December 2009 / January 2010 - Association of Dutch Businessmen

December 2009 / January 2010 

MITA 373/03/2001 

CHINA 

Special

Prologue 

Time flies ... 

I have the feeling that the summer holidays have just finished and now suddenly I realize 

that Christmas and New year are approaching. 

If I look back at the events we have organized since summer, I realize that it is true. The 

Annual Dinner and Dance, the enterpreneurial panel, the visit of Jaap van Zweden and his 

orchestra, the wine tasting at the Hollandse Club and finally we (and I) are preparing for the 

end of year network drinks at my place, for which I invite all ADB members warmly. 

Jan de Vegt 

Looking back, it will probably be for some people a year to better forget, the aftermath of 

the credit crisis, the economies going down and all the consequences that may have brought. 

We see now signals that Singapore (and other countries) are technically out of recession. 

Adding the word technically in these reports makes me suspicious. What are these journalists 

and analists trying to say? Technically we are out but effectively we are still in? 

In my personal opinion it will take some more time before all economic indicators are pointing 

in the right direction. I think we are recovering from a huge overreaction on the credit crisis, 

companies as a reaction (or as a consequence) stopped orders, used-up their inventories and 

now, as consumer spending is not going down that drastically, they have to restock. This gives 

pressure in factories and transportation systems, as factories and transport systems were scaled 

down due to the sudden lack of orders due to the credit crisis or maybe their credit position. 

Could that be the part that leads us ‘technically’ out of recession, but not really? 

China will play a leading role in global economic recovery, new opportunities will come up, 

reason for us to get some further insights in China and business developments, which is the 

theme of this combined December/January issue. 

I do hope that we are overcoming the economic crisis, but I still have my doubts. Technically 

we may be out, but if we are effectively out….., time will tell .... 

On the contrary we see that the number of Dutch people in Singapore still has risen over 

the last year and the ADB has recorded its largest number of (new) members in history. 

This of course motivates us to take our tasks even further. 

December is family month Sinterklaas, Christmas, New years Eve. Most events you spend 

with family and friends, whether here in Singapore, in the Netherlands or any other place on 

this Earth, therefor I wish you and your families Merry Christmas and a Happy and Healthy 

New Year. 

Enjoy the holidays and see you next year on our traditional ‘Nieuwjaars borrel’ on the 

11 th of January! 

And in between the December festivities, do find the time to relax and read the ADB 

Magazine! 

Jan de Vegt 

‘ 

The ADB provides opportunities for Dutch business people to meet, interact and share knowledge 

by means of company visits, lectures, networking events and membership communications. ’ 

Marie-Hélène 

Piederiet 

Ard Huisman 

Richard van der 

Werf 

Frank Kuijsters 

Marleen 

Dieleman 

Rutger Oudejans 

Hans Loth 

 

Vol.19 • No. 10 • December 2009 / January 2010

A monthly publication of the 

Association of Dutch Businessmen 

ADB Board 

Jan de Vegt 

Marie-Hélène Piederiet 

Ard Huisman 

Richard van der Werf 

Frank Kuijsters 

Marleen Dieleman 

Rutger Oudejans 

Hans Loth 

Editorial Committee 

Frank Kuijsters, Chief Editor 

Gene Kwee 

Karin Gerbens 

Lineke van Nederpelt 

Richard Soemita 

Sara Caris 

Willem Anne Hoekstra 

President 

Honorary Secretary 

Honorary Treasurer 

Member 

Member 

Member 

Member 

Member 

Secretariat 

Lineke van Nederpelt 

Mailing Address: 

c/o 22 Camden Park, Singapore 299814 

Telephone: 9101 6201 

email: adb@pacific.net.sg 

C o n t e n t s 

Prologue 1 

Review 

Selling Wine in Singapore 3 

Business 

World Expo 2010 Shanghai China 4 

What does a Chinese consumer want? 6 

Rich, Richer, Richest: Wealth and Private banking 8 

in China 

Building business ties 10 

My Chinese adventure: hosting meetings and 12 

embracing naptime Sleeping in China? 

Under Chinese management 14 

Bizz Agenda 15 

Greenpage 

Low Carbon City Initiative 16 

Website 

Email 

: www.adb.org.sg 

: webmaster@adb.org.sg 

Travel 

China beaches 18 

Editorial contributions for the next issue may 

be sent or handed over to the ADB Secretariat, 

before or on the day of the monthly ADB 

meeting. The contents of this magazine are partly 

based on information received from third parties. 

The Committee does not take responsibility 

for the correctness of the articles. 

Designed by Jennifer Phua 

Printed by Khoo Sun Printing Pte Ltd 

MITA 373/03/2001 

Membership fee is S$ 100 per calendar year. 

For registration, please see the website www. 

adb.org.sg/en_member_signup.htm. 

Membership is renewed automatically effective 

the first month of the new calendar year. 

Make your cheque payable to “Assocation of Dutch 

Businessmen” and send to ADB, c/o 22 Camden 

Park, Singapore 299814. 

Termination of membership must be received 

by ADB Secretariat in writing before 1 January, 

otherwise you will be charged for the full amount 

for the following calendar year. 

Please notify the ADB secretariat of any changes in 

employer, (email) addresses or any other personal 

particulars that might be of interest to the ADB 

administration. 

Interview 

Ask4Me in Guangzhou 20 

Doing business in China, an interview with 22 

Michiel Verhoeven 

Special 

The Little Red Book 25 

Tibet, or did the 13 th Dalai Lama kowtow? 26 

Know Your Tax 

China challenges Special Purpose Vehicles 28 

Column by... 


Time to move to Paraguay? 29 

Business News 30 

Event Agenda 32 

Conference Calendar 34 

Embassy info 35 

association info 35 

 


Review 

Selling Wine in Singapore 

In January 2008 the big dream of Arjen Blom 

came through, he started his own wine business 

in Singapore. The name of the company was 

Wine Directions Pte Ltd and specializes in the 

import and distribution of boutique wines from 

New Zealand. 

During the ADB wine talk on Tuesday November 

17, 2009 it became clear that there are a lot 

of differences between the Netherlands and 

Singapore on the preference and consumption 

of wines. 

The Dutch have access to an abundant 

offering of wines from the European continent, 

with the French wines leading the pact. Often is 

the preference for certain wines and wine styles 

passed on from generation to generation, as the 

parents guide their children often in the first wine 

experiences. There is also a lot of exposure to the 

European wines due to the holidays celebrated 

in the different wine producing countries. As 

a result they hardly look for wines beyond the 

European continent. 

For the common Singaporean, wine is a 

reasonable new phenomenon. Wine started to 

become a part of their lifestyle only 15 years 

ago. As there isn’t a wine tradition or legacy, 

they are open to wines from all over the world. 

Singaporeans are also adventurous with regards 

trying new products and styles, which also 

reflects in their wine choice. 

Australia is for many years the market leader 

in volume in the Singapore market and in retail 

they have a 60% market share, followed by France 

and much smaller volumes by Chile, USA, Italy and 

New Zealand. The main reason of the Australian 

success is the style of the Australian wines that 

suit the Singapore palate and the value for money 

aspect that these wines offer. 

Also the proximity of Australia towards 

Singapore helps a lot as many Singaporeans have 

been there on holiday, send their kids to study 

in Australia and the supermarkets are filled 

with Australian produced products. That makes 

Australia a trusted brand which helps in selling 

their wines. 

In case you are not that familiar with the 

Australian wine region and wine styles, you can 

use the overview below as a guideline when 

buying your Australian wines. 

Western Australia 

• Margaret River: Chardonnay and Cabernet 

Sauvignon 

South Australia 

• Clare Valley: Riesling (dry style) and 

Shiraz 

• Barossa: Shiraz, Shiraz and more Shiraz 

• Adelaide Hills: Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris 

and Pinot Noir 

• McLaren Vale: Chardonnay, Cabernet 

Sauvignon, Shiraz 

Victoria 

• Yarra valley: Chardonnay en Pinot Noir 

• Heathcote: Viognier and Shiraz 

• Macedon Ranges: Sparkling wines 

• Mornington Peninsula: Chardonnay and 

Pinot Noir 

Enjoy your next glass of wine. 

For more information about Wine Directions 

visit their website www.winedirections.com 

Arjen Blom 

More pictures on 

www.adb.org.sg 

Wilco Alberda, Michael Krayenhoff, 

Roderick Kasteel, Arnaud Schmutzer 

Marie Helene Piederiet, Mathieu Spros, Jurn 

Terpstra, Marcel Krol 

Wendy Laheij, Lyshia Liauw, Piet Groen 

 


Business 

World Expo 2010 Shanghai China 

By Sara Caris 

Next year the World Expo will be organized in 

Shanghai, China. 

The World Expo is a large-scale, global and 

non-commercial exposition. It aims to promote 

the exchange of ideas and the development 

of the world’s economy, culture, science and 

technology; and to allow nations to publicise 

and showcase their achievements, as well as to 

improve international relationships. 

The World Expo has seen three eras since the 

first World expo in 1851 at the Chrystal Palace, 

London: 

1. Industrialisation from 1851–1938: World 

expositions were focused on trade and the 

display of technological inventions. 

2. Cultural Exchange from 1939–1991 : World 

expositions became more strongly based on 

a specific theme of cultural significance, and 

began to address issues of humankind. 

3. Nation Branding from 1992–present: Countries 

started to use World expositions more strongly 

as a platform to improve their national images 

through their pavilions 

Expo 2010 Shanghai China will be an event to 

explore the full potential of urban life in the 21 st 

century and a significant period in urban evolution. 

The prospect of future urban life, a subject of 

global interest, concerns all nations, developed or 

less developed, and their people. Being the first 

World Exposition on the theme of city, Exposition 

2010 will attract governments and people from 

across the world, focusing on the theme “Better 

City, Better Life.” For 6 months, participants 

will display urban civilisation to the full extent, 

exchange their experiences of urban development, 

disseminate advanced notions on cities and explore 

new approaches to human habitat, lifestyle and 

working conditions in the new century. They will 

learn how to create an eco-friendly society and 

maintain the sustainable development of human 

beings. Expo 2010 Shanghai China will centre 

on innovation and interaction. Innovation is the 

soul, while cultural interaction is an important 

mission of the World Expositions. 

Theme: Better City, Better life: 

In 1800, only 2 percent of the global population 

lived in cities, but by 1950, the figure had risen 

to 29 percent. In 2010 around 55 percent of the 

total human population will live in the city. Despite 

all its glories, there is no denying that the city 

today, because of high-density living patterns, 

faces a series of challenges, such as spatial 

conflicts, cultural collisions, resource shortages 

and environment degeneration. Without effective 

controls, the unchecked expansion of cities will 

aggravate these problems and consequently 

erode the quality of urban life. 

All the problems facing the city are believed 

to have originated from the discords between man 

and nature, between man and man, and between 

spiritual and material aspects of life. It is also 

maintained that such discord, if left unattended, 

will inevitably lead to the decline of the quality 

of life in cities and even the degeneration of 

human civilisation. 

It is in the face of such discord that Expo 2010 

Shanghai China proposes the concept of a “City 

of Harmony” responding to the appeal for “Better 

City, Better Life.” 

So far, more than 180 countries and 34 

international organisations have confirmed their 

participation in World Expo 2010, with 70 million 

visitors expected over 6 months. The Netherlands 

and Singapore have their own pavilion. 

The Dutch pavilion (4.000 m 2 ), designed by 

architect/artist John Körmeling, is called ‘Happy 

Street’. It’s an entire street in the shape of the 

number eight, an auspicious number in Chinese 

culture. Visitors to the pavilion stroll along 20 

houses in different styles that represent Dutch 

architectural tradition, including designs by 

Gerrit Rietveld and Jan Wils. 

 


Business 

With the theme ‘Better city, better life’ 

Expo organisers have challenged participants 

to generate ideas for liveable cities in the 21 st 

century. As a largely urbanised and densely 

populated country, the Netherlands has much to 

offer in this regard. The Dutch pavilion promotes 

sustainability, environment, and corporate 

social responsibility. It shows, for instance, the 

innovative ways in which Holland deals with 

space, energy and water. 

The Singapore pavilion (3.000 m 2 ) designed 

by Kay Ngee Tan Architects will showcase 

Singapore’s achievements in urban planning, water 

technology and environmental services, while 

promoting closer relations between the people 

of China and Singapore. The pavilion will also 

highlight Singapore’s ability to offer a high-quality 

and integrated environment to live, work and 

play within a compact area through sustainable 

planning and development. 

The Singapore Pavilion is to be called 

Urban Symphony. The theme is best expressed in 

the pavilion’s 

architecture, one 

which evokes images of a 

musical box. It forms an orchestra 

of elements and a symphony for the senses 

– from the choreography of the plaza’s water 

fountain to the rhythm of fenestrations on the 

façade. 

Pictures and exhibits of Singapore adorn 

the way to the atrium space and main hall of 

the first floor, where visitors will enjoy various 

activities; taking in performances right up to 

the expanse of the second floor’s column-free 

open space. Topping off Singapore’s reputation 

as a much-admired garden city is the rooftop’s 

A Garden in the Sky. The pavilion’s four columns 

stand as symbols of the four main races plus their 

foreign guests, supporting the entire structural 

system on a floor comprised of different shapes 

and sizes. This demonstrates how while some 

of the Singaporean may come from elsewhere, 

they are all able to live, work and play together 

in perfect harmony while sharing the same 

common ground. 

When: May 1 st to October 31 st 2010 

Where: Waterfront of the Huangpu River 

between Nanpu Bridge and Lupu Bridge 

More information: http://en.expo2010china.com 

SALVAGE ASIA PTE LTD 

12A Jln Samulun • Singapore 629131 • Tel : +65 6591 5288 • Fax : +65 6591 5289 • www.ttbisso.com • info@ttbisso.com 

 


Business 

What does a Chinese consumer want? 

By Frank Kuijsters 

Crisis or not, the Chinese economy continues to 

grow. The inhabitants of the People’s Republic 

are increasingly affluent. It is a dream market 

for many companies. But how do you get solid 

foothold? 

