what I would consider a good green park. A good green park is to be experienced as organic and embracing, where one is enveloped in nature. Seoullo 7017 has a strict manner where one is not a part of the green space, but rather an outside observer. Nonetheless, the green exhibition is inspiring and interesting, thus may still have a catalytic green potential in the city.

Seoullo 7017’s attraction is the green exhibition, but also the view. On my promenade, I paused to look at the view every other minute. I stopped by the gigantic railway system, the old Seoul Station, the plaza where a loud political demonstration was happening, Hangangdae-ro with its heavy traffic, the high-rise buildings, the little brick church and later the crowded outdoor market. These outside components are all contributing to the experience of the skygarden.

The many layers make it a visually engaging walk. Sometimes the multitude of things happening is even overpowering, and to relax my eyes I can turn them to the uniform arrangement of the park.

A lot of people on the old motorway came to look at the plants and the view, but there also seemed to be many who used it just to get from one point to another, walking quickly through the gardens not paying them any attention.

The aspect of it having hosted cars at high speed can be sensed if one starts using the park as a method of transportation. Even though it no longer looks anything like the old highway, it still has the scale and tempo of it. Had the scale been different, for instance if the width had been of a regular pedestrian bridge, the experience would change. The feeling of power and freedom one can get when driving a car will no longer be associated to the structure. The same goes for tempo. A highway can only possess a certain curvature and change in height to remain safe. This makes the

structure pass through the city in a certain tempo, which for pedestrians generates a special way to experience the city.

Letting people occupy the former highway indicates a change of values in South Korea. The incredibly quick modernization and embracement of capitalism in Korea lead to, as in many fast-developing cities, citizens becoming secondary to infrastructure. Previous urban projects like the Dongdaemun Design Plaza is an example of this. The project drained the city of money and in everyday life, it is pretty useless. Sure, it is spectacular and might attract the outside world, but it is not democratic.

Seoullo 7017 is different. It is simple and flexible. It reclaims space and enriches the urban environment. The presentation of Korean trees, shrubs, and flowers create a sense of pride. And the fact that the park is elevated above the busy streets symbolizes people being prioritized above all.

WORDS AND PHOTO Natalie Blom

Seoul National University, Seoul Holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Architecture Currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Architecture blomn@student.chalmers.se

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Reciept lottery in Taiwan Within the first weeks of living in Taiwan, I noticed my wallet getting thicker and thicker.

Unfortunately, this was not because some kind soul decided that I ought to have a larger income than my student loans provide. Instead, my wallet was getting full of receipts. For every purchase you make, the cashier hand you up to three slips of paper, with the text all in Chinese of course, that you quickly have to fumble with and quickly stow away to get out of the way for the next one in line. They were also very adamant that I accepted them. Thinking it was a big waste to just accept receipts only to throw them away, I learned the Chinese phrase “不用”, (pinyin: bùyòng, translates to “no need”). This did little to change the insisting minds of the Taiwanese cashiers though. I wanted to learn the reason behind all of this, so I asked my Chinese teacher one day after class. Her immediate response to finding out that I just threw away my receipts was: “Why?! Don’t you know?!”

In the middle of the 1900s, the Taiwanese government had a problem generating revenue from small business. Store owners were sometimes keen on keeping sales off the books and thereby avoiding paying sales tax. The idea spurred from the mind of the finance chief of the time, Jen Hsien-qun (traditional Chinese: 任顯 群; pinyin: Rèn Xiǎnqún), was as simple as it was 20

brilliant: A state sponsored lottery with receipts as the tickets! When every purchase made was an opportunity for the customer to get rich, everyone suddenly demanded receipts at checkout. As a result, the Finance Ministry’s tax income increased dramatically by 75 % in 1951, the first year of the lottery.

The lottery, officially called “The Uniform Invoice” but better known as the Taiwan receipt lottery (traditional Chinese: 統一發票; pinyin: tǒngyī fāpiào), has since its introduction become part of most Taiwanese people’s life. Here’s how it works: The drawing falls on the 25th of every odd-numbered month (January, March etc.). Six sets of eight digit numbers are drawn on live television by picking from hand-turned lottery machines. One of these sets is called “The Special Prize”, and if you happen to have a receipt with the matching set, you can collect a massive NT$ 10 million (≈ SEK 3 million)! Below that, you have a “Grand Prize” with a prize sum of NT$ 2 million (≈SEK 600 000) for a matching set of numbers.

You also have three regular prizes, that award you NT$ 200 000 (≈SEK 60 000) if your receipt number is drawn. For the second through sixth prizes, awarding you between NT$ 200 and NT$ 40 000 (≈SEK 60 to SEK 12 000), you need to have three

through seven matching numbers, respectively, with any of the three regular prize sets. If you get lucky and win, you have three months to collect you prize. Keeping in line with Taiwan’s convenience store culture (Taiwan has, for example, the highest number of 7 Eleven stores per capita in the world), it is possible to redeem your receipts for the smallest prize (NT$ 200) and use as a kind of gift card. All of the bigger prizes need to be redeemed at an government tax office.

Having every purchase generating a receipt is in many aspects a good thing. But the amount of paper needed surely must put the environment under a lot of stress? The government of Taiwan thought so too, and in 2006 they started an initiative to reduce the around 12 billion receipts printed yearly. This initiative includes things like e-commerce enabling digital receipts. Measures have been taken, but there is still a long way to change the mostly paper driven society that Taiwan is.

One of these measures has been taken by the EasyCard, a prepaid card that you can top up and use for contactless payments in convenience stores and public transports. Using it, you often have the option of storing the receipts on the card instead of printing them. When the winning

numbers of the lottery has been announced, you simply walk into a convenience store and check for matches in your history of purchases during the last two months.

Some charities have boxes set up at the registers in some stores where you can leave your receipt and effectively donate the possibility of winning prize money. This is also a good way to make sure all of the paper gets collected.

Having learned about the Taiwan receipt lottery, my desk will be sure to soon have a big pile of receipts on it. And so should yours, if you ever come to study here. This because you do not need to be a citizen to be eligible. As long as you have your ARC (Alien Resident Certificate), you are in!

It may be worth the bi-monthly mess for the small chance of becoming a millionaire.

WORDS AND PHOTO Johan Johansson

National Chiao Tung University, Taiwan Holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Industrial Engineering and Management Currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Quality and Operations Management johan.johansson2@chalmers.se

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ASIA PHOTOS

Taiwan Photo by Fredrik Hallgren

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India Photo by Joar Husmark

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South Korea Photo by Gustav Erdhardsson

South Korea Photo by Gustav Erdhardsson

Vietnam Photo by Fredrik Hallgren

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Taiwan Photo by Fredrik Hallgren

Japan Photo by Fredrik Hallgren

Vietnam Photo by Fredrik Hallgren

Japan Photo by Fredrik Hallgren

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Japan Photo by Fredrik Hallgren

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STATE OF AI TODAY AND IN THE FUTURE

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Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning has been a hot topic for several decades and continues to be used in ever more applications. It’s a broad field that has its roots in several different scientific disciplines, from computer science and math to biology and neuroscience.

At The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) where I’m doing my exchange, several courses involving artificial intelligence are offered.

From the more basic courses like “Introduction to artificial intelligence” to more advanced ones like “Probabilistic models and inference algorithms for machine learning”. One of the courses with a focus on how to apply machine learning in real life applications is called “Building and deploying scalable machine learning services” and is taught by doctor Albert Au Yeung.

Albert works as machine learning lead engineer at the Hong Kong based startup Zwoop and teaches the course at CUHK during evenings. The course has a very practical focus where you build several different applications involving machine learning, for example natural language processing, image recognition and recommendation systems. In one of the assignments we built a chat bot that took a movie review as input and told the user whether or not it was a positive review. To train the model we used a dataset of 50.000 movie reviews from IMDB. I got a few words with Albert about the current state of artificial intelligence in the industry today and how it will continue to make an impact to our lives in the future. The concept of artificial intelligence and machine learning have been around since the mid 1900 hundreds. The reason that the field has exploded lately has several reasons according to Albert. The rapid development of new hardware and an increase in computational power has made it possible to do calculations that simply wasn’t possible just a few of years ago. The use of graphics processing units (GPU) and the more specialised tensor processing units (TPU) has given an enormous speedup compared to using traditional processors.

Another important reason for the rise of AI is all the ongoing theoretical research within the field. The broad range of applications for artificial intelligence makes it an important research topic and breakthroughs within one area can help push the whole field forward. Research carried out at The Chinese University of Hong Kong includes areas such as autonomous agents, genetic algo-

rithms and algorithms on supersized graphs.

Artificial intelligence is also being used in many of our everyday applications that we might not be aware of at first. One example of this is the Hong Kong subway system, MTR, that is used by millions of commuters. Almost six million passengers are being transported between the 93 stations in Hong Kong every day. Scheduling the trains in an optimal way seems like an impossible task but with the help of AI the MTR has achieved a punctuality rate of 99.9%.

Another application where AI is being used successfully is within cancer treatment. Tumours with an ever-changing nature is a huge challenge but with the help of artificial intelligence the doctors can more accurately predict how a tumour will evolve. This helps putting in early and custom fitted treatments that can hugely increase the survival rate for the patients.

