ScandAsia China February 2013

FEB 2013

China

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Global Economy in 2013 The global economy does not look good.

Sorry but that is the truth.

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

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

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or many years the industrialized countries (US, Europe, and Japan) ran completely irresponsible economic policies. With high growth common sense tells to save for rainy days, but they borrowed to spend even more. It was fantastic as long as it lasted, but in 2007/2008 the bubble burst. A financial crisis plunged well known global financial institutions into bankruptcy forcing governments to step in and print money; they had no choice. If financial institutions were left to fall the economy would have crashed. Neither governments nor banks had savings so print money they did overheating the printing machine! None the less it spilled over into a government debt crisis for ultimately to produce a recession. Remember Stan and Olly from the 1930s ‘another fine mess you got us into!’

For those reading the global financial press it may come as a surprise that the Euro Zone is doing better than the U.S. Euro Zone Government debt is stabilizing close to 90 per cent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and government deficits are brought down from close to 7 per cent of GDP to around 3 per cent forecasts to fall further in 2013 and 2014.

The Euro Zone is taking the pain now bringing their house in order through austerity – it hurt, but it works.

The U.S. has chosen to ignore the debt and deficit speeding down the road full throttle despite bends and roadblocks ahead. The debt ratio to GDP is about 100 per cent and rising.

The deficit stubbornly stays around 7 per cent of GDP. The US hopes that something will show up to solve the debt crisis. Nothing of that sort will happen with the gloomy prospect of a U.S. default on its public debt a likely scenario before 2020 when net interest payments will account for almost 20 per cent of the federal budget– an impossible situation.

This takes place at the same time as the world moves from 200 year with easy access to resources available at low prices to an era steered by increasing scarcities. We read about rare earth and similar raw materials, but it is the tip of the iceberg. The global food situation is dominated by rising prices and under-nourishment in 40 countries, commodity prices are up even if during a recession they should fall, energy is scarce and expensive despite shale gas, water scarcity cast a shadow over half of the global population, and clean environment is starting to be a luxury only the well-off can afford.

To sort these problems out we need leadership – global leadership. Look around to see where we find it?

Assistant Editor: Wachiraporn Janrut wachiraporn@scandmedia.com Advertising : Finn Balslev finn@scandmedia.com Piyanan Kalikanon piyanan@scandmedia.com Nattapat Maesang nattapat@scandmedia.com Graphic Designer : Supphathada Numamnuay supphathada@scandmedia.com Distribution : Wanvisa Rattanaburi wanvisa@scandmedia.com Printing : Lake & Foundtain Printing Co., Ltd.

Daily news and features here: www.scandasia.com Front cover image courtesy of The Faurschou Foundation

Joergen Oerstroem Moeller Visiting Senior Research Fellow, Institute of Southeast Asian Studies, Singapore.

Adjunct Professor Singapore Management University & Copenhagen Business School. Author of: • HOW ASIA CAN SHAPE THE WORLD, from the era of plenty to the era of scarcities, 2011 • Political Economy in a Globalized World, 2009.

Coming Events

Ladies Networking Evening in Shanghai Date: 27 February 2013, 6.30p.m. - 9.30p.m.

Location: Glo London, 1 Wulumuqi Lu, near Dongping Lu Price: RMB 150/member, RMB 250/non-member The event offers the opportunity for women who live in Shanghai to enlarge their network.

It is open for women from a variety of backgrounds: women running their own business, engaged in corporate businesses, or planning to start working.

Interested women can RSVP with your own chamber.

Are you fit for China?

Date: 1 and 4 March 2013 Location: WH Ming Hotel, Shanghai Price: RMB 750/member and

RMB 1,100/non-member The Danish Chamber of Commerce together with the Norwegian Business Association have invited Lifestyle Coach and Therapist, Martin Mogensen from Kropsinstituttet, Denmark to Shanghai for a Mini Retreat event and Body SDS treatments.

For further information about Martin, visit www.dccc-shanghai.com

HeyRunning Camp Date: 3 March 2013, 2.00p.m.

Location: Beijing Here is an event for people who love running or those preparing themselves for races. Heyrobic’s new HeyRunning Camp will start on March 3. Interested people are suggested to sign up now to secure their places and to take advantage of a discount.

For more information, e-mail heyrunning@heyrobics.com or visit www.heyrobics.com

Anti-corruption seminar Date: 3 March 2013, 6.30p.m.

Location: Radisson BLU Hotel,

Board Room, 2nd floor, Beijing Price: RMB 150/member,

RMB 500/ non-member The seminar “A practical roadmap to avoid the risks and to develop adequate procedures” offers an opportunity to get practical operational guidance to support you in reassessing your risks and in developing or improving your compliance programs to ensure bribery prevention, detection and correction.

The speakers are all well versed in the area of anticorruption and have long practical experience in advising and supporting companies, also in China.

The seminar should be of great interest to management, in-house counsel, compliance officers and anyone involved in ensuring integrity in selling and purchasing.

For more information, visit www.swedishchamber.com.cn

China International Import Expo Date: 15 – 18 May 2013 Location: Kunshan, Juangsu Province, China China International Import Expo (CIE) is the first national level professional import expo which is hosted by authoritative government and commercial organizations in China. It focuses on new products and technologies in the strategic fields in which China seeks import expansion for the following year.

For this 2nd CIE, the organiser expects more than 600 exhibitors from over 40 countries and regions, 7000 m2 exhibition scale and 80000 business visitors.

For more information, visit www.importexpo.org/English/

February 2013 • ScandAsia.China 5

Past Events

The Annual Finnish Christmas Lunch

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embers and friends of the Finnish Chamber of Commerce and Team Finland in Hong Kong gathered on 15 December 2012 for their annual Christmas lunch to celebrate the start of the holiday season.

Santa Claus flew all the way from Korvatunturi, Lapland Finland to sing Christmas carols and brought presents to the children. The evening was terrific and all the guests were much into the Christmas spirit.

Additionally, guests got to enjoy the delicious Finnish Christmas delicacies and Chocolate Fondue of finest Belgian chocolate topped with marshmallows and strawberries.

Swedish Christmas Parties in China

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efore all Swedes left China for Christmas Holidays, Christmas parties in Shanghai and Beijing were successfully held on 7-8 December 2012. The two events were organised by the Swedish Chamber of Commerce in China.

In Shanghai more than 220 guests showed up at the Four Seasons Hotel for a Cozy Christmas Cocktail while more than 200 guests were celebrating Christmas at the Radisson Blu in Beijing.

Shanghai’s Cozy Cocktail provided the perfect mingling occasion for members of the Chamber. In Beijing the Christmas Dinner put everyone in the right Christmas spirit.

All the 420 participants had the opportunity to enjoy a Merry Swedish Christmas here in China due to great sponsors.

6 ScandAsia.China • February 2013

Past Events

Christmas party for Swedish youngsters

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n 13 December 2012, the Swedish Young Professionals in Shanghai hosted their 2012 Christmas Party. This year there were more than 120 participants gathering at the Four Seasons Hotel, ranging from students to general managers.

It was a great way for the Young Professionals to welcome Christmas and to prepare for the New Year. The guests were treated with true Christmas buffet and a wide array of drinks.

Host for the evening was Ms. Josefine Krantz, Board Director for the Swedish Young Professionals.