The Chinese today is not the same as him of 

a few years ago. The living room of a family in a 

town like Shaoxing, in the east of the country, 

can now look just like those of a middle class 

family from Alkmaar or Oss. 

Today, the modern Chinese will be able to 

meet all his basic needs, and perhaps looks like 

the Westerner of a few generations ago. Yet he 

is looking for the luxury and comfort to match 

his new standard of living. It appears that the 

prosperity of the average Chinese in the coming 

years continues to rise rapidly. The gross national 

product is still growing, global crisis or not. 

Companies from around the world closely watch 

the Chinese consumers finding increasing financial 

prosperity. 

A few years ago DVD players, iPods, watches 

and mobile phones were enthusiastically welcomed 

and sold like hot cakes. But Chinese consumers 

are with their time. An overdose of choice and 

a growing welfare standard makes him more 

demanding and less satisfied. A proper strategy 

that is responsive to the wishes of modern 

Chinese is the key to business success in China. 

Metropolis 

But what are some 1.3 billion Chinese people 

today waiting for? A concrete top ten popular 

products or services is impossible to compile. But 

here some recommendations to get the modern 

Chinese onto your side. 

First: Focus on the “smaller” cities like 

Chengdu and Xiamen. Research indicates these 

places, where the average population still varies 

from 2 to 12 million people, as the most fertile 

markets for the moment. The population is not 

primarily critical, but the economic development, 

purchasing power and social status of the residents 

determine the attractiveness of the metropolis in 

the making. 

 


Business 

Second: The Chinese over 40 years old are as a 

customer much less interesting than those in their 

twenties and thirties. The reforms introduced by 

Deng Xiaoping in the early eighties marked the 

beginning of the new China. The Chinese in their 

twenties and thirties have grown up in a market 

oriented China and are thus more open to foreign 

influence and innovations. Moreover, they have 

considerably more disposable income than older 

compatriots. 

Third: Invest in building a relationship with 

the Chinese consumer. Loyalty in Chinese goes 

far, especially in their choice of brands. But a 

brand must invest heavily to win the confidence of 

Chinese people. Branding is therefore crucial. That 

effort is often rewarded, the chances are that a 

Chinese woman who is satisfied with the cream of 

L’Oreal, will continue to buy L’Oreal for the rest 

of her life. For international brands there is a big 

challenge, because Chinese are naturally attached 

to home-grown products. Skepticism about import 

products is particularly with older, more traditional 

Chinese. Yet the young, modern Chinese is very 

explicitly looking for Western brands. 

Fourth: Choose the right sales channel. 

Modern Chinese are fond of shopping malls and 

hypermarkets, huge supermarkets where besides 

food, things like clothing and electronics are sold. 

The French Carrefour recently opened its 135 th 

store, the American Wal-Mart has opened this 

year 100 Shops. Whether a Chinese goes for his 

shopping to a mall, Wal-Mart, grocery store or uses 

the internet, all depends on his domicile. Smaller 

cities don’t always have a hypermarket, just like 

big cities virtually have no small neighborhood 

supermarkets anymore. Behind sale on the Internet 

is a great exclamation mark: the rise of Chinese 

online hoppers is unprecedented. Last year their 

number grew by over 137 percent, representing 

a flow of nearly 18 billion U.S. dollars. 

Finally: Think of the environment. Chinese 

consumers are increasingly environmentally 

conscious. Modern Chinese have already expressed 

a preference for sustainable business. 

Selfish consumers 

Researchers have identified eight different archetypes of the 

Chinese consumers in the 21 st century. The detailed profiles can be 

used with a product to match consumer preferences. 

1. Egoists (21.3%) 

People over 30, high income, averse to traditional values, 

eccentric, the early adopters. 

2. Hedonists (15.1%) 

Average income, attracted by anything new and trendy, 

especially out on pleasure and comfort. 

3. Traditional maximalists (12%) 

Thirties, low incomes, combined with a traditional mind 

up consumerism, status oriented, but their buying behavior 

influenced by traditional beliefs. 

4. Minimalist (11.8%) 

Predominantly women, risk-and little interest in new technology 

or innovation. Looking for the best value for money. Limit their 

consumption to basic necessities. 

5. Modern performers (11.5%) 

The serious consumer looking for the best quality and would be 

willing to pay more. Less sensitive trend, focus on career. 

6. Progressive maximalists (11.1%) 

Mostly men, average age 34 years, the richest little interested 

in environmental or social issues, especially from its own success 

and showing them. 

7. Traditionalists (9.4%) 

The typical small businessman, low price-conscious, especially 

for the long term. Family life and provide a good stable home 

and determine consumer attitudes. 

8. Conformists (7.9%) 

40 +, mostly women, great value to social and environmental rules, 

little interest in trends or status. 

Source: Roland Berger Strategy Consultants 

SKYPE 

INTERNET 

AANSLUITING 

SOFTWARE 

& 

HARDWARE 

 


Business 

Rich, Richer, Richest: Wealth and 

Private banking in China 

By Willem Anne Hoekstra and Frank Kuijsters 

Wang Chuanfu Zhang Yin Xu Rongmao Huang Guangyu 

The number of Chinese US$ millionaires is expected to cross 450,000 by the end of the year, with 

their total assets under management hitting $1.73 trillion. Despite the global economic downturn, 

their wealth still expanded this year, creating growing opportunities for Private Bankers. In comparison: 

it will take another 4 years for the market in the rest of the world to regain 2007 levels. The global 

wealth dropped 11.7 percent last year to $92.4 trillion. 

China is arguably the most explosive wealth market in the world, as rising income and a high 

savings rate are likely to continue. The number of millionaires in China is expected to reach 800,000 

over the next four years. 

Wealth is very concentrated. Half of it is owned by only about 0.1% of the households, in particular 

in the regions Guangdong, Beijing, Shanghai and other coastal provinces. Although these millionaires 

saw growth, the total wealth in the country fell by 2.3 percent to $3.41 trillion last year, as the country 

witnessed volatile stock markets, plunging exports and fluctuating property prices throughout the crisis. 

Competition to service these customers grows. In 2007, foreign banking giants like HSBC, Citibank 

and BNP Paribas, have set up private banking operations. 

Of the local banks, Bank of China was the first Chinese bank to launch private banking business. It has 

now established private banking centres in 15 regions and last year bought the Geneva-based Heritage 

Fund Management. The Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, the nation’s largest bank by assets 

and retail network, will expand its private banking network from the current five cities to 10, to cover 

other economic regions like Yangtze River Delta, Pearl River Delta and central China. 

Rich Richer Richest 

The 2009 - list of richest people in China counts 130 dollar-miljardairs. In 2004 

there were only 3 multimillionaires. The number 1 of 2009 is Wang Chuanfu, executive of 

BYD (electric cars). He has 5.1 billion dollar. Last year he was number 103 on the list, with 

only 880 million dollar. 

The investment of the American investor Warren Buffet has been good for his wallet. 

The richest man of 2008, Huang Guangyu, founder and then boss of white goods shops 

Gome, was with 6.3 billion dollar richer, but he is currently in prison and has disappeared 

from the list of richest people in China. 

The top ten richest are together worth 45.3 billion dollar, last year that was 40.1 

billion. Only three of the top ten of last year are back in the list. In 2004 the top ten had 

together “only” 7.9 billion. 

This year 6 out of 10 are in real estate developers. Last year only 4 were in real estate. 

If we look at the top 100 richest people in China, you could be in 2004 on the list if 

you had 100 million dollar, in 2009 you need that to be in the top thousand. Last year you 

needed at least 1 billion dollar to be in the top 100. 

The economical crises had only a slight impact on the total. 

Peking has at least 143.000 euro millionaires – 9 out of 1.000 inhabitants and almost 

9.000 who have more than 10 million euro. Shanghai’s in China’s second biggest city with 

116.000 millionaires – 6 out of 1.000 inhabitants and almost 7.000 who have more than 

10 million euro. 

 


Business 

Name Billions ($) Company Industry 

1 Wang Chuanfu 5.1 BYD Electric cars, batteries 

2 Zhang Yin 4.9 Nine Dragons Paper Paper 

3 Xu Rongmao 4.7 Shimao Real estate 

4 Yang Huiyan 4.6 Country Garden Real estate 

5 Huang Wei & Li Ping 4.4 Sinhoo Real estate and finance 

5 Liu Yongxing 4.4 East Hope Group Chemicals, aluminium 

5 Lu Zhiqiang 4.4 Fanhai Real estate and finance 

5 Zhu Jianlin 4.4 Hoson Development Real estate 

9 Wang Jianlin 4.3 Wanda Group Real estate 

10 Liu Zhongtian 4.1 Zhongwang Group Aluminium, plastics 

10 Yan Bin 4.1 Reingwood Group Real estate, mining 

10 Zhang Jindong 4.1 Suning Retail, real estate 

13 Lv Xiangyang 4.0 Guangzhou Young Cars, gsm, batteries, mining 

13 Zong Qinghou 4.0 Wahaha Textile, beverages 

15 Chen Fashu 3.7 Xinhuadu Ind. Group Retail, gold and pharmaceutical 

16 Ma Huateng 3.6 Tencent Gsm and online activities 

17 Chen Lihua 3.4 Fu Wah International Real estate 

17 He Xiangjian 3.4 Midea Group Household appliances 

17 Huang Guangyu 3.4 Pengrun Investment Retail, real estate, private equity 

20 Liang Wen’gen 3.2 Sany Heavy Industry Industrial machineries 

20 Liu Yonghao 3.2 New Hope Group Real estate, chemistry, nutrition 

22 Chen Zhuolin 3.1 Agile Property Real estate 

22 Liu Canglong & Liu Hailong 3.1 Hongda Group Chemistry, metal and real estate 

22 Lu Guangqui 3.1 Wanxiang Group Car parts, real estate 

22 Xiuli Hawken 3.1 Renhe Group Real estate 

Source: Huron Report of Rupert Hoogewerf 

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• Dredger maintenance 

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• Engineering support 

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Phone: +65 6264 8433 | Fax: +65 6264 1933

Business 

Building business ties By Gene Kwee 

China has been Singapore’s top foreign investment 

destination for the last few years. Bilateral trade 

has been growing rapidly, making Singapore one 

of the largest investors in China since the first 

half of 2000. The entry of China into the WTO 

and the start of the China-Asean tariff reduction 

plan have further opened up the Chinese market. 

This provides more opportunities for Singapore 

to improve its bilateral trade relationship with 

China. 

Bilateral trade between Singapore and China has 

been flourishing since the two countries established 

diplomatic relations in 1990. The relationship 

is further strengthened by frequent high-level 

visit. Tellingly, when Chinese president Hu Jintao 

arrived in Singapore for a state visit recently in 

November 2009, he spoke of the two nations’ “close 

friendship” and “cultural ties”. In response the 

Singapore’s foreign ministry reflected on the close 

friendship and strong ties between Singapore and 

China and the upcoming event as to celebrate 20 

years of diplomatic relations next year”. 

Foundations of the business ties 

As mentioned earlier, it was not until 1990 that 

Singapore opened relations with the People’s 

Republic of China, which it had accused of 

supporting Communist movements in neighboring 

Malaysia, Indonesia and elsewhere in Southeast 

Asia. Many ethnic Chinese Singaporeans descend 

from people who fled civil war and Communist 

rule in the 20 th century. Today the circumstances 

have changed. Singapore and its neighbor countries 

are eager to build trade ties with China, but are 

clear that there is no intention of becoming vassal 

states. 

Singapore is known for its aptitude and its 

continuous drive to strive for further enhancements 

to enable growth. As an example, the government 

promotes Mandarin teaching to help business 

ties. From a Singapore perspective, the ties are 

not just commercial, but strategic. 

In addition, investments from China and 

Singapore in their respective territories are 

actively promoted through the Bilateral Council for 

the Promotion of Investments (established since 

18 May 2005). The objectives are threefold: 

1. to outline China’s investment environment 

and policies on foreign investment; 

2. to help Singaporean enterprises in China avoid 

difficulties and create a favorable business 

environment for them; 

3. to facilitate Chinese investment in 

Singapore. 

As a testimony of the strong belief of continuous 

building of the strong foundations of trade 

between the two countries, the China Council 

(China-Singapore Council for the Promotion of 

Investment) is chaired by the Chinese Minister 

of Commerce and made up of relative bodies 

directly under the State Council of China and 

the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China 

in the Republic of Singapore (the Economic and 

President Hu speaking at the Singapore Chinese 

Chamber of Commerce & Industry 

10 


Business 

Commercial Counsellor’s Office). The Singapore 

Council (Singapore-China Council for the Promotion 

of Investment) is chaired by the Singaporean 

Minister of Trade and Industry and made up of 

relative bodies of Singaporean Government and 

the Singapore Embassy in Beijing (Commercial 

Section). 

A Secretariat has been established in both 

councils for daily contact. A senior official from the 

Department of Foreign Investment Administration 

of the Chinese Ministry of Commerce will be 

appointed the Secretary-General of the China 

Council. A senior official from the International 

Business Development Directorate of the 

Singaporean Ministry of Trade and Industry will 

be appointed the Secretary-General of the 

Singapore Council. 

With such an impressive backing it is not 

surprising that the mission of promoting, soliciting 

of bilateral investments and solving common 

investment problems and investors concerns 

through bilateral coordination and cooperation has 

proven to be very successful. To ensure a sustained 

level of success, a joint conference is typically 

held twice a year to allow for an exchange of views 

on bilateral investment. The conference is held in 

China and Singapore alternately. In principle, it 

will be chaired by chairmen from both councils. 

When the chairmen cannot attend the conference, 

it can be chaired by vice ministers supervising 

the investment affairs with the authority of the 

chairmen. 

Another factor that is likely to lead to further 

growth in trade between the two countries is 

the fact that Singapore and China have signed 

a comprehensive free trade agreement (FTA), 

which has been implemented on 1 January 2009. 

Highlights of the FTA: 

• 85% of Singapore’s exports to China will be 

duty-free, with another 10% slated to be 

duty-free by 2010. 

• All of China’s exports to Singapore will be 

duty-free. 

• Singapore and China businesses will get 

preferential access to the private healthcare 

and business services sectors. 

• China businesses will get preferential access 

to Singapore’s private education industry. 

