ScandAsia China - February 2012 by Scandinavian Publishing Co., Ltd.

FEB 2012

China

Selling the Past to the Present

Remarkable Turn-Around page 14-15 ScandAsia.dk

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Welcome to

Stenhus Kostskole Stenhus Kostskole is an academic boarding school aiming to give the students elementary knowledge and skills which can contribute to develop every student’s capabilities and talent in the best possible way. Stenhus Kostskole offers among other things: • Chinese from 5th grade • German from 6th grade • Turbo classes from 9th grade • IT as an integral part of the different subjects by using the internet • An international 10th grade including two study tours • Single rooms with net connection • Ski tour, canoe tour, adventure tour, Stenhus-Games etc. • Admission of students to attend Stenhus Gymnasium Please visit our website: www.stenhus.dk www.stenhus-kostskole.dk www.stenhus-gym.dk

Stenhus Kostskole, Stenhusvej 20, 4300 Holbæk + 45 5943 0269 E-mail:admin@stenhus.dk

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Coming Events

Your FREE ScandAsia Magazine in China ScandAsia is the only magazine that covers all the Danish, Finnish, Norwegian, and Swedish residents in China.

DCCC Gala Ball Date: 25 February 2012 Location: Sofitel Wanda Beijing Hotel Danish Chamber of Commerce in China invites members and spouses to The Annual Gala Ball which will take place at Sofitel Wanda Beijing Hotel on 25 February 2012. This year the theme is “Danish Chinese Colorful Charity” so the dress code should be colorful gala. The invited band is Alphabeat and Finn Norbygaard will be the MC. The net proceeds will be donated to the “Coming Home” project under Morning Tears Organization. For registration, please sign-up to mail@dccc.com.cn.

We also publish a ScandAsia magazine in Thailand, Singapore and the rest of South East Asia.

Please sign up for your own FREE copy: www.scandasia.com Publisher : Scandinavian Publishing Co., Ltd. 211 Soi Prasert Manukit 29 Prasert Manukit Road Chorakae Bua, Lad Prao Bangkok 10230, Thailand Tel. +66 2 943 7166-8, Fax: +66 2 943 7169 E-mail: news@scandasia.com

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Born of two cultures, French and Haitian, the young pianist Ms Célimène Daudet plays with an enormous tonal and dynamic range and charming French refinement. Performing internationally in Algeria, Canada, England, Europe, Russia and the USA, Daudet is well received from critics and audiences alike. She will perform in China on 1-17 March 2012. On March 11, she will be in Beijing performing at National Centre for the Performing Arts. Ticket reservation please contact at office@wupromotion.com.

Date: 6 March 2012 How many Swedish book do you have? Would you like to read a new one? This is a good chance to swap books with other Swedes in Hong Kong. Bring your old books and also enjoy coffee together. Interested? Then please contact Swedish Women’s Educational Association in Hong Kong at sweahkpg@yahoo.com.

Advertising : Finn Balslev finn@scandmedia.com

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Date: 1-17 March 2012

Book Swop Event

Editor-in-Chief : Gregers A.W. Møller gregers@scandmedia.com

Piyanan Kalikanon piyanan@scandmedia.com

Célimène Daudet Concert Pianist

Dance of the Seven Veils Date: 17 March 2012, 19:30 hrs Location: Shanghai Concert Hall Enjoy Strauss’s work “Dance of the Seven Veils” performed by the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra. Conductor will be Xincao Li. Richard Strauss was an avant-gardist at the advent of the 20th Century, but later when everyone else was fighting against tradition, he returned to ear-pleasing operas with pastoral court settings. Salomé, his first opera, adapted from Oscar Wilde’s biblical play, is notorious for its eroticism, epitomized in the “Dance of the Seven Veils.” More information, please visit www.classictic.com.

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ScandAsia News Brief

Danish PM wished Chinese a Happy New Year

anish Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt on Sunday wished all Chinese a happy and prosperous Chinese New Year, and looked forward to even closer ties between Denmark and China. “On the occasion of the Chinese New Year, it is my pleasure to extend my warmest greetings to all Chinese in China and Denmark,” Thorning-Schmidt said in a statement. “It is my firm intention to bring the Danish-Chinese relationship and cooperation a big step forward,” she added. The statement was read out by Heidi Wang, member of Copenhagen City Council, at a Chinese New Year gala event for the Chinese community in Copenhagen on Sunday. Thorning-Schmidt noted that 2011, the Year of the Rabbit, was an important year for Sino-Danish relations, which celebrated both the centenary of modern China after the revolution in 1911 and the year when ThorningSchmidt’s center-left coalition government took power following a general election in September. Denmark’s Social Democratic Party, of which Thorning-Schmidt is the Chairman, has traditionally enjoyed good relations with China. Moreover, Thorning-Schmidt warmly hosted Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi during Yang’s visit to Copenhagen in October 2011, when a number of issues on strategic and economic importance were discussed. While Denmark and China have enjoyed 62 years of warm diplomatic ties, Thorning-Schmidt said she wanted to deepen bilateral relations in the Year of the Dragon, which is the traditional Chinese symbol of good luck, prosperity and power. “It is therefore with great confidence and expectations that I look forward to the year of the Dragon,” she added. These bilateral relations are likely to be even more important when Europe and Denmark are facing economic challenges, while China’s economy continues to grow at a healthy pace. Copenhagen’s Chinese cummunity celebrated the arrival of the dragon year with traditional dragon dances in front of the City Hall and at the gala event organized by local Chinese associations.