The event was a tremendous success, giving the Young Professionals a taste of Swedish Christmas from the other side of the globe.

February 2013 • ScandAsia.China 7

Past Events

After work drinks with Lucia celebration

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nce a month, the Swedish Young Professionals in Hong Kong gathered for a few ‘After Work’ drinks, which on 14 December 2012 turned into a festive rollercoaster of glogg (mulled wine), pepparkakor (ginger bread cookies) and loads of Christmas spirit, all held at the restaurant and wine bar Eat Right.

During the evening, Lucia and her associates came and brightened up the evening, singing few songs to their peers.

It was said to be the best Lucia celebration in Hong Kong, and a great night to remember.

Cultural evening at the Danish Embassy in Beijing

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combined art evening with an opening reception of new paintings and a film screening of the new Danish drama thriller ’In a Better World’ (Hævnen) from 2010 was held at the Danish Embassy in Beijing on 30 November 2012.

The Danish Ambassador to China, Friis Arne Petersen, opened the evening, where he welcomed the exhibiting artist Qiu Bin and his paintings to the Danish embassy and the guests to the event.

The Danish embassy is supporting young Chinese artists with the ‘Young Artist Painting Exhibition’ by giving them a platform to show their paintings.

Qiu’s paintings are exhibited at the Danish embassy from November 2012 to February 2013.

Born in 1975, Qiu Bin has lived in Europe for 10 years. His views and values are formed by both eastern and western mentality and philosophy, which he incorporates in his paintings.

The 45 guests at the event included members of the Sino-Danish Alumni Network, students from the Sino-Danish Center and Danish Language Faculty at Beijing Foreign Studies University as well as fans from the embassy’s weibo profiles and a row of journalists.

After the reception, the movie “In a Better World” was screened. Directed by Susanne Bier, the movie has reaped a row of international prizes in 2011 including the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film.

8 ScandAsia.China • February 2013

Past Events

The 4th Annual Norwegian Seafood Dinner in Shanghai

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or the fourth year in a row, the Royal Norwegian Consulate General and Norwegian Business Association (NBA) co-organised the Annual Norwegian Seafood Dinner in Shanghai. This year the event was held at the Peninsula Shanghai on the Bund with even better selection of seafood, more plentiful program for the whole evening as well as bigger prizes to the lucky draws.

The annual Norwegian Seafood Dinner provides an excellent opportunity for the Norwegian companies in Shanghai and surrounding regions to invite their staff, business partners and clients, Norwegians as well as Chinese, to enjoy an exclusive Norwegian seafood dinner, culture and music. The event strengthens the bonds in the Norwegian business community as well as providing a platform for business opportunities.

320 guests were treated to a spectacular variety of Norwegian seafood prepared by Executive Chef Terrence Crandall at The Peninsula Hotel and the renowned Norwegian Chef Øyvind Næsheim, as a guest chef, together with a team of professionals from The Peninsula.

Mr. Bjørn Blokhus, Consul General at the Norwegian Consulate General in Shanghai, and Mr. Geir Sviggum, Chairman of the Norwegian Business Association (NBA) in Shanghai, jointly gave a welcome speech at the opening ceremony of the event.

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Mr. Bjørn Blokhus, Consul General at the Norwegian Consulate General in Shanghai At the end of the dinner, 5 rounds of lucky draw served as the highlights of the evening. SAS return tickets to Norway and Hurtigruten Norwegian coastal voyage was among the premier prices.

Norwegian guest chef Øyvind Næsheim demonstrating on stage how to cook Norwegian scallops.

‘Steinar Nickelsen trio’ playing Norwegian music to the guests.

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February 2013 • ScandAsia.China 9

News Brief

Danish Minister discusses green energy in China

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From left to right: Anders Egeberg, Managing Director COWI; Dep. Director Tong Guichan, Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development; Martin Lidegaard, Minister for Climate, Energy and Buildings; Ambassador Friis Arne Petersen; Peter Schou, Managing Director Rockwool and Mr. Wang Dongning, Assistant Director for Nanjing High Tech Zone.

artin Lidegaard, the Danish Minister for Climate, Energy and Buildings, visited Beijing on 17 – 18 December 2012 to meet with fellow Chinese ministers and energy sector executives.

During his visit, Minister Lidegaard and Danish Ambassador to China Mr. Friis Arne Petersen had meetings with Mr. Wan Gang, Minister of Science of Technology, Mr. Liu Tienan, director of the National Energy Administration, Mr. Jiang Weixin, Minister of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, Mr. Xie Zhenhua, Vice Chairman of the Chinese National Development and Reform Commission as well as Mr. Liu Qi, Deputy Administrator of National Energy Administration. Minister Lidegaard also met with the Executive Vice President of the State Grid Corporation of China, Mr. Shuai Junqing.

Minister Lidegaard made it clear during his visit that Denmark and Danish companies can make a difference in creating a more green China.

“With China’s extreme growth rates, it’s crucial that the consumption of resources is as limited as possible. It is in China’s own interest, and in the long run it has significance for the entire world’s climate,” says Minister Lidegaard.

During his visit, Minister Lidegaard witnessed a strategic agreement signing at the Danish Embassy between the High Tech Zone in Nanjing municipality in Jiangsu province and seven Danish companies COWI, AVK, Danfoss, Grundfos, NNE Pharmaplan, Velux and Rockwool that has proven solutions to reduce existing energy consumption.

8th Sino-Norwegian Social Policy Forum held in Haikou

Swedish Embassy promotes CSR and Gender Equality

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n 1-2 December 2012, the Social Policy Forum was organised by China Institute for Reform and Development (CIRD) and Norwegian Institute for Urban and Regional Research (NIBR) in Haikou. This Forum has played an important role for many years as a platform for discussions of regional development of mutual interests as well as an important channel for contacts between China and Norway.

The main topic of the Forum this year was Enlarging the Middle-Income Group: Policies and Institutions. Among the topics that were discussed were: Development of the middle income group – status and current trends; urbanization and the middle income group; imperative needs and basic objectives of enlarging the middle income group; citizenization of rural migrant workers; income and property transparency and structural tax changes; breaking constraints from vested interests and making breakthroughs in the income distribution system reform.

Forum participants included representatives from various organisations in China and Norway. The Forum was covered by a large number of media.

Photo: Arne Tesli, Norwegian Institute for Urban and Regional Research

10 ScandAsia.China • February 2013

ogether with UN Women, All-China Women Federation and the Sino-German CSR Project, China’s Swedish Embassy’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Centre coorganised a conference on Gender Equality and Corporate Social Responsibility: Enhancing Business Competitiveness in Beijing on 27 November 2012.

There were over 300 participants at the event. The purpose of the conference was to provide information, incentives, and a roadmap for the private sector in China to integrate gender equality into their CSR strategies and programmes.

A Swedish expert on gender equality from the Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions presented how Sweden works with integrating and mainstreaming gender equality.

Photo: Emma Ludvigsson

News Brief

Åge Aleksandersen performing in Singapore Tickets can be purchased at SGD 125.

