Korean Shipbuilders Steam Ahead of Chinese Rivals

Korean shipbuilders have taken the top spot in terms of new orders for the second month running, fending off a formidable challenge from Chinese rivals.

According to Clarkson Research Services on Thursday, Korean shipbuilders won 586,809 compensated gross tons of shipbuilding orders last month, compared to China’s 267,663 CGT.

In October, Korean shipbuilders won 907,477 CGT in orders, around three times more than their Chinese rivals.

Industry sources said the resurgence of Korean shipbuilders reflects the frustration of clients following the failure of Chinese firms to deliver vessels on time. Lacking ample resources, Chinese shipyards have often failed to meet crucial deadlines, according to industry watchers.

When it comes to cumulative shipbuilding orders so far this year, Chinese shipyards have won 14.57 million CGT in orders compared to 10.2 million CGT by Korean shipyards, or four percent more in money terms.

But there is no room for complacency. The Chinese government has given radical support to the shipbuilding industry for several years, while a decline of US$500,000 to $1 million in large oil tanker and cargo vessel prices has weighed on the bottom lines of Korean shipbuilders.

Yoo Byung-se at the Korea Offshore and Shipbuilding Association said, "From now on, the competition will be over ultra-large, fuel-efficient special vessels and Korean shipbuilders will have to gain a solid foothold in this segment ahead of Chinese rivals in order to survive."

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Jeju Becomes Mecca for Chinese Gamblers

Jeju is fast turning into a new mecca for China's inveterate gamblers, with casinos offering all-inclusive packages that mean visitors can practically hit the tables the moment they step off the plane.

One casino offers free round-trip tickets and a room at a five-star hotel to high rollers from China. A Chinese interpreter and Chinese cooking are also part of the package.

One Chinese newspaper reporting on overseas gambling said Jeju Island has become a "new haven" by offering a welter of services, including sex.

Jeju's casinos have opened offices in China to tout for gamblers there. One agent has organized 53 gambling trips to Jeju for Chinese gamblers over the last two years.

Some casinos get caught lending money at high interest to keep Chinese gamblers at the tables. They offer gambling chips after money is wired to bank accounts in China and send money into the accounts of gamblers held in Chinese banks. This means there is no need for gamblers to carry cash.

One official in Zhejiang Province said, "Once Jeju offered visa-free entry to Chinese citizens, gamblers who used to go to Burma, Laos and Vietnam started heading there instead."

Many Chinese gamblers end up losing their shirt. One Chinese diplomat on the southern resort island said, "There is an '80-percent' rule when it comes to Chinese tourists to Jeju Island. Eighty percent of tourists to Jeju are Chinese, 80 percent of them gamble and 80 percent of them end up losing money."

In some instances Chinese tourists have turned to loan sharks on the resort island, have their passports confiscated and commit suicide when their luck refuses to turn.

The Chinese daily reported than Chinese tourists spent US$74 billion on overseas gambling, second only after the U.S. when it comes to the amount of money spent on gambling outside its borders.

Chinese officials have pledged to crack down on overseas gambling, since gambling is illegal on the mainland. Gambling overseas is also illegal, but authorities have looked the other way until now.

China's Leisure and Cultural Services Department said Wednesday that the number of outbound Chinese tourists surpassed 100 million for the first time this year. The number of Chinese visiting Korea and Japan in January to November of this year surged more than 40 percent compared to the same period of 2013.

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Chinese Students in Korea Make Money from Korean Wave

Chinese students in Korea are less likely than their counterparts from other countries to work in low-grade jobs in convenience stores or waiting tables to pay their tuition. Instead they provide shopping services, work as tour guides or advertise Korean goods among Chinese buyers.

The easiest way for Chinese students to make money here is to shop for buyers back in China. They buy Korean cosmetics 60-70 percent cheaper in wholesale markets and send them to acquaintances in China.

Foreigners can register as business operators if they buy more than W500,000 (US$1=W1,112) worth of goods in their first transaction. Once registered, they can still buy smaller quantities at wholesale prices.

They can make profit margins of up to 60 percent if they buy goods here and sell them in China at list prices.

Bilingual speakers of Chinese and Korean can also make decent money as tour guides due to a surge in demand from growing numbers of Chinese tourists. "Chinese students are highly trusted by Chinese tourists," a tour operator said.

Some make money from online advertising for Korean culture and products as the Chinese market grows. Companies and regional governments are hiring Chinese students as their marketers to promote their products or local goods on Chinese social media like Weibo.

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Islanders Demand Compensation for Losses from Illegal Chinese Fishing

Fishermen from the nation's westernmost islands were protesting aboard their 80 boats for a second day on Thursday, denouncing the government's response to illegal Chinese fishing and calling for compensation.

The government announced last week that it will set up a task force of naval vessels and helicopters to patrol waters in the West Sea, but protesters say the plans don't go far enough.

Arirang News / Nov. 28, 2014 11:35 KST

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Uproar at Jeju Plans to Let Chinese Tourists Drive

Jeju Island plans to lift restrictions on Chinese tourists driving rental cars on the scenic resort in an effort to boost visitor numbers, but critics say that would be irresponsible and endanger traffic safety.

The Jeju provincial government said Tuesday that a special bill that will allow short-term Chinese visitors to drive on the resort island was given the green light in a Cabinet meeting.

Not everyone can simply drive a car here. Korea has agreements with the U.S., Japan and other countries allowing their citizens to drive rental cars, but no such pact has been signed with China, where road safety is not of the highest standard, so Chinese tourists on a 90-day visa are not allowed to drive here.