The future of AI is impossible to predict and Albert believes that the applications that make use of AI in some form will continue to grow rapidly.

Apart from the new fields that AI opens up, it can also help to take over monotonous jobs. This is one of the risks brought forward when discussing AI; what jobs will there be left for humans? When self-driving cars break through on a wide scale there will be no more taxi drivers, leaving tens of millions of taxi drivers unemployed.

Artificial intelligence is not a magic silver bullet that one can apply to all the problems, and it doesn’t come without risks. But used in the right way it will continue to make an even bigger impact to the society in the future.

WORDS AND PHOTO Andreas Carlsson

The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Information Technology Currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Algorithms, Languages and Logic andrc@student.chalmers.se

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Balancing success and stress

In the last 50 years, Singapore has grown from a modest port town into one of the leading world economies. This transformation was an amazing feat and when walking along the river near Marina Bay, it is hard to imagine the muddy river sides cluttered with tiny ships that belong to the past, or the abrupt way the region was kicked out from Malaysia leading to its independence in 1965. Still, the small country made it work.

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With this background in mind, it is not hard to see why the people of Singapore can feel pressured to deliver and to be productive. Walking through the school as late as 10 pm, you still find students working hard. Those who are not - they are likely studying at home or away on late-night activities.

Putting a lot of effort into your education is not an issue in itself, but when a professor of mine can reschedule a lecture to a Saturday without batting an eye, when the university expects 50 hours of work a week from full-time students, and reports are assigned on a Thursday and due on the following Monday, I can’t help but wonder if the expectations are not skewed. At one of the tours for new students, the guide explained that near finals, it’s not uncommon to stay at the university for days and sleep by your books instead of heading home.

Grades in Singapore are given out according to a Bell curve model; that is, the professor fits the scores after the test to a Bell curve, meaning the highest grades are harder to obtain if the average student did well. This might sound reasonable, but as a result you have people achieving the highest grade, A+, all semester only to end up with a lower mark due to not putting in the same insane amount of effort as some classmates. In a culture where grades mean a great deal, this can be very stressful. While grades are not listed publicly, some professors I have come across make a point out of publicly calling out those doing poorly.

Getting out into the workforce does not let you catch your breath, either. As of 2017’s statistics, average Singaporeans have the longest working hours in the world. Annual leave is set at a minimum of 7 days, with only 35% of companies allowing more than 14 days. As a working single mother, you receive less benefits than your married counterpart due to the government seeking to promote having children in marriages. If you have the ill fortune of becoming unemployed, the benefits are very limited - there are no direct aids in the case of unemployment, but you may receive some help due to the lack of income. Many see this as a positive thing, since the line of reasoning is that you will not lose your job if you work hard enough, and they cannot sustain non-productive citizens, as a Singaporean friend put it.

On a more positive note, mental illness seems to be taken seriously. Among all of the events taking place day and night at NUS, many are directed at mental well-being. The health centre invites you to visit them if you need someone to talk to, coun-

selling is available without cost and the University Health Center repeatedly offers seminars on stress management. Talking about issues and making services well known is a good step to help people deal with pressure. However, if there is an issue of unrealistic expectations, the solution should go beyond the individual. Encouraging a healthy balance is a university-wide, if not country-wide, issue that I believe NUS is aware of, and hopefully Singapore will be able to continue its success without sacrificing the well-being of the population.

WORDS AND PHOTO Isabel Vrethed Tidekrans

National University of Singapore, Singapore Holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering Physics Currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Wireless, Photonics and Space Engineering isabelt@student.chalmers.se

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ELECTROMOBILITY FOR SMART LOGISTICS How to meet an increasing demand in a mega-city The last time Tokyo hosted the Olympic Games was in 1964. It was the first year the games were broadcasted on TV by geo-stationary satellite, and the first year Judo became an Olympic sport. Since then the population of Tokyo has grown to nearly four times the size, compared to that of of 1964. Today, approximately 39 million people live in the metropolitan mega-city, making it the largest and most densely populated city in the world. Just like in other parts of the world, internet retail has rapidly increased the need for smart logistics solutions in Japan. Meanwhile, an aging population in combination with an economic boom leads to a shortage in the workforce.

Japan must find creative solutions to solve the issue. This article will discuss how electromobility can play a key role in the solution.

In preparation for the Olympic games in Tokyo in 1964, many large infrastructure projects were installed. At that time the city had an opportunity to rebuild a lot of what had been destroyed during the World War II, and the infrastructure was reinforced to handle the visiting crowds. For example, the famous Shinkansen Bullet trains are remnants of the last Olympic games. Since then, Japan, and Tokyo have become synonyms with efficiency and high-tech logistics solutions.

Today the city is facing new challenges as the already strained rapid rail system caters to 40 million travelers daily. Furthermore, transportations of goods such as fresh food, garbage recycling and delivery of retail goods is no easy task in the densely populated city with narrow streets.

The public transportation system in Tokyo is only running between 5 AM and 1 AM. The reason is to allow time for maintenance and to keep the noise level down in the residential areas. This in turn leads to traffic congestion during rush hours, 32

since both commuters and deliveries have to share the roads and railroads at the same time.

During the 2020 summer Olympic games in Tokyo another 15 million people are expected to visit the mega-city. This will put further strain on the logistics, but it is also an opportunity to show the world a progressive solution. One of the proposed solutions to avoid congestion in the mega-city during the Olympic games is to increase the use of autonomous electric vehicles. The Olympic partner and automotive manufacturer, Toyota, is developing several vehicles to be introduced during the games. Autonomous electric pods will transport the athletes around the Olympic village, and electric buses will reinforce the transport system in the city. A benefit to using electric vehicles will be the possibility to utilize the hours during the nights for transports. Since electric vehicles are generally very quiet, it would be possible for traffic to run even during the hours when the Tokyoites get their sleep. Another benefit is that the local air quality will not be affected by emissions.

The fact that most electric vehicles have a smaller cargo capacity than conventional vehicles is often considered an issue in the debate regarding electromobility. However, in Tokyo the streets are often narrow, making large size trucks difficult to manage.

For example, the network of convenience stores in the city require small but frequent deliveries, making electric vehicles a well-suited option.

Autonomy is another important aspect. The current economic boom, in combination with a declining and aging population, means very few young Japanese people are interested in a career within the transport sector. Autonomous vehicles would be a suitable option to solve this problem and enable deliveries to be made both daytime and nighttime, despite the shortage in the workforce.

The logistics demands for the future will be a tough challenge for Tokyo. The approaching Olympic games will be an opportunity for the country to prove that they are able to solve this difficult task. The possibility to utilize electric vehicles, combined with the technology of autonomous driving, could possibly be a solution to release some of the strain from the system. If successful, the Olympic Games can leave a legacy of smart logistics for the future and prove that Japan is still a force to be taken into account concerning technological development and efficient logistics.

WORDS AND PHOTO Tove Mannheimer

The University of Tokyo, Tokyo Holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Industrial Engineering and Management Currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Supply Chain Management tovema@student.chalmers.se

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Preparing for extreme weather

In September last year Hong Kong found itself in the path of typhoon Mangkhut. Winds of 170 km/h forced the inhabitants to take shelter in their high-rise homes. Despite widespread destruction of property, no fatalities were reported in the 7.4 million city. To suffer a storm of this degree is not an unfamiliar situation for the Hong Kong residents. Most recently, typhoons of similar strength affected Hong Kong in 2017 and 2012, while less severe tropical storms occur every summer.

The Hong Kong Observatory is the government department responsible for monitoring the weather and issuing weather related warnings to the public. To inform the public of present conditions, a warning system has been devised, consisting of five different signals, numbered 1, 3, 8, 9 and 10. When a warning signal is issued it is made clear to both locals and visitors. Information is displayed in public areas and broadcast on television, as well as being available in the observatory’s mobile app.

Signal 1 is a standby signal. It is sent out when a tropical storm is expected in Hong Kong and re-

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minds the residents to stay updated on its status.

The storm can be days from passing over Hong Kong, if it does at all. This warning is still important for certain groups; if the storm is expected to be severe, dock workers need an early start in securing stacks of containers. Together with local universities the cargo companies have found that the safest way to store empty containers is in the middle of a stack with full containers, and this reorganization takes time.

Signal No. 3 is issued when sustained winds of 40-60 km/h can be expected. Certain places like outdoor swimming pools may close and residents are advised to not participate in any activities at sea. In preparation of the storm, inhabitants make sure they have not left any properties un-fastened outdoors, and construction workers makes sure that temporary scaffolds are either taken down or secured.

Preparations on a large scale only start if the observatory declares that there is a risk of higher warnings. Should Signal No. 8 be hoisted (requiring sustained winds of over 60km/h), all public

transport halts and non-critical places of work shut down. Classes are cancelled and exams rescheduled.

My preparations for Mangkhut were thankfully limited to going to the on-campus supermarket before the good brands of instant noodles ran out, but for the maintenance staff at HKUST it was a few days of hard work. During the typhoon, every piece of outdoor furniture was tied down and every large window had tape on in a cross shape.

Supposedly the tape makes windows less likely to shatter.