If you are interested, please contact Norwegian Business Association (Singapore) Tel: +65 6622 9100 Fax: +65 6224 7079 Scandi Village SE Hi.pdf 1 23/1/2556 9:51:24 E-mail: admin@nbas.org.sg Contact persons: Kjersti Thorvildsen and Mona M.Brisbane

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ongwriter and performer, Åge Aleksandersen and his lead-guitarist over 30 years, Gunnar Pedersen, the man behind the guitar solo on “Lys og Varme”, will perform at The Tanglin Club on 15 March 2013. Åge is one of the main initiators and creators of the so called “Trønderrock” movement, a rock-’n’-roll style emerged out of Trøndelag, a region in the central part of Norway, anchored in Anglo-American folk-rock traditions, but with strong elements of local culture and traditions. He is the most celebrated and profiled rock-musician in Norway with a significant Scandinavian fan-base.

With his band “Sambandet” he has toured Scandinavia for more than 40 years.

This year he has parked “Sambandet” and is holding a concert series together with Pedersen performing and explaining how his songs have originated and developed. The inspiration and history of the songs are told through a dialogue between Åge, Pedersen, and the audience, delivered in a sordined musical landscape.

The concerts have received fantastic reviews in Norwegian newspapers and all concert dates since the start of the tour have been sold out.

Don’t miss out on this unique opportunity to experience Åge and Pedersen in this one-off live performance in Singapore.

February 2013 • ScandAsia.China 11

News Brief

Foreign Minister from Danmark visits China

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he Danish Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Villy Søvndal, visited China from 11-13 December 2012 to further promote diplomatic relations with the Chinese government.

As part of his official visit to China, the Minister for Foreign Affairs had a meeting with the Chinese Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Yang Jiechi, in the Chinese Foreign Ministry in Beijing on 12 December. The two ministers agreed to continue to expand the Sino-Danish diplomatic relations. Furthermore, the ministers discussed international development.

Later on the same day, Minister Søvndal had a meeting with Mr. Le Yucheng, Assistant Foreign Minister responsible for policy planning. They discussed China’s role in the international society and the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ own strategic foreign policy planning.

During his visit, Minister Søvndal also had meetings with Vice Minister of the International Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC), Ai Ping, and Mr. Li Jianguo, Vice-chairman and Secretary-General of the National People’s Congress in China.

On 13 December 2012, Minister Søvndal met with Dr. Wang Yizhou, professor in international politics at Peking University at the mid-lake pavilion in the Peking University campus. Together with the Danish Ambassador to China, Mr. Friis Arne Petersen, Minister Søvndal engaged in an open roundtable dialogue with some of Dr. Wang’s students at the School of International Studies at Peking University.

Minister Søvndal also had meetings with Chinese academics and civil society representatives in order to gain a greater understanding of China and the development of the civil society in China.

Sitting at left side of table, Ambassador Friis Arne Petersen (2nd from left), Foreign Minister Villy Søvndal (3rd from left). Sitting at right side of table, Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi (2nd from right).

Shanghai and Beijing extend visa-free stays to 72 hours

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rom 1 January 2013, air passengers from 45 countries are exempted from visas in Shanghai and Beijing for stays of up to 72 hours. Denmark, Sweden and Finland are among the 45 countries to be covered by the 72-hour visa-free policy.

After Beijing has announced a similar measure in the beginning of December 2012, Shanghai also announced its decision to waive visas for transit passengers from 45 countries.

The policy, which has been approved by the central government, extends the period of visa-free stay in the city from 48 to 72 hours for passengers passing through on their way to other destinations.

The 45 countries include Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Holland, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, New Zealand, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, South Korea, Sweden, Switzerland, the UK, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates and the US. Zhang Chaomei, director with Shanghai Port Office, said that the extended period would boost passenger volume and “greatly benefit passengers.”

The visa-free policy is also expected to be introduced to port and railway borders as the city promotes the liner and cruise businesses.

Local travel agencies see the policy as a golden opportunity to boost tourism and plan to offer more travel products.

Shanghai border inspection authorities said special check areas would be set up at Hongqiao and Pudong international airports.

Stockholm Sparkling Vodka hits Hong Kong

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ong Kong based spirits company Stockholm has added to the growing number of unusual vodka variants with the launch of a sparkling vodka, reports the Drinks Business.

The product, first unveiled at the HKTDC Wine & Spirits fair in November 2012, has a 40% abv (alcohol by volume) and uses a special carbonation method to stop the bubbles escaping once the drink is poured, according to Stockholm CEO Roger Johansson.

Although not the first sparkling vodka to be produced – others include Vodka 02, Camitz and Le Grand Saint – Johansson believes there’s potential for his product in Hong Kong specifically.

12 ScandAsia.China • February 2013

Stockholm sparking vodka is designed to be drunk neat or as a base in drinks with soda, explained Johansson.

“Because the vodka is sparkling you need less soda, preserving the purity of the vodka,” he told the drinks business.

Stockholm also distributes Ron de Jeremy in Hong Kong.

Launched in the US six years ago, the rum is named after Ron Jeremy, deemed one of the world’s most famous porn stars.

The rum was shown in Asia for the first time in November 2012 at the Hong Kong exhibition, where Stockholm erected a cardboard figure of the porn star, nicknamed “The Hedgehog”, to attract attention.

Danish TV2 on Asia tour

Danish rock band TV2

News Brief

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V2 is, according to themselves, the most stubborn rock band in Denmark. Singer and songwriter Steffen Brandt, guitarist Hans Erik Lerchenfeld, drummer Sven Gaul and bassist Georg Olesen have keep together since their debut in 1981, longer than any other bands in Denmark.

To celebrate their stubbornness, they have gone on a tour which will bring them to Singapore, Hong Kong and Shanghai in April.

The concept of the “100 songs on 180 days tour” is a “time journey without destination” where they work their way trough their 17 studio albums. In Asia they will perform songs from the albums “Amerika” (2001) and “På kanten af småt brændbart” (2002).

When TV2 made their debut in 1981, the critics were harsh. Both their music and their performance in white overalls, neon lights and TV-monitors, made them look like a cheap copy of a popular concurrent post-punk band named Kliché, which Steffen Brandt for a short time had been part of, the critics said.

It was first with their third album in 1983 where they became everyone’s darlings. A rewrite of “When I was a lad” from the comic opera H.M.S. Pinafore became that year’s greatest Danish hit now known as “The pop-musician’s song”.

On the same album as the rewrite was also the song which has given name to a box-set “Bag duggede ruder 1981-2012” (Behind misted glazing) with 21 CDs and 1 DVD. It was in 2002 voted “The world’s best Danish song ever” by the national radio’s listeners.

The “100 songs on 180 days tour” started in TV2’s home town Aarhus where 15,000 people showed up for the first concert. TV2 will perform in Singapore on 6 April, Hong Kong on 10 April and Shanghai on 12 April.

Billions lost on Danish visa rules

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f a Chinese wants a visa to Denmark, he or she will have to meet in person at a Danish embassy or consulate showing a bank statement and wedding certificate among other requirements.

“It costs the tourism industry billions in lost revenue,” said Lars Thykier of the Danish Travel Association, which represents the agencies that sell Denmark abroad.

Better handling of visa applications The Tourist Industry Cooperation Forum and Danish Travel Agency Association require that the government changes visa rules so that tourists from visa-bearing countries have the same opportunity to access Denmark, as they have to the other Nordic countries.

“Sweden and Finland are much better at handling visa rules than Denmark. Those countries do not fear that people from Russia or China try to become residents in their countries. You have to remember that we typically talk about a wealthy clientele who return home to their countries. They are not immigrants,” said Lars Thykier.