6 ScandAsia.China • February 2012

Finland-Based Marimekko to Open 15 outlets in China, Hong Kong

arimekko of Finland has signed a partnership agreement with Hong Kong-based Sidefame to open 15 Marimekko stores in China and Hong Kong by the end of 2016. The stores to open will be owned by Sidefame and their location, visual aspects and local marketing will be closely in line with Marimekko’s policy. The first store will be opened in Hong Kong this year and the next in Shanghai as soon as suitable store premises are found. The stores will follow the concept of other new Marimekko shops featuring all of Marimekko’s product lines and the best possible locations will be sought for them. Sidefame will have exclusive rights to import and retail Marimekko products in China and Hong Kong. Marimekko will, however, retain rights to ecommerce. Marimekko has 22 stores in Japan and South Korea, while Sidefame operates 79 stores in China and Hong Kong for different brands, such as Furla, 45R, Anteprima and Atsuro Tayama. Sidefame, which is part of the Fenix Group, specializes in retailing a range of fashion and lifestyle brands. The retailer was the first to bring Italian fashion brand Prada to Hong Kong.

Danish Companies Bring Production Jobs Back Home

ome Danish companies’ off shoring production are now turning back to Denmark, according to the online paper cphpost.dk. With the rising Chinese wages, many manufacturing jobs are likely to be brought back home while many companies continue to offshore manufacturing jobs in search of savings on labour and raw materials, a small but noteworthy countertrend has begun both here in Denmark and abroad. A number of Danish companies have discovered that manufacturing overseas is not the moneymaker they expected it to be and are now bringing production back home. Copenhagen Business School associate professor Peter D. Ørberg Jensen confirmed the observation as he said wages are rising especially in the southeast part of China. This trend was also noted in the US, where companies as Caterpillar, NCR Corporation and Ford have pulled production back to the US.

Vasaloppet Cross-Country China Celebrates 10th Anniversary

he 10th anniversary of Vasaloppet China, which occurred on Jan 2, attracted more than 50,000 participants to the annual cross-country ski race in the northeastern province of Jilin, the most in its 10-year history in China. Gavert Waag, a sports event organizer who brought the event from Sweden to China in 2003, says he is confident he can help make China one of the world’s largest markets for cross-country ski races. Vasaloppet, an annual race that had 65,000 participants in Sweden in 2010, is the oldest and one of the biggest cross-country ski races in the world. The event dates back to 1922 in Sweden and was held in honor of Swedish King Gustav Vasa, who skied to Norway to seek support in the 1520s for a rebellion against an attempted takeover by Denmark. Waag, the founder and president of Nordic Ways, a company dedicated to promoting Nordic countries’ sports in China, has seen a growing popularity of Vasaloppet China in the past 10 years.

The 52.5-km ski race in Changchun, capital of Jilin province, attracted 750 participants in 2003. The number of participants has exceeded 50,000 this year, 1,000 of whom are from foreign countries. “More and more Chinese are pursuing a healthy lifestyle and the growing economy of China makes sure they have the time and the money to do that. There is no problem that Vasaloppet China will be as big as the one (that) takes place in Sweden,” says Waag, who made China the fourth country in the world to hold Vasaloppet after Sweden, the United States and Japan. The Swede, who is in his 60s, first went to Changchun in 2002 to choose a site for an annual orienteering event organized by his company. Waag, who has finished the 90-km Vasaloppet race in Sweden 17 times, immediately saw that Changchun and Sweden share a lot in common, such as the cold weather and pine forests, which make the city a perfect venue for crosscountry skiing.

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February 2012 • ScandAsia.China 7

Selling China of the H Beijing Postcards has been nominated Entrepreneurs of the Year by the Danish Chamber of Commerce in China. The two founders of the company, Simon Rom Gjerø and Lars Ulrik Thom, play an important part of keeping Chinese history alive with their lectures and unique and extensive collection of historical photographs. By Alexandra Leyton Espinoza

ow can you learn from past experiences if your memory is lost? For the Danish founders of Beijing Postcards, Simon Rom Gjerø and Lars Ulrik Thom it’s also about not getting lost in history without considering the present. According to Thom, Beijing didn’t do much for presenting itself as an attractive city to live and stay in when he first arrived in China in 1997 after traveling with his friend through the Trans- Siberian Railway. Instead it’s polluted air and its dirty roads and lakes were even worse than today. “What caught my interest was it’s immense transition, a city that was changing in different phases. And for good or bad the challenge of it made me continue my stay here,” he says. “If I compare China today with then, I would say the mindset of Chinese people have changed extremely. People then would speak to you and understand what you said but not understand what you meant. They didn’t have the notion of what was happening outside China, due to the fact the country had

been closed for so many years.”