Cho Sang-bum, a Jeju government official, said, "Rental car companies must sign up for comprehensive insurance, and Chinese tourists who drive will be required to pay a deposit to be returned two months after their departure in case they break any traffic laws."

But critics point out that car accidents on Jeju Island involving rental cars are on the increase, rising from 233 with six dead and 449 injured in 2010 to 394 with 14 dead and 638 injured in 2013.

An official at the Jeju branch of the Korea Road Traffic Authority said, "China is notorious for traffic accidents. There's one every four minutes, and an average of 160 people get killed driving every day."

The official warned the Jeju provincial government not to rush the decision. "We also need to set up more sign posts in foreign languages, safety facilities and other infrastructure before allowing Chinese visitors to drive," he said.

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Jon Stewart's humor a hit with millions of envious Chinese

By Jane Lee

SHANGHAI (Reuters) - Humor may not always translate well, but Jon Stewart is picking up millions of fans in China, where his gloves-off political satire is refreshing for many in a country where such criticism is a rarity - especially when directed at their own leaders.

A recent segment on North Korea scored over 4 million views on microblogger Sina Weibo, and even stodgy state broadcaster CCTV has used Stewart's "The Daily Show" in a report, though they wouldn't let a Chinese version of him near their cameras.

Recent popular sequences have included one in which Stewart lampooned the Chinese hackers who hacked into the New York Times computer system earlier this year, wondering if that was the best they could do.

But far from squelching Stewart, CCTV even used one of his sequences on Guantanamo Bay to criticize Obama in a regular broadcast - a move widely derided by netizens.

In China, however, such criticism tends not to be welcomed by the government. Dissident artist Ai Weiwei, who regularly criticizes the government for what he sees as its flouting of the rule of law and human rights, was detained for 81 days in 2011, sparking an international outcry.

"There's nothing like political satire here," said David Moses, who studies and writes about Chinese humor.

Though the exact timing of Stewart's entrance to China is unclear, many have been watching him for four or five years, mainly through the Internet and Weibo.

"Being a journalist, you have to find out the truth," said Mao Moyu, a Shanghai journalism student who got hooked on Stewart four years ago.

"If there's ... something that hurts the public interest you have to stand out, no matter how sharp the thing is. You have to stand out and say that's not right."

Part of Stewart's popularity is that he seems cool to young people in love with all things foreign, but a thirst for satire that is not afraid to show its face contributes too, Moses said.

The closest thing that exists in China is coded references and puns that tweak official pronouncements or sound like obscenities.

"That's just shooting a finger at the government. But this is full-fledged jokes and routines about North Korea or about China and trade...It's just what they wish they could do here," Moses said.

Free translations into Chinese by Stewart's fans have boosted his popularity. In fact, one - known as Gu Da Bai Hua - now even has his own fan base.

China's thirst for foreign satire is so great that Stewart is not the only popular U.S. comic. Some Chinese say they prefer rival television satirist Stephen Colbert - although humor may not be the only issue at stake.

"I think I like Stephen Colbert's pronunciation more because it's much clearer for me," said Shanghai student Peng Cheng.

(Editing by Elaine Lies and Michael Perry)

View the original article here

Jon Stewart's humor a hit with millions of envious Chinese

By Jane Lee

SHANGHAI (Reuters) - Humor may not always translate well, but Jon Stewart is picking up millions of fans in China, where his gloves-off political satire is refreshing for many in a country where such criticism is a rarity - especially when directed at their own leaders.

A recent segment on North Korea scored over 4 million views on microblogger Sina Weibo, and even stodgy state broadcaster CCTV has used Stewart's "The Daily Show" in a report, though they wouldn't let a Chinese version of him near their cameras.

Recent popular sequences have included one in which Stewart lampooned the Chinese hackers who hacked into the New York Times computer system earlier this year, wondering if that was the best they could do.

But far from squelching Stewart, CCTV even used one of his sequences on Guantanamo Bay to criticize Obama in a regular broadcast - a move widely derided by netizens.

In China, however, such criticism tends not to be welcomed by the government. Dissident artist Ai Weiwei, who regularly criticizes the government for what he sees as its flouting of the rule of law and human rights, was detained for 81 days in 2011, sparking an international outcry.

"There's nothing like political satire here," said David Moses, who studies and writes about Chinese humor.

Though the exact timing of Stewart's entrance to China is unclear, many have been watching him for four or five years, mainly through the Internet and Weibo.

"Being a journalist, you have to find out the truth," said Mao Moyu, a Shanghai journalism student who got hooked on Stewart four years ago.

"If there's ... something that hurts the public interest you have to stand out, no matter how sharp the thing is. You have to stand out and say that's not right."

Part of Stewart's popularity is that he seems cool to young people in love with all things foreign, but a thirst for satire that is not afraid to show its face contributes too, Moses said.

The closest thing that exists in China is coded references and puns that tweak official pronouncements or sound like obscenities.

"That's just shooting a finger at the government. But this is full-fledged jokes and routines about North Korea or about China and trade...It's just what they wish they could do here," Moses said.

Free translations into Chinese by Stewart's fans have boosted his popularity. In fact, one - known as Gu Da Bai Hua - now even has his own fan base.

China's thirst for foreign satire is so great that Stewart is not the only popular U.S. comic. Some Chinese say they prefer rival television satirist Stephen Colbert - although humor may not be the only issue at stake.

"I think I like Stephen Colbert's pronunciation more because it's much clearer for me," said Shanghai student Peng Cheng.

(Editing by Elaine Lies and Michael Perry)

View the original article here