• Greater flexibility for businessmen and 

professionals to travel and work in both 

countries. 

Recent Performance 

Singapore’s trade with China has seen a tremendous 

growth over the last decades to over $90 billion 

last year compared to the $7.6 billion in 1994. 

China 

Singapore 

It is then no surprise that China is one of 

Singapore’s largest trading partners. Recent 

developments such as the “flagship projects” 

in bilateral cooperation, including the Suzhou 

Industrial Park and Tianjin Eco-City projects, 

have seen remarkable achievements and the 

implementation of the free trade arrangement 

between China and Singapore has helped raise 

the level of the economic cooperation between 

the two countries. 

The business circles of Singapore have also 

voiced their belief that a stable and prosperous 

China would bring benefits to the region and 

the world as a whole. They also expressed the 

willingness to continue to play an active role in 

advancing mutually beneficial cooperation and 

bilateral ties between Singapore and China. 

Up until now, Singapore has made investments 

worth more than $60 billion in China. 

Looking at the intentions and the strong 

support from the government it can only be 

expected that the foundations are not likely to 

be eroded. During the last visit of President Hu 

a remark was made that China and Singapore 

should strive to create new opportunities for 

bilateral cooperation in an effort to realize 

economic recovery at an early date and calling 

for the two nations to work together to create 

an even brighter future. This all exudes a strong 

belief of the mutual benefit that the success 

of the China-Singapore trade and economic 

cooperation will bring to both countries. 

11 


Business 

My Chinese adventure: hosting meetings 

and embracing naptime Sleeping in China? 

By Koert Breebaart 

Shenzhen - the Pearl above Hong 

Kong 

“The client is based in Shenzhen” an American 

voice told me over the phone. I had never heard of 

that city in my life. Now I do. Here are some data 

points for you: Shenzhen is 1 hour north of Hong 

Kong and connected through the MRT system. The 

city has 14 million inhabitants, with an average 

age of 30! Only 20 years back it was a small fishing 

village, until Deng Xiaoping declared Shenzhen to 

be a Special Economical Zone. Now it is home to 

the largest companies in the world, coming with 

modern skyscrapers, luxurious hotels, complex 

infrastructure and a lot of HDB’s, following 

Singapore example. The one thing you directly 

notice when driving through Shenzhen is the chaos 

on the roads. Any ride turns into a rollercoaster. A 

Singaporean would get bended toes and lowered 

pants by the jaywalkers, the ghost riders, the 

It is Monday afternoon. I just arrived in China 

and I enjoyed lunch with my new colleagues. 

Back at my desk it is dark and you can hear 

a pin dropping on the floor where 80 people 

work. It feels unreal and I decide to check out 

the other floors and come to the conclusion that 

this Chinese multinational company sleeps, but 

only for a little while a day. 

Dutch Chinese resident with a mission 

As a management consultant for Accenture in 

Singapore I help clients, in general the top 500 

multinationals, to define their strategy and take 

responsibility for organizational change and 

business transformation. For the past 9 months I was 

leading a strategic project for a prominent Chinese 

client, one of the most admired companies in the 

world. Their mission is ambitious: become a leading 

player in the European market. Professionally I had 

never faced such a great challenge before, leading 

such a change program in unknown territory. And 

to embark on this endeavor I first had to become a 

Chinese resident and learn basic Mandarin (which 

is a whole other story…!). The headquarter where I 

worked is impressive: spacious, modern, surrounded 

by small lakes, lanes and bridges. Nothing is left to 

the impression that this company is not going to 

conquer the world. Something different compared 

to ‘Industry Park Vianen’. Inside their gates over 

40.000 people live and work. 

tricycles on the highway and the unattended 

traffic lights. Several times I’ve said farewell to 

the world in the back of a taxi or bus. 

The main difference with cities like Hong 

Kong and Shanghai is that Shenzhen is considered 

mainland China and everything is in Chinese: 

conversations, menus, signs, telephone operators, 

you name it… The city is not really catered for 

westerners, but the good thing is, once you get 

through it, Shenzhen offers the best restaurants 

in China, is extremely affordable and has a 

flamboyant nightlife. 

Learning on the job 

Commuting up and down Shenzhen, Monday to 

Friday from Singapore was a dragon travel. It 

took me 6-8 hours door-to-door, depending on 

luck and availability of transportation means, 

involving, taxi, plane, boat and limousine service. 

During the week I stayed in the impeccable 

Pavilion Hotel. 

In an over-simplistic way, you could say my 

work consists of preparing and hosting meetings. 

Two aspects stood out: 

- First, the dynamics of the meetings: organize 

a meeting in China with 2 or 3 people and you 

will find yourself presenting to an audience of 

30 people. The unwritten rule is that anyone 

invited can invite others at their judgment or 

interest. So when the Accenture consultants 

come and speak everybody wants to listen 

12 


Business 

in. After the meeting people just disappear, 

normally without giving any feedback. 

- And second, the people that attend the 

meeting: Chinese people. I found some good 

insight in differences between cultures on 

www.globesmart.com. After a close look at 

this picture I understood there was some work 

to be done. Grey is the Chinese, white the 

Dutch. This definitely helped me being more 

effective in my management style! 

Also a matter of learning through practice: 

Festive celebrations. A round table, plenty of 

food and Chinese red wine are the ingredients of 

Chinese New Year celebrations. You go around, yell 

“Gan Bei” to anyone, you laugh loudly, you slam 

the red wine away and then you yell something like 

“Happy Ox”. After some practice a lot of fun. 

Lunchtime was my favorite. We were given 

special pink ‘Tunch’ vouchers that we could 

exchange for food in the canteen. The food was 

rather good, very Chinese style. The Chinese word 

for food is ‘fan’, which also translates to rice. So 

there is rice mornings, midday’s and evenings. 

Sometimes there was ‘French fried’, but more 

often not. And then after lunch, the curtains close, 

the stretchers come out of under the desk, the 

lights go off, the phones go on mute and everybody 

goes to sleep. I can assure you after nine hectic 

months: A wonderful oasis in the midst of turbulent 

meetings! 

Although the life experience gained working 

in China was fantastic, I am glad to be back in 

Singapore. 

13 


Business 

Under Chinese management 


Is there something like a Chinese management 

style? 

Although the communist Mao Zedong Confucianism 

rejected as reactionary and feudal, the influence 

of the Chinese philosopher’s thoughts and actions 

of the population never completely disappeared. 

Indeed, even during the Cultural Revolution, when 

everything that smacked of the old China had to 

be destroyed, Confucius did affect the thinking 

and acting of the population. You can’t just erase 

25 centuries. 

Fundament 

The teachings of Confucius (551-479 BC) is known 

as the cultural foundation of China. He is described 

as “China’s first master” and has followers in East 

Asia. Confucius’ teachings originally transmitted 

only orally, but after his death by his students in 

writing. More than 1000 years long, to the early 

twentieth century, Chinese students were required 

to the wisdom and teachings of Confucius and 

learned by heart at any time could cancel out 

loud. The teachings in the Chinese psyche as such 

deep scars left as the Judeo-Christian morality 

in the western world. 

Confucianism is therefore, deliberately or 

not, major impact on the management of Chinese 

enterprises. The Journal of Management Studies 

in an article in 2007 concluded that the influence 

of Confucius on Chinese Management wasn’t 

estimated for a long time on its true value. 

The faster China’s economy develops, the 

more the Chinese seem to refer to their history 

and important figures of the past. The Chinese 

economic miracle is leading to a renaissance of 

the ancient Chinese values. At several schools 

Confucius is educated again. 

“Zesjes” Culture 

Anyone who has done business in China will 

recognize: the way to a decision or agreement 

is long and full of bumps (see box ‘10 tips’). 

But if a decision has been taken, it also carried 

with dizzying speed, without reserve or wailing 

afterwards. 

It is not only a consequence of the top-down, 

authoritarian management culture, but it is also 

due to the Confucian work ethic. One can accuse 

the Chinese of many, but they do not lay down a 

“zesjes” culture. In addition, both employee and 

14 


Business 

manager much more than we are accustomed 

to do their best for the groups interest. 

These success factors result directly from the 

thought of Confucius. More and more business 

schools have therefore placed Confucianism in 

their curriculum. Meanwhile the Chinese prove 

that their ancient philosophical mentor can be 

perfectly combined with western management 

techniques: Confucius has become an export 

product. Worldwide, there are already 210 

Confucius Institutes in 64 countries including 

one in The Hague. 

The doctrine of the master 

Of course the practice is often more stubborn 

than the philosophy. The abuses in some Chinese 

factories are similar to those described by Charles 

Dickens than to the lofty musings of Confucius. 

Mao would be turning over in his tomb at the 

Square of Heavenly Peace. 

Yet the influence of Confucius is difficult 

to overestimate. Central to his philosophical 

principles are relationships, universal virtues 

and work ethic. Although they do not relate to 

organizations or businesses, they play in adapted 

form an important role. The loyalty between king 

and citizen is translated into such an employer 

has the responsibility for his employee, who in 

exchange faithful and is looking for his patron. 

The Confucian manager attaches a great 

importance on building relationships. He claims 

the group interests over individual performance. 

In some ways the Confucian ethical principles 

do surprisingly modern feel. The ideas of the 

American management guru Peter Drucker are 

similar to that of Confucius. And values like 

hard work, dedication and loyalty make us think 

again about Protestantism. 

Unwavering business principles in China 

1. Business Friends - Guanxi, or personal relationships are crucial. 

Never underestimate the importance of building a personal 

relationship with your business partners. 

2. Respect - Chinese build a relationship with people like 

themselves in an honorable way to show respect to others. 

3. Seniority - All relationships are in Chinese eyes by definition 

wrong, why it is important to show respect for age, seniority 

and background. 

4. Authoritarian - Managers are usually directively, a reflection of 

the Confucian concept of hierarchical organization of society. 

5. Meaning - In exchange for loyalty, is the manager expected to 

show understanding and interest in all aspects of the life of 

an employee. 

6. Politics - There are often close links between the senior 

management of an enterprise and local party officials. 

7. Face Loss - It is important for people not to lose their faces 

in the presence of their group. Respect seniority always and 

never let differences of opinion appear. 

8. Favors - Do as many others a favor, debt should ever be 

repaid. 

9. Business Card - Business cards must be presented formally 

at the start of a meeting. Treat it with respect card, the card 

is at that moment the man / woman. 

10. Patience - Meetings often last long and seemingly have no clear 

objective. Often such meeting not more than one step in building 

a relationship. The purpose of the meeting is more than the 

relationship to move forward than to a specific business goal. 

Bizz Agenda 

AESER 2009 (Asia-Pacific Embedded Systems 

Education and Research Conference) 

14-15 December 2009 

Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 

http://eos.ntu.edu.sg/APESER2009/ 

Singapore International Arbitration 

Forum 2010 

21-22 January 2010 

Raffles City Convention Centre, Singapore 

http://www.siaf.sg/ 

World Grains Trade Summit 

20 January 2010 

The Ritz-Carlton Millenia Singapore - Grand Ballroom, Level 1 

http://www.cmtevents.com/aboutevent.aspx?ev=100101& 

World Pharma Outlook Asia 2010 

25 January 2010 

Marina Mandarin Hotel, Singapore 

http://www.terrapinn.com/2010/pharmaoutlook/venue.stm 

15 


Green Page 

Low Carbon City Initiative 

1. Why is the initiative needed? 

China is the most populous country in the world. 

Its economy is also one of the fastest growing, 

with annual average GDP growth rates settling 

in at 9% to 10% over recent decades. The steady 

growth has attracted global attention for both 

outstanding economic figures and the potential 

environmental impacts resulting from the massive 

increase in energy consumption. Due to limited 

resources and environmental capacity at home 

and abroad, China is impelled to explore a path 

of sustainable development, which will contribute 

to development and security at national and 

international levels. Cities will play an important 

role in this challenge, because most energy is 

consumed in cities. In order to protect people 

and nature from dangerous environmental threats, 

sustainable development of China’s growing cities 

must become a top priority. 

Trend towards rapid urbanization. The 

number of cities in China has increased from 193 in 

1978 to 661 in 2005, among which 54 are so-called 

mega-cities and 84 are large cities, compared to, 

respectively, 13 and 27 in 1978. By the end of 2006, 

the urbanization rate in China was about 43.6% 

of the population. This rate is rapidly increasing, 

with 75% of the population estimated to live in 

cities by 2050. 

Heavy industrialization is on the rise. Energy 

consumption in heavy industries - such as iron 

and steel, chemicals and energy - accounts for 

70% of the total in the industrial sector, and is 

still growing at a fast pace. Industries themselves 

represent 70% of China’s total energy consumption. 

Heavy industry provides the goods and products 

which are increasingly consumed in cities. 

Conceptual Framework and Key Drivers for the Low Carbon City Initiative 

International and 

national public work: 

Export support of EE and 

RE industry 

Public private partnerships 

North-South: 

North-South EE and RE 

Technology transfer and 

cooperation 

City Planning 

Building 

Transport Industry/Utilities 

Public 

International B&I + academia: 

Best practice and expertise from developed countries 

EE: Energy Efficiency 

B&I: Business and industry 

Chinese policy work: 

Central/Provincial Government Support 

RE: Renewable Energy 

GAA: Government Aid Agency 


national B&I: 

Multi-national companies 

investment 


national B&I: 

Support from the 

financial sector 

International GAA: 

Fund support from other donors and countries 

Energy consumption in cities is increasing 

rapidly. The energy consumption increase in 

China’s cities does not only result from rapid 

industrialization, but also from the buildings and 

transportation sectors. There are 17 billion m 2 of 

buildings in China’s urban areas, with 1 billion m 2 

added each year. China’s vehicle population is also 

growing quickly, having surpassed 150 million by 

June 2007. In addition, urban energy consumption 

per capita is estimated to be three times higher 

than that of rural areas. The annual migration of 

approximately 10 million people from rural areas 

to urban centers projects a scenario of continued 

and rapid increase in urban energy consumption. 

Energy consumption causes serious 

environmental problems in cities. Vehicle 

emissions remain the biggest source of air 

pollution in cities. The pollution is the result of 

factors such as inappropriate urban planning, 

insufficient public transportation investment, 

growing vehicle numbers and low gas emission 

control standards. 