Living in Western circles

He spent almost two years studying in China, not only in Beijing but also Kunming. “Once living in Beijing, you can easily get caught in foreign circles. That being said, I also find it extremely ridiculous that Westerners just live in what they call their “China moment” excluding everything Western,” Thom says. He later went back to Denmark to continue his University studies, Sinology, studying the Chinese Culture, history and language. “When I went back to Denmark, I found it was extremely hard to speak to people around me about China. People will ask but not necessarily listen to the China I experienced, many would have this fixed idea what China was and wanted me to just to confirm their theories,“ he says smiling. “The demonstrations in Tiannamen square had just happened a decade earlier and of course people were having negative views of China. I tried to explain that a society like China needed stability.’ “I don’t want to excuse what

When we show that picture to our Chinese audience, even if its a bit provocative, they find it interesting. And that’s what we want to accomplish with the pictures, not always a “Nirvana” moment but to help the audience modify their idea of history.

happened during this period, but I often found that democracy is how we distinguish the them and us. I am very proud of the Danish system but we shouldn’t become arrogant to others.” “In the wealthy societies it’s sometimes very hard to understand others notions, ways of life and people’s realities in other countries, to not listen is not making us any wiser.” The second time he came back to China he started working as a tourist guide and it was also here he meet with Simon Rom Gjerø, he was the tour leader and Thom his apprentice. Six years ago they decided to set up Beijing postcards, a bridge between today’s China and historical events in time. Gjerø had collected many pictures of old China, most of them taken by Westerners, missionaries, travellers etc. visual interpretations of China, such as photographs, prints and maps were mostly found abroad because they were originally taken, drawn or published by foreigners. 8 ScandAsia.China • February 2012

Past to the Present

Why you show the old stuff? “In the beginning it was very difficult for our Chinese customers to separate themselves from history. They would say, why do you have these old pictures, these is what Westerners think China is,” he says. “It was like they were humiliated by the pictures and even if I mentioned to them that Westerners don’t think this and that we are of course aware of their unprecedented growth economically. It was not until the Beijing Olympics, this attitude changed, “he says. From the beginning, the two Danes were only making postcards that were then sold to other shops in Beijing’s most touristic areas. He admits the duo didn’t have a super clear business plan. But soon realized that the pictures gave them a good tool to take history a bit further, to dig into it deeper. To not only tell a tale about Chinese history in a traditional way but also to get rid of some fixed ideas both Westerners and Chinese people have

about Chinese history, he explains. “The picture of Mao in Tiananmen Square is probably Chinas most important building. It’s a sign of power and identity. Many will instinctively believe that the picture has been in the same place since the establishment of the People’s republic of China in 1949. Well, it hasn’t! It used to be placed there only on the First of May and the First of October. It wasn’t until 1966 it stayed there permanently,” Thom says. “When we show that picture to our Chinese audience, even if its a bit provocative, they find it interesting. And that’s what we want to accomplish with the pictures, not always a “Nirvana” moment but to help the audience modify their idea of history,”

tures from, which often centre on the historic period between 1890 and the present today. “We can say we are history journalists, we interview professors, old Beijing residents and other experts in the field but also through intensive studies,”he says. The duo holds at least four to five lectures a month, for an audience of sometimes 80 people at a time. The lectures are often performed at Bookworms and Culture

centers, in English and Chinese. In the future they want to work with schools by publishing education material and hold lectures and expand their line of products. “A big goal for us this year is to publish our first book on Chinese history and to keep being the bridge between experts and common people. China is changing so fast, the past here is merely 30 years ago, we seek to provide the bridge to the past,“ he says.

Interviewing photographers To gain this information Thom and Gjerø actually meet the artist behind the picture and many others. That is how they get their knowledge behind many of the pictures they later hold their talks and lecFebruary 2012 • ScandAsia.China 9

Inviting the Chinese to Visit Sweden Nature and shopping. That’s what a visit to Sweden is mostly about for the Chinese, says Swedish Sara Wrammer. She is in charge of offering Sweden to the increasingly affluent Chinese travelers. By Alexandra Leyton Espinoza

I always want to do things differently, not to be like everyone else. So I knew quite early I wasn’t going to stay in Sweden My parents are the same, they used to have DIY pictures on the walls from their trips in Asia, they went for example to Bali long before people even had heard of its existence, they like adventures, so do I.

wedish born Sara Wramner has never been afraid on taking challenges. From singing in nightclubs in Chengdu, starting her own model agency and leading projects for Swedish companies like Ericsson, Oriflame and Ikea in China. Next on her schedule; promoting Sweden for the Chinese tourist market. One year on as the country manager in China for VisitSweden, a communications company owned equally by the Swedish Government (via Ministry of Enterprise, Energy and Communications) and the Swedish tourism industry, Wramner is happy with the increasing numbers of Chinese tourists visiting Sweden. “There’s been 30 percent more visitors last year than the previous year. For us that’s great. Chinese people spend the most money, more than any other tourists, even the Russians. Visiting Sweden for the Chinese is about two things, nature and shopping,” she says. But experiencing nature is not about surviving in the woods or camping near the lakes according to Chinese tastes. “Chinese tourists will take pictures of the beautiful forest, maybe pick a couple of blueberries to taste. That’s it. On the other hand they like creative experiences, like roof climbing that you can do in Stockholm. It’s very important for Chinese tourists to relate to their experiences abroad. So they can tell their friends and family back home. Otherwise is of no-interest,” she says. “For example The City Hall in Stockholm, with it’s three crowns as big as a SAAB auto mobile, is a huge attractions for Chinese tourists. They come to see the splendor the City Hall and of course to take pictures” she says.