100 million Chinese tourists Tourism Reports indicate that the Chinese tourism will explode in the coming years.

The forecast for Chinese travelling abroad indicates an increase from approximately 20 million Chinese in 2006, to about 100 million in 2020. That’s an average annual growth of 12.2 percent.

Chinese tourists in Denmark have an average consumption of almost 1,700 dollars, and calculations from the tourism industry shows that Denmark this year and 2020 will lose around DDK 2.4 billion on Chinese guests who chose not come to Denmark as a result of the restrictive visa policy.

Fort Denmark “We should see Chinese tourists as an export option and not as an attempt to intrude into the country. We are perceived as Fort Denmark,” said Lars Thykier.

Jan Laursen, Chairman of the Tourist Industry Cooperation Forum, says that the Danish visa policy collides with the attempts to sell the country to tourists.

“From my chair, it seems strange that we make huge marketing efforts in these countries and then keep the door closed. We market ourselves vigorously during the Olympics in China, but it’s a waste if we don’t open the door to Denmark.

February 2013 • ScandAsia.China 13

News Brief

Denmark opens Consulate General in Western China

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he Danish Ambassador to China, Friis Arne Petersen, opened the new Danish Consulate General in the provincial municipality of Chongqing in Western China on 27 November 2012.

Vice Mayor Ma Zhengqi of Chongqing Municipality and Consul General Hans Halskov also participated at the opening.

“It is only natural that Denmark strengthens its presence in China,” says Danish Foreign Minister Villy Soevndal.

“China’s importance to the world economy, growth opportunities, resources as well as other areas cannot be overstated.”

The new consulate general will cover a large area of about one million square kilometers and a population of 200 million.

The Western China region is quite different from the Eastern China region in terms of investment opportunities. Several Danish companies have benefited from the Danish diplomatic mission in Chongqing.

Ambassador Friis Arne Petersen (left) and Vice Mayor Ma Zhengqi (right)

New Norwegian Visa Application Centre in Beijing opens

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n order to provide better and more efficient service for all applicants, the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Beijing opened a new Norwegian Visa Application Centre.

The service is available for Chinese/non-Chinese citizens legally residing in China and Mongolian citizen who wish to apply for a Schengen visa or residence permit to Norway.

The new Visa Application Centre will be located in new and more spacious facilities close to Sanlitun and have an extended number of counters. No appointment is needed to submit application documents at the Visa Centre.

All applicants, however, must register their applications and pay the visa fee in the Application Portal before coming to the Visa Application Centre to submit their application documents. The extended opening hours and larger facilities are aimed at ensuring a higher level of service and efficiency for all visa applications to Norway.

The use of the new Visa Application Centre only applies to applicants from provinces that the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Beijing is responsible for; Beijing, Chongqing, Gansu, Guizhou, Hebei, Heilongjiang, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Inner Mongolia, Jilin, Liaoning, Ningxia, Qinghai, Shaanxi, Shandong, Shanxi, Sichuan, Tianjin, Xizang, Xinjiang, Yunnan. Applicants in Shanghai areas and Guangzhou areas should still apply at their correspondent consulate.

The following applicants can still apply at the Embassy: applicants who hold diplomatic, service or official passports, family members of EU citizens and applicants applying through an adoption agency.

For more information about the Visa Application Centre and document requirements for visas and residence permits to Norway, visit www.norwayvisa-china.com or contact infopek.norcn@vfshelpline.com or helpline: (0086) (010) 8400 4592/ 8400 4529 The centre is open from 8.00am to 3.00pm Address: Room 605, Building 1, No. 13 Yuan, Worker’s Stadium North Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing

Copenhagen’s Vice Mayor visits Beijing

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he Vice Mayor of Culture and Leisure of Copenhagen, Ms. Pia Allerslev, visited Beijing on 15 – 20 December 2012 to follow up on Copenhagen’s sister city agreement with Beijing that was signed in June 2012.

Vice Mayor Allerslev met the Vice Mayor of Beijng, Mr. Lu Wei, on 17 December 2012 in the City Hall of Beijing together with Søren Jacobsen, Deputy Head of Mission of the Danish Embassy in China.

“Our two countries have strong and friendly ties and the sister city agreement between Beijing & Copenhagen fits well into the national strategic partnership between China and Denmark,” said Vice Mayor Allerslev during the meeting.

“Copenhagen has accumulated rich experiences related to design, creative industry and sustainable development. We would very much like to have further cooperation with Beijing within these areas.”

During the meeting both sides agreed that the two capitals have shared interests in many areas including cultural cooperation and sustainable urban development.

The Mayor’s delegation also participated in a work group meeting about urban planning during the visit.

14 ScandAsia.China • February 2013

The first Angry Birds Winter Experience to open in China

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ovio Entertainment, a Finnish creator of globally successful franchise ‘Angry Birds’ announced its partnership with the Chinese city of Harbin to create the first ever Angry Birds experience made of ice and snow.

Located within the Harbin Ice and Snow World, this Angry Birds Winter Experience is just the first of future Angry Birds-focused travel destinations.

Covering more than 600,000 square meters (the size of 84 soccer fields), Harbin Ice and Snow World is one of the biggest ice-and-snow parks in the world and hosts millions of visi-

B a g s væ r d k o s t s k o l e gymnasium tid til talent

The Harbin Ice and Snow World is by far the largest ice and snow art exhibition in the world.

tors from around the globe each year.

Twenty thousand craftsmen spend two weeks creating more than 2,000 pieces of ice sculpture, using 180,000 square meters of ice and 160,000 square meters of snow.

The new Angry Birds section will be 10,000 square meters, featuring huge ice buildings and a maze plus larger-than-life ice sculptures of the characters. It’s a great addition to Harbin’s already-impressive range of activities including large-scale ice landscape exhibitions, international ice sculpture competition, live performances, fireworks shows, 3D light shows, and more.

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February 2013 • ScandAsia.China 15

A touch of Denmark of the Chinese art s The center piece of the current exhibition in Beijing, Crouching Spider, by Louise Bourgeois.

In the midst of Art Zone 798, one of the most happening art venues in Beijing, lays a stylish Scandinavian exhibition venue. It is owned by Danes Jens and Luise Faurschou, who decided to start up the Faurschou Foundation in Beijing because of the fast developing international art scene in the city.

By Anya Palm Photos by The Faurschou Foundation

16 ScandAsia.China • February 2013

A

big, ugly metal-baby sits with his legs on each side of an oversized gun. His face is grimaced in an evil scream and the inscription on the gun barrel says: “Made in China”.

Near the provocative statue hangs a silhouette of a man-spider from a massive steel constellation. Beneath him, passers-by walk along the clean, carless streets past gallery after gallery and open-air art pieces like the hanging homo arachnid. Colors, statements, beauty, dreams, sorrow and future oozes out of every piece,

every building, every shop in Art Zone 798 in Beijing. This is where art lovers go when they go to China.

Near the heart of the quarter is a square building with glass façade, elegant use of heavy material and clear, long lines in the architecture.

It has an air of Scandinavian design and as it happens, the inside is pretty Scandinavian as well: This is the Faurschou Foundation, a Danish exhibition venue based on a private collection owned by Jens and Luise Faurschou. The two Danish art connoisseurs opened up their place in Beijing in 2007.

k in the heart scene We aim to display art that has quality - both esthetically and in content. We do exhibit art with a political edge.

