At eight minutes past eight on the eight of August the opening ceremony started.

As a contributor to the BBC website said - We hope the Games will show our guests China today, not China 30 years ago.

Businesses invest in China at high end of value chain..

GlaxoSmithKline intends to double its R&D staff in China to 350 people in the next few years, reported Reuters.

GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) which currently has 170 R&D staff in China has plans to boost up its staff to 350 by the end of 2009. According to Carol Zhu, head of operation management and alliances in GSK's China R&D unit, the staff levels would remain static for three or four years after the increase, while the company will expand its facilities to accommodate further increases thereafter.

As part of its strategic plan to step up investment in biotech medicines, GSK has focused on China for furthering its R&D activities.

UK wide - take a look at how your child can learn about modern Chinese culture

Turning up the Volume on Modern China for children.

China Now is a UK-wide celebration of a vibrant, dynamic and fast-evolving nation – a captivating showcase of the very best of modern China.

‘I welcome CHINA NOW as a valuable and exciting idea to help bring our countries closer together and further develop and strengthen our relationship.’
Gordon Brown, British Prime Minister

‘CHINA NOW will strengthen the understanding and friendship between China and the UK. We must work together to make the festival a success.’
Wen Jiabao, Premier of the People’s Republic of China.

http://www.chinanow.org.uk/

How are Chinese children different?

On day one I was shocked by the dedication of the students.

Chinese children spend countless hours in the classroom, arriving at around 6am and leaving at about 10pm with just a few breaks in between for food and exercise.

All students are unanimously focused on the Gao Kao, the final year exam taken to get into university.

Particularly for students from the countryside, such as these, it is their only way out. Securing a place at a good university is synonymous with securing a comfortable life later and the curriculum seems entirely geared towards it.

Learning the correct answer to write on the exam paper is more highly prized than encouraging independent thought
An education in Chinese schooling

"Any 20-year-old American thinking of doing business in China one day ......

.. and not thinking of learning Mandarin is not thinking."

"This is a continental-sized economy being built from scratch," he said. "Everyone used to go to America because it was the global happening place. Now this is the global happening place."

McGregor, a former journalist who runs a business consulting firm in Beijing, advises those who want to head to China to bring an open mind, a sense of adventure and an appreciation for the absurd.

The other key to making it? Solid language skills.

"If you're going to be an entrepreneur, you need to sink into the culture," he said. "Any 20-year-old American thinking of doing business in China one day and not thinking of learning Mandarin is not thinking."

For a new generation, land of opportunity may lie in China, not the US

Children learn about Chinese culture, the Mandarin language and Chinese songs

Learning about Chinese culture
Redditch advertiser
31st Janaury 2008

Alistair Morgan, Jack Higgins, Sky Palmer, Caitlin Cox, Charlie Blake and Lauren Coldwell with Bryonie Williams, Paul Lok and Councillor Betty Passingham.
CHILDREN at Matchborough First School have been dancing with dragons at an after-school club in time for Chinese New Year.

With funding from the Redditch Arts Council, the Redditch Chinese Association has been working with the children making a lions head, learning Mandarin and singing Chinese songs.

Bryonie Williams, foundations stage co-ordinator at the school, said: "This is a wonderful opportunity for the children to participate in and experience the Chinese culture, giving them insights and understanding in our multi-cultural community."

To mark the new year, a street party will be held by the Redditch Chinese Association on Sunday, February 17 in the town that will involve Chinese food, music and dance.

Mr Brown and the Chinese premier Wen Jiabo agreed to increase trade between the two countries by 50% by 2010.

Mr Brown said the relationship between the two countries was "absolutely crucial" to the success of the global economy as a whole.

"It's true we are able to sell to China not just financial and business services and environmental technologies, but also a whole range of British brands that are now becoming very popular among the rising number of Chinese consumers."

He added: "We said we want Britain to be the number one destination of choice for Chinese business as it invests in the rest of the world."

Chinese e-commerce portal Alibaba.com soared on its debut on the Hong Kong stock market Tuesday,

with its share price nearly tripling. .... But analysts said the rise was unsustainable, and that speculators were driving up the price in order to maximize profits.
Alibaba.com is one of China's fastest growing Internet companies. Its registered members soared to 24.6 million in 2007 from 6 million in 2004. Paying members increased to 255,000 by June 2007 from 77,000 in 2004...... The company recorded a net profit of 295.2 million Chinese yuan (US$39.2 million; €27.5 million) in the six months ended June 2007.