10 ScandAsia.China • February 2012

Traditionally Chinese tourists visiting Sweden have been elderly business men or group tours due to strict visa regulations from the Chinese government. The rules changed last year, free independent travelers ( FIT) can easily apply for traveling visas. “Our focus is on FIT’s between the ages of 25 and 44, that have a good income and have already travelled to France and Italy and are now looking to travel someplace else, experience something different. This demographic are in Shanghai and Beijing, roughly 12 million people, and that’s enough to start working on, “Wramner says with a smile. According to Wramner there are three places Chinese tourists visits to experience nature outside of their homeland, Canada, New Zealand and Northern Europe. But only Northern Europe is recognized as real tourist destination. “Chinese people don’t view Canada as a tourist destination, more likely a place to emigrate and New Zealand is too far away. In that way we have an advantage, Sweden has a good reputation in China. It was one of the first countries to establish diplomatic relations with China and Jan-Ove Waldner is a high ranking and recognized table tennis champion, having beaten many leading Chinese players. Chinese people associate with these things, “she says. But to brand a country you need much more than that, together with the VisitSweden team of 2 in China, they focus hard on getting the Swedish brand recognized in China. This is where Chinese social media plays a important part in attracting young Chinese tourists. “Eighty percent of Chinese tourists make their destination decision based on what they read on the internet. We have 50 000

followers on Weibo(aka Twitter) which is not much in China, but still if they don’t find anything there, you don’t exist. Of course we still speak to travel agents as well. Wramner notices many small to medium Swedish companies expressing an interest in cooperating with VisitSweden. “I think it’s important to co-operate with local enterprise when branding a country like Sweden, it helps promote our country and business, especially in a growing market like China,” she says. VisitSweden is also about marketing the Swedish brand including Swedish fashion and design. The peak season for Chinese travelers is from March till October, unfortunately there has been limited interest in the northern Sweden, and not even the Ice Hotel in Jukkasjarvi has created great interest. “Chinese tourists are afraid to getting ill if they spend a night in the Ice Hotel. They will take pictures but stay someplace else. But the new generation of Chinese tourists

VISIT SWEDEN

isit Sweden is a communications company that works to promote the brand of Sweden and the Swedish destinations and experiences internationally. The organization prioritizes 12 foreign markets for the international marketing of Sweden. From VisitSweden’s foreign offices information is received on culture, trends, travel needs, accessibility, local lifestyle, local issues and perceptions of Sweden. Head office is in Stockholm. VisitSweden is half-owned by the Swedish state, through the Ministry of Enterprise, Energy and Communications, and half-owned by the Swedish tourism industry, through Svensk turism AB. Each owner appoints four directors to the VisitSweden board. Total turnover for VisitSweden for 2010 was 264 million Swedish Crowns.

are much bolder, so I believe this trend will change. We already see a huge interest in our tourists wanting to visit the Tree Hotel in Harads,” she says. But to brand Swedish food had been hard, a Chinese tourist eats on average one and a half Swedish meals when they visit Swede.. “Once again we can’t just serve Swedish local food, it has to be associated to something they know about, for example that the dish was served during the Nobel Prize dinner. Many of them like to eat traditional Chinese breakfast, especially rice porridge. Some hotels have made exceptions for our Chinese guests and made them porridge, she says. And Wranmer believes communication is the key for success with new tourists visiting your country. “Is not about cutting down on prices, I speak to agencies where they sell packages for 30,000 to 50,000 rmb. But then they also want that luxury, service and everything else to be very nouvo riche, and as

we know hotels in Sweden are either minimalist or historical, she says. “Not even Grand Hotel in Stockholm would be good enough. For example traditionally Chinese people like to have a water boiler in the hotel for their tea or instant noodles that they sometimes bring with them, they don’t like the floor to be cold and they speak very little English, if you don’t communicate and are non responsive to their suggestions, its doomed to fail, “she says. On the other hand, she recognizes that Chinese tourists are easy to charm. “Just the fact that I am 186 m tall, blond and speak Chinese fascinates them. We also demonstrate an interest in the Chinese market, that we are interested in their needs. This makes them proud and eager to help us, “she says. With the less restricted rules for FIT’s VisitSwedens biggest challenge is to get the word out to the Chinese people and help the Con-

sulates and Embassies with the visa burden. “The Chinese government do not promote tourism out side of China, so is up to us to spread the word. And also acknowledge how we can help the embassies and consulates dealing with an influx of Chinese visitors to Sweden,” she says. Wramner is indeed the right woman for the job. She has spent over18 years living in China working for Multinational Swedish companies, she is a “China old hand”. To think outside the box has always been her mantra. “I always want to do things differently, not to be like everyone else. So I knew quite early I wasn’t going to stay in Sweden My parents are the same, they used to have DIY pictures on the walls from their trips in Asia, they went for example to Bali long before people even had heard of its existence, they like adventures, so do I,” she says. She started studying Chinese in high school and after three years of

East Asian Studies at Stockholm’s University she arrived in China to start working for Ericsson, as their Expatriate manager, age 22. “I did my last year of studies in Chengdu, and when I first arrived I couldn’t understand what people said to me, and they couldn’t understand my Chinese, so I couldn’t find anyplace to change my travel checks for money. Since I had arrived one week before the start of the new school term, the school canteen was closed so I had to live on crackers and hot water for the first week. When I look back at that time, it was a great challenge for me, “she says. She also started her own modeling agency while studying which she later sold to a Chinese modeling agency. “I was modeling at the time, and thought why not! It was called Saras and very simple, most of the models were my foreign classmates. It went quite well, but once I got the job at Ericsson I couldn’t continue, so we sold it,” she says smiling.