The Chinese government attaches great 

importance to climate change and is creating a 

series of policies and measures to address the 

issue. One of the government’s initiatives to 

reduce the country’s contribution to climate 

change was to establish a national target to 

decrease energy intensity by 20% by 2010. In a 

move to help China achieve this target, and to 

facilitate national and international low carbon 

development, WWF - with the support of local and 

global partners - will implement a Low Carbon City 

Initiative (LCCI) in China in the next 5 years. 

2. What is the initiative about? 

LCCI will explore low carbon development 

models in different cities, working to improve 

energy efficiency in industry, construction and 

transportation sectors. It will also address the 

development of renewable energy and ensure that 

other cities in China can learn from successful 

experiences and replicate them. 

LCCI will focus on: 

• Supporting the research and the implementation 

of policies which contribute to low carbon 

development, 

• Supporting capacity building on energy 

efficiency and renewable energy, and support 

demonstration projects, 

• Promoting energy efficient technology transfer 

and cooperation between China and developed 

countries, 

16 


Green Page 

• Exploring new finance and investment 

instruments and sustainable trade opportunities 

for energy efficiency and renewable energy 

industry, 

• Improving public awareness on climate change 

in order to enable and encourage Chinese 

citizens to save energy and the environment. 

3. Where does the initiative start? 

In the first stage, cooperative pilot projects will be 

implemented in the cities of Shanghai and Baoding. 

At a later stage more cities will be selected and 

join the Initiative. 

Shanghai: 

• New eco-building demonstrations including 

policy research on eco-building promotion and 

demonstration 

• Energy efficiency improvement of existing 

large commercial buildings including 

demonstration projects to promote energy 

consumption management systems, energy 

auditing and retrofitting, energy efficient 

operation, capacity building and international 

cooperation 

• 20 ways to 20% energy saving campaign, to 

raise public awareness of energy efficiency, 

and to extensively engage the people of China 

in energy saving 

Baoding: 

• Networking on sustainable energy knowledge 

management and technology cooperation 

including information database and service 

platform on renewable energy, patent prewarning 

mechanism on renewable energy 

technology, technology exchange and 

training 

• Encouraging the investment in and export of 

sustainable energy products including policy 

research on ways to promote the renewable 

energy industry, training on international trade 

measures of renewable energy products, and 

exchange of investment and financing in the 

renewable energy industry 

• Capacity building in city planning and 

industrial park development including 

design and implementation of a Solar Energy 

Demonstration City action plan and Wind 

Energy Industrial Park development plan, 

and development of certification service and 

public technology platforms 

LCCI will also conduct activities in Beijing 

focusing on low carbon development policy, 

promoting the best practices derived from the 

pilot projects, and making the 20 ways to 20% 

energy saving campaign a success. 

Baoding’s Power Valley Jinjiang International Hotel is partially powered by 

self-generated solar electricity, which comes from nearly 4500sqm of solar PV 

panels that have been integrated into the hotel’s design. 

Exploring the low carbon city development 

path is promising yet challenging, and more 

participation and support from governments, 

research institutes, companies and international 

organizations is required. WWF will develop and 

deliver all LCCI activities together with partners 

on this open platform, joining global actions to 

combat climate change. 

Partners 

• Energy Research Institute of the National 

Development and Reform Commission 

• Shanghai Construction and Communication 

Commission 

• National Renewable Energy Industrial 

Production Base (Baoding) 

• Chinese Renewable Energy Industries 

Association 

• Chinese Wind Energy Association 

• Shanghai Research Institute of Building Science 

• Administration of Baoding National Hi-tech 

Industry Development Zone 

• HSBC Climate Partnership 

• WWF - UK, Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, 

Denmark 

Source: www.wwfchina.org/english/sub_loca. 

php?loca=1&sub=96 

17 


Travel 

China beaches 

By Sara Caris 

Lying on the beach is not the first thing that comes to mind, when you think about China. The average 

Chinese does not want to get a tan and most of them cannot even swim. Most of them are wearing an 

umbrella to protect from the sun because a tan doesn’t look very healthy. So it is hard to find any sunscreen 

below factor 30 and most of the creams are whitening. But of course it can be extremely hot, so to cool 

down they made a “Fake” Beach in Shanghai: Dino Beach. They claim it is the largest water park in Asia. 

The sand is imported from the south of China, a wave machine guarantees perfect surfing waves and the 

rumour goes that the roof can be closed. Every year there is a Miss Beach Honey Pageant. 

But of course there are real beaches in China. Here is a guide with a variety of the best beaches. 

The island Putuoshan, Zhejiang (south of 

Shanghai) is a relaxing and spiritual getaway with 

well-looked after patrolled beaches. This mystical 

place, seeped in folklore, has become a Buddhist 

sanctuary attracting pilgrims from all over China. 

Along the hike you’ll come across temples, the 

smell of incense in the air and sounds of distant 

chanting. If you climb 297m. to the top of its peak 

you have beautiful sea views. 

How to get there: A 12 hours ferry is the only 

way to get to the island from Shanghai. Seats or 

beds can be booked from the ticket office under 

Nanpu bridge (call 337 66178 to book) . 

At the east coast of China Qingdao, Shandong 

(classic fun beach) is famous for its beaches, 

its beer and its beer festival. Of its six beaches, 

Huiquan Beach (the leading bathing beach) is 

considered one of the best in China by the Chinese, 

and is very popular among young tourists. So you 

have to arrive early to claim a spot in the sand. 

The beach also hosts an annual sandcastle-making 

competition in August, but where they find the 

space is a total mystery. 

How to get there: Fly to Qingdao 

Located just across the straits from Taiwan, 

Xiamen is famous for its long stretch of 

accessible beach and infinite island exploration 

possibilities. 

The Drum Wave Islet (eco beach) was for 

centuries the home of wealthy foreign and Chinese 

traders on China’s old Maritime Silk Road, the 

ca. 2 sqkm island is home to endless paths that 

meander through sea surf and wind-swept rocks. 

With cars, mopeds and even bicycles forbidden, 

tranquil Drum Wave is a stunning place for 

natural exploration, with numerous guesthouses 

and restaurants dotted here and there. Though 

it lacks much beach, it’s possible to swim off 

its outcroppings. For real beach going, head to 

Xiamen proper, an island in itself with numerous 

beaching and sunning possibilities. 

How to get there: Fly to Xiamen. Take a ferry 

700m across Xiamen Harbor to Drum Wave Islet. 

The best place for kite surfing in China is 

Haiyuntai beach (sporty beach) in Xiamen. 

The 8km-long beach has become a haven for 

enthusiasts because of its wide stretches of sand 

and ever-changing windy conditions. One thing to 

be aware of is the drastic tide changes, so always 

double-check the weather conditions online before 

you go. Also, be aware of the rocky areas in the 

water towards the east of the beach. There’s a 

kite surfing centre on the sand. 

How to get there: Fly to Xiamen Airport and 

then get buses 29, 47, 503 or 805 to the Asia Gulf 

Hotel. For kite surfing lessons call: 13959211005. 

If you want a real castaway experience book a 

mid-week to the Gulangyu Island (empty beach) 

also known as the ‘Piano Island’ in Xiamen. 

On special occasions, national holidays and on 

weekends, the beaches will be relatively busy, 

18 


Travel 

but on the whole they are never to crowded. 

When you’ve made it onto the island everything 

is within walking distance. The traditional fishing 

bays are rustic and charming. Bring food for a BBQ 

in the pits provided, then meander the pathways 

to colonial mansions and past the dramatic seacrashing 

waves on the rocks. 

How to get there: From Xiamen Airport, take 

Bus 27 to the ferry. 

Hong Kong has many beaches. The Shek O 

beach (classic fun beach) has great facilities, 

sensational scenery and a laid-back party 

atmosphere. Her you see an mix of surf dudes, 

families, sunbathers, hippies and expat wives 

in relaxation mode. The small seaside village of 

Shek O is a great place to wander or grab a bite 

to eat when you’ve finished tanning. 

How to get there: In Hong Kong; Take the 

MTR to Shau Kei Wan station and take exit A2. 

From the bus terminal, take Bus 9 heading to 

Shek O beach. 

You will find peaceful romance at Lamma 

Island. Yung Shue Wan is home to artsy expats and 

the most popular beach on the island, Hung Shing 

Yeh beach, is only a 15-minute walk. The sand is 

very fine here, and the water extremely clean, 

making it a Grade 1 beach. You can eat at a snack 

shack, have barbecue under the palms or have 

dinner at one of the fresh seafood restaurants at 

Sok Kwu. The almost unvisited Lo So Shing Beach 

also Grade 1 has a few amenities but is a peaceful, 

heart-skipping paradise. 

How to get there: Once you arrive in Hong 

Kong, catch a ferry from Central to Sok Kwu Wan 

(Lamma Island), then just follow the signs. 

The best beach destination of China is the 

island province Hainan and especially the area 

around Sanya City. 

The Shimei Bay (empty beach) offers zero 

distractions but plenty of time to get lost in your 

own thoughts. In this tropical idyll you’ll have all 

the soft sand to yourself. There isn’t any kind of 

entertainment and it’s a long way to the local 

shops. Be sure to bring a few books as well as food 

and water. However, if you want all your essentials 

taken care of, the new luxury Le Meridien resort 

faces the beach and offers comfortable loungers 

on the bay. 

How to get there: Fly to Sanya and it takes 

around an hour drive from Sanya to stay at Le 

Meridien Sanya. 

If you can find space, Dadonghai beach 

(classic fun beach) is the perfect place to lie 

back on your towel, close your eyes and listen 

to the delighted screams of children piling onto 

banana boats and lobbing balls at each other. On 

this family beach there is something to do every 

moment of the day. At the promenade you find 

meat stick stalls, Russian vodka bars and dozens 

of families wearing matching Hawaiian-style shirts 

and shorts. There’s also a mega shopping centre 

(Summer Mall) right by the shore selling all sorts 

of international brands. But if you actually get a 

chance to stop and look, the views are tropically 

gorgeous with white sands, palm trees and 

shimmering blue waters along the stretch of this 

crescent-shaped beach. 

How to get there: Fly to Sanya. Shuttle buses 

run from Sanya Airport to Dadonghai. 

You can find a ‘secret’ surfers spot at Houhai 

beach (sporty beach). The Chinese only started 

surfing in Hainan a few years ago. Locals will stand 

watching, perplexed, as crazy Westerners carve up 

this beautiful all-year-round long boarders wave. 

Local surf outfit Surfing Hainan will pick you up, 

take you there, lend and give instructions. 

How to get there: Fly to Sanya and stay in 

either Dadonghai or Yalong bay, or contact Surfing 

Hainan at www.surfinghainan.com. 

The China beach tour will finish at the famous 

resort brand the Banyan Tree. This is a villa-only 

resort with a private beach far from the sprawl of 

Sanya City at the Luhuitou Bay (romantic beach). 

All the 61 secluded villas have a large ‘natural’ 

private pool an outdoor sunken bathtub. The beach 

is private and offers full amenities, plus you get 

your own little bed-cabin to hide away from the 

midday sun. This resort is a favourite get-away for 

the Chinese Heads of State. 

How to get there: Several airlines fly 

daily to Sanya from both Pudong and Hongqiao 

(prices vary). Banyan Tree Sanya arranges Sanya 

Airport pick-ups. For more information visit 

www.banyantree.com. 

More info on beaches in China: http://shanghai. 

urbanatomy.com/index.php/life-a-style/ 

travel/1924-chinese-beaches-the-classics 

19 


Interview 

Ask4Me in Guangzhou 


Ask4Me is a product design agency that offers western design services and operates from Guangzhou. 

China. From their head office in Guangzhou, founder and Director Boukje Koch tells us more about 

her organisation and working in China. 

Ask4Me 

Group focus 

on product 

development: 

prototyping, 

CAD 

engineering, 

casing design, 

electronic 

component 

selection, 

injection 

mould design. 

The strength 

of Ask4Me 

Group is that 

it is located 

in China. 

Since when do you live in China, and what 

kind of activities do you have in China? 

I came to China to set up a factory for a Dutch 

company that develops and produces greeting 

cards with sound and light technology together 

with husband Jorg van den Hoven (MSc). We 

successfully built up a factory with 1000+ 

employees. After a year or two we both missed 

work that was related to our education, product 

design development. So we decided to start our 

own product design agency. Ask4Me Group works 

for clients who already know that the production 

and assembly will be in China. We focus on product 

development: prototyping, CAD engineering, 

casing design, electronic component selection, 

injection mould design. The strength of Ask4Me 

Group is that it is located in China. For example, 

during engineering phase Ask4Me Group aims to 

design the product in such a way that the Chinese 

factory worker knows how to assemble the product 

without much explanation. Plus Ask4Me Group has 

the advantage that it has Dutch-Chinese dialogues 

during the whole product development, instead of 

only during production and assembly. This reduces 

the problems of translating a product designed 

with a western mindset into Chinese production. 

How do the Chinese perceive you and 

Ask4Me? 

Looking at the size of China’s population, talking 

about “the Chinese” in general is quite difficult. 

Ask4Me Group is located in Guangzhou, which is 

the provincial capital of Guangdong province. We 

choose to locate in Guangdong as it has the best 

availability of materials, services and knowledge 

for consumer (electronic) products. Guangzhou is 

in the middle of Guangdong making it an easy HUB 

to go between cities in this province, and it has a 

good link to Hong Kong. The city has a population 

estimated around 11 million inhabitants. 

Guangzhou itself has a unique character; green, 

nice people, with international and alternative 

scenes. My experience with Chinese people is that 

they are very interested in what is not Chinese. 

For example, Ask4Me Group is often present at 

Chinese fairs and exhibitions related to product 

design. I notice that having a western face in the 

booth is already enough to attract many curious 

manufacturers. With its participation in Chinese 

Fairs Ask4Me Group tries to contribute to the 

definition of design in China: If you say you are 

a designer in China, most Chinese will think it 

is related to art, shapes, colors, graphics and 

20 


fashion. We try to emphasize that design is also 

related to engineering and quality. 

What’s your most remarkable personal 

experience on doing business in China? 