Typhoon Mangkhut was sufficiently strong for the observatory to issue signals 9 and 10 (sustained wind speed of 120 km/h being the necessary condition for the latter). It marked the sixteenth time since 1946 that signal 10 had been in effect. During the same period there have been 83 storms issuing signal 8, while signal 3 is raised several times per year. Mangkhut was also one of the longest lasting typhoons with signal 10 being in effect for 10 hours and signals 8 and above for over 28 hours. During this time, more than 150 millimetres of rain fell and the sea level rose about two metres. In total there were over 60000 fallen trees.

More than 600 bus routes could not resume services the day after since many roads were blocked. A lot of rubbish and many smaller boats were blown ashore.

The HKUST campus had its share of fallen trees and a part of the road at the shorefront was

destroyed by the waves, closing off the basketball courts. Classes were cancelled the day following the typhoon because the bus routes to HKUST were suspended, which gave staff a chance to clear the campus. Many elevators in indoors areas open to the outside were flooded and had to be repaired, which made it a hassle to get around for a few days. In the following weeks volunteers helped clean the beaches near the university.

Overall, Hong Kong fared better during typhoon Mangkhut than other countries in Southeast Asia. This is attributed to proper buildings which can withstand typhoon-force winds and regular supervision of slopes, preventing deadly landslides, together with a high level of preparedness by the general population and an early warning system by the Hong Kong Observatory.

WORDS AND PHOTOS Jakub Fojt

The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong Holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering Physics Currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Applied Physics fojt@student.chalmers.se

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SINGAPORE’S LAWS A guide to keep you out of JAIL

When speaking about what you can and cannot do in Singapore, Swedish people most generally refer to the fact that chewing gum is prohibited.

After arriving in Singapore, I realized that there are several laws and regulations that are very unusual from a Swedish point of view. This article intends to share, what in my opinion are, the most startling ones and to inform about the penalty for the offence in question.

WORDS Fredrik Malmström

Nanyang Technological University, Singapore Holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Industrial Engineering Currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Management of Economics and Innovation

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fremalm@student.chalmers.se

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Appearing naked in public is illegal, even in your own home - It might seem reasonable that you are not allowed to walk naked in the street.

Hower, what caught my attention is that the police are allowed to enter your house and arrest you if you wear inappropriate or no clothes close to your apartment window. Almost every apartment in our condo complex has curtains covering the windows and considering the fine in question, you can understand why.

Penalty for offence – Fined up to SG$2000 and/or 3 months in jail

Feeding the monkeys – One tourist attraction in Singapore is the Tree-Top-Walk, which is a very beautiful place worth a visit. Be aware though, there are monkeys in the area. Although the monkeys themselves are quite harmless, do not feed them. This can be an expensive affair and an undesirable way of extending your Singapore stay.

Penalty for offence – Fined up to SG$50000 and/or jail

Strict drug laws, even for drugs not consumed in Singapore – To be caught with drugs is considered a very serious offence in Singapore and can be penalized with such a severe penalty as death. What is also remarkable is that the authorities in Singapore can force you to undergo a drug test, and if found positive, you can be penalized according to Singapore law.

Penalty for offence – Differs depending on criminal history but usually time in jail

Not flushing the toilet – Singapore has several public toilets, especially in or close to the MRT (metro). Since cleanliness is something the Singaporeans take very seriously they of course have a law punishing people that does not flush the toilet. How do they look this up then? That part is unclear, but some internet research implies that random checks may occur. Use the flush to avoid the risk.

Penalty for offence - SG$150

Riding to fast on your kick bike – Riding your kick bike is a big thing in Singapore but you need to keep track of what speed you are travelling at. If your speed exceeds 15 km/h on footpaths or 25 km/h on shared paths you can get into serious trouble.

Penalty for offence – Fined up to SG$2000 and/or 6 months in jail

Men are not allowed to be intimate with each other – This is for me, maybe the most absurd law in Singapore. If you are a man, you are not allowed to have an intimate relationship with another man according to law.

What makes this even more strange is that this law does not apply upon women.

Penalty for offence – Differs depending upon verdict

Borrowing other people’s Wi-Fi – As a European tourist, you might have become used to roaming freely when going across borders in Europe. Although, when arriving in Singapore you should remember turning the roaming off to avoid eating noodles for the rest of the year. Being addicted to internet, you would probably relish upon every Wi-Fi connection you can get your hands on. Keep in mind though that this alternative could make a high roaming bill seem attractive.

Penalty for offence - SG$10000 and/or 3 years in jail 37

How learning differs between Swedish and Chinese universities Chalmers and Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU) are not only located in two different countries, but two different continents as well. Despite similar subject areas being taught at both institutions, cultural differences and other influences has led to a teaching and learning culture that is vastly different. The globalized world of today has certainly brought the teaching practices closer , but in this article, I will examine the differences that last until today.

Two months into my studies here have proven to give plenty of time to reflect on my experiences regarding the differences between the universities.

One of the first differences noted is the sheer size of the SJTU campus, roughly 2,5 km by 1,5 km. In other words, forget about walking between classes. Biking is absolutely necessary. With Shanghai being the largest city in the world, the differences between the two cities are in an even bigger proportion. Most students live on campus, which itself is like a small city with several school cafeterias, shops, and sporting facilities. The superficial differences are plenty and easy to spot, but in this article I will bypass these and instead focus on the

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differences that are experienced inside the classroom. As I cannot be considered an objective voice on the matter, I made sure to interview a Chinese student who has completed an exchange semester at KTH to hear his story as well. I also interviewed another exchange student from Chalmers at SJTU. One interesting conflicting point brought up by both students were positive and negative parts about the structure. The Chinese student felt that the courses in China are better structured, while the Swedish student felt the opposite. The Chinese student motivated this reasoning by explaining that it is difficult to understand how well you are performing during the courses in Sweden. In SJTU,

you continuously receive assignments and homework, often after every lecture. These make up a large part of your grade. Meanwhile in Sweden, the homeworks, often called labs, are only necessary to pass a course. At the same time, the Swedish student felt that it was not very clear in China how the grade was made up. Further, the Swedish student pointed out that it all seemed slightly random and not a lot of information was given in the first lecture. In several of the Chinese courses we both take, no feedback or grade is returned after completing the assignments. Therefore, we had the opposite feeling of having no idea whether our work was up to par or not. Additionally, since previous years’ exam papers are not made available at SJTU, it is equally hard to judge the difficulty of an upcoming exam.

In Chalmers, there is generally a very clear structure of courses running for 2 months with an exam period at the end of it. The vast majority of the courses have the same number of credits, 7.5 ECTS. In SJTU, courses not only make up a varying number of credits, they also start and end on different dates. For semester-long courses, there is usually a midterm which often affects the grade as much as the final examination.. While we do have “duggor” at Chalmers, which are like quizzes, they are much rarer and usually do not have any major impact on the final grade. This varying structure of the courses at SJTU, led to a feeling of never having a “break”. The midterms can run over several weeks and, for some students, the midterms were written during the same period as the final exams of other courses.

Several international students also complain about how theoretical courses at SJTU are. There seems to be a stronger focus on mathematics in China, and an aim of preparing students for a career in academia. However, the Chinese student did not fully agree with this statement. According to him, neither university was too practical or too theoretical. When asked about which system prepares one better for a career in academia in comparison to a career in industry, the Chinese student insisted on that both KTH and SJTU was able to prepare him for either career path.

From this article one can see some of the differences between the education systems in Sweden and China, however, it must be mentioned that they are in general very similar, especially in terms of rigour. One can be assured to receive an adequate education from both Chalmers and SJTU. As such, there is absolutely nothing to miss from completing an an exchange semester or two. Rather, I feel that it is something that everyone should take the chance to experience if the opportunity is given and doing so at SJTU is a good option!

WORDS AND PHOTO Petros Debesay

Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai Holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Information Technology Currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Complex Adaptive Systems petrosd@student.chalmers.se

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MEET JINA KIM Insights of entrepreneurship in South Korea

During my stay in Seoul, I got in contact with Jina Kim, an entrepreneur who decided to start her own business.

She is the CEO of a small but expanding business selling health and vegan products. I was curious about what the situations was like to do a startup in Korea, a country known for big corporations, harsh working hours and a strict hierarchical business climate.

“I’m a positive person so I have never been afraid of being a failure or having to work through difficulties.”

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What inspired you to start your own business?

I started my business 8 years ago because I wanted to be a helpful person in this world by doing what I could to improve it. Actually 15 years ago, my mom got diagnosed with cancer and I realized how important it is to keep healthy. Fortunately, my mom recovered from the disease, but I became passionate about health issues since then. I enjoy sharing the things I learn about health topics with my friends and family. It became my motivation to do business in the health area.

What do you think of running your own business instead of having a traditional job?

By starting my own business, not only can I have more options in my life but I can also influence more people to live healthy compared to a traditional job. By being successful in my business, I can influence more people, which is a great motivation. I’m a positive person so I have never been afraid of being a failure or having to work through difficulties. When faced with struggles, I feel my business become stronger and greater than before.

Is there any Korean or Asian startup that has inspired you?

One inspiring company is a Korean startup called Rael. The company sells organic women’s sanitary pad and it became a great success in US market because they caught a great need that American women want to buy organic, non-toxic sanitary pad. The company was started by three Korean women 2 years ago and has reached a revenue of 3 million USD since then. They have gotten a lot of investments and is valued at 100 million USD.

Were there any resources there for you to aid your startup?

