Ramblings

Sometimes this blog winds up  not so much about business in China, or social life in China but about life in China in general.  Let's face it plenty of China bloggers do a great job of discussing a lot of issues, if you don't believe me,  just check the blogroll to the right.

Some bad news, father in law had a heart attack a couple of days ago, he's resting comfortably, but probably will need surgery.  Was taken to the local hospital in Changping (in Dongguan) and stabilized, luckily they got him there in time.  Apparently hospitals like this are like any large small town hospital, equipped to do emergency stuff, get folks stabilized, but major surgery is sent to larger cities. In this case off to Guangzhou should any major stuff be called for.   I'll follow this one, as for us expats, health care is a primary concern, and we worry about the quality of care we would receive in such an emergency.

On other bad news, a friend and past business associate was diagnosed with cancer, evidently a rare form of stomach cancer on top of that, signet ring cell cancer.  Now if you knew this person, this is something you wouldn't expect, maybe, as one entry in  his blog puts it.

Cancer? Come on man, you can do better than that.
Nearly blowing your head off after chucking a burning spear into an abandoned well filled with decades of methane-producing rotting vegetation. That shit is more your speed.
Piloting your Jeep through hairpin donkey trails haphazardly cut into the sides of 500-foot high granite cliffs. Big, ankle-slapping brass balls, that one.
Eating dicey curries in back-alley Hong Kong lucky sailor wok shops. Pure Purdom.
Sorry it took so long to get back to about your latest attempt to buck life's odds. I was just waiting for something with a bit more of an, I don't know..., "Erik edge" to it.

ChinaFUBAR's also a cancer survivor, so we understand what's going on, and our prayers go out to Erik and his family.  By the way, we opted to do treatments in Hong Kong instead of repatriating back to the U.S. and seems all worked out well. Cannot say good enough things about he Hong Kong Adventist Hospital Cancer Center.

On the China Business side, had a conversation with a Sourcing Manager for a major U.S. retailer, in charge of hardgoods, fashion accessories and Footwear.  The discussion about the supposed "mass exodus" of factories in Guangdong came up, and although he deals with quite a few vendors by the time you combine all his areas of responsibilities, he's not hand any of his vendors yet come and say they are moving to other provinces, other countries. etc.  Is this whole "we're leaving Guangdong" a big knee-jerk reaction?  Stay tuned China-watchers.   He did mention that his product costs have risen about 15% and they've had to absorb the costs.  I expect that will only last so long.

About it for now.