Jens and Luise Faurschou with curator Jerry Govoroy, here seen at the opening of the current exhibition in Beijing “Alone and Together”

“A lot of the most interesting Chinese artists are concentrated around Beijing,” says Luise Faurschou.

Since the opening, the couple has featured a range of internationally acclaimed artists on their premises including hot Scandinavian names.

Michael Kvium, Christian Lemmerz, and Erik A. Frandsen, the three Danish artists who have done quite well in China, were all first introduced by Faurschou in Beijing.

“We want to bring Western art to China,” Luise Faurschou says.

But she and fellow owner Jens Faurschou are not only looking to

introduce foreign art to the Chinese – it goes the other way as well. The hottest artist in Beijing right now, is provocateur, blogger, artist and system critic Ai Weiwei, says Luise Faurschou, and of course, the Faurschou Foundation has already had an exhibition featuring art from the controversial Chinese artist.

“We aim to display art that has quality - both esthetically and in content. We do exhibit art with a political edge,” says Luise Faurschou about the choice and elaborates: “We run exhibition venues, because we strongly believe that art

has the ability to touch and move, please and challenge the beholder.

We believe art can contribute to a bigger intercultural and compassionate understanding between human beings,” she says. Both Luise Faurschou and her husband live in Copenhagen, wherefrom they also run a gallery, Galleri Faurschou.

The Ai Weiwei-exhibition ended in February 2012, and was replaced by another artist that has broken barriers: The current exhibition “Alone and Together” is featuring pieces from the French sculptor Louise

Bourgeois, born in 1911, and one of the most influential artists in her field.

She is a personal favorite of the two Danish art lovers: “This is the first retro perspective exhibition with Louise Bourgeois. We want to spread the knowledge of this unique artist – our opinion is that she is one of the greatest artists of the past 100 years,” says Luise Faurschou.

“Alone and Together” runs until 24 March 2013. To see details of the mentioned artists displayed at the Faurschou Foundation, visit www. faurschou.com.

February 2013 • ScandAsia.China 17

18 ScandAsia.China • February 2013

SKF’s President uses Magnolia Award as quality stamp Erik Nelander, President of SKF in China, won the prestigious Magnolia Award in September 2012 for his contribution to Shanghai. Since then the Swede has used the honour as an extra motivation for the employees and as a mark of quality for its customers and the general public.

By Mikkel Keldorf

I did not dream of achieving this honour in my daily work.

A

t the Magnolia Award Ceremony in the Xijiao State Guest House, Shanghai, in the summer of 2012, Erik Nelander was on the edge of his seat. He was one of the nominees for the Magnolia Award – an honour given to foreign nationals for “an outstanding contribution to the economic and social development of Shanghai.”

The night ended with a relief for the SKF President, who became one of the 58 foreigners to receive the award. Since then Erik Nelander has had time to let the experience sink in and is now realizing what positive effects the honour has to the Swedish engineering company SKF. “The employees see the award and are happy to work in a company where the President has good local connections and see that SKF is recognized as a good company. Also for our customers and the general public, it is positive that our name

is seen, and that we are recognized as a serious and good company for the Chinese workers. So indirectly it reflects our position here very well.

I did not dream of achieving this honour in my daily work. I work on maintaining a good relationship with the local officials and we are a big employer in the city so we need a good relationship with the local government. The award was something extra,” Erik Nelander says to ScandAsia.

100 years in China and running Erik Nelanders’ achievement comes to him only two years after getting promoted as President of SKF China.

He was appointed to this position after 10 years in Shanghai, so he is no rookie in working in China with Chinese employees - and neither is SKF. The company had its first agent in China in 1912 and today, 100 years later, the company has centred its activities mainly in Shanghai.

“We have headquartered SKF China in Shanghai with 500 people in our head office, which is a big development that has happened over the last 4-5 years. We have located our Asian headquarters here in Shanghai and on top of that we have 3 larger factories in the city and started constructing the forth. Finally we have moved our Chinese Technical Centre to Shanghai, which means an increase from zero to almost 100 employees in that sector and the number is expected to be around 400 in a year or so.

So it is not only manufacturing but also the core of our sales and engineering base in Shanghai that contribute to the city. All this has shown the local government that we are very active and support Shanghai from many perspectives,”

Erik Nelander says, referring to the reasons why he won the Magnolia Award.

Hard work keeping up the pace Experiencing the Chinese up rise on closest hand, Erik Nelander knows how hard it is to keep a huge department with over 7,000 employees in China fit for fight. The ever-increasing competition in the Chinese market has given a lot of hard work but also important experience.

“The biggest challenge is the tremendous growth in the last 50 years.

We have to develop our people fast enough to keep up with the market.

It has been extremely dynamic in the last 50 years.

The Chinese economy has cooled off, but I am very convinced that we will see a continuing good growth in China in the years to come.

SKF will keep on investing in China preparing for the shift in the world economy. It will be more moderate compared to the last 10 years I believe, but that is good for China and for the business.

The economy and the companies are heading for a new phase where quality and high-end manufacturing will be dominating. The not so competitive industries move away from China or go out of business,” Erik Nelander says.

Erik is 49 years old and holds an MBA degree from Gothenburg University. He now lives in Shanghai with his wife and three children. Before getting appointed as SKF President in China, Erik held a number of management positions within the SKF Group, the latest ones are Director - Aerospace & Super Precision Bearings Business Unit, Managing Director for SKF Sweden and Managing Director of SKF Mekan AB.

February 2013 • ScandAsia.China 19

Scarcity as a path to a better world He believes that ethics and Asian philosophical values will be part of a new world economy and blames those responsible for the financial crises for being greedy and reckless. But don’t get him wrong, Joergen Oerstoem Moeller is far from being an old hippie.

By Kim Birkkjaer Lund

F

or years Joergen Oerstoem Moeller was a highly respected Permanent Secretary of the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He was the architect behind the three exceptions which saved both Denmark and EU after the Danes had rejected the Maastricht Treaty in a referendum in 1992. When he decided to leave as head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1997 to become Ambassador in Singapore, he ended up as Ambassador for not just Singapore and Brunei but also Australian and New Zealand. He is a work addict who by the age of 68 still publishes a breathtaking stream of books and articles and when he launched his last book “How Asia can shape the world” Singapore’s Minister of Foreign Affairs showed up to get a copy.

When you choose to leave as Permanent Secretary you were free to choose whatever position you liked. You chose to be ambassador to Singapore – Why? I have always taken great interest in

20 ScandAsia.China • February 2013

Asia. Back in the 1980’s it was obvious for me that the world economy was moving to Asia. My interest for Asian culture was a second reason.

Being married to a Vietnamese woman of course strengthen my interest in Asia. The last reason can maybe be difficult to understand if you haven’t been head of a large organization, but as Permanent Secretary I had had huge influence on the instructions to our embassies worldwide and some influence on Danish foreign policies in general. Being used to such influence I found it would be difficult to be an ambassador at one of the big Embassies and receive instructions from my successor which I might disagree. So when leaving the top post I thought it’d be wiser to get far away. I didn’t want to be left with a lot of ideas on what to do, without power to actually do it.

But why Singapore, there were other embassies in Asia?