There are many government agencies that are encouraging and helping young people to do startups in South Korea through financial packages and policies. There are also many individual investment funds and office renting companies catering to startups but I still think the startup scene in South Korea is behind Silicon Valley and China.

About 7~8 years ago when I started my business, the trend for young people to do startups was taking off. I got a seed money investment from an individual investor which helped me develop my business.

How is the Korean startup scene compared to the traditional Korean work culture?

Usually, startups are trying to break the traditional work culture. To deliver new things to the market we have to be different from the old, big companies in the industries. Old conventional companies tend to be very slow, top-to-bottom work process based on strong Korean culture of senior-junior relationship. Current Korean startups are usually very active, quick on ceasing business opportunities, open-minded and out of the old senior-junior relationship culture framework.

WORDS AND PHOTOS Gustav Erhardsson

Seoul National University, Seoul Holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Industrial Design Engineering Currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Industrial Design Engineering guserh@student.chalmers.se

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Contrasts in Hong Kong

If you google pictures of Hong Kong you are likely to see picture after picture of tremendous skyscrapers. When going to Hong Kong this was what I expected.

After digging deeper into the city I have realized it has so much more to offer. Hong Kong is the place of contrasts and diversity. It is the city where British and Chinese culture are intertwined, where big mountains surround the skyscrapers, and where both city life and paradise islands exist.

Central is a part of Hong Kong placed at the Hong Kong island. Here you can find high end brand stores, fancy hotels and the breath-taking skyscrapers. In this part of Hong Kong, you can clearly see the western impact of the city and you will constantly get hints of the British colonial era.

These hints will show you both British buildings as well as the red double-decker buses.

From Central you can ride the subway eleven minutes to Mongkok, placed at the mainland of Hong Kong. When exiting the subway in Mongkok you will get the feeling of being in a completely different city, maybe even country. Unlike central, Mongkok is a part of Hong Kong where you will see the cultural influences from Asia. The area contains busy markets, Chinese shopping streets, delicious street food and buildings covered in colourful neon signs.

Victoria Peak is one of the places in Hong Kong

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where you can clearly see the striking contrasts in this unique city. From the peak you will get a great view of not only the skyscrapers but also to nature and mountains surrounding them. Hong Kong is full of places showing you these kinds of contrasts.

The beautiful nature provides the city with astonishing hikes taking you to everything from hidden beaches to waterfalls and sights like Big Buddha.

The small size of Hong Kong brings a big part of the available hiking routes and nature close to the city centre and the contrasting skyscrapers. If you for example walk down from Victoria Peak, you are able to move from the mountains and the beautiful woods to the city centre within 30 minutes of downhill walking.

Thanks to the huge contrasts and the small distances you can do several different things during a day in Hong Kong. Let me bring you on one of these days through an imaginary journey.

Your day will start in the crowded Mongkok, here you will try the famous pineapple bun as your breakfast and have a quick look at the Chinese surroundings. From Mongkok you will take the subway, or the MTR as we say in Hong Kong, to a hike in Sai Kung. Unfortunately it is rush hour, but on the other hand, experiencing rush hour in the most populated area in the most populated country is something you also should experience.

Thanks to the well developed subway system the MTR runs smoothly and just within a few minutes you are on your way to Sai Kung.

When arriving at Sai Kung you will walk one of the many trails leading to the beach. The hike offers beautiful views over the ocean and the mountains. When you finally reach the beach you find out that it is possible to surf there. After renting a board and surfing for an hour you want to explore the nature further and you end up finding a beautiful waterfall with jumpable cliffs. After some exciting cliff jumping it is time to have lunch and to hike back. When finishing the trail it feels good to let your legs rest and let the public transport take you back to Mongkok.

After an eventful start of the day you now have time to get ready for the night activities. In the evening you go to a district called Jordan, placed next to Mongkok. Here you experience the Chinese Temple Street Night Market and eat some traditional Chinese food, Dim Sum. You continue

your evening by going to the highest located bar in the world, Ozone. The bar invites to a stunning view of the skyscrapers in central and triggers your lust of exploring them in closer detail. You decide to take the star ferry to Central. The ferry gives you a great view of the skyline and from the ferry you can see the light show held at the harbour every evening. When arriving you are finally able to walk among the tall skyscrapers until you reach the trendy and chic Soho packed with great bars. Here you can get some of the best cocktails in town and after a few drinks you end up at the Lan Kwai Fong(LKF), one of the hotspots for Hong Kong’s nightlife.

The contrasts of Hong Kong have given you a great adventure. Not only have you seen the typical pictures of skyscrapers in real life, thanks to the contrast you have also been able to hike through the beautiful nature, see a mix of Chinese and British culture, surf on the beach and enjoy Hong Kong’s nightlife, what a day!

WORDS AND PHOTO Agnes Karlsson

City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Industrial Engineering and Management Currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Management and Economics of Innovation kagnes@student.chalmers.se

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E-commerce in China through the eyes of a Swedish IT student

Due to the Internet censorship, many Chinese tech companies have been allowed to dominate the domestic market without competition from foreign tech giants. The result is effectively an Internet ecosystem parallel to the rest of the world, with e-commerce being no exception.

The Alibaba corporation accounts for 60% of two dominating payment apps Alipay (by Alibaba) china’s e-commerce revenue, primarily through and WeChat Pay are accepted everywhere, from their two interconnected stores Taobao and Tmall. e-commerce to coffee machines, paying rent and Alibaba doesn’t actually sell anything in the stores buying groceries. In comparison, Swish launched themselves. Instead, these are platforms where support for e-commerce just recently and the opsmall businesses (Taobao) and larger businesses tion is accepted only by some of the larger stores.

(Tmall) sell their products. Even the large west- The penetration of mobile payment in China is reern corporations such as H&M and Zara sell at ally striking; in order to function in the chinese soTmall. It’s questionable whether allowing a single ciety we had to sign up for a chinese bank account, company to dominate online shopping is a good just to gain access to the mobile payment apps. idea, but as an exchange student with limited Mobile payment is very convenient and I look chinese capabilities, it’s forward to the day Swish surely convenient to orbecomes as commonly der everything from the used, both online and same place, since just offline, as the payment Singles day 31 Billion USD making my way through apps are here. However, Black Friday: 5 Billion USD a chinese-only store and Sweden should also get writing my address in Cyber Monday: 6 Billion USD a honorable mention for Chinese takes some eftheir use of invoice payfort. ments, through smooth Online shopping in China is characterized by solutions like Klarna, which is something I have a single experience; a single unified shopping cart, not yet discovered in China. a single payment, but delivered as multiple parYour online orders are shipped to a pick-up cels – one per seller. It’s strange to order a few very point, just like in Sweden. However, the parcels are cheap items and receive a parcel for each of them, delivered every single day of the week and many normally with free shipping. I’m still not sure how larger sellers offer same-day delivery. Delivery trithe math adds up, but my teacher in e-business cycles are seen everywhere, cleverly bypassing the credits the big income differences between rural congested streets during rush hour. The pick-up and metropolitan areas, leading to cheap labour point on my campus are basically shelves protectcosts for the less qualified jobs, delivery men in- ed by a roof with no walls, as well as a fenced outcluded. door area for the larger parcels. Luckily it seldom The payment system in China deserves an en- rains this time of the year and I’m curious to see tire article on its own, but in short, mobile payments what happens when it does. It’s an organized chaos dominate and credit cards are rarely accepted. The with a steady stream of students and an estimated

ONLINE SALES

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30 workers serving them.

To pick up your parcel you simply show your SMS code to the worker behind the fence and he will disappear to find your parcel. Interestingly, you do not need to show any ID and he will just throw the parcel to you over the fence. It’s a weird experience, compared to the well organized pickup points in Sweden. While I do not wish for the swedish system to become all this chaotic, we should at least have weekend deliveries.

“Less is more” does not apply in China. As an IT student within Interaction Design the chinese interface design is both interesting and extremely strange. We are often taught to reduce clutter to make the user focus on the most important part, but here it’s the opposite. Apps look like colorful games, with products being displayed everywhere and pop-up offers appearing regularly. If I would find a website or app in Sweden that looked anything like the chinese, I would not trust it with my bank card details, but somehow this is the way the chinese like it, don’t ask me why.

Singles’ Day is another interesting phenomenon in chinese e-commerce. While it is not as well known as Black Friday abroad, it is in fact the world’s biggest online sale by revenue, held on the date of 11/11. In 2018 Alibaba alone had a total of 31 billion USD in sales volume in the 24-hour period, which is more than twice the combined Black Friday ($5B) and Cyber Monday ($6B)

online sales in the US. The date symbolizes four lonely single persons and the original idea was to celebrate all the lonely hearts, but has since turned into a shopping festival and rebranded as “Global Shopping Festival”.

Singles’ Day is the capitalist peak season in a historically communist society. The event tells you a lot about the new generation, which seems a lot more alike westerners in terms of consumption. At the time of writing, I just got a sense of the scale after seeing the pick-up point in the days following the event. Parcels were everywhere and lots of people in line to pick them up. I can just testify that the chinese truly indulge in a shopping frenzy.

Sweden has a great reputation for being at the forefront of IT, but after spending some time in China it becomes evident that we lag behind in some areas. I will certainly miss China next time I have to type my card number or when I have to wait until after the weekend for PostNord to deliver my parcel.

