Comments on: Hong Kong v Beijing http://blogs.reuters.com/china/2008/02/21/hong-kong-v-beijing/ Giant on the move Tue, 10 Nov 2009 07:16:45 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: Glen http://blogs.reuters.com/china/2008/02/21/hong-kong-v-beijing/#comment-522 Glen Mon, 26 May 2008 04:59:15 +0000 http://blogs.reuters.com/china/2008/02/21/hong-kong-v-beijing/#comment-522 It's worth remembering that people in Beijing work their heart out for about 15 U.S cents an hour - and work *at least* 55-70 hours a week. Despite all the fake glory of the Olympic games, China is a horrible place to live - and the locals know this all too well. They see what we have and they know other Chinese who have migrated to the west. Only the very young and stupid teens with rich parents think that China is the centre of the world. So with this type of life, would you be able to put on a happy face to all those rich Olympic tourists with all their money? I don't think so.... SECONDLY: There are definite cultural aspects here that you seem unaware of... In China, service is valued more highly than friendliness... In China service is Number 1. So when you get some attendant to serve you in even an average amount of time, this is considered 'good service'. There is the English expression 'a smile costs nothing', but then again, if you are getting paid almost nothing..... Try to look at it this way: In China, people are respected for their ability to do their job promptly, smiles just don't enter into the sales situation at all. Having said this, I have had plenty of smiles... from Nanjing to Shanghai... But you get these from market sellers, where they own the business or shop. It’s worth remembering that people in Beijing work their heart out for about 15 U.S cents an hour - and work *at least* 55-70 hours a week. Despite all the fake glory of the Olympic games, China is a horrible place to live - and the locals know this all too well. They see what we have and they know other Chinese who have migrated to the west. Only the very young and stupid teens with rich parents think that China is the centre of the world. So with this type of life, would you be able to put on a happy face to all those rich Olympic tourists with all their money? I don’t think so…. SECONDLY: There are definite cultural aspects here that you seem unaware of… In China, service is valued more highly than friendliness… In China service is Number 1. So when you get some attendant to serve you in even an average amount of time, this is considered ‘good service’. There is the English expression ‘a smile costs nothing’, but then again, if you are getting paid almost nothing….. Try to look at it this way: In China, people are respected for their ability to do their job promptly, smiles just don’t enter into the sales situation at all.
Having said this, I have had plenty of smiles… from Nanjing to Shanghai… But you get these from market sellers, where they own the business or shop.

]]> By: ke http://blogs.reuters.com/china/2008/02/21/hong-kong-v-beijing/#comment-168 ke Sat, 01 Mar 2008 17:51:00 +0000 http://blogs.reuters.com/china/2008/02/21/hong-kong-v-beijing/#comment-168 But can Hong Kong afford the impressive price tag that comes with building all the Olympic facilities it needs to host an Olympic Game? I don't think so. But can Hong Kong afford the impressive price tag that comes with building all the Olympic facilities it needs to host an Olympic Game? I don’t think so.

]]> By: Airport Survey http://blogs.reuters.com/china/2008/02/21/hong-kong-v-beijing/#comment-136 Airport Survey Sat, 23 Feb 2008 08:07:14 +0000 http://blogs.reuters.com/china/2008/02/21/hong-kong-v-beijing/#comment-136 The fact is Hong Kong's airport is ranked as #1 in the world, followed by (tied at #2) Incheon's and Singapore's. http://www.worldairportawards.com/ The 2007 list is here: http://www.worldairportawards.com/Awards_2007/Airport2007.htm The survey is based on more than 7.8 million detailed passenger surveys, covering over 170 airports, and conducted over an 11 month period throughout the world. It will be a huge uphill battle for Beijing to surpass even the top 10: HK, Incheon, Singapore, Munich, Kuala Lumpur, Zurich, Amsterdam, Vancouver, Kansai (Japan), Madrid. The fact is Hong Kong’s airport is ranked as #1 in the world, followed by (tied at #2) Incheon’s and Singapore’s.

http://www.worldairportawards.com/

The 2007 list is here:
http://www.worldairportawards.com/Awards _2007/Airport2007.htm

The survey is based on more than 7.8 million detailed passenger surveys, covering over 170 airports, and conducted over an 11 month period throughout the world.

It will be a huge uphill battle for Beijing to surpass even the top 10: HK, Incheon, Singapore, Munich, Kuala Lumpur, Zurich, Amsterdam, Vancouver, Kansai (Japan), Madrid.

]]> By: J B http://blogs.reuters.com/china/2008/02/21/hong-kong-v-beijing/#comment-133 J B Sat, 23 Feb 2008 00:53:16 +0000 http://blogs.reuters.com/china/2008/02/21/hong-kong-v-beijing/#comment-133 Good post. Hong Kong would certainly do a great job with the Olympics, though the CCP would never allow it. Another point about both cities' airport trains is that from the last stop on Hong Kong's you can walk to almost any point in the main business district or to most of the major tourist sights, and can reach the commuter train terminal in less than 10 minutes by taking the subway. (Soon you will be able to transfer directly to the commuter train.) Beijing's, on the other hand, will only stop at Dongzhimen, over three miles from the Central Business District, half an hour's walk from any notable tourist sight and on the other side of town from Beijing's main train station. Good post. Hong Kong would certainly do a great job with the Olympics, though the CCP would never allow it. Another point about both cities’ airport trains is that from the last stop on Hong Kong’s you can walk to almost any point in the main business district or to most of the major tourist sights, and can reach the commuter train terminal in less than 10 minutes by taking the subway. (Soon you will be able to transfer directly to the commuter train.)
Beijing’s, on the other hand, will only stop at Dongzhimen, over three miles from the Central Business District, half an hour’s walk from any notable tourist sight and on the other side of town from Beijing’s main train station.

]]> By: he http://blogs.reuters.com/china/2008/02/21/hong-kong-v-beijing/#comment-128 he Thu, 21 Feb 2008 13:22:50 +0000 http://blogs.reuters.com/china/2008/02/21/hong-kong-v-beijing/#comment-128 Biased, ignorant with a couple of lies now and again. Biased, ignorant with a couple of lies now and again.

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