In my opinion Singapore has got the largest assembly of intellectual capacity in the world. All major mul-

tinational companies are represented in Singapore. The Singaporean diplomatic service has always been known for its high standards and Singapore has think tanks on China, Japan, India, Middle-east and Europe, so there is access to enormous amounts of information, which only is comparable to what you find in Washington and London.

In your latest book “How Asia can shape the world” you commit high treason against your profession economy. Why? I believe economic science has killed itself. All economists use very complicated models based on math and thus they have broadly stopped thinking. When you use that kind of models you need some preconditions on how people and companies normally react. To obtain those precondition you look backwards to see how they previously behaved.

That works in stable economic times, where things don’t change much.

But we don’t live in stable economic times. The world is changing.

Singapore has got the largest assembly of intellectual capacity in the world.

The last 20 years we have seen a shift in economy from USA and Europe towards Asia. We have seen soaring commodity prices and we have seen a financial crisis followed by a debt crisis. In such times people don’t react as they used to and economic models based on previous behavior produce false answers. If you look at IMF’s prognoses or official prognoses from USA on economic growth, you will see that they have been wrong and not been able to forecast the development, because they are based on a behavioral pattern which no longer exists.

It becomes increasingly clear that the precondition for the economic theory: “that people are largely guided solely by economic incentives” are wrong. It becomes obvious that psychology, anthropology, and sociology, our relationships with other people have great influence on our economic behavior and dispositions.

And this influence is not part of the economic theory. So today economy is a science which has killed itself.

When you look at what has

happened trough the financial crisis the last 5-6 years then it is trigged by greed, reckless conduct, a totally irresponsible attitude of some of those who are supposed to be pillars of society. Under such conditions you cannot use economic theory.

Have you lost faith in market economy?

Yes greatly. Pricing is what matters but market economy pricing is based on short sighted factors instead of long term. To simplify, it means that a commodity which is cheap to extract but which we know will be used up in 20 years will be priced according to the expenses to extract it. The long-term impact of the raw material utilization is not incorporated in the market economy pricing. I consider it a system failure in the market.

Another failure in market economy pricing is the lack of pricing of side effects. Economic sciences operate with concepts like external diseconomies which try to price side effects, but they are not part of the market pricing. The only reason, that some side effects are priced, is that

governments intervene and with taxes and duties set a price on the side effects. But without intervening it would, as an example, be extremely cheap to smoke despite smoking has a catastrophic impact on society health expenditure.

Market economy pricing does not incorporate these two very important factors and by not doing so, market pricing of course does not function.

You believe a new economy will emerge from Asia. Why from Asia?

I believe the British historian Arnold Joseph Toynbee (a controversial historian who explains civilizations fall with their moral decay. 14 April 1889 – 22 October 1975) was right when he said: “Civilization is a response to challenges.”

In Asia you got the largest population mass, the largest increase in population, the largest economic growth and it is Asia that have had the strongest increase in consumption. The urgency for changes will be stronger in Asia than anywhere else.

And if you believe Toynbee the answer will come from where it is most needed.

The western world offspring is the Abrahamic religions where nature was given man by god. Therefore we are free to do whatever we want with nature. If you want an apple you are free to trap the tree to get it. In Asian religion and philosophy humans are not superior to nature, but parts of nature, so if you want an apple you will have to climb the tree.

If Asians don’t believe they are superior to nature, why do we then see environmental scandals and catastrophes in Asia?

To get where Asia is today, Asia has played a catch-up game with the western world, adopting western values. Now when it becomes obvious that the western model doesn’t have the answers needed for today’s problems, Asia will have to look somewhere else for solutions and my guess is that Asia will turn to its own fundamental philosophical values.

February 2013 • ScandAsia.China 21

Sanne ‘Sunny’ Gottlieb releases second album www.sannegottlieb.com/photo-gallery

Danish artist and singer-songwriter Sanne Gottlieb “Sunny” releases her second album “Who are the bells ringing for?” in 2013 whilst continuing fundraising for Emancipasia to fight Human Trafficking.

By Maria Rita Skog

22 ScandAsia.China • February 2013

In 2012 Sunny released her first album “Cassette from your Ex” where $1 dollar of each album sold was donated to Emancipasia and to fight human trafficking in Singapore.

T

he Singapore-based artist known as Sunny broke through with her career when her song “Kissing” was used as the movie soundtrack for the movie Sex & the City.

Sunny, the artist, song-writer, actress, model, and former figure skating champion, is now succeeding internationally with her songs.

Reviewed by several journalists and music experts, her lyrics are said to be an implementation of her own life experiences from the past.

“I used to be a figure skater when I was a child. Expressing myself through music as a figure skater triggered something in me. But I always sang. Since when I was 14, I wrote my own songs and sang them to my friends,” says Sunny.

Sunny was a championship figure skater when she was five and became a national number one at the age of 15, when her tendon snapped. This made Sunny start to perform her own poetry at local libraries and fronting the band Candy Club in Copenhagen punkrock clubs. Sunny worked as an Elite model for fashion magazines and at runway shows in Paris/Tokyo making money on the side.

In 2012 Sunny released her first album “Cassette from your Ex” where $1 dollar of each album sold was donated to Emancipasia and to fight human trafficking in Singapore.

She is succeeding worldwide, in 2013 alone as a solo artist, next to having DJ’ XEUM of Paris and a Ministry of Sound DJ from Los Angeles remixing her songs to club music.

Sanne Sunny Gottlieb is today an artist with Warner Music and also a singer-songwriter. Since her younger days, she has always wanted to become an artist.

Melody Grand Prix As the singer in the band The Poets, Sunny and the rock band played twice at Roskilde Music Festival with

an audience of 20,000 people and went touring the United Kingdom.

Sunny then performed in the Danish Melody Grand Prix in both 2000 and 2001, and in 2002, she was a member of the jury.

“After Melody Grand Prix, people recognized me. But it has just been difficult for me to get out of that somehow. They forget that I am also the one doing the soundtrack for the film Sex & the City. I have been doing a lot of things which I am happy that I did,” she says.

13 years later, Sunny reminds ScandAsia that she is more than just the singer at the Danish version of the European Song Contest.

Warner Music record deal Sunny has many good memories through her career. She remembers the time she was in a band with well-known artists as for sticking together 24/7.

“They become your friends for a life time. And of course I remember it was so big for me when I had the song in the Sex & the City Movie because I didn’t know that I had the song in the film until a journalist called me and asked what I felt about “Kissing” being the soundtrack,” says Sunny. It was then that Sunny was determined to land a deal with Warner Music.

“I always said to myself I wanted a deal with Warner Music and I got it. I was alone at the time, me in Denmark and my husband in Singapore, and I had this contract in front of me and I signed it and then I said to myself; I am drinking a glass of champagne,” says Sunny.

Sunny made a toast to herself and updated her Facebook status: Sunny has now two contracts with Warner Music Group – one with Warner Music Europe and one with Warner Music Singapore.

Emancipasia & Human Trafficking In October 2012, the Singapore

launch of Sanne Gottlieb’s CD “Cassette from your Ex” was held at the HMV store, Marina Square, where every CD sold on the day, $1 SGD was donated to Emancipasia to fight human trafficking.