February 2012 • ScandAsia.China 11

After her time in Ericsson, she was soon asked by a Chinese travel agency, Sunshine Express to help them set up their foreign consultancy office. “Deputy General Manager sounded quite fancy and since Ericsson wasn’t offering me a permanent contract I quit and started working for them. The business was initially completley unstructured and a real mess, I learned how to do business

12 ScandAsia.China • February 2012

in China from scratch, and even if it was hard, I am very happy I took that challenge,” she says. Later on she worked as the program Manager for the Australian Embassy, Product Market Manager for Ericsson, Marketing Manager of Ikea, China and Senior Project Manager for Oriflame before embarking on her latest project Country Manager for VisitSweden. “I would say that the biggest dif-

ference between todays Westerners and the ones who arrived in China when I first came are there attitudes, todays Westerners are more willing to make sacrifices. When I first arrived I met all these language teachers that had been living in Wuhan for two months and came to Beijing and wanted to have leading positions in Western companies. Today you have graduates from top universities that are willing to work for free, just to get the experience,” she says. “But of course you still have people who are totally unprepared for the realities of doing business in China. They blinding by financial opportunity, without developing an extensive business plan and the Swedish in particular are too credulous, tending to believe all the hype that surrounds Chinese economic success” she says. Wramner lives with her Chinese husband and two-year-old daughter in Beijing “I want to help VisitSweden increase the amount of tourist from China experience my beautiful homeland. My personal experiences living in China allows me to understand what a Chinese tourist wants and what they would specially want from Sweden. I don’t really know what I will do next, I do know that whatever I do, I always have one foot in China,” she says.

China’s Housing Sector Growth Continues sector of the country, base drivers, and the opportunities and challenges faced by the housing sector. The report also covers information about the key players in the industry and presents an overview of their business. Some of the key players covered in the report include China Vanke Co. Ltd, China Housing & Land Development Inc, Shanghai Construction Co. Ltd, Beijing Urban Construction Investment & Development Co. Ltd, and Long Yuan Construction Group Co. Ltd. While the Chinese publishing industry seems to be profitable, the publishing business cannot be too bad either. The “China Housing Sector Outlook 2013” report costs US$ 1000.00 for a Single User License with Electronic Access - which means a pdf file. If you want more people to read your copy, it costs 60 percent more. The company behind the report is RNCOS E-Services Pvt. Ltd. headquartered in India.

In recent years, Chinese housing sector has become a matter of concern due to extreme surge in the residential housing prices.

ousing prices have gone up enormously in the major cities of the country since 2010 with no downfall. Real estate has emerged as a significant investment instrument for the people in China. Despite the deepening economic gloom due to the sub-prime mortgage debacle and ensuing credit crunch, China’s housing sector remains on course with a double digit growth.

Up 13 percent in 2013 According to “China Housing Sector Outlook 2013” - an industry sector report from RNCOS E-Services, China’s residential property market is anticipated to grow at around 13% during 2012-2015. The report explains how the Chinese housing market was affected in the middle of 2008 due to the economic crisis, but the market recovered rapidly with government support. However, due to the gov-

ernment’s prompt response and strong demand (like savings ratio, and urbanization), the market recovered rapidly and resumed its growth path with a boom in housing sales in 2010. In addition to the projected double digit growth in 2012 - 2015, the sales will further rise with the government’s new measures to control the rising prices in the domestic realestate market. The new measures are laying more emphasis on promoting affordable housing in the country for the poor people and raising percentage of down payments for the first home buyers and ban of home loans for the third home buyers.

The report “China Housing Sector Outlook 2013”, gives thorough insight into each of the housing segments like affordable housing, luxury housing, and ordinary housing. Most importantly, the report also entails future outlook of the housing sector taking into consideration the effect of soaring prices in the housing

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February 2012 • ScandAsia.China 13

How TTA Turned Baconc Company Around Norwegian businessman Sigmund Stromme is a legend among Nordic businessmen in Vietnam. In 2009, Sigmund Stromme became the Chairman of the 15 year old fertilizer company Bacono. Last year, only two years later, the company produced a profit 242 percent above the performance the year he took over. In this article, Sigmund Stromme shares his strategy for successfully turning the company around. By Indius Pedersen

The Boss Sigmund Stromme Norwegian Chairman of Nordcham

aconco is today a fast growing fertilizer and crop care company in Vietnam, Since 2009, it has been chaired by the Norwegian businessman Mr. Sigmund Stromme. Last year, the company produced its best result ever, delivering a profit of THB 197.16 million or 242% above the performance in 2009. Baconco’s core business is the production and sales of NPK chemical fertilizers, including imports and sales of single fertilizers and crop care products viz. insecticides, pesticides, herbicides, and spraying fertilizers. Related businesses areas are warehousing, logistics and bagging of fertilizers for client companies. “Today, 70% of our income comes from NPK fertilizers, another 20% is from single fertilizers and crop care products, and the remaining 10% is from warehousing and logistics,” Sigmund Stromme explains.

