Eclipsing Imported Goods：A New Story of Chinese Consumer Goods

Eclipsing Imported Goods： A New Story of Chinese Consumer Goods

Life Week

Issue 19， 2020

Imported goods used to be seen as a symbol of an opulent lifestyle. When people become generally richer， the allure of imported brands is increasingly appealing for many. As time advances， homegrown brands are winning wider acclaim in China.

Propping up the rise are the purchasing powers of the “post-90s，” “post-95s，” and “post-2000s” generations. Over the past years， Chinese sport brand Li Ning has become a frequenter at fashion shows， and the logo of the popular Laoganma chili oil has been seen on sweaters. The woman who founded the brand， Tao Huabi， was also dubbed “sauce queen.”

Many time-honored Chinese domestic brands have been launching innovative products to keep abreast of the times.

E-commerce platforms present an opportunity for long-established stores to make a comeback. Tmall， a leading e-commerce platform in China， has recognized and appreciated the value and potential of domestic brands since 2016. Cooperation with such brands could bring huge traffic to the e-commerce platform.

Another propelling force for the rise of homegrown brands is effective marketing which is on par with that of international leading brands. China is a country with the highest Internet penetration rate， and a large number of rapidly growing ecommerce businesses. Chinese people are adept at digital marketing. Many domestic brands have not only operated Tmall flagship stores for a long time， but also been leveraging new channels for business promotion， including live streaming on the online trading platform.

The Global Impact of COVID-19

Outlook

Issue 18， 2020

The impact of the COVID-19 is comparable to that of a world war. Different from the two world wars in history， this is a new non-traditional threat of far-reaching influences.

The majority of the worlds nations and billions of people are confronted by a new reality – the lack of a clear order and clear future.

The only certainty is that COVID-19 is becoming the most severe global crisis of the century. It will transform the global political and economic landscape， break the existing balance of power， and exert a profound impact on global order.

Over the past 70 years， the U.S. has been building up its position as the global leader based not only on its wealth and strength， but also on its willingness and ability to supply global public goods and coordinate a global response to crises. But now， its leadership in the face of a global pandemic has been nothing short of abysmal management.

COVID-19 is a disaster. The U.S. now has more cases than any other country. President Trump clearly has no capacity to lead in the face of the pandemic. As the pandemic rages on， the U.S. leaders indifference to the life and health of ordinary people and their astonishing act of blame shifting highlight their low political and moral standards.

“The U.S. failed the leadership test.”This is a statement frequently seen in the news headlines in recent times.

It can be learned from some recent articles in the U.S. that the U.S. strategic thinkers have realized that the pandemic will become a turning point of the international order and an accelerator for great changes.

Embracing New Professions

Minsheng Weekly

Issue 9， 2020

Not long ago， the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security and another two central departments released 16 new professions in emerging industries and peoples livelihood service industries. They include industrial Internet engineering technicians， assembly construction workers， chain store operation managers， and on-demand delivery workers.

The release followed the accreditation of 13 new professions by the central authorities in April last year. The move sends an important signal for talent training institutions to reflect changes in talent demand. On a deeper level， new occupations undoubtedly reflect the impact of technological revolution， the adjustment of economic structure， and the profound changes in the labor market.

With the continuous emergence of new industries， and new business models， as well as peoples increasing demands for quality products and services， and a better life， more new occupations will emerge in the future.

New professions breed new opportunities and challenges. When choosing a new profession that is in line with the future economic and social trend， it means keeping up with the pace of the times and choosing a different lifestyle.

Job seekers， schools， enterprises and governments should actively embrace new occupations， study the requirements， and personnel training standards， and constantly broaden the channels of employment so as to promote the formation of a healthy and long-term employment mechanism in China.

DoctorsReflections on Post-Epidemic Era

Xinmin Weekly

Issue 16， 2020

After nearly three months of a strenuous anti-epidemic battle， China has won a phased victory over the COVID-19. Hubei Province and its capital Wuhan， which were hardest hit， have changed its emergency response and made epidemic response a regular work agenda.

China is now working to fully reopen its economy. “Regular epidemic containment” becomes the background of the postepidemic era in China.

The impact of COVID-19 lingers. The pain has not gone away entirely yet. Government departments and professional institutions have begun to sum up their experiences and lessons to further tighten the defense line against similar infectious diseases in the future.

Xinmin Weekly talks with 11 frontline medical professionals who saved lives in Hubei and asks them to share their insights on the lessons the COVID-19 epidemic has taught people and how people should prepare for and respond to similar crises.

In the post-epidemic era， public health and medical care systems will witness dramatic changes. An early warning system for infectious diseases， the construction of infectious diseases discipline in medical schools， and the improvement of peoples health literacy will draw more emphasis.