It is difficult to feel bored as a product designer 

in China, one day is never the same. I like most 

projects we did so far: because every time it is a 

challenge to make things work. One nice example 

of last year is the “Kidsclock”. It is a clock for 

children who just start to have a concept of 

‘time’, but who can’t read a clock yet. With a 

flying airplane (the second needle) and a slowly 

moving bicycle and car, the kids will learn when 

it is time to eat, sleep or take piano lessons. We 

spend great effort to get for example the right 

construction of the clock’s pointers, to find a good 

solution for the printed parts, design it in such a 

way that we can have all CE certifications and most 

of all keep the price competitive. The responses 

of distributors have been overwhelming for both 

our client and us. 

China is often regarded as one of the 

most competitive markets, amongst others 

because of tough competition and frequent 

prices wars. What strategy did you choose 

in this market? 

Our clients are mostly western clients that produce 

for Europe, the America’s or Australia. However, 

the number of our Chinese clients is growing. 

These clients want western design, because they 

can use that as a marketing strategy. Therefore 

the products we design for the Chinese market are 

mostly sold for high end prices, simply because 

they have the label European Design. This is the 

opposite compared to our western clients, they 

come to us for our competitive prices. 

What tips & tricks can you share with 

other Dutch businessmen seeking success 

in China? 

I am quite proud on my accomplishments. I like 

my work and have confident in my team: one 

day we are discussing mould changes with our 

mould partner, the other day I am sculpting a 

chair with a Chinese foam artist, the other day 

we are finding out what smells you can add to 

plastic. If I could change one thing, I wish things 

would take less time in China. Chinese prices are 

competitive compared to the West, but Chinese 

time consumption is not always as efficient as you 

hope for. However with all factories disappearing 

in many countries, China is the place where you 

can find out how stuff works. Not by browsing on 

the internet, but by actually seeing how they are 

made. This is a type of knowledge that is often 

forgotten, but essential for realizing innovation. 

For more information about Ask4Me visit their 

website www.ask4me-group.com. 

21 


Interview 

Doing business in China, 

an interview with Michiel Verhoeven 

By Marleen Dieleman 

Who are you and what is your position in 

Microsoft? 

I am Michiel Verhoeven and currently the Vice 

President of Microsoft Services for Asia-Pacific, 

Greater China, India and Japan (APJ). As a 

member of the Worldwide Microsoft Services 

Leadership Team, my role is to represent the 

Services organization in APJ with about 4,700 

employees and additional vendor staff. We have 

a Consulting & Premier organization, Sales teams, 

Customer Service & Support, and Global Delivery 

teams. These teams are instrumental in ensuring 

we successfully deploy Microsoft software with 

our partners so that customers enjoy productive 

use of our technologies. 

Although I was born and raised in The 

Netherlands, I left about 20 years ago. A sense 

of adventure has always driven me, not in the 

least since my mum’s family has a long Indonesian 

history. I completed my HEAO degree in The Hague, 

attended a French university and enjoyed my MBA 

in the USA. After working in The Netherlands, 

France and the USA, Asia has been my home for 

almost 12 years now. 

How often do you travel to China, and what 

kind of activities do you have in China? 

I travel to China almost every six weeks and my 

usual engagements in China include meeting 

customers, business and technology partners, as 

well as meeting my colleagues there. Personally 

I believe it’s paramount for leaders to hear the 

voice of the customer, partner and employee 

first hand and advocate their needs across the 

worldwide organization. Building organizational 

capability is my first priority in China, while 

growing the business in a transparent manner. 

We have a large presence in China across sales, 

delivery, support and R&D organizations. So I 

try to spend a lot of time with the Microsoft 

China leadership team, members of the Services 

organization, including our customer service and 

support organization, sales and marketing teams 

and consulting delivery teams. The activities 

range from strategic leadership meetings and 

people reviews to conducting operational reviews 

and roundtable discussions with customers and 

employees. Connecting across the chain is a well 

orchestrated effort to gain insight and to motivate 

people. My trips usually include celebratory 

dinners with my teams to thank them for their 

contributions. 

How do the Chinese perceive you and 

Microsoft? 

Microsoft is a global organization and has been 

very active in participating in China’s commercial 

growth, having set up representative offices in 

1992, followed by establishing ourselves formally 

in 1995. Then we gradually setup our R&D, 

Services and Research organization in China and 

it is important to note that in no other market 

place except the U.S. does Microsoft have such 

a comprehensive line of operations. Microsoft 

products are widely adopted and recognized in 

China. We have a deep commitment to invest 

in China for both local and global capabilities. 

Currently, we have over 6,000 employees, 

more than 13 branch offices and more than 20 

technology centres, and we continue to see China 

as a very strategic market for the company’s 

future growth. China has a lot of potential as the 

top IT market by users worldwide, with over 200 

million Internet users and over 500 million mobile 

users. In addition, we are proud to develop a 

diverse talent pool with global capabilities not 

just in R&D, but also in our customer service and 

support organization, which boasts 21 nationalities 

working in our Shanghai office. 

As far as how I am perceived by my Chinese 

colleagues and business partners, I think the 

biggest challenge in the beginning was the fact 

that I probably look very young for someone in 

this position, especially since I am foreign and my 

colleagues must have thought I needed a lot of 

coaching on local business practices – therefore, 

people who met me for the first time might not 

have tagged much credibility just by looking at 

me. What they didn’t know was the fact that I 

have lived in Asia for the past 12 years! That has 

certainly changed now and I have built a really 

strong relationship with my teams and business 

partners in China. 

My approach is to always find out what the 

customers want, and what pain point I can help 

them address. I want to share my experiences 

on my business philosophies and management 

learnings to my team and help them sharpen their 

customer focus, and show customers they are being 

listened to and taken care of. That, I feel, is a 

key step towards gaining credibility and winning 

trust from customers and partners. I also make a 

commitment to my teams and customers that I 

will visit once every 2-3 months and have them 

trust that we are always making sure things are 

22 


Interview 

running on the right track for them. That is also 

very comforting for them to know we are fighting 

for their rights and benefits. 

I also tell my team that people are not judged 

on their language capabilities, so I practice 

patience (especially when English was also not 

my mother tongue) when some of the team 

members have great ideas to share but might 

need some help conveying them in English. 

What’s your most remarkable personal 

experience on doing business in China? 

There are many stories to tell, and I have made 

mistakes, some are better told over beers. But I 

remember when I first started doing business in 

China, simple things such as seating arrangements 

are done with the utmost care and precision, 

whereas in Holland, we are a lot more casual and 

non-hierachical. I still have to smile when people 

are nervously leading me to a high-level customer 

meeting which can feel like a royal ceremony, 

complete with high chairs and tea. 

We are also more direct as a culture and tend 

to think it’s acceptable to tackle business issues 

head on. Being honest and open is what we value. 

So once somebody has said yes to what we ask for, 

we think it’s a done deal and a decision that will be 

acted upon. But it can be insulting, embarrassing 

and disrespectful to those surrounding you. We 

have to learn and appreciate the dynamics, 

while walking the corridors before and after 

the meetings, and doing the homework. It takes 

more effort to find out what’s been committed 

to and what not. It meant that as a Dutch person 

I have had to take risks on people without 

hearing the words I wanted 

to. That can cost dearly, 

although it creates amazing 

loyalty and traction. Stick 

to your values, no matter 

what cultural differences, is 

my belief. You can liberally 

use the Dutch style once 

people know you care about 

them. Then you make fun of 

yourself and they will accept 

our directness. Hearing a 

“yes” is a real yes only when 

the validation is there in the 

actions and results. 

Ultimately, in my travels 

through China and other 

parts of Asia Pacific, I have 

found being approachable, 

interested and authentic 

the best way of overcoming 

differences. I have been 

thoroughly inspired by the 

diverse people I meet, and the 

great work we do together. 

China is often regarded as one of the 

most competitive markets, amongst others 

because of tough competition and frequent 

price wars. What strategy did you choose 

in this market? 

Our strategy has been working closely with 

our customers and business partners to gain 

trust and helping them build brand loyalty. For 

example, we recently announced a partnership 

with Agricultural Bank of China (ABC) through 

which Microsoft has been supplying software, 

consulting, and technological support to help 

scale ABC’s business growth and competitiveness. 

We have gone live with very large mission-critical 

projects in the backend infrastructure supporting 

the consumer and corporate banking channels. 

This is of huge significance as we are providing 

solutions and are not only helping one of China’s 

largest banks with its desktop management, but 

also the backend infrastructure. We have been 

enjoying similar successes in China in other 

banks, telecommunications companies and large 

enterprises because of the solution sales and 

delivery approach with our partners. This goes 

beyond software legalization and speaks to the 

level of trust in our technology and the ecosystem 

that we are building out. 

We have been working hard on educating 

Chinese institutions on the value of Intellectual 

Property (IP) and embracing the need to 

shift towards a knowledge economy. Through 

government citizenship programs, R&D, educational 

programs, channel programs, enterprise solution 

sales and delivery, while working closely with 

System Integrators (SI) and Independent Software 

23 


Interview 

Vendors (ISVs) to help them go to market. We also 

work very closely with our local OEM partners like 

Lenovo, to strengthen a stronger partnerships 

that will extend collaboration to benefit our end 

customers with integrated hardware and software 

support. Enabling partner ecosystem and growing 

with the local industry is our long-term strategy 

and view, and we continue to see encouraging 

results on all fronts. 

Looking back on your activities in China, 

what would you do differently? What tips 

& tricks can you share with other Dutch 

businessmen seeking success in China? 

I would certainly recommend people to live in 

China, which is something I have not had the 

chance to do. If you truly want to understand, 

motivate and influence, it’s best that you live 

there, build genuine connections and immerse 

yourself. Flying in and out of the country gives 

you impressions and insights but does not have the 

same impact. Learn the language if you can invest 

the time and have the discipline, make friends 

beyond work, and learn about communication 

styles and relationship networks. 

Here are a few lessons learned and tips: 

1. Be the voice of customers – Lead by example 

and show the teams how your company 

strategy flows through in execution. 

2. Invest in the best talent - People make the 

most difference in the quality of your service 

and product innovation. Take a long-term 

view to hire, develop, rotate and retain talent 

for China. Create a culture with passion and 

energy that is compelling and rewarding. 

Employees and customers will reward you. 

3. Never compromise on your values - Rooting 

out systemic issues in business practices will 

take a generation. The causes arise from 

economic differences, status quo and fearbased 

decisions. Address them and relentlessly 

advocate transparent business practices. 

Keep your focus on helping customers solve 

problems. Use data and business intelligence 

to effectively run your operations. Put 

yourself in the shoes of your staff, partners or 

customers and see their point of view when 

faced with challenging dilemmas. I believe a 

management team should trust their employees 

to do the right thing, but be ready to enforce 

accountability when it’s necessary. 

4. Be determined and accountable - When you 

are pursuing long term goals, it does come with 

short term deliverables and P&L constraints. 

Influence your headquarters, share global 

strategies and advocate local needs. Patience 

has never been my biggest strength and 

I’m constantly reminded. Holding people 

accountable on quarterly and annual results 

is relatively easy, but differentiation comes 

from influencing the drivers that allow you 

to execute on 3-5 year goals. 

As member of the Services organization, 

one of fundamental things we have to do is 

shift perception and educate the market on the 

value of intangible goods, as it is very different 

between the East and West. This means a constant 

commitment to excellence from pre-sales all the 

way to support, and life cycle management to 

help our customers understand their needs and 

their rights. 

I see this as a long term cultivation of mutual 

understanding and see mutual business benefits in 

China. I encourage you to advocate best practices, 

spend time and make effort to build informal 

relationships. Take an interest in your business 

associates and their families and you’ll find that 

there are a lot of shared family values between the 

Chinese and the Dutch cultures. If you establish 

a connection and build trust, your business 

experience in China should be a successful and 

pleasant one for many years to come. 

Voordeligste tarieven vanaf € 22,- per dag 

all-in 

Snelste Schiphol service • 24 uur per dag • Geen extra verzekeringen bij aankomst • Laagste eigen risico 

www.bblcarrental.nl 

bb&l_2009_ad_194x61.indd 2 

12/17/08 10:31:11 AM 

24 


Special 

The Little Red Book 

By Richard Soemita 

Quotations from Chairman Mao Zedong, better known in the West as The Little Red 

Book, was published by the Government of the People’s Republic of China from April 

1964 until approximately 1976. As its title implies, it is a collection of quotations excerpted 

from Mao Zedong’s past speeches and publications. The book’s alternative title The Little Red 

Book was coined by the West for its pocket-sized edition, which was specifically printed and 

sold to facilitate easy carrying. The closest equivalent in Chinese is, literally “The Red Treasured 

Book”, which was a term popular during the Cultural Revolution. 

The most printed book in the twentieth century, Quotations had an estimated 5 to 6.5 billion 

copies printed during Mao’s attempt to transform Chinese society. The book’s phenomenal 

popularity may be due to the fact that it was essentially an unofficial requirement for every 

Chinese citizen to own, to read, and to carry it at all times during the later half of Mao’s rule, 

especially during the Cultural Revolution. 

During the Cultural Revolution, studying the book was not only required in schools but was 

also a standard practice in the workplace as well. All units, in the industrial, commercial, agricultural, 

civil service, and military sectors, organized group sessions for the entire workforce to study the book 

during working hours. Quotes from Mao were either bold-faced or highlighted in red, and almost all 

writing, including scientific essays, had to quote Mao. 

To defend against the theory that it would be counter-productive, it was argued that understanding 

Mao’s quotes could definitely bring about enlightenment to the work unit, resulting in production 

improvement to offset the time lost. 

During the 1960s, the book was the single most visible icon in mainland China, even more visible 

than the image of the Chairman himself. In posters and pictures created by CPC’s propaganda artists, 

nearly every painted character, except Mao himself, either smiling or looking determined, was always 

seen with a copy of the book in his or her hand. 

After the end of the Cultural Revolution in 1976 and the rise of Deng Xiaoping in 1978, the importance 

of the book waned considerably, and the glorification of Mao’s quotations was considered to be left 

deviationism and a cult of personality. The original books now became a collector’s item and some 

editions are highly sought after. The book has been translated in many languages, even in Dutch and 

was first published in 1967 by A.W.Bruna & Zonen. 