WORDS AND PHOTO Jesper Lindstrom Tsinghua University, Beijing

Holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Information Technology Currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Interaction Design jeslinds@student.chalmers.se

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Buying ice-cream or throwing garbage?

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Beethoven’s iconic sound Für Elise is playing loudly on the streets of Taiwan. A sure indication that it is time to grab your garbage. At the same time, in Sweden, a blue truck is passing by, playing the well-known ice-cream truck tune. The melody strongly correlates with buying ice-cream in the same way as Beethoven is associated with garbage disposal in Taiwan. How did Beethoven become the poster boy for recycling on this island?

A rapid economic growth as well as population growth have caused increasing amounts of waste in the country. The infrastructure and the citizens have had a hard time to keep up with the development, which has resulted in huge amounts of illegal dumping and landfill areas. Formerly known as the Garbage Island, Taiwan has been through a waste transformation of great scale in recent years. Fed up citizens demanded change and in the late nineties, protests and government actions led to the formation of the Waste Disposal Act. On paper, the recipe was simple: greater producer responsibility and pay as you dispose, combined with extensive public education. The waste management system set out to create a positive spiral in which the revenues from the collection fees created further opportunities impacting the system.

Over the last decades the system has resulted in a dramatic rise in recycling and a vast decline in waste production. In the capital of Taiwan, the per capita garbage generation decreased with just over thirty percent from the late nineties to the year 2015. In the same period of time recycling rates progressed in a similar fashion when moving from merely two percent up to over fifty percent. These figures make Taiwan a global leader in recycling, setting an example for countries fighting the same issues as the Garbage Island did in the past.

So how does recycling and waste reduction work in Taiwan? Taiwan’s garbage system is, unlike the Swedish one, not a traditional pick-up service.

The rare waste management system consists of yellow trucks regularly visiting cities and neighborhoods to collect trash in a process which involves the majority of the population. When hearing the iconic sound of the truck people grab their well sorted garbage and take it out to the street.

On the street, an extensive sorting takes place, where the trash is divided into three different categories: general trash, food waste and recycling.

Further, the recycling items are divided into thirteen (!) sub-categories. The encounter with the

garbage truck is not solely an obligation, it is also an opportunity for people to meet and get a chance to exchange some words with their neighbors. The sense of community also brings the concept of public shame, since you do not want to risk being pointed out as a careless citizen who fails to recycle.

The whereabouts of the trucks can be traced to connected users by mobile apps, which can also alert the users when approaching their position. Each individual is responsible for her own consumption and the system creates a transparent glimpse into the waste produced by each consumer. For general waste, certain garbage bags are mandatory and can be bought in convenience stores. Meanwhile, recycling is free of charge, which creates an incentive for the Taiwanese people to sort their garbage carefully and minimize their amount of waste.

To avoid the problem with people evading the costs of their waste by throwing it in public areas, waste bins are rarely found in Taiwan - a fact that could result in filthy streets and inadequate recycling. However, rather than throwing the waste produced during a day out in the open, Taiwanese people have grown into a habit of bringing it home with them. Yet, the system is not completely self-propelled. There are government regulations and surveillance in place to catch offenders. Most commonly a warning is issued, but repeated faults can result in video footage being posted to the public in order to humiliate the offender. Violators also risk fines up to NT$ 2000 corresponding to roughly SEK 600.

It may sound like a complete success story, nevertheless consumption and waste generation in Taiwan is still problematically high. Hence, there is plenty of room for further improvements. Maybe it is time to stop buying ice-cream in disposable plastic covers and to start giving the waste dilemma the attention it really deserves.

WORDS AND PHOTO Karin Malmgren

National Chiao Tung University, Taiwan Holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Industrial Engineering and Management Currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Supply Chain Management karin.malmgren@chalmers.se

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SINGAPORE The worlds most expensive city for car ownership

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Thinking of buying a new car? Lucky you’re not living in Singapore. If you wish to drive a Swedish car, you can go for the Volvo V40, which will cost about 1 000 000 SEK. Maybe you need a larger car which can fit the entire family? The Volvo XC90 may then be a better choice. It can become yours for 2 500 000 SEK, five times its price in Sweden. Those who don’t feel comfortable spending their entire income buying a car can decide to go for a budget car, like a Toyota Vios.

The cars you will be able to find will cost no less than 700 000 SEK. On top of all that, car owners will still have to pay for fuel, insurance, service etc.

As you may understand, it’s a big deal to buy a car here in Singapore, only a fraction of the Singaporeans are wealthy enough to buy one.

Singapore has roughly 5.6 million citizens. If they were to have the same amount of cars per residents as in Sweden, the streets would have been clogged with 3,4 million cars. Not a problem if it wasn’t for the fact that the land area of Singapore is 622 times smaller than that of Sweden. Luckily, the number of cars is currently capped at 580 000 vehicles, but apart from that, car ownership has also been made very expensive.

So how does the pricing model work? The market price of the car is subject to registration and license fees resulting in a car price many times higher compared to that of most other countries in the world. The base price, the so called Open Market Value is the same as everywhere else, and like everywhere else it’s subject to a tax, in Singapore corresponding 27 %. The buyer also need to pay a registration fee which is 100% of the base price.

However, it all gets better. If the car costs more than S$ 20 000 (S$ 10 000 = 68 000 SEK) you will have to pay 150 % of the exceeding proportion and 180% for the proportion of the base price exceeding S$ 50 000. In order to be allowed to drive the car you have bought, you also need an operating license, known as a Certificate of Entitlement. The cost for one of those is about S$ 30 000 but may change depending on supply and demand and the size of the engine. The COE price reached a peak in 2013 when a license cost nearly S$ 100 000.

There are some good news too! Rebates up to S$ 20 000 are offered for those buying environmentally friendly, low-emission cars. If you sell your car before 10 years have passed, you get back a proportional share of what you have paid in registration fees and licenses. 10 years? Yes after 10 years, car owners need to extend the operating li-

cense in order to still be able to drive the car. Only one renewal is possible since the car is expected to be exported or scrapped after this period of time.

For those taking a look around in Singapore, old cars cannot be spotted.

Singapore has invested a lot in public transports, making them efficient and affordable. Singapore has the most efficient public transportation system in Southeast Asia, or maybe in the world.

The Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) covers all densely populated regions of Singapore. Where you can’t find a MRT station, there is always a bus stop which can take you to the closest MRT station.

Departures are frequent throughout the whole day. Not to forget is also that Singapore is a small country seen from its area. When I leave my apartment for the airport, a cab ride of approximately 30 minutes, I cross the whole country. The longest distance you can travel in Singapore is if you are going from the west to the east, a distance of about 44 km.

So how does this affect Singapore and its citizens? I can imagine for families going to the grocery store, not having access to a car can sometimes be a challenge. Luckily, Singapore is a small country which makes transportation easy. The pros are many, inner city roads can be nearly empty during daytime, quite astonishing for a multi-million citizen city like Singapore. The air quality is also kept high due to decreased pollution. I have visited several neighbouring countries and none of them offer better air than Singapore. I think and believe that many large cities need to take Singapore as a prime example of how to the design the city transportation infrastructure. If you visit Singapore, which I think you should, don’t forget to take a ride with the MRT. It’s considered as the number one tourist attraction in Singapore according to TripAdvisor!

WORDS AND PHOTO Chrisopher Westberg

Nanyang Technological University, Singapore Holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Industrial Engineering and Management Currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Quality and Operations Management chrwestb@student.chalmers.se

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The Hong Kong housing crisis Many cities in the world are considered very expensive to live in, but none as much as Hong Kong. Property prices are the highest in the world, with the average price of a 40 square meter flat being almost 12 000 000 HKD, or 1 500 000 USD. When considering the median income of the people living in the city, the housing in Hong Kong is by far the least affordable in the world, and has been ranked as such for eight years straight. Currently, the housing in Hong Kong is almost twice as unaffordable as the second least affordable city.

The median cost of buying an apartment in Hong Kong is staggeringly 19.4 times higher than the median gross income of a household. This means that a household making 300 000 HKD a year would be looking for an apartment costing 5 820 000 HKD. The soaring prices of the Hong Kong housing market have led to people having to resort to desperate measures to afford a place to live. One of the most common ways to make housing more affordable is splitting apartments into several smaller apartments by putting up dividing walls.

The spaces being divided are ordinary apartments, meaning that these subdivided flats are tiny, usually between 7 and 13 square meters, while housing on average 2.3 people. This is an area smaller than the size of an average parking space. The residents of these tight spaces most of the time share both bathroom and kitchen with their neighbours, putting a strain on the social situation as well as promoting poor sanitary conditions. A recent report has revealed that these subdivided flats house more than 200 000 people in Hong Kong, with each apartment costing between 3 000 and 6 500 HKD.

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While these subdivided flats cramp people together in tiny areas, it is not the most extreme form of housing to occur in Hong Kong. Tens of thousands of people in Hong Kong live in so called cage homes. These can cost between 1 800 and 2 400 HKD per month, and are on average two meters long and one meter wide, with a height of about one meter. Hence, the cage homes basically fit nothing more than a bed. They are stacked upon each other to make room for as many people as humanly possible, and instead of walls the spaces are divided by metal bars. Not too different from a very cramped hostel dormitory, but with the difference that you need to keep all your belongings with you in your cage.