First the staff

When Thoresen Thai Agencies Group took over and Sigmund Stromme came on board as the Chairman, Baconco had been for sale for several years. The company had been taking fairly large losses during the financial crisis and staff moral was very low. Something had to be done. “The first thing we did was to make an interview with managers and supervisors. Then we reorganized the company, re-assigning to suit skill sets and to increase responsibilities and accountability. All this made the work much more interesting,” Sigmund Stromme explains. “We then gathered up all the supervisors and staff for English lessons and organized leadership skill

esiding in Vietnam for 19 years, a shipping executive with more than 30 years working shipping industry. Worked for T.Klaveness Group, Oslo, Norway from 1980 to 1993. Arrived in Vietnam in 1993 and established Thoresen-Vinama Co - Joint Venture and currently holds the following positions: • Managing Director, Thoresen - Vinama Co Joint Venture Company, largest none container

14 ScandAsia.China • February 2012

ship agent in HCMC - Baria Vung Tau Area, active in Maritime Logistic for Offshore sector, forwarding/logistic/ warehousing as well as chartering/operation of Vietnamese vessels. • Chairman of the board of Thoresen-Vinama Logistic, 32.000m2 bonded warehouse complex in Phu My industrial zone. • Chairman of the Board of Baconco Co fertilizer company, 100% foreign invested company acquired by Thoresen in July 2009, 410 employees, producing 200.000 mts per year. • Board Member of Baria Serece Phu My Port J/S Co, where Thoresen acquired 20 % of the shares in 2010.

co Fertilizer sessions for department heads. We also provided a good health insurance for everyone. At the same time we established a transparent promotion, remuneration, and merit system, and were able to provide our employees with 2-3 months bonuses in the first profitable year.” “We have focused on development and growth of the company, giving the employees confidence in the future. Prior to this, our staff had no opportunity for training, nor were there any HR personnel looking after personnel development. All this we are doing for our staff, so that it can develop and grow with the Company.” A recent staff survey indicated that of the current 365 people working in the company, around 80 percent have been there for the past 8 years and the staff turnover rate remains below 1%.

More turn-around tools

“Baconco’s extraordinary sales and profits last year come from first of all from our employees. They are loyal and motivated, driving performance in the truest sense,” Sigmund Strommme modestly says. But several other factors have clearly also contributed to the higher profits. “We switched from leasing to owing the production machinery and at the same time we took over our own machinery maintenance and terminated third party contracts for such services,” Sigmund Stromme explains. “As for procurement, we have particularly focused on centralizing purchasing and inventory management, reducing raw material reserves from 4-5 months to less than

three weeks. The purchasing policy was changed to reflect more frequent but smaller volume purchase. Raw material sourcing has also been reoriented from 90% imported to 60% local sourcing. This sharply reduced previous high financial cost.” “Furthermore, our cash only policy also provides us with a stable cash buffer,” Sigmund Stromme adds.

Future growth

There are six large fertilizer producers in Vietnam, four of which are government owned. The remaining two, including Baconco, are foreign owned. Sigmund Stromme estimates Baconco’s market share to be currently 10 percent. Although the year 2011 was a year of high growth, Sigmund Stromme is confident there is room for great market growth in future. “Demand will remain strong as Vietnam is 2nd largest exporter of rice and coffee,” he says. “Baconco’s strength lies in the quality of our products,” Sigmund Stromme explains. “Baconco’s “Conco” brand is well known as good quality fertilizers and the farmers are willing to pay a premium for our products.” “Our fertilizers come in 60 formulations, meeting the individual needs of the farmers. Although the niche market is small, we have few competitors. Furthermore, we have a flexible production system that allows us to adapt our products to changes in market needs very quickly.” “Our strategy is to provide products that meet high standards, to continually innovate and provide new products, and to focus on niche market products to keep our competition at a minimum.

The Teams Factory:

310 workers, technicians, engineers and high rank managers

Administration:

30 financial, HR and general administration

Sales And Marketing:

50 sales engineers, sales administration and marketing

Haiphong Branch: 20 people

Great Party and Norwegian Colors Thoresen Vinama Logistic inaugurates a bonded warehouse near Phu My in the province of Baria Vung Tau near Ho Chi Minh City. By Indius Pedersen

horesen Vinama Logistic with its foreign shareholders Thoresen Thai Agencies, Elkem Chartering and Preco Norway as well as Japanese Maritime24, affirmed its desire to invest in Vietnam by inaugurating a 16,000 sqm warehouse near the deep sea port that has Thoresen Thai Agencies as co-owner. The new warehouse, built in record time, will in future be used to store 64,000 mtgs. cargo. And yet another warehouse is underway from the option of warehouses at Thoresen Vinama’s disposal. It all started when Thoresen Thai Agencies bought the thendeficit given Baconco Fertilizer Factory. The company then made a thumping deficit. In just two years, Thoresen Thai Agencies changed the scene. From a turnover of 197 million THB a tidy profit of just over five million was made - after taxes. No debt to the bank, and only bright prospect for the future. Behind all this is the daily management headed by Sigmund Stromme. Among several hundred participants he was the proud participant at the feast when the new warehouse in Phu My in the province of Baria

Vung Tau was inaugurated. “The good reputation we have established with our many clients is demonstrated by the fact that the new bonded warehouse facility, in which we are today, is in fact already filled up with cargo from the day of opening. The open storage is filled with steel oil from BP, and bulk cargo will arrive to fill up the new warehouses this evening, right after the opening ceremony is over. This only show that we want to continue investing in further projects here in Phu My,” Sigmund Stromme says. Sigmund Stromme stressed that all this had been no success if not the local authorities had been very cooperative. Both political and technical wise and from customs authorities. Through the entire process they have given us highly professional advice. It was party all day. First the opening ceremony followed by lunch. Then the inspection of Thoresen’s latest investment in the Baria Serece deep-sea port. The investment that was completed in 2010 has furnished Thoresen with a 20 percent of the share capital. Finally, there was a great celebration with dinner at the Grand Hotel in Vung Tau.