Mao’s quotations are categorized into 33 chapters in the book. Its topics mainly deal with Mao’s 

ideology, known in the West as Maoism and officially as “Mao Zedong Thought.” 

25 


Special 

Tibet, or did the 13 th 

Dalai Lama kowtow? 

By Willem Anne Hoekstra 

Kowtow: To kneel and touch the forehead to the 

ground in expression of deep respect, worship, 

or submission, as formerly done in China. 

My good father taught me that there are 

three subjects to avoid during conversations at 

the dinner table: Money, Politics and Women. 

How right he was. When I was having dinner with 

a Greek colleague in Athens many moons ago, I 

casually mentioned the case of Macedonia. This 

resulted in a 3-hour passionate lecture from 

his side on how unfair and wrong the claim of 

independence of the Macedonians was, because 

in 14 th century... Similarly I was ignorant enough 

to mention something neutrally supportive of 

the Palestinians to an Israeli friend of mine. A 

big mistake, it took months before we were on 

speaking terms again. Did I mention my friend 

in Northern Ireland yet? Maybe I am ‘een beetje 

dom’? 

Two years ago, I was on a business trip to our 

office in Shanghai, and I was silly enough to ask 

about the situation in Tibet. Me and my big Dutch 

opinionated mouth. Wasn’t it that China invaded 

poor Tibet, and the Dalai Lama is the good guy who 

now tries to liberate the poor monks, right? Well, 

not quite, according to my Chinese colleagues. 

Soon I understood that Chinese students are 

taught that Tibet has been an “inalienable part 

of Chinese territory”, from the time of the Yuan 

Dynasty conquest onward. Now how did today’s 

dispute start? The essence of the conflicting claims 

of three parties of the sovereignty over Tibet can 

only be understood in the context of history, and 

more importantly, the interpretation of history. 

First a few facts. Tibet was first unified under 

King Songtsän Gampo in the 7 th century. Over the 

last centuries, a line of spiritual leaders called 

Dalai Lamas ruled as head of government, ruling in 

a close relationship with the Chinese Dynasties. 

In 1904, the British invaded the country, 

after Tibet had been closed to all foreigners for 

half a century. The British then agreed with the 

Chinese that the Qing would have sovereignty 

in return for a British fee and free trade with 

Tibet. Following this, the Qing government sent 

a military expedition of its own to establish direct 

Chinese rule and deposed the Dalai Lama in an 

imperial edict. 

In 1913, (after the fall of the Chinese 

Qing dynasty) the 13 th Dalai Lama proclaimed 

independence and expelled all Chinese 

representatives, an action never accepted by 

China, or by any other state. Tibet however de 

facto lived autonomous for the next 36 years, 

whilst the republic of China (ROC) endured its 

Warlord era, civil war, and World War II. 

The ROC was ruling mainland China between 

1912-1949, before it took refuge, and today de 

facto is based and governing Taiwan. It has kept 

its claim to legitimate sovereignty over China, 

including Tibet. Note that even during its factual 

government of China, it did never have real 

control over the region. 

The new People’s Republic of China PRC, 

which governs China since 1949, contends that 

according to the “Succession of States Theory” 

in international law, all subsequent Chinese 

governments (Ming Dynasty, Qing Dynasty, ROC 

and PRC) have succeeded the Yuan Dynasty 

in exercising de jure sovereignty and de facto 

power over Tibet. 

The Tibet government in exile, under 

leadership of the 14 th Dalai Lama, has a different 

reading of history. In their view, during the earlier 

dynasties, Tibet and China cooperated on the 

basis of ‘benefactor and priest’ relationship, 

perhaps comparable to the Vatican and Italy. 

The relationship did not imply “subordination 

of one to the other”. The 13 th Dalai Lama, for 

example, knelt, but did not kowtow, before the 

Empress Dowager and the young Emperor while 

he delivered his petition in Beijing. Chinese 

26 


sources emphasize the submission of kneeling 

here, whilst Tibetan sources emphasize the lack 

of the kowtow. 

In 1950, the PRC invaded Tibet, in an attempt 

to liberate it from the ruling Tibetan government, 

which held the despotic rule of aristocracy and 

monasteries in power, rejecting any form of 

modernization, at the expense of 95% of Tibetans 

of the population who lived like ‘serfs’ in a feudal 

serfdom or “hell on earth”. Except from a very thin 

top layer in society, Tibetans had no mentionable 

access to education, care, democracy, media, and 

lived in primitive conditions. Mao Zedong stated 

that the decision to unite Tibet into the PRC was 

done to achieve ethnic equality and to “free 

Tibetans from imperialist oppression”. 

Tibetan sources however describe the 

people in the same period as happy, content, and 

devoted to Buddhism. It is a religious devotism 

which clearly finds a different interpretation in 

Marxist / communist ideology. Is religion a freedom 

or a means of oppression? 

In any case, one year after the invasion, the 

PRC and Tibetan representatives both signed and 

ratified the “Seventeen Point Agreement for the 

Peaceful Liberation of Tibet”, in which Tibet is an 

autonomous region within the Chinese sovereignty, 

and recognition of the Dalai Lama and of the 

Panchen Lama. However, Tibetan leaders later 

contended this treaty, as it was signed under 

pressure (the PRC had 20.000 troupes waiting at 

the border) 

The Tibet territory has always been under 

debate. Two provinces (Xikang and Qinghai) that 

were excluded from the treaty, revolted when 

they faced the Chinese land redistribution policies. 

This 1957 upraise was forcefully suppressed by 

the Chinese People’s Liberation Army, allegedly 

not shy of brutal torture. The number of freedom 

fighters grew rapidly, receiving American support, 

leading to the summit in the Lhasa uprising of 

1959. A gathering of 30.000 people at the Dalai 

Lama’s palace was dramatically shelled with PLA 

artillery. Some reports estimate the casualties in 

all the conflicts as much as 85.000. Clearly, the 

Chinese ‘peaceful liberation of Tibet’ had gone 

terribly wrong and was widely condemned. Various 

countries and committees openly disapproved, 

and the UN General Assembly condemned China 

for “violations of fundamental human rights 

of the Tibetan people” in 1959, 1961 and 1965 

resolutions. 

Following the defeat, the Dalai Lama fled to 

India, and formed a government-in-exile. The PRC 

sees the continued western support to the Dalai 

Lama, the government-in-exile and resistance 

movements as a threat to Chinese territorial 

integrity, sovereignty and stability. 

Jetsun Jamphel Ngawang Lobsang Yeshe Tenzin 

Gyatso, better known as the 14 th Dalai Lama, was 

born in 1935 and proclaimed the tulku or rebirth 

of the 13 th Dalai Lama at the age of two. 

Since the invasion, reports on the situation are 

quite contradictory. Chinese sources claim rapid 

progress for prosperous, free, and happy Tibetans 

participating in democratic reforms. Tibetans, 

on the other hand, call the PRC rule illegitimate, 

motivated solely by the natural resources and 

strategic value of Tibet. They say the Chinese 

feel superior to the Tibetans, using assimilationist 

policies and even genocide, aimed at destroying 

Tibet’s distinct ethnic makeup, culture, and 

identity, thereby cementing it as an indivisible 

part of China. So far there has been no open and 

free election under Chinese rule yet. 

The current policy of the Dalai Lama, is that 

he does not seek full independence for Tibet, 

but would accept Tibet as a genuine autonomous 

region within the People’s Republic of China, under 

the democratic condition of freedom of speech 

and expression and genuine self-rule. 

The Human Rights Watch World Report 2008 

reports on Tibet: “Widespread and numerous 

instances of repression target ordinary citizens, 

monks, nuns, and even children in an effort to 

quash alleged ‘separatism’.” The examples given 

are those arrests of protestors, political graffitiwriters, 

and others unsolicited expressions of 

opinion. 

Today, the Tibet government in exile is not 

recognized by any government in the world. 

The territory is part of China. However, various 

governments and international institutions do 

support the social and cultural activities organized 

by the government-in-exile. 

At this point I notice I have been living in 

Singapore for too long. I think to myself: yeah lah, 

but if you write politically loaded graffiti slogans 

on a public wall, organize a protest, or loudly 

voice an opinion in conflict with the government, 

or expect open and free elections, obviously you 

will be arrested and imprisoned or caned. But is 

this normal? 

Both parties seem to have point, whether the 

Dalai Lama kowtowed or not. But I think my good 

father was right. Better not raise the subject at 

the dinner table. Especially not with Chinese 

business prospects. 

27 


Know your tax 

China challenges Special 

Purpose Vehicles 

By Pieter de Ridder and Nicolien Luijsterburg of Loyens & Loeff 

With the introduction of the new Enterprise Income Tax Law (“EIT”) in 2008 and the subsequent regulations 

issued by the State Administration of Taxation (“SAT”) of China, new anti-avoidance rules have entered 

into force and more attention is paid by China to tax avoidance arrangements. 

During the course of 2009, the SAT issued various circulars to combat tax avoidance and tax treaty 

abuse. In January 2009, a circular was issued in which the SAT further explained the rationale of the 

general anti-abuse clause as included in the EIT. It was announced that, among others, the SAT was likely 

to challenge structures where, in their view, investors abuse China’s tax treaties. Tax treaty benefits can 

be disallowed if the main purpose of invoking a tax treaty is to obtain Chinese tax benefits. In this regard, 

countries such as Singapore, Mauritius, Barbados and Ireland may expect more attention from the SAT. 

A favorable tax treaty could reduce local Chinese withholding taxes on dividend distributions, interest 

payments as well as royalty payments substantially. Also, a limited number of China’s tax treaties protect 

against China’s 10% non-resident capital gains tax due on gains realized by a foreign investor on the sale 

of its Chinese investment. The SAT explained in another Notice, that 

in order to benefit from reduced withholding taxes on dividends 

under a tax treaty certain conditions must be met. Among others 

(i) the recipient of the dividend must be a tax resident of the other 

treaty jurisdiction; ii) the recipient of the dividend must be the 

beneficial owner of the dividend; and iii) the dividend must qualify 

as a dividend under the tax law of China. SAT requires the taxpayer 

to prove - with substantial documentation - that the requirements 

to be able to benefit from the tax treaty are met. 

The SAT went on to deny tax treaty benefits in two important 

cases this year, the Chongqing case and the Xinjiang case, which 

deserve attention and watching by the international investment 

community in relation to how the Chinese tax authorities may behave 

in international structures where a special purpose vehicles (“SPV”) 

is used. In the Chongqing case, a Singapore company (“SingCo 1”) 

sold the shares of another Singapore company (“SingCo2”) which, in 

turn, held shares of a Chinese company. The SAT disregarded SingCo 

2 for tax purposes and subsequently subjected SingCo 1 to tax on the capital gains realized with the sale. 

In the Xinjiang case, the tax treaty between China and Barbados was disregarded as, according to the 

SAT, the Barbados company was unable to prove its tax residency in Barbados. 

More recently, on 5 November 2009, the SAT released its newest circular to tackle foreign structures 

which addresses the issue of “Beneficial Ownership under Tax Treaties”. In order to enjoy the reduced 

withholding tax rates on dividends, interest or royalty payments under a tax treaty, the recipient of the 

payment should qualify as the beneficial owner. Based on the newest circular, beneficial owner refers to 

any person who owns or has control over certain income or the rights or assets which give rise to such 

income. Also, the beneficial owner should generally be engaged in substantial business activities and 

cannot be an agent or a conduit company. 

In relation to the above, the tax circular stipulates that a substance-over-form approach will be 

applied. For example, if the applicant has the obligation to pay or distribute all or a substantial part 

of its income (e.g., more than 60%) to a third country resident within a prescribed time (e.g., within 

12 months after receiving such income) this may jeopardize its beneficial ownership status. 

When taking the above into account it is obvious that China is currently developing its anti-abuse 

legislation. In this regard, China is likely to scrutinize common international tax structures where 

investments into China are structured through a SPV located in a jurisdiction which has a favorable tax 

treaty with China. It is therefore now, more then ever before, important that proper attention is given to 

ensuring that the holding structure of Chinese investments can be supported by sufficient business arguments 

and substance that justify the structure. Investors should consult their tax advisers in order to establish 

the right investment structure, both for existing as well as for new investments into China. 

A favorable tax treaty could reduce 

local Chinese withholding taxes on dividend 

distributions, interest payments as well 

as royalty payments substantially. Also, 

a limited number of China’s tax treaties 

protect against China’s 10% non-resident 

capital gains tax due on gains realized by 

a foreign investor on the sale of its Chinese 

investment. 

28 


Column By… 

Time to move to Paraguay? 


I 

was at Boat Quay last Friday after a long time. All I 

could see is expats being ripped off. Which brings me 

to the point that we pay far too much for a pint of beer 

i.e. double if not triple what you will get in any other local 

neighbourhood or hawker centre. Of course I could go and 

sit in any hawker centre on a bright yellow plastic bench 

staring miserable in front of me and watching out for the 

trolley man to take away your glass if you have not touched 

it every 10 seconds, but BQ just happens to be a stone 

throw away from the CBD and that’s were all the bankers, 

traders and lawyers have a drink after work, as you do. 

I was recently in Bali were there are at least 3 

prices for everything: local price, other Bali price and 

foreigner price. One day I went to the local market and 

bought some fruit. My Bali friend asked me how much I paid, 

and was appalled at the enormous amount I had been skinned 

for (even though it had seemed cheap to me). So imagine my 

joy and his embarrassment when 2 days later he went to the 

same market, and for the same order of fruit had ended up 

paying more! After I told him to leave his Gucci sunglasses 

and Amrani T-shirt home in future, even though they were 

fake (given the spelling mistake). 