In many cities where housing prices are very high, like for example in New York, the reason is mainly the lack of space to build on. However, while Hong Kong has a lot of very densely built urban areas, most of the regions land area is vegetated, contrary to what most people imagine when thinking about Hong Kong. In fact, approximately 78 percent of the area in Hong Kong is green.

Some of that is mountainous or in other ways unfit for urbanization, but certainly not all of it. So what is the reason for the high property prices?

Hong Kong is one of the world’s freest economies, a lot thanks to the very low taxes on companies and its citizens. In order to keep the taxes at such low levels, the government has had to find a different source of revenue to fund the city. This source is land sales. In Hong Kong, the government owns all the land, and it leases this land out to developers, with the contract going to the highest bidder. Money derived from land sales amount to around 25 percent of the government’s total revenue. Because of this, it is in the interest of the government and the many companies operating here to keep the revenue from land sales as high as possible, meaning that plots of land sell for astronomically high figures. This of course drives up the prices for apartments in these buildings, which is part of the explanation for the high living costs, to the grief of the people living here.

The other major reason for the insane price tags of housing in Hong Kong is due to government policies. Only 6.5 percent of the area in Hong Kong is zoned for high density residential build-

ings, meaning that developers are not allowed to construct housing despite the desperate need for it. Hence, the demand is so much higher than the supply, and prices are driven up even higher.

Activists have been urging the government to do something about the process of land sales and the policies of high density residential areas. Reforms are necessary in order to manage the skyhigh housing costs of Hong Kong. But as long as the government puts market interests in front of the well-being of the people, prices are only projected to increase even more, and citizens of Hong Kong will have to cramp into ever smaller spaces.

WORDS AND PHOTO Viktor Olsson

Nanyang Technological University, Singapore Holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering Physics Currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Complex Adaptive Systems vikolss@student.chalmers.se

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Everyone is a hypebeast Tokyo, a city versatile enough to have it all, and accommodate your every need. Location often decides what you’ll see and experience during a day. If you’re looking for kitchenware, go to Kappabashi (合羽羽 橋), or ”kitchen town”, close to Asakusa. For electronics, one should visit Akihabara (秋葉原), also known as ”electronics town” instead. In other words, in Tokyo there’s a district for every possible need.

The same rule can be applied to fashion as well.

The primary areas for fashion are all located on the first part of the Ginza line, starting at Shibuya and heading in the direction towards Asakusa. Luckily the districts are closely knit - they are all within walking distance from each other.

I take the Ginza line from Shibuya (渋谷谷) every weekday, which is the oldest subway line in Asia. It has become part of my daily routine, in the same way that I pass by 7-Eleven for coffee before walking to campus. In Japan it’s frowned upon to drink while traveling - I have to wait the entire

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train ride before I can get my dose of caffeine. Although, taking the Ginza line during rush hour can almost cause hypertension.

In order to get to the University of Tokyo, Hongo campus, I have to change subway line twice, first to the Ginza line, and then to the Namboku line.

The surroundings changes quickly in this city.

The closer you get to the Todai-mae station (東大 大前 駅), which literally stands for ’in front of The University of Tokyo’, the younger the crowd gets.

The number of Champion sweatshirts, Anello and Manhattan Portage bags increases.

After living in Tokyo for awhile you start to notice things about people. You can easily identify at which stop people will get off the train, based on what they wear. Are they taking the Namboku line, heading towards the Hongo campus and the outskirts of the city? Or going towards the busiest parts of the city, which where the Ginza line operates.

The Ginza line is often so crowded that I have to get into the train backwards, carrying my backpack in front of me in order to even be able to squeeze into the car. During the morning rush hour, everyone still manage to look impeccable, sometimes even while sleeping. The majority of the crowd is wearing custom-made two pieces while carrying Saint Laurent bags, of course styled in a Japanese fashion. If it wasn’t so crowded I would stick out like a sore thumb.

Japanese are in general a very fashionable kind of people. You can easily notice that they care about their looks and how they dress. When riding the subway it can sometimes feel like everyone is a hypebeast. A hypebeast is known as a person who is devoted to acquiring fashionable items, especially clothing and shoes, often of the limited-edition kind.

Stop number two, Omote-sando (表参道), and four, Aoyama-itchome (⻘青山山一一丁 目目), are part of some of the more fashionable districts in Tokyo. Starting at Shibuya, one could easily do a so-called fashion ”tour”, moving from low-end to high-end.

Shibuya is the kettle pot for shopping and tourism in Tokyo. The area mainly accommodates

more mainstream, or more low-end brands such as H&M, Uniqlo and Zara. Billboards shine at least as bright here as they do at Times Square. Mini buses are often driving around in the area promoting bands, or the latest iPhone. Shibuya Crossing is rumoured to be the heart of Tokyo, constantly buzzing with activity, no matter the current weather or season.

I prefer a slightly calmer shopping experience, which is why I usually direct myself more towards Cat street. This is just a short walk from Shibuya station. Closer to the Cat street neighborhood the buildings are lower, and the number of neon signs decreases notably. Cat street mainly offers streetwear brands. A lot of nordic design can also be found in the area, for example Fjällräven and Marimekko.

Sneakers can be found in the direction of Harajuku (原宿). This is also where the most popular Supreme store is located. During the weekends, the amount of Supreme pieces seen on Cat street, would easily outnumber what you’d see during an entire year in Gothenburg. The brand is extremely popular in Japan. The idea of being seen spending money and the idea of being seen wearing the things you’ve bought is a common phenomenon in Japan. It creates a rather eclectic scene when it comes to retail and consumerism.

Dozens of street style photographers and film teams are circulating the neighborhood around Cat street. Gucci tracksuits and Balenciaga sneakers can be seen on everyone, everywhere. This is the epitome of fashion and streetwear in Tokyo.

Cat street ends with the Opening Ceremony flagship store, containing brands such as Marni, Kenzo and Rodarte. They carry their own assortment of accessories and gadgets. A few years ago they also had a small division under the Lumine mall in Shinjuku. I still keep an O.C. mug as a souvenir. The store is originally of American origin, but branched out to Japan ten years ago. It speaks well with the crowd of both Cat street, and Omotesando.

In the backdrop of Cat street lies the big Omote-sando road. Stop number two on the Ginza line. The boulevard showcases numerous high end flagship stores. Individual stores are designed by prominent architects, such as Tadao Ando, Toyo Ito and SANAA. Next to Omote-sando, the Aoyama district is located. Besides Omote-sando, Ginza and Aoyama is where you find the designer flagship stores. Aoyama is not a business district in the same manner as Ginza. It is notably less crowded than Omote-sando, which makes it a very walkable area. Even though Aoyama is a wealthy neighborhood, it doesn’t solely carry exclusive high-end fashion. Domestic brands such as Frapbois and Tsumori Chisato are located here but also Swedish brands such as COS and Acne studios. Admittedly, these brands would be far more inexpensive in Scandinavia.

At Aoyama-itchome I get back on the train towards Hongo. I’ve had enough of impressions for the day. The constant stream of people has died down a little now. The amount of oxygen in the subway car increases again. Maybe it’s because it’s past rush hour. Maybe because the train is moving further away from the areas of consumerism.

I change to the Namboku line at Tameike-sanno (溜溜池山山王). When the train arrives, the subway car is only half full. I know a lot of people will get off at the following station. If I’m lucky I might even get a seat.

WORDS AND PHOTO Freja Krogh-Andersen

The University of Tokyo, Tokyo Holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Architecture Currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Architecture and Urban Design kfreja@student.chalmers.se

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Shanghai A dynamic megacity From a small fishing village to a dynamic megacity, a lot has happened in Shanghai’s history. What affected this change and how did modern Shanghai end up being a dynamic megacity?

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During the 19th century, British, French and Americans claimed parts of Shanghai as a result of the treaty in Nanking after the first Opium war. In this way Shanghai was forced to open up towards the world. These territories had their own laws and were independent of Chinese rules. From this colonial presence, each nation brought their own culture and architecture. Today, the remains of the concessions still exist in Shanghai, greatly impacting the appearance of the modern city.

One definition of a dynamic city is how well the city can embrace a technology change and absorb rapid population growth. Even though the population has grown largely the last couple of decades, the living space in the city never seems to be a problem. There is never a question if you can find an apartment in Shanghai, even in the city centre. The problem however, can be to find one within your standard. Chinese people, mostly the elderly, are good at using free space in the streets, parks and other public areas. A lot of activities are going on in those places, such as board games and tai chi.

The last decades, Shanghai has grown rapidly to become a modern city with some of the highest skyscrapers in the world, and today it’s one of the major financial centres in Asia. Meanwhile, you can see a lot of side streets where time seems to have stood still throughout the city. It is a fascinating city in many ways!

Another definition of a dynamic city is an energetic, active and excitable city. Personally, I would define Shanghai as a never sleeping and never-ending city. Someone once told me “It’s always Saturday in Shanghai” and I definitely agree.

No matter what day or time it is, you can always find something to do that suits your taste. Regardless, if it is to stroll around the streets of a cozy neighbourhood, listen to live music in a park or take a drink on one of Shanghai’s many rooftop bars, you will always find something to do. Shanghai has a very active nightlife with loads of good bars and clubs. For western people there are loads of promoter clubs where you can get free entrance and sometimes free drinks, mainly to have a more international appearance in their clubs.