February 2012 • ScandAsia.China 15

Don’t Asian Women Suffer During Menopause?

Most women in the western world believe Asian women suffer less from the effects of menopause, says Danish author Hanne Jensen. Dr Michael J. Moreton, Bangkok Hospital Hua Hin, tends to agree. Having practised as a gynaecologist both in Beijing and Bangkok he believes Asian women have a different attitude to the issue. By Kirsty Turner

ike sex, menopause is a taboo subject in the Nordic countries. Not many people feel comfortable talking about it. When Hanne Jensen, Danish television journalist and writer, discovered that she suffered from menopause at the age of 39, she found getting information on the subject very difficult. Few of her peers had experienced the effects of the menopause at that time, and she felt depressed and went through a long period of depression. “In my job I am used to performing a lot of different tasks at the same time and making quick decisions. I remember how I suddenly felt unable to do this, it was very confusing and distressing.”

Hormone Replacement

Hanne finally went to see a doctor, who confirmed that she was going through the menopause. Because she was thin and a smoker, Hanne’s doctor prescribed Hormone Replacement Therapy, which she went through for seven years. However, Hanne was concerned about the risks of taking the hormones and finally decided that it was time to find a new approach to deal with the emotional and physical effects of the menopause. Hanne’s quest to find information on menopause has not been easy. “Nobody prepares women for the menopause in the same way that they do for their period. They simply pretend it doesn’t happen,” she said. “People associate getting the menopause with being old and useless

and try to turn their back on it so that they can pretend they are still young.” Hanne’s research into the menopause has led her to write a book, which is divided into two sections. One section focuses on the physical effects of the menopause, while the other focuses on the psychological effects. The book has generated a lot of interest in Denmark, and Hanne also leads several special seminars and discussion groups.

No problem in Asia?

One comment that Hanne often hears from women in Denmark is that Asian women seem to suffer less from the effects of menopause than women in the Western world. This sparked her interest and inspired her to travel to Thailand to discover if there is any truth behind this belief

Hanne Rolsted Jensen

Hanne Rolsted Jensen, 51 years Journalist, author and lecturer

as worked in television since 1989. This spring she will work as the editor of the program “Denmark coast to coast” on DR1 to be aired this summer on Denmark’s DR1 channel. Has written the book “Studieværterne” (The Television Hosts) together with reporter Irene Manteufel - about Jes Dorph Petersen, Michael Meyerheim, Soren Smoking,

16 ScandAsia.China • February 2012

Mik Schack and Cicely Frøkjær and their path to the host role and views on this role. Has also written the book “Hedeturen - rejsen til et andet sted” (Hot Flashes - journey to another place) about menopause. This book is currently being revised for publication in a 3rd edition. The book is published by Forlaget Radius, and is available as a book, audiobook and ebook.

and, if so, the possible reasons for this. Hanne met Dr. Michael J. Moreton at Bangkok Hospital in Hua Hin to discuss this with him. Dr. Moreton originally hails from Canada and spent several years living in the northern English city of Liverpool. Now in his 70s, Dr. Moreton has had a long and successful career as a gynaecologist and obstetrician. He developed a special interest in menopause in the 1980s, when there were big changes occurring in the way that the condition was thought about and treated. After completing his studies in England and Canada, Dr. Moreton spent five years working in a Beijing hospital, where he was perfectly positioned to observe the differences both in Eastern and Western medical care and the attitudes of the patients that he treated. Dr. Moreton now lives in Thailand, dividing his time between the large medical facility in Bangkok and its sister hospital in Hua Hin. Around 50% of the patients he currently treats are from Scandinavia and either live in Thailand permanently or have come here on holiday.

Or they complain less?

When asked whether women in Asia suffer less from the effects of the menopause than those in Europe, Dr. Moreton replies: “It’s hard to say from sure. This is mainly because Asian women

Menopause is an unavoidable change that every woman will experience, assuming she reaches middle age and beyond. Menopause has a wide starting range, but can usually be expected in the age range of 42–58 and signals the end of the fertile phase of a woman’s life. It is helpful if women are able to learn what to expect and what options are available to assist the transition. tend to complain less about medical conditions in general. There tends to be a lot more acceptance in Asia regarding medical conditions.” “Older people also get a lot more respect in Asia than they do in Europe,” he continues. “This means that conditions such as the menopause, which are a sign of aging among women, are less likely to feel like a burden to them.” Diet may also play a role in lessening the symptoms of the menopause in Asian countries. One thing that Dr . Moreton has observed regarding diet is that Asian people tend to eat a lot of tofu, which, he says, could maybe help to minimize the negative effects of the menopause.”

