“Country [China] needs to continue opening up and keep connecting. It needs to realize that the world has become one. The old concept of isolation, the idea that you can solve your problems on your own does not work anymore - neither in cultural, economic, nor political terms.” WorldNeedsDoeIdeasCountryProblemPoliticalTermRealizingEconomicConceptsChinaSolveOpeningIsolationConnectingOpening Up Author:Zhang Xin
“Isolation means a lack of growth. I grew up in China at a time when the country was completely isolated. That era is over.” MeanCountryGrowthGrewGrew UpChinaErasIsolationIsolated Author:Zhang Xin
“Many years ago, we were only able to build boxes. Today, architects from all over the world are working with us - Zaha Hadid from London, Gerkan, Marg and Partner from Hamburg, Kengo Kuma from Japan. We brought design and digitalization from abroad to China.” WorldYearsTodayAbleDesignYears AgoBoxesChinaLondonPartnersJapanArchitect Author:Zhang Xin
“China's economy became more complex. By now there is a large number of small- and medium-sized companies that work quite differently from big, state-owned enterprises. They don't follow any long-term business plan and don't rent office space for years to come. They start out and need an office right away, for a week, a month or half a year, and they want to be among other entrepreneurs like themselves.” WantNeedsYearsLongStatesBigsTermSpaceNumbersHalfCompanyEconomyPlansWeekMonthsOfficeEntrepreneurComplexesChinaMediumsLong TermEnterpriseLarge NumbersBusiness PlanHalf A YearOffice Space Author:Zhang Xin
“Our tenants now are companies like Uber, the taxi service, Meituan.com, China's version of Groupon - and a large number of startups. These companies operate in a modern way, just like their customers: They go on the Internet, look for an offer and take it.” WayLooksNumbersCompanyModernGoes OnInternetOffersChinaCustomersVersionsLarge NumbersTaxiTenantsUber Author:Zhang Xin
“China has consistently surprised us. When I returned from the United States many years ago, it was unimaginable that we would end up where we are now. What China has achieved defies all logic. I credit this to the hard work and enterprising spirit of the Chinese people.” PeopleYearsEndsHardStatesSpiritUnitedUnited StatesHard WorkYears AgoLogicChinaCreditChineseConsistentlyUnimaginableEnterprising Author:Zhang Xin
“Because people along the route had realized that there was demand and quickly organized supply. That's so Chinese. In a well-organized country like Germany, such a problem may not have arisen in the first place, but in China people immediately recognized an opportunity.” PeopleFirstsWellsMayCountryProblemOpportunityDemandChinaChineseGermanyOrganizedRoutes Author:Zhang Xin
“It's a good thing that it is getting simpler to register a company in China, it is good that the exchange rate of our currency is getting more flexible and that it's getting easier for Chinese businesspeople to travel. All of this opens up our economy.” CompanyEconomyEasierGood ThingsRateChinaChineseCurrencyFlexibleRegister Author:Zhang Xin
“But it is a worry that there have been so many delays in the reform of China's state-owned enterprises. We all know that private companies are run more efficiently than state ones. These reforms are very much anticipated for the potential dynamism they could create.” KnowsHas BeensStatesRunningCompanyWorryChinaReformEnterpriseDelayDynamism Author:Zhang Xin
“China reformed its state sector before, in the late 1990s. Tens of millions were laid off at the time. That was scary and we had warnings of social unrest. But it did not happen. Instead, there was a restructuring in our economic system. I am not sure if China will follow a Western playbook in this respect.” IfsStatesHappensSocialMillionsEconomicLateWesternScaryChinaNot SureWarningEconomic SystemsUnrestRestructuringPlaybooksLaid OffSocial Unrest Author:Zhang Xin
“On the one hand the world is getting more integrated and we should not dismiss social values as "Western" when they are actually modern values. On the other hand, individual countries have their own history and their own evolution. Trade unions, for example, don't play the same role in China as they do in Europe or the US.” WorldShouldCountryPlayHandsValuesIndividualSocialRolesModernExampleEvolutionEuropeTradeUnionsWesternChinaIntegratedTrade UnionsSocial Values Author:Zhang Xin
“When we started out, we didn't really think that the era of great opportunity would end one day. We were much too busy developing our companies. But in today's China you can build a city, even a mega-city like Beijing or Shanghai, within 10 or 15 years. And then you are done. So in real estate development, the Gründerzeit is over. But that is not the case in other sectors.” ThinkingYearsRealEndsDoneTodayOpportunityCitiesCompanyCasesDevelopmentOne DayBusyChinaDevelopingErasEstatesToo BusyGreat OpportunityBeijingMegaShanghai Author:Zhang Xin
“I firmly believe that digitalization has only just begun in China. In addition to the taxi, transport, shopping and hotel businesses, many other industries will follow: education, health care, administration, even the legal branch - everything, really. There is still a lot of opportunity in China for the inventive and ambitious ones.” BelieveStillsCareOpportunityIndustryChinaAdministrationHealth CareBranchesHotelShoppingAmbitiousTransportTaxi Author:Zhang Xin
“Mark Zuckerberg recently announced that he will donate $45 billion of his wealth to philanthropy. Two years ago, my husband and I decided to endow $100 million to set up the SOHO China Scholars. This program will give financial aid to Chinese students so they can attend the best universities in the world.” WorldGivingYearsTwoWealthMillionsStudentsHusbandYears AgoProgramDecidedMarkUniversityFinancialChinaAidsBillionsChineseTwo YearsMy HusbandScholarPhilanthropyDonateTwo Years AgoZuckerbergSohoFinancial Aid Author:Zhang Xin
“I have a profound dislike for showing off one's material wealth. This is insensitive and it is not what human hearts are made for. But what I like about China and sometimes miss in Europe is the entrepreneurial spirit of our young people, their ambition and dynamism.” PeopleHumansHeartMadeSometimesYoungSpiritWealthMissingMaterialsAmbitionEuropeProfoundChinaDislikeHuman HeartEntrepreneurialShowing OffInsensitiveDynamismMaterial WealthEntrepreneurial Spirit Author:Zhang Xin
“We are not very good at this. Our success rests on our international experience and on our ability to read the market. And I contest the notion that you can only succeed in China when you are well-connected. Neither my husband nor I are "princelings" - children of influential people, that is. And yet China has enabled us to succeed.” PeopleWellsChildrenAbilitySucceedHusbandNotionVery GoodInternationalChinaConnectedMy HusbandContestsInfluentialInfluential People Author:Zhang Xin
“I think our legal system needs to be developed. Cases of citizens who are detained and then have to wait much too long for a trial - that is scary, for everyone. When someone commits a crime he needs to be charged quickly. Why does this take so long in many cases? I don't know. Is it because our legal system is still rudimentary? China has promised to modernize its legal system. This has high priority.” ThinkingKnowsNeedsLongDoeStillsWaitingCasesCrimeCitizensScaryChinaPrioritiesTrialsCommitLegal System Author:Zhang Xin
“Chinese no longer crave so much for food and accommodation, but they do crave democracy. I stand by that. I don't know which model China will follow.” KnowsDemocracyModelsChinaChineseCraveAccommodations Author:Zhang Xin