Hungry in Shanghai? No worries! There are plenty of grocery shops, restaurants and street food places everywhere around here! If you don’t

want to leave your apartment or if your favourite restaurant is too far away, you can always order online, and you will have a scooter driver knocking on your door in no time.

To own your own business in China is very common. It could be anything from a restaurant or fruit shop to selling movies and clothes, and these businesses are very easy to find. The best part is that there is plenty to choose from.

Shanghai’s metro system is very complex and enables you to go anywhere in the city. The best part of it is the easy accessibility and efficient transportation throughout the city. Four words to describe the metro system is safe, fast, clean and easy. However the rush hours are crowded to say the least. If you prefer a more comfortable way of traveling, taxis and Didi’s (China’s Uber) are not hard to find and are easy to use.

What I love about Shanghai is the fact that it is a modern Chinese city influenced by western culture. This makes it a very special city with a lot of choices, both when it comes to food as well as experience. No matter what you like, you will never have a dull moment in Shanghai. Even though the people in some areas only know some words in English or don’t speak it at all, it is usually easy to use your body language or a translation app to understand each other. Underneath the sometimes hard surface, Chinese people are very kind and helpful.

WORDS AND PHOTO Linnéa Widroth Tongji University, Shanghai

Holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering Currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Production Engineering linwid@student.chalmers.se

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AN UNFORGETTABLE EXPERIENCE at The Hong Kong University of Science And Technology Located on the beautiful peninsula of Clear Water Bay, The Hong Kong University of Science And Technology (HKUST) is an international university consistently ranking among the highest in asia. Classrooms, laboratories and libraries in excellent quality, in addition to a wide variety of athletic and recreational facilities, contribute to create a rich campus full of opportunities.

With over 14000 other students, whereas over a third of them are non-local students as well, my exchange at HKUST has made me feel part of a big international community. The university also hosts a diverse set of majors that students are pursuing, including but not limited to science, engineering, business, management and the humanities. As an Engineering Physics student, I find this study environment very stimulating.

Even though being in the land of the skyscrapers, and less than a 30 minutes drive from central Hong Kong, the location of the university is like an 56

oasis. Green forests and clear blue water covers the view from the hillside waterfront complex. Even though the distance to the city is not trivial, the campus provides more then the basic necessities.

There is a host of canteens and restaurants, a bookstore, a hair salon and a supermarket. Further, there are indoor and outdoor swimming pools, tennis and squash courts, an athletic field with a modern running track and sports halls offering a vast range of other sports. All this creates a feeling of a city within the campus! also offers local activities Although, one must of course not forget about the city itself. Thankfully the highly developed and sophisticated transport network of Hong Kong makes getting around very convenient.

The campus residence halls provides housing for the students, which also creates a good social environment to get acquainted with people. I live in Hall 1, the oldest hall but also the one furthest up on the hill and closest to the academic facilities.

I share a room together with my cheerful roommate Andrew Fung, a local student studying computer science. Andrew has a very good grasp of the english language, something many other students I have acquainted share. I will say this is not the case for most locals in Hong Kong, even though the professors teach in English and are very proficient.

Apart from being an aspiring data scientist, Andrew also participates in the extensive supply of clubs and various programmes offered by the university, both technical and socially oriented for developing soft skills as well as more recreational ones. The study-environment at HKUST appears more competitive then what I am used to at home, and people seem very attentive. This is something my roommate Andrew also has pointed out, saying he has gotten the impression many students here are high-achievers. We do, however, both agree that there are plenty of resources at your disposal since both academic and private help can be if needed.

The cost of living are rather low seen from a European standpoint, at least if compared with the prices in my home city of Gothenburg in Sweden.

Accommodation on campus is offered at a low price and food is especially cheap if you stick to the campus. Campus offers a wide range of different foods and you will probably find something you like even if you’re not a fan of the local cuisine.

A good advice for a potential visitor is to bring

sufficient clothing since the weather in Hong Kong varies quite a lot throughout the year. During my exchange on the the autumn semester, the weather is mostly sunny and dry, and offering a temperature of 30 degrees Celsius. It does however get colder in the winter, though the lowest point will probably not below 14 degrees Celsius. air condition that tends to make the indoors environment suitable for long shirts and pants even during the hot autumn months, which was something I personally did not account for. In contrast the monsoon season starts in late spring, and the summer can apparently become very hot and humid.

All in all Hong Kong offers an incredible experience for anyone brave enough to take the chance, and HKUST provides a platform for an extraordinary academic as well as personal experience.

WORDS Wilhelm Tranheden

The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong Holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering Physics Currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Complex Adaptive Systems wiltra@student.chalmers.se

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5 PLACES EVERY FOODIE IN SINGAPORE HAS TO EXPERIENCE Singapore is a city of many cultures. Chinese, Malay, Indian and Indonesian are only some of the different ethnic groups populating the city.

This is of course also reflected in their cuisine. As a result, Singapore has a vast variety of exciting foods.

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One of the hidden gems in this jungle of restaurants, food courts and Hawker centers is the socalled “Satay Street”. When the clock strikes 7.00 pm, Boon Tat Street, located in the very heart of Singapore’s financial district, is transformed from a busy street into a culinary phenomenon. The street is shut down with blockades and around 20 different stalls and countless tables are put up in the middle of the road. In the fog from the 20 barbecues you can enjoy chicken-, beef- and prawn satay and beer for a very reasonable price. The food you will get here is some of the best street food in Singapore and a pint is only 5.50 SGD, or 36 SEK, so what’s not to like?

Price: $$ Singapore’s famous Chinatown is a charming part of the city that attracts a lot of people, both tourists and local Singaporeans. Strolling in the midst of the many shops, restaurants, temples and bars you can really feel Singapore’s Chinese heritage. Amongst the many restaurants, serving different kinds of Chinese food, you can find what is believed to be the cheapest restaurant ever awarded a star in the Guide Michelin. At Hawker Chan Soya Sauce Chicken Rice and Noodle, you can have the Singaporeans favorite dish, Chicken Rice, for only 3.80 SGD, or around 25 SEK. The restaurant started out as a humble Hawker stall and is now world famous for its marinated chicken- and pork dishes.

Price: $ Another, less famous neighborhood, blessed with great food culture, is the Holland Village.

The street of Lor Mambong offers a wide variety of different types of food. Walking along this street you can choose between Mexican, Italian, Japanese, Chinese, Indian and many other types of food. Additionally, there are several pubs, sport bars and nightclubs to persuade one into staying in the district throughout the night. Out of the the many restaurants, a personal recommendation is to try one of the two Mexican restaurants Cha Cha Cha or El Patio. Dining outside in the warm Singaporean night, you can enjoy Enchiladas, Nachos and Burritos without having to stretch your travel budget too much.

Price: $$$

Singapore’s fashionable neighborhood Kampong Glam is yet another district that contributes to the great variety of food cultures present in the city. There are numerous bars and restaurants, in different price categories, located in the narrow streets of Kampong Glam. One of the most famous of these narrow walking streets is called Haji Lane. Here, you can enjoy all kinds of food in a vibrant and exciting environment. The atmosphere in which you find yourself is really the main reason for a you to visit Haji Lane. Seated at a table in the middle of the road, there are many street performers and singers providing exciting dinner entertainment. This is a place that you will not want to leave until long after dark and you will not be disappointed in choosing any of these fashionable restaurants. Although, a personal favorite is the Blu Jaz Café.

Price: $$$ The city of Singapore offers dining experiences at a great variety of price categories. You can have everything from a cheap noodle soup to a luxury multi-course experience. One restaurant that fits into the luxury segment is the Chinese restaurant Shisen Hanten. This restaurant, which was awarded with two stars in the Guide Michelin 2018, is located on the 35th floor of a skyscraper situated on the famous shopping street of Orchard Road.

At Shisen Hanten you can enjoy the very best the Chinese kitchen has to offer in their truly exceptional dining room. Of course, this restaurant falls in a price category that makes it impossible for ordinary people to eat here on a regular basis. However, compared to similar restaurants in Europe, the experience you will get here is actually good value for money. Two people can easily eat and drink for a total of less than 150 SGD, or 1000 SEK. Price: $$$$

WORDS AND PHOTOS Oscar Johansson

Nanyang Technological University, Singapore Holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Industrial Engineering and Management Currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Quality and Operations Management oscaj@student.chalmers.se

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INNOVATION & STARTUPS in Tokyo

Living in Tokyo is in many ways like living in the future. Technology is integrated into the inhabitants lives in ways that we are not used to in the west, it is for example not uncommon to be served by a robot when going to a restaurant. After the last world war, Japan has been pushing the boundaries for technological innovation. The development in the manufacturing industry has lead to Japan taking the role as one of the greatest economies in the world. Despite the economic success during the last decades, there has been a significant decline in Japan’s economic growth and at the same time the country is struggling with a rapidly declining population. So the question I set out to answer is the following: How does these factors affect the japanese entrepreneurs and how is the Startup scene looking in Tokyo?