“I have always been extremely interested in politics in many different aspects and in Denmark I have always been super aggressive every time I heard about human trafficking or violence against women and children. You can see that these girls, a lot of them are not here by their own free will,” she says.

Sunny is angry about how the Danish police are not doing much about the prostitution in her homeland, especially with the EasternEuropean Girls.

“They are from Russia, Estonia, and Lithuania, so when I saw that in my country and I was told that it is also happening in Singapore I was super surprised as I didn’t know it was also happening here, in a country where everything is pretty much controlled,” she says.

Sunny will continue to implement the donations from her music sale from her next album to Emancipasia. She also wishes to make the donations a global plan. Early January 2013 she participated in a talk show for women, which is released on her Facebook page in February.

New Club Mix Featuring world’s leading DJs, Sunny’s next hits are halfway done. She tells us that these songs will be quite electronic. She believes the success she has had so far is attributed to the strong team behind her.

“They are in different areas in this world as LA, Paris, Stockholm, and Turkey. I know that they will play my music. I know that a strong name behind you can open a lot of doors.

It feels right and it is because the previous album goes in two directions.

One is an electronic and one is a singer-song writer direction,” she says.

The move to Singapore has of-

fered Sunny the opportunity to explore her inner potential which has been quite challenging.

“Music wise, I want to continue to write and at one point I might just only write for others again. At the moment it is just progressing, it is not that I am dreaming of being the new Madonna or whatever they try to call me. I am actually using my own stories. It is a struggle because it is difficult for me to put my life and my feelings down in words, so that it can be a personal project but at the same time it can be something that other people would find interesting and maybe they can relate themselves to it,” says Sunny.

Life philosophy and being an author “No Dreams are too big to dream because along the way they will only get smaller. If you start somewhere totally unrealistic, you will probably end somewhere realistic. If someone tells me they want to do music I’d ask them why. Then I’d say take the things that you are good at and refine them,” Sunny says.

Sunny is writing a book and will write more books, as there is not so much pressure and stress on author writing as it is with music. She is now more than halfway in the book where she shares a thought to the readers.

“One thing I found out is that you cannot do this on your own. You can do it to a certain limit but then you have to be involved with others, you need to have a super network; otherwise it is not going to happen.

There will always be people who are better and smarter than yourself and you just have to hook up with them, so we get the best out of each other, which then refers to do what you are good at,” says Sunny.

Sunny’s songs can be found on iTunes, iTunes Denmark and Amazon UK. To follow Sunny, subscribe to the artist’s homepage on Facebook, Twitter and blog: http://www. sannegottlieb.com

February 2013 • ScandAsia.China 23

Finnair marks th 90 anniversary W This year Finnair celebrates 90 years of operation.

Mr. Nick Naung Naung, Finnair’s Country Sales Manager based in Singapore, shares the airline’s vision and its success story.

By Wachiraporn Janrut

ith a long history of nine decades, Finnair is one of the world’s oldest operating airlines.

The company started its operation on 1 November 1923 under the name of Aero O/Y with a Junkers F 13 servicing the Helsinki route. Today, Finnair has over 60 aircrafts servicing over 60 destinations in Europe, 13 cities in Asia with a total of more than 70 flights between Asia and Europe.

Mr. Nick Naung Naung joined Finnair as Country Sales Manager – Singapore, Malaysia Indonesia, in February 2011. He has over ten years’ experience in the travel tourism industry, and prior to joining Finnair he was the Trade Account Manager for Air France KLM. Specialising in flights between Asia and Europe, Finnair is one of the most innovative and safest airlines in the world, he says.

The Group’s core business areas are Airline Business, Aviation Services and Travel Services.

The company has approximately 7,000 employees worldwide. The Finnish government is a major shareholder with a 55.8 per cent holding.

Other shareholders include public bodies, financial institutions, private companies and households.

24 ScandAsia.China • February 2013

“I have this wonderful opportunity to work for a company like Finnair which has a clear vision of what it wants to be, the direction it is taking, goals and more,” says Nick.

ongoing journey towards achieving its vision and being the best in its class and more,” he says.

Finnair’s vision

Nick tells us that in 1923 Finnair started its operation with a Junkers F 13, a single engine monoplane, equipped with a closed cabin and seats for four passengers. The crew consisted of a pilot and a mechanic.

And it served only the Helsinki route.

Long-haul expansion to the United States began in 1969 with flights from Helsinki via Copenhagen and Amsterdam to New York. In 1975 Finnair received its first widebodied aircraft, the DC-10s, which could carry nearly 300 passengers.

Finnair’s Far Eastern expansion began with the start of the company’s direct flights to Bangkok in November 1976. On 22 April 1983, Finnair opened non-stop flights

Finnair’s vision is to be the number one airline in the Nordic countries, the most desired or preferred option among passengers in Asia, and to be among the top three in terms of transit traffic between Asia and Europe.

“I am proud that every day we try to bring to life our customer promise of being an airline that is ‘Designed For You’, through offering quality and being fresh and creative in everything we do,” says Nick.

He believes that these are some of the company’s core success factors that help distinguish Finnair from the other airlines in the field.

“I want to be a part of Finnair’s

Finnair’s history and growth

Finnair’s Marimekko Unikko plane

from Helsinki to Tokyo, the only European airline to offer such a service at that time. Direct flights to Beijing began on 2 June 1988, making Finnair the first Western European airline to have a non-stop route between Europe and China.

The airline currently has more than 60 aircrafts. The long-haul fleet comprises of 15 wide-bodied aircrafts. The present operating scheduled flights to 12 long-haul destinations include Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, Beijing, Chongqing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Delhi, Seoul, Singapore and New York.

“We are moving toward an Asia-focused strategy, the biggest markets will be Japan and Greater China, and of course our own market in Finland,” says Nick.

For Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines, Finnair has special arrangement with its partner airlines so passengers flying to Europe can connect to direct flights from cities like Singapore, Bangkok and Hong Kong.

In the summer of 2013, Nick says that the company will introduce non-stop flights to Xian and Hanoi.

According to him, part of Finnair’s 2020 vision is to double its revenues from Asia by adding markets and increasing frequencies between Asia and Europe.

Finnair’s competitiveness Nick reveals that the foundation of Finnair’s growth strategy includes the growing Asian markets, fast flight connections and its competitiveness in the industry.

“We offer a ‘shortcut’ between Asia and Europe. Finnair flies the short, northern route with optimal business travel timetables and smooth transfers via a highly efficient Helsinki Airport where transfer times are relatively short compared to other major European airports,” says Nick.

“This helps save time for our passengers, both business and leisure travellers,” he adds.

Finnair’s achievements in Singapore Nick says there have been several achievements since the launch of the daily direct flight from Helsinki to Singapore on 31 May 2011. In September that year, Finnair partnered with Rovio Entertainment to organise the first Angry Birds Asian Challenge event where participating fans played the game at an altitude of 10,000 metres – in Finnair’s plane which was painted with Angry Birds’ characters.

Moreover, Finnair has recently won the inaugural Best Marketing award given by the Changi Airport Group. In November 2012, the company held a celebration at Changi Airport to welcome its 100,000th passenger on the HelsinkiSingapore route.

“We surprised Finnair’s passengers by having ‘Santa’ and his elves giving out Marimekko tote bags while they were waiting at the carousel to pick up their bags,” says Nick.