Difference in attitude

The doctor also highlights the fact that people from wealthier countries have more time to focus on themselves, both internally and externally. They pay more attention to what is happening to them personally, while many Asian people are simply concerned with living and surviving. It seems that when it comes to the menopause, as with so much else, the main difference between the East and West is attitude. Hanne Jensen agrees with this. “In Denmark, women try hard to fight against the effects of aging. We try to deny aging and push it away with surgery and special skin care products. Menopause is anoth-

er sign of aging and we try to turn our backs on it,” she says. “When a daughter in Denmark asks her mother about menopause, her mother simply answers; ‘yes, I had it.’ Subject closed.” Hanne describes menopause as a “new crisis of identity”, as women going through this transformation within themselves struggle to rediscover what they are capable of. She says that when women are going through the menopause it is “important to talk about it. Let your family know what is happening so they can support you.”

for each person, Hanne’s book contains a comprehensive list of possible symptoms to help women identify what is going on with their bodies. She also recommends that smokers quit smoking immediately and take up regular exercise, as this helps to boost hormone levels. As with many medical conditions, stress can act both as a trigger and to accelerate symptoms. It is best to avoid stress in our daily lives as much as possible and to learn techniques to reduce stress at times when it is possible to avoid going through a certain amount of stress.

Relationship issues

Busy TV editor

Hanne explains that this is particularly important when women are in a relationship. “Some women may find sex painful sometimes and turn away from their partners. However, without talking, the man in their life may think it is their fault and that they are not loved.” Although some women may find talking about sex and their feeling a bit difficult, it is important to learn to talk freely and open about what is happening both physically and emotionally.

More recommendations

Hanne recommends carefully examining your diet and eliminating foods that seems to trigger symptoms. Also the symptoms of menopause vary

Although Hanne often suffered severely from symptoms of menopause such as hot flashes, she has refused to simply give in. Now 51 years old, she is extremely active, and her career has gone from strength to strength. In fact, when she returns home from her travels in Thailand, Hanne will be working as chief editor on the high profile television programme Coast to Coast, which features some of the coolest coastal travel destinations in Denmark. Hanne also plans to continue spreading information on the menopause and empowering women to talk about their symptoms. Although more people are starting to talk about menopause in Denmark these days, there is still a long way to go before the taboo status of the subject is finally lifted.

Michael Joseph Moreton Born and raised in North of England - British and Canadian Citizenships Medical School - Liverpool • Worked 2 years in UK National Health Hospitals • Went to Canada for 2 year fellowship - stayed 32 years • Trained in Obstetrics and Gynecology - Mc Gill program in Montreal • Practised in Ottawa - Associate Prof at Univ of Ottawa • Moved to China in 97 - started first two western styled Maternity programs in Beijing and Shanghai. • Now International Medical Coordinator BKK Hospitals BKK & Hua Hin

February 2012 • ScandAsia.China 17

Medium

Flæskesteg Roast Pork

othing is as nice as a traditional Danish pork roast. You need to find a shoulder of pork with the fat rind on. If you can’t find pork roast with the rind attached then look for a fresh ham, remove 2/3 of the skin and you will get crackling with the rest.

Evil

Ingredients

4½-6½ lbs of Shoulder of pork w/rind on 2-3 spoons of course salt 2 lbs small cold boiled potatoes 4 spoons sugar 1½ oz butter 1 pint of water 2 lbs canned red cabbage

The Roast

Preheat oven to 350°F. Put the roast in a roasting pan with water with the rind facing downwards. Let the water cover the rind. Use as small a pan as possible to get good tasty gravy. Leave the roast in the bottom of the oven for 30 minutes. Using a sharp, heavy knife cut deeply through the rind and fat until you reach the meat, making the incisions 1/2” apart lengthwise and crosswise. Rub salt liberally into these gashes. It will make the crackling to bubble up and get crispy. Put the roast in bottom part of the owen for 1½-2 hours. Take it out and pour the gravy into a pot to make brown sauce from it. Put the roast back in the oven and set the temperature to 530°F. Watch the crackling, it may suddenly be overdone.

Are you done?

Brown sauce

hen you have completed the above puzzles, please send your solution by fax to +66 2 943 7169 or scan and email to puzzles@ scandasia.com. We will make a lucky draw among the correct answers. Five lucky winners will receive a ScandAsia polo shirt. Name:

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Deadline for submitting your solution is 15 March 2012 18 ScandAsia.China • February 2012

Let the gravy rest a while in the pot and remove the grease from the surface. The gravy is thickened by a mix of flour and cold water, add black gravy color, and salt and peper.

Red Cabbage

Use precooked red cabbage in a can or in a glas. If of German origin pour in two spoons of sugar. Add some water in the pot and let it cook at low or medium heat for 30 minutes. Alternatively, the cabbage can be heated in the microwave owen which will make the cabbage more crispy.

Candied Potatoes - Brunede Kartofler

Caramelised Potatoes is delicious with almost all kind of roast meat, especially pork. It is important to follow the recipe exactly for a good result. Run the cold tap over the cold boiled potatoes just before starting. Use new potatoes if possible and boil well in advance to ensure they are cold before use. Run cold water over potatoes before starting. Put the sugar on frying pan and heat until melted and golden. Add butter and mix well. Add potatoes and shake frying pan well. Add water carefully and stir lightly until water has evaporated.

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