Well, Singapore is heading that way: we do not want to live 

in an HDB flat, have to hire maids since grandparents do not 

live in to look after our kids, we pay taxes and do not get any 

allowances or CPF and all non-Asian restaurants are basically 

put there for us angmohs, where they can charge us at least 

SGD 250 for not even a decent meal and a bottle of wine for 2 

persons. The average meal in a hawker centre is just over SGD 

2.50. For those who can calculate, this 100 times more ! Do we 

earn 100 times more than the locals? Furthermore you DO NOT 

want to eat in a hawker centre every month, let alone every 

day. On that note: you realize how much MSG is being served 

at an average food stall? Just let your food digest for an hour 

until you feel your heartbeat going up gradually and have the 

terrible urge to drink 2 gallons of water. Its like sitting in death 

row waiting for a massive heart attack to strike you. I call it 

the wasabi-attack. Put some of the green stuff in your mouth 

and wait for 12 seconds (I have timed it) until you think that 

your brain has imploded and wants to come out of your nose 

after it has filled up your sinuses. 

On the world rank, Singapore is the 13 th most expensive city 

for expats, even above New York. Moscow is on number 1, but 

that is probably due to an army of security personal you need 

to hire for not being robbed at daylight. 

Coming back on the restaurants that serve angmoh food. 

We should all boycott them until the price levels come down 

to a reasonable level. Not to mention to improve the quality 

and train their staff how to serve the Western way ie. serve 

everyone their meal at the same time, do not take things away 

from the table if they feel like and do not write everything 

on their notepad even if you order just a bottle of sparkling 

water. 

After all I feel that it is only the expats that keep the 

whole area from Boat Q up to Robertson Q running. Without 

us (including my Indian friends at East Coast Park and the 

Filipino maids at Lucky Plaza on Sundays) Singapore would 

be for sure a ghost town. In a recent survey it appeared that 

Holland is the most popular European destination for expats 

in terms of length of stay. More than 3 quarters of expats now 

living in Holland have been there for 3 or more years. HKG 

and Singapore were ranked 5 th and 6 th respectively. But in 

terms of cheapest place to live in for expats it is Asuncion, 

the capital of Paraguay. 

29 


Business news 

Sources: Het Financieele Dagblad and Reuters 

The Netherlands is out of recession 

The Dutch economy grew by 0.4% in the third quarter of this year, compared with the 

previous quarter, meaning the country is now officially out of recession. The new figures 

from the national statistics office CBS show the first period of economic growth in a year. 

On an annual basis, however, the economy contracted by 3.7%. ‘According to normal 

definitions, the Netherlands is now out of recession,’ the CBS said in a statement. 

‘It’s nice to be able to signal the recovery but we still can’t hang out the flags,’ CBS 

economist Michiel Vergeer said. Consumers are still reluctant to make major purchases 

in particular. ‘They are keeping their hands on their cash,’ Vergeer said. 

Exports 

The recovery is still very fragile and almost entirely depends on improvements in 

the export market. Exports are still lower than a year ago but the decline is smaller 

than in the second half. The finance ministry said the news showed that government 

efforts to combat the recession are working. ‘The effect of the stimulus package 

is now visible,’ a spokesman said. New figures from the European Union statistics 

office Eurostat show that the eurozone as a whole is also out of the recession. 

Working dads’ 

problems in spotlight 

Budget deficit deadline 

2013, says minister 

Dredger Boskalis to 

take over Smit 

Dredging company Boskalis has made a 

€60 a share offer for maritime services 

group Smit. The takeover, described as 

a merger, has the backing of a group of 

Smit shareholders who control 44% of 

the company. ‘Combining our companies 

creates a Dutch maritime player of a 

global scale. The merger fits excellently 

with our strategy aimed at reinforcing 

and expanding our maritime services,’ 

said Peter Berdowski, Boskalis CEO. The 

scheme is also backed by Smit’s CEO Ben 

Vree who last year rejected takeover 

attempts by Boskalis, including a €1.1bn 

offer. Boskalis has built up a 25% stake 

in Smit since those talks broke down 

in December 2008. Analyst Edwin de 

Jong from SNS Securities said Boskalis’ 

commitment to maintain current Smit 

strategy and the board job for Vree could 

be behind the change of heart. 

Family minister André Rouvoet is to 

start research into the problems fathers 

have combining their careers and caring 

for their children. Rouvoet said that 

a ‘cultural shift’ needs to be made at 

work, in the school playground and in 

board rooms to make sure fathers can 

spend more time with their families. The 

research will look at the choices working 

fathers feel they have to make in terms of 

career opportunities in order to become 

more involved with their children. The 

Netherlands still tends to see childcare as 

the primary task of mothers while fathers 

continue to work full time, the minister 

said. ‘The question is, is this what fathers 

who wish to see their children grow up and 

mothers who wish to develop professionally 

actually want?,’ Rouvoet was saying. Last 

month, a survey by the government’s social 

policy unit SCP showed most Dutch couples 

are happy with the 1.5 income household 

set-up, whereby men work full time and 

women work fewer hours. 

The European Commission will probably 

order the Netherlands to cut its budget 

deficit to below the official EU level by 

2013, finance minister Wouter Bos said. 

Under EU rules, the budget deficit must 

be below 3% of gross domestic product. It 

also emerged France and Germany must 

bring their deficits back under control 

by 2013. ‘I do not have the impression 

that the Netherlands is being treated any 

different to other countries,’ Bos said, 

following a meeting of EU ministers in 

Brussels. The commission expects the 

Dutch budget deficit to reach 6% next 

year. Bos said it would be a ‘challenging 

deadline but not impossible’. The finance 

minister did say he was concerned about 

how ready some member states are to 

follow the commission’s instructions. 

France has already said it will be difficult 

to cut its 8.3% budget deficit in line with 

Brussels’ timetable. The EU’s economic 

affairs commissioner Joaquin Almunia will 

formally announce the deadlines. 

Ministers pledge action 

on early retirement 

Ministers have agreed to draw up proposals 

to encourage older workers not to take 

early retirement and to get employees to 

take on more older staff. The measures 

are to be combined with the increase in 

the state pension age from 65 to 67 and 

were agreed at parliamentary debate on 

the pension plans. CDA MP Pieter van Geel 

pointed out during the debate that just 

38% of men aged 60 to 65 are still working, 

as are 18% of women. But social affairs 

minister Piet Hein Donner, who is in charge 

of steering the pension legislation through 

parliament, told later it is harder for young 

people to find a job than the over-45s. 

Although a majority of MPs support the 

planned pension age increase, there was 

much criticism of ministers’ proposals to 

help people who do ‘heavy work’. 

SNS Reaal moves back into profit 

Financial services group SNS Reaal posted 

net profit of €26m in the third quarter of 

2009, the Utrecht-based company said 

in a trading update. Both the banking 

and insurance arms were back in the 

black, SNS said. SNS posted a loss over 

2008 as a whole following a poor second 

half and made a loss in the first half of 

2009 as well. SNS said its cost reduction 

and integration programmes are on 

schedule and shareholders’ equity is up 

‘significantly’ compared with the end of 

June. The company also said it expected 

to take a provision in the fourth quarter to 

pay for its share of the savings guarantee 

scheme for customers of bankrupt DSB 

bank. SNS said its portion would be 6%. 

Based on the central bank’s estimate of 

a maximum requirement of €3.25bn, SNS 

could face a charge of up to €195m, news 

agency Reuters said. SNS has had €750m 

in state support to ease it through the 

financial crisis and will pay back €185m 

raised through a September share issue 

later this month. CEO Ronald Latenstein 

told a conference call there was no 

timetable on repaying the rest. ‘It’s a bit 

early to predict anything in that area. 

Our intention to go to full repayment is 

clearly there.’ 

30 


Business news 

Sources: Het Financieele Dagblad and Reuters 

‘Heavy work’ focus of pension plan critique 

Opposition MPs launched a strong attack on the cabinet’s 

plans to increase the state pension age from 65 to 67 during 

a parliamentary debate. In particular, ministers’ decision to 

force employers to find other jobs for people who have done 

‘heavy work’ for 30 years came under fire. The Liberals are 

not opposed to the pension age increase in principle. However, 

the coalition has made a ‘monster’ out of the plan, Liberal 

leader Mark Rutte said. The move will deliver savings too 

late, is unfair, is unworkable when it comes to people who 

do heavy jobs and will have a drastic effect on employers, 

Rutte said. 

Employers 

The cabinet has agreed to increase the state and corporate 

pension age from 65 to 66 in 2020 and then to 67 in 2027. They 

also plan to make it easier for people who do ‘heavy work’ 

to still retire at 65 or be given new, lighter duties by their 

employers. The VVD suggests that everyone who has earned 

at least 70% of the minimum wage for 40 years should still be 

allowed to retire at 65. This would get around the problem of 

how to cope with people who have done hard physical labour 

and cannot work any longer, Rutte said. Alexander Pechtold, 

leader of the Liberal democratic party D66, said it would 

probably be impossible to define the concept of ‘heavy work’. 

Femke Halsema, leader of the left-wing greens Groenlinks 

also supports the increase in principle. But she sided with the 

Liberals’ 40-year plan and dismissed the cabinet’s proposals 

as a ‘political patchwork’. 

Unworkable 

The Socialists and anti-Islam PVV both support the current 

65-year retirement age. The PVV came under attack from other 

parties for saying an end to migration from Muslim countries 

would produce enough cost savings to eliminate the need to 

raise the state pension age. Labour’s parliamentary leader 

Mariette Hamer said the party is prepared to drop the heavy 

work clause if it proves to be unworkable. ‘ But we will come 

up with something else,’ she was quoted as saying. ‘ Employers 

must take responsibility for their workers’ careers.’ The debate 

is set to continue. 

ING moves back into profit 

Financial services group ING confirmed it had booked net profit 

of €499m and underlying profit of €778m in the third quarter 

of this year, reversing a year of decline. But the company gave 

no more details of its plans to split off its insurance activities. 

ING announced its third quarter figures on October 26, at the 

same time it broke news of the separation and a €7.5bn rights 

issue. The split up is part of the agreement reached with the 

European Commission on ING’s €10bn capital injection from 

the Dutch state. CEO Jan Hommen said ING has completed 

most of the first stage of its restructuring process but gave no 

more information. ‘It was not an easy decision,’ quoted him as 

saying. ‘But I strongly believe this is the right decision at the 

right moment. The financial services sector will be transformed 

by the crisis and the winners will be those who win back the 

trust of their clients.’ 

Half Holland’s households run 

financial risks 

Some half of the Netherlands’ seven million households 

are running the risk of getting into financial trouble because 

they don’t have enough savings, says family spending institute 

Nibud in a new report. Nibud says 25% of households never save 

and a further 25% only put money away for a rainy day when they 

have some left over. And four out of five households never look 

at what their future spending needs are likely to be. In addition, 

a quarter of households are overdrawn at the bank at least 

once a month and one third have a non mortgage-related loan, 

quoted Nibud as saying. Impulsive people who look for comfort 

and an easy life, and career-oriented people with a fondness 

for luxury are the most likely to get into financial difficult, the 

report found. 

31 


Event Agenda 

BODY WORLDS: The original and the cycle of life 

DATE : 23 rd Oct 2009 to 6 th Mar 2010, Mon-Fri 10am - 6pm 

(Closed on Mondays except school and public holidays) 

VENUE : Science Centre Singapore 

SYNOPSIS 

BODY WORLDS: The Original and the Cycle of Life features real specimens and has 

a special focus on health, wellbeing and the ageing process. This unique exhibition 

offers an amazing insight into the human lifecycle. 

At the exhibition, you’ll discover the mysteries of how the human body develops 

through time; at its most radiant and as it changes, matures and finally wanes. 

TICKET PRICE (exclude booking fee): Adult $20, Primary Student $12, 

Secondary Student/Senior/Group $16 

MORE INFORMATION: http://www.science.edu.sg 

Reverie: Cirque on Ice 

and Carnival 

DATE : 27 th Nov 2009 to 27 th Dec 2009 

Tue-Sun: 3.30pm, 7.30pm 

Reverie-Cirque on Ice Carnival 

(Daily 2.30pm - 9pm) 

VENUE : Singapore Indoor Stadium 

SYNOPSIS 

Soar and spin into the fantasy dream world of ice and 

snow this Christmas as Singapore Indoor Stadium (SIS) 

presents “Reverie: Cirque on Ice” at World’s first and 

biggest temporary arena - Arena Stadium Waterfront - 

starting from 13 th of November 2009. 

Reverie: Cirque on Ice, the creation of former Cirque 

de Soleil acrobat and aerialist Michael McPherson, will take 

the audience to an enchanted and colourful dreamworld 

of fairies, nymphs and mythical creatures. With novel 

combination of theatrical circus artistry and heart-stopping 

acrobatic performances through seamless blending and 

gliding of skaters with soaring aerialists moving in their 

spectacular costumes to the spellbinding music on the 

fantastical set under the striking visual lighting. 

Reverie- Cirque on Ice Carnival” (27 Nov-27 Dec) will 

be a thematic non-gated monthlong series of interesting 

events and activities to complement SIS’ arena events and 

hype up year end festivities, and justifies for a “Uniquely 

Singapore” branding. 

TICKET PRICE (exclude booking fee): $60, $90, $120 (VIP) 

Free entry for “Reverie- Cirque on Ice Carnival” 

DURATION: Approx 120 mins 

MORE INFORMATION: http://www.sis.gov.sg/reverie.htm 

Celebrate Christmas 

in Singapore 

DATE : 18 th Dec 2009 to 25 th Dec 2009 

18 th - 24 th Dec 2009, 6.00pm - 10.30pm 

25 th Dec 2009, 3pm - 11pm 

VENUE : Various venues in Orchard Road area 

SYNOPSIS 

Stroll along Wisma Atria and Ngee Ann City and discover 

how Christmas is celebrated in different cultures. Check 

out nightly performance featuring mimes, plays, musicals 

and more! Enjoy the Floats Parade on Orchard Road and 

bask in the joyous atmosphere. 

Take on the sights and sounds of Orchard Road. As 

you walk through Orchard Road enjoying Christmas in the 

Tropics Light Up, also enjoy the showcasing of the mega 

size displays base on the Christmas scenes. 

Join in the interactive Christmas story and experience 

Bethlehem from over 2000 years ago! Pose with the three 

wisemen, walk through Bethlehem’s market streets and 

catch performances at King Herod’s Palace and the stable 

at the nativity scene. 