In terms of load factor and revenue on the Singapore route, Nick says that the company is pleased with its performance as they have both exceeded expectations.

“We are getting more corporate clients, leisure travellers and support from other Southeast Asian countries. I am confident that we will continue to fulfill and even exceed our expected traffic and revenue goals,” says Nick.

At the moment, Finnair offers a daily flight on the Helsinki to Singapore route, except during the winter period where a schedule of four flights a week takes place.

Innovative airline Nick shared with us some of Finnair’s innovative marketing programs responding to customer demands and the growing market.

As of 28 November 2012 Finnair has introduced Fare branding - five new ticket types that will simplify the purchasing of flight tickets. He

Mr. Nick Naung Naung, Finnair’s Country Sales Manager

says that Finnair’s frequent flyer program, Finnair Plus, has also been renewed to make it more rewarding than ever before. The new ticket types are BUSINESS, BUSINESS SAVER in Business Class and PRO, VALUE and BASIC in Economy Class. The goal is to improve clarity in ticket pricing and offer fares to all segments of customers in the fastgrowing air travel market, he says.

Finnair and renowned Finnish design house Marimekko have also teamed up to enhance the air travel experience with a new design partnership. From spring 2013, all Finnair aircraft will feature a Marimekko for Finnair collection of textiles and tableware, featuring Marimekko’s classic patterns. Nick says that the Marimekko for Finnair collection is specially designed to add a light and fresh visual and tactile dimension to the onboard experience, while lightening the airline’s carbon footprint.

Skytrax, the world’s leading airline and airport reviews site, has renewed Finnair’s four-star rating status as a seal of quality approval for the airline’s good quality performance.

In fact, Finnair was named the best airline in Northern Europe at the 2012 Skytrax World Airline Awards.

This is the third time that Finnair has come out top in this category.

Celebrating 90 years To celebrate its 90th Anniversary this year, Finnair plans several marketing activities. For Singapore, the 90th Anniversary fares to Europe promotion has been launched, with prices from as low as SGD 1,029 in economy class and SGD 4,845 in business class. Travellers are suggested to check Finnair’s latest promotional fares on www.finnair.sg “I am proud to be working for one of the world’s oldest operating airlines. Its long history is a strong reflection of the company’s ability to be innovative, flexible and nimble to respond to changing passenger demands and business environment,” says Nick.

February 2013 • ScandAsia.China 25

Fish sandwich (Stjerneskud)

By Anders Holm Nielsen

W

ith “Stjerneskud” the Danes combine their love for the traditional open sandwich also known as “Smoerrebrøed” and the easy access fresh fish via the large Danish coastline. There are many different variations of the dish but the most common is toast with fried plaice, shrimp, boiled cod, salad, asparagus and the essential red dressing.

Translated, “Stjerneskud” means shooting star because how the dish resembles a star when it is put together in the old fashioned manner. The fresh seafood is key to creating the classic meal, and ordering the dish in a dodgy place can be a risky move, but if made right, the fish sandwich makes for both a fine lunch and dinner.

Ingredients: (Serves one)

Directions Take the fresh fillets of plaice and turn them in flour, then egg whites and finally the crumbled bread. Fry them on a pan with oil at a steady heat.

Put the cod in a pot, ad white wine, lemon juice, a dash of salt and pepper and steam it slowly on the stove.

Mix crème fraîche and ketchup and try your way by adding dill, paprika, salt, pepper and lemon juice a bit at the time.

Scrape you toast with the red dressing and put the lettuce on. Place the fried and steamed fish on top. Add the rest of the red dressing and the asparagus and shrimp on top of the fish and finally top it off with sliced lemon, cucumber, tomato and dill. Enjoy!

•

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

2 pieces of fried plaice in a breadcrumb coating (or other sorts of flatfish) 100 ml flour 100 ml egg whites 100 ml crumbled bread 1 piece of boiled cod 75 g. shrimp 75 g. asparagus 1 slice of toast Butter – salt – pepper 200 ml white wine.

1 lemon Sliced cucumber 2 tbsp. crème fraîche 2 tbsp. ketchup Lettuce of various sorts Dill 1 half, sliced tomato

International Baccalaureate

- an alternative to the Danish ‘Studentereksamen’ • internationally recognized • gives admission to universities all over the world • taught in English You can stay at Nyborg Gymnasium’s boarding school.

Contact us for more information about the programme and the boarding school.

Deadline for applications: 15th of March

Nyborg Gymnasium & Kostskole Skolebakken 13, DK-5800 Nyborg, tlf +45 65 31 02 17 post@nyborg-gym.dk, www.nyborg-gym.dk

26 ScandAsia.China • February 2013

Swedish Minister for Foreign Affairs in Beijing The Swedish Minster for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Carl Bildt, was on an official visit to Beijing on 6-8 December 2012.

H

e arrived in Beijing on 6 December 2012 for political talks and participated in the Stockholm – China Forum on 7-8 December. The forum is a yearly meeting where government representatives, researchers and journalists from Europe, USA and Asia discuss developments in China.

Swedish Minister for Foreign Affairs’ Q&A with Chinese netizens On the afternoon of 6 December 2012, the Minister was available for Q&A session for the Chinese microblog Sina Weibo. 222 questions were submitted, of which Bildt managed to answer 49 in the one hour long interview session.

There was particular interest in questions concerning visas, studies and work in Sweden, and the new Chinese leadership. There were also questions concerning the Nobel Prize, corruption, integration politics and the Swedish tax system.

Here are some of questions and answers from the session.

Question: What is the difference between Socialism and Capitalism in your eyes? Is Sweden a socialist country or capitalist one?

Bildt: Our political system is an open and free democracy, and then we have an open market economy which I guess you would call capitalist.

Question: What can be done to shorten or to

Question: Your blog is famous in Sweden, do

dex has ranked the Nordic countries among the world’s happiest countries. I would like to ask what sort of things get the Swedes to be worried about.

Bildt: I guess people in Sweden have many of the same worries as people all over the world, although we are fortunate for having had peace and a good political and economic system.

you intend to share the site to the Chinese? With the help of Google Translate, I am sure many of us can grasp the core idea of your posts.

Bildt: Yes, my blog is rather popular in Sweden, but unfortunately it does not seem to be possible to access it from here. I just tried but failed.

Question: What and how Sweden and the Eu-

make the approval process more transparent for Swedish companies who are considering making their products available in the Chinese market?

Bildt: That’s really a question to the Chinese authorities. I would be interested in their answers, since there is clearly room for improvement.

Question: As far as I’m concerned, the in-

ropean Union plan to help China to improve human rights issues, especially the issue of freedom of expression?

Bildt: We certainly make our views known, but we also try to help with the development of and respect for human rights laws.

Question: What are the normal Swedes’ un-

Question: I’ve heard that there’s tremendous

During the day Minister Bildt also met with the Vice Minsiter of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Zhang Zhijun, as well as Chinese and international economists.

To read the full Q&A (the questions are in Chinese), visit www.sweden.cn

usage of English language in Sweden, from popular music, films to news, and without any subtitles or translations. Will this impact the Swedish culture?

Bildt: It’s true that there is a lot of English, since we are a very globalised country, I don’t think this has weakened our own culture.

derstandings of China? How do they think of our country?

Bildt: I think people have a good picture of China. They are curious and may, of course, have questions concerning aspects of your society.

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