During the last century the drive of innovation has shifted from large corporations to smaller companies that are mainly built around a single core technology: Startups. Japan’s economy has traditionally been increasing due to large corporations founded in the first half of the 20th century (Toyota, Hitachi, Panasonic etc.), and so, these companies have also been the main source of Japanese innovation. Combined with scepticism towards 60

ideas that are not originally from within the corporations, these factors have seemed to slow down the pace of innovation in the country while other countries have rose to the top in innovation and technology (USA, China, India, etc.).

While discussing this matter with one of my professors at The University of Tokyo, he told me about a shift in the japanese mentality towards innovation. Young people these days tend to have

a different mindset and are more geared towards innovation than the older generations. This could be an effect from having seen a few japanese entrepreneurs as role models during the last years.

At the same time the corporations are more willing to invest in smaller businesses and universities has implemented programs to stimulate Startups even further. The japanese government is also supporting innovation by deregulating the process of starting companies.

By zooming in on the Startup scene in Tokyo, you can find that the 50 biggest Startups, VCs and incubators are located in different areas of the city, but they are all confined to the city center. Three clusters can be spotted close to some of the most vibrant business districts in Tokyo: Shibuya, Roppongi and Tokyo station. If you look closer at the biggest Startups, software and biotech are the major industries.

The University of Tokyo launched a program a few years ago to promote innovation by enabling students and professors to turn their inventions into companies. They do this by providing different support activities like IP management support, consultation, marketing support and by connecting the Startups to external experts. The university has also started a Venture Capital firm that invests in Startups while providing them facilities for free.

At the same time, different innovation-oriented programs and courses are being provided to graduate students as well as undergraduates. I am myself attending a course called “Innovation and Entrepreneurship”, which is a topic that is quite normal to find in Swedish universities but is quite uncommon in Japan. One of the biggest Startups that has emerged from The University of Tokyo during the recent years is the pharmaceutical company PeptiDream, that had their initial public offering in 2013.

Universities tend to play a big role in stimulating innovation through Startups and I think that the investment that The University of Tokyo is doing right now is proving how the mindset towards innovation is changing in Japan. By living and studying in Tokyo my experience so far is that I have not really felt a great entrepreneurial drive from the people I have met (outside of the university). I have experienced a lot of bureaucracy on different levels of society. A lot of paper forms has to be signed for the government and offices whom has to be visited in order to live in specific areas.

You even need to take an orientation class to be

able to work out at the gym and you need a special permit to be able to use a bicycle on the campus.

From my point of view I think these kinds of barriers make the process harder to take an idea and actually transforming it into a business. In Sweden on the other hand, I think we have a system that promotes innovation in another way, while actually giving incentives to start your own business and pursue the development of our own ideas.

Innovation in Japan in general and in Tokyo particular is being transformed at this very moment. The change is occuring on different levels in society with key changes in: Despite the fact that innovation is an area that needs to be developed further in Japan, the Start-

• Young people’s mindset • Corporational attitudes • Governmental deregulations • The role of the universities up scene in Tokyo is quite big, with software and biotech being the leading industries. If the country can continue to evolve its Startup scene and utilize its vast technological knowledge, I believe that Japan can become one of the world’s leading innovators, with Tokyo at the front leading the way.

WORDS AND PHOTOS Jakob Dalenbäck

The University of Tokyo, Tokyo Holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Industrial Engineering and Management Currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Management and Economics of Innovation jakdal@student.chalmers.se

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IS SINGAPORE SUSTAINABLE?

Before I left Sweden for Singapore I really had no idea what to expect of the place that was supposed to be my new home for the next year. I had heard from people who had been there, that Singapore was this extremely clean and futuristic Asian country/city, located almost exactly on the equator. Apart from that, I really didn’t know much more. To get a better understanding of what I had gotten myself into, I started to read a lot about Singapore and what I noted was that Singapore often was described as this super eco-friendly city-state where nature and city are integrated. Whether or not this was true, I at least got the feeling that Singapore itself wanted to achieve this image. So when I landed in Singapore at the beginning of August I imagined that it would be this place where city and environment lived in harmony and where people 62

from all around the world lived together without polluting their surroundings.

After living here for almost four months now I would say that the image I had about Singapore has been kind of crushed. Of course, Singapore is a city where different cultures come together and it is very clean here compared to cities around the world and especially cities in Asia. But looking behind the facade you see that the image of Singapore being eco-friendly and sustainable isn’t as true as it may seem.

The first thing you meet when you land in Singapore is Changi airport. This place is all that you imagined it to be: clean, high tech and with a lot of nature integrated with the building. If you then go from Changi downtown to the central part of the city, you would be greeted with high

futuristic skyscrapers and streets where there is no dirt or thrash as far as you can see. So far, one can argue that Singapore confirms the image the many people have. But if you go just a few train stations outside the central parts you would be faced with a slightly different reality. If you look around you would see that the buildings start to look a lot more like high concrete blocks and the streets that were so clean before aren’t anymore. Of course it isn’t that strange that the central parts are nicer, but by seeing how the outside parts look like, you easily start to wonder if Singapore really is the place that people image it to be.

If you go back to the central parts of Singapore and look deeper into what you see before us, you realize that almost everything we see is artificial. Taking Marina Bay as an example, this whole area is made by reclamation of land, which is the process of creating landmass by filling up sea areas. Marina Bay isn’t the only place where this method has been used. In fact, Singapore has expanded its own landmass by 22% since 1965 by reclamation of land. Reclaiming land is of course not free from consequences, it has had a huge negative impact on marine life in the area and it’s just in recent years that effort to handle this problem has started. Extension of the land is not the only thing that Singapore has done to reshape the landscape. Since 1980, Singapore has lost 90 % of its forests, severely damaging the wildlife.

Singapore’s act of reshaping the landscape has not gone unnoticed by the rest of the world. Criticism against Singapore has been raised and as an

example, in 2010 it was ranked as the worst environmental offender among 179 countries by the National University of Singapore. Another list that Singapore has been ranked low on, which also is linked to sustainability, is the World Bank’s list of countries and how much alternative energy they use. This low rank comes from the fact that Singapore doesn’t have any own energy production and all of its energy is imported from their neighboured country Malaysia. This energy is often produced by burning natural gas which heavily contributes to pollution and global warming. When all of this came to my attention I really started to reconsider the image I had of Singapore.

Regardless of whether or not Singapore lives up to the image. One must nevertheless give Singapore credit for being on the forefront in many aspects when it comes to green-city thinking, and I think that its ambition to be this eco-friendly city is really important since it could make other cities move towards the same direction.

WORDS AND PHOTOS Daniel Forsström

Nanyang Technological University, Singapore Holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Industrial Engineering and Management Currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Management and Economics of Innovation danforss@student.chalmers.se

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Want to study in Asia?

CHALMERS INTERNATIONAL TAIWAN OFFICE Part of the Chalmers’ World Wide Programme

Over the recent decades the economies of East Asia have shown a remar-

kable development. China and Japan are two of the world’s largest econo-

mies and many more show great promise. The region is vibrant, interesting,

dynamic and somewhat challenging. Among those with a background in technical education professional contacts and cooperations with this region will continue to increase. Considering this, Chalmers has developed a uni-

que exchange programme, based in Taiwan, giving students an opportunity to study in and gain experience from these economies.

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The programme is called The Asia Programme and is located at the National

Chiao Tung University (NCTU). The university is among the foremost technical universities in Taiwan and is especially profiled towards electrical engineering

and information technology. However, in collaboration with the neighbouring National Tsing Hua University, the exchange programme covers all engineer-

ing programmes at Chalmers. Courses held in both English and Mandarin Chinese can be chosen.

Contents of The Asia Programme • Intensive course in Mandarin, 4 weeks in July to August at NCTU in Hsinchu, Taiwan • Full academic year of engineering or architectural studies at NCTU • Maintenance of the Chalmers International Taiwan Office at NCTU • Company visits throughout East Asia Students of Chalmers operate the Chalmers International Taiwan Office

(CITO). The operations of CITO include arranging events of representation for

Taiwanese students at NCTU as well as visiting companies and representing Chalmers throughout East Asia.

HOW TO APPLY FOR WORLD WIDE You apply for nomination to NCTU and all of the other universities in Asia through the MoveOn-portal before the 2:nd of December 2019. Attach a motivational cover letter in Swedish with your application. If you are student of Architecture

or Architecture and Technology you also need to submit an additional portfolio.

Choose two universities but do not forget to find courses that match you master programme and check these with the coordinator of your master programme.

Main Requirements for World Wide • You have reached your third year of studies at an engineering or architecture programme.

• You have the minimum grade point average of 3.7 credits.

• You have finished at least 60 hp by the first of December.

The selection of students to be nominated for the universities within the World Wide programme is based on the grade point average and study pace of the applying students. The motivational cover letter is used to distinguish between students with the same average grade. In February you are informed whether or not you have been nominated for a university. If you are not nom-

inated you still have a chance to study abroad by applying to the second selection for the universities that still have vacancies to fill.

Asia Magazine aims to be entertaining and informative regarding current topics of Asia as well as a source of inspiration for students curious about exchange studies. The magazine is a joint effort of Chalmers students in Asia.

Chalmers International Taiwan Office is the result of a bilateral exchange between Chalmers University of Technology and National Chiao Tung University in Taiwan.

The office is operated by Chalmers students and acts as a hub between Chalmers and East Asia.