On 25 th Dec evening, a Grand Concert will be happening 

on Christmas Day on Orchard Road, literally! Take your 

family portrait with the 7 beautifully decorated Floats that 

will be parked at Orchard Road on 25 th Dec 2009. Join in the 

1000 strong Line Dancing on 25 th Dec night. 

Share the Joy of distributing the gifts to representatives 

from various charities. So, Share the Spirit of Christmas and 

come Celebrate Christmas In Singapore! 

TICKET PRICE: free 

MORE INFORMATION: http://ccishome.org 

32 


Event Agenda 

Marina Bay SINGAPORE Countdown 09/10 

DATE : 31 st Dec 2009, starts at 7pm till 1am 

VENUE : Marina Bay 

SYNOPSIS 

Catch the brilliant fireworks display as you count 

down to the new year at the signature annual 

Marina Bay SINGAPORE Countdown 09/10. More 

than just a festive celebration, this year-end 

tradition for Singapore will bring together the 

collective wishes and aspirations of thousands of 

people, and unite all in counting down the final seconds of the year to celebrate 

the beginning of a new year full of hopes, challenges, changes and dreams. 

Broadcast LIVE on Channel NewsAsia, the Countdown will also capture the 

hearts of fellow Singaporeans and friends residing overseas. 

Fast becoming the city’s favourite festival stage, Marina Bay provides a 

perfect setting against the signature city skyline to stage and enjoy large-scale 

cultural and community events, water-based sports and celebrations. Active 

programming of events will bring iconic events to Marina Bay all year round, 

establishing it as a Bay of Celebration with exciting activities for everyone 

to enjoy. 

TICKET PRICE (EXCLUDE BOOKING FEE): Free, except for entry to The Float 

at Marina Bay (ticket prices tbc) 

DURATION: 6 hours 

MORE INFORMATION: http://www.marinabaycountdown.sg/ 

Siloso Beach Party 

DATE : 31 st Dec 2009, 8pm - 6am 

VENUE : Siloso Beach, Sentosa 

SYNOPSIS 

Asia’s Grooviest Beach Party - Siloso Beach 

Party at Sentosa – is turning up the heat this 

year with MORE DJ line-ups, the SIGNATURE 

foam pool and sandy dance floor! 

Shake those svelte bodies to pulsating 

music and groove to the beat at the new chillout 

stage. Fuel your energy with the wide array 

of food and drinks, as the fringe performances 

provide you with a visual feast. 

The whole host of activities will no doubt 

satisfy your appetite for entertainment till 

the break of dawn – this is Asia’s Grooviest 

beach party you cannot miss! 

TICKET PRICE: S$35 (incl. 1 free drink) 

S$65 (including 2 free drinks and S$30 food 

vouchers) 

DURATION: 10 hours 

MORE INFORMATION: http://www.sentosa. 

com.sg/silosobeachparty/ 

singapore amsterdam san francisco istanbul cruise on location and soon london & los angeles 

supperclub singapore is is a multi-sensory experience that brings together 

fine cuisine, art, performance and djs in one unique location. Join us for 

just a drink or a dinner, always followed by a club night with the best 

national and international djs. 

Dining at supperclub is different. you can choose a surprise menu which 

changes every week or go for the delicious finger food items. Forget 

about formal dining etiquette since freedom is the key word here. You 

will lie down, relax and dine on oversized beds and, as you are being 

served you will enjoy excellent food, djs, unique performances and art. 

dinner & table reservations call 6334 4080 or go to www.supperclub.com 

odeon towers, 331 north bridge road 

show this ad and receive 15% off on food or complimentary entrance on one of our club nights* 

*(t&c apply)

Conference Calendar 

A selection of upcoming conferences in the region in January/February: 

GIS in Oil & Gas 2010 

18-19 January, Dubai 

Shipping Finance Asia 2010 

3-4 February, Singapore 

Pharmacovigilance 2010 

21 January, Mumbai 

Pharma Sales Force Effectiveness Conference 

25-27 January, Singapore 

3 rd Annual Anti-Corruption Asia Congress 

25-28 January, Hong Kong 

HSE Risk Management in Oil & Gas 

26–27 January, Kuala Lumpur 

Contact Centres Asia 2010 

26-27 January, Singapore 

Prepaid Mobile Summit 2010 

26-27 January, Kuala Lumpur 

TradeTech China 

28-29 January, Shanghai 

Global Worldnet Conference 2010 

31 January – 4 February, Mumbai 

3 rd Annual Investment Performance Analysis 

& Risk Management Asia 2010 

3-4 February, Hong Kong 

Innovations in Healthcare Management and 

Informatics 

8-11 February, Singapore 

Data Centre Management 2010 

9-10 February, Melbourne 

Regional Airport Development 

10-12 February, Sydney 

Pipeline Integrity Management 

17-18 February, Melbourne 

Airport Security 2010 

17-20 February, Dubai 

5 th Annual Asset Integrity Management 

Summit 

21-24 February, Abu Dhabi 

Log on to www.conferencebay.com for more information on these and many other events. 

And remember, you can make a bid and decide the price you’re willing to pay for any 

conference you wish to attend, not just the ones listed on Conference Bay! Just contact us 

on +65 67357445. 

34 


Embassy Info 

Embassy closed 

The Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands will be closed from Friday 

25 December 2009 until Friday 1 January 2010. 

In case of an emergency, please contact the duty officer on HP: 9661 5704. 

With respect to the closure of our financial year only cash payments can be accepted 

at the consular counter from 14-31 December 2009. It will not be possible to use our 

credit card facility. 

SCHENGEN VISA 

The visa application section will be closed from Monday 21 December 2009 until 

Friday 1 January 2010. 

Job Seekers / Internship 

Association Info 

Name : Frank C.T. Bussen 

Age : 40 

Mobile : +31 6 5049 8881 

Email : fbussen@gmail.com 

Study: Degree in Aeronautical Engineering (Bachelor) 

Specialization: Aeronautical Engineering, Customer Service 

Working experience: 5 years experience in Logistical 

Support and Customer Service at KLM and Fokker Services. 

Supporting fleet operations, and serving as first contact 

between customer and logistics. This includes Spares handling, 

Repairs handling, Financial control, Quote hunting and problem 

solving. 

Looking for: A challenging job position, preferably in the Airline 

Industry but also willing to change into new directions. A job 

where I can show my inventiveness, creativity and drive and in 

which I can be an asset to increase the business. 

Name : Rudrani Djwalapersad 

Age : 23 

Tel.no.office : +31 6 5054 3020 

Email : r.djwalapersad@gmail.com 

Study: 

• Sep ’08 – Jan ’10: Master Financial Law, Erasmus University 

Rotterdam. 

• Sep ’07 – Dec ’08: MSc Business Admnistration: Management 

of Change, Erasmus University Rotterdam, graduated with 

honor. 

• Sep ’04 – Jun ’07: BSc Business Administration, Erasmus 

University Rotterdam. 

Working experience: 

- Feb ’09 – Sep ’09: Research Assistant at the faculty Erasmus 

School of Law. 

- Aug ’07 – Sep ’08: Chairman of the Master Study Club Board 

Management of Change, Study Association STAR. 

- Oct ’06 – Jun ’07: Chairman of the BA Study Trip Committee, 

Study Association STAR. 

Looking for: An internship position for a four-month period 

starting in February 2010 to gain international working experience 

in Singapore. I do not have a preference for a specific position 

or industry. I think it would be a great experience and challenge 

to get the opportunity to transfer the theoretical knowledge I 

gained during my studies into practice. 

Name : Michiel Sengers 

Age : 26 

Tel. no. : +65 66990767 (H), +65 91272770 (HP) 

Website : www.linkedin.com/in/michielsengers 

Study: 

Sep 02 - Feb 07: Amsterdam School of Business (HES), Marketing, 

Bachelor of Marketing 

Specialization: Product management, Market research and 

Travel retail 

Characteristics: Team player, involved, outgoing, creative, 

hands-on, strategic, analytical, IT savvy 

Working experience: 

– Jun 08 – Dec 08: Martinair Holland N.V. – Product Specialist: 

responsible for both service and sales concepts; additionally 

manage in-flight shop, supplier management, catalogue 

design, operations support. 

– Mar 07 – May 08: Martinair Holland N.V. - Service Concept 

Manager: responsible for service concept; manage, develop 

and improve on-board service product (F&B, entertainment) 

to optimize passenger satisfaction. 

– Sep 06 – Feb 07: Martinair Holland N.V. - Product Management 

Internship: thesis on brand association in the airline 

industry 

– Feb 05 – Aug 06: SBS Broadcasting S.A. – Pricing Assistant: 

perform marketing and market research activities 

Looking for: A position in marketing or marketing communications. 

Preferred industries; travel, tourism, media and open to others. 

Contributing to an international team with marketing, market 

research and product management experience and knowledge. 

Ideally full time. Long term. Local terms 

35 


Association Info 

New Members 

Anne Elias, ING Bank 

Francoise Roche, Rabobank 

Frans Janssen, GfK Asia 

Fred Neve, RBS Bank 

Koos Alfrink, ING Bank 

Kris Vervaeke, Kris Vervaeke Photography 

Marleen de Bruijn, ING Bank 

Michael Krayenhoff, AQ Services 

Michiel Sengers (1/1) 

Roderick Kasteel, ABN AMRO Bank 

Rogier Dolleman, ING Bank 

Rosiah van den Hoek 

Sara Verhof (1/1) 

Vincent Groenewoud (1/1) 

Wietse Roodenburg, Shell 

Wilco Alberda, Smit 

Leaving Members 

Anne Elias, ING Bank 

Bert Hazelaar, Shell 

Clementine Klijberg 

Cornelis van den Muyzenberg, Colorcon 

Edwin Ebrahimi, Vopak 

Ernst Altena, Van Leeuwen Buizen 

Freek van Velsen, RBS 

Frits Wolters, Shell 

Geert Kraak, De Lage Landen 

Gjalt Jan Feersma Hoekstra, I.M. Freight 

International 

Hans Rijfkogel, Agio Cigars 

Inge Oostendorp, Hollandse Club 

Ingmar de Gooijer, Burson-Marsteller 

Kiki van der Erf 

Laurence Caron 

Lukas van der Hoef, Deutsche Bank 

Mark Woudstra* 

Marleen de Bruijn, ING Bank 

Michael van Ommeren, Fortis 

Monique van Donzel 

Ninna Liu , Agio Cigars 

Orhan Koc* 

Pim Kraan, Embassy of the Kingdom of the 

Netherlands 

Rob de Louw, Océ 

Roderick Kasteel, ABN AMRO Bank 

Ronald Broer, Unitor 

Sebastiaan Reek, RBS 

Stefan Beukeveld, BHP Billiton 

Thijs Fransen 

DECEMBER EVENT 

MEMBERSHIP FEE 2010 

Dear ADB Member, 

The ADB members are invited to join ADB’s 

‘Eindejaars Netwerkborrel’ 

Date: Thursday 10 December 2009 Time: 20.00-22.00 hrs Venue: 8 Binjai Hill 

Registration is required, please register before 6 December 2009 by sending 

an email to www.adb.org.sg/en_events_20091210_invitation.html 

JANUARY EVENT 

Limited parking available. 

Kindly sponsored by: 

Dear ADB Members, 

You and your partner are kindly invited to attend the 

ADB New Year’s ‘borrel’ 

on Monday 11 January 2010 

Ambassador Johannes Jansing and Mrs. Barbara Jansing are kindly 

hosting the ‘borrel’ at their residence from 19:00-21:00 hrs. 

If you would like to attend, please register by 6 January via 

www.adb.org.sg/en_events_20100111_invitation.html (limited registration) 

Address: 23 Ridout Road (please park at Dempsey car park) 

Dress code: Smart Casual 

Kindly sponsored by: 

The ADB will start the process of collecting next year’s membership fee. We are 

happy to inform you that the ADB is still able to keep the calendar membership fee 

at SGD100 only. 

Attached please find the annual invoice for the ADB membership fee for 2010 and 

we kindly ask you herewith to arrange payment at your earliest convenience at the 

latest by the 31 st of December 2009: 

1. By crossed cheque made payable to: “Association of Dutch Businessmen”, and 

send your cheque to Association of Dutch Businessmen, c/o 22 Camden Park 

Singapore 299814 

Please state your name on cheque. 

2. In cash and send/deliver to/at for the attention of ADB, c/o 22 Camden Park, 

Singapore 299814 

3. By internet 

Bank name : Standard Chartered Bank, Battery Road 

Benificiary : Association of Dutch Businessmen 

Account # : 01-0-837759-8 

Branch : 001 

Bank code : 7144 

Please make sure that your name will be stated on our bank statement. 

Your prompt payment will be appreciated. 

N.B.: Cancellation of your membership must be received in writing (by email) before 

the 31 st of December 2009, otherwise full membership fee (SGD 100) will apply for 

calendar year 2010! 

36 


YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE 

dUTCH 

TO jOiN THE HOllANDsE clUB 

SINCE1908INSINGAPORE 

Hollandse Club 

The common misperception held about the Hollandse Club is that you 

have to be Dutch to become a member, but as only 25 per cent of 

our members are from the Netherlands, you definitely don’t have to be 

Dutch… 

Whichever nationality you are, we welcome you with open arms into our 

child-friendly, couple-friendly and cosy club. The Hollandse Club is a little 

bit of country in the sprawling city, and yet so easily accessible from the 

centre of town. 

So don’t fight for dining space in Dempsey, elbow room in Boat Quay 

or breathing space in Orchard Road. Instead, hang out at the Hollandse 

Club and enrich your social life, improve your sporting prowess and treat 

your taste buds. 

For information about becoming a member, call the membership 

department on 6461 1111 or 6461 1104. 

fiND OUT mOrE ON OUr wEBsiTE www.HollandseClUb.org.sg

Connected 

Heart-to-heart 

Reserved 

Finally, a dimmable energy saver – 

because no two moments are the same. 

Whatever light level you desire, the Philips Tornado 

Dimmable delivers. Dimming smoothly down to 5% 

brightness, it also saves energy by up to 80%. 

Experiment with the possibilities, and bring out the 

best in any moment. www.philips.com

December 2009 / January 2010 - Association of Dutch Businessmen

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