Here is another of my ominous post-China visit posts. Every time I go there, I think there is no way we can compete with China. In fact, I think we will be overwhelmed. Actually, one doesn't need to go there to think that, I'm sure.
Actually, Shunde (Sun Tak in Cantonese) is a really successful city and a manufacturing hub. All sorts of things are made there, including furniture, home appliances, and even Little Tikes toys! Shunde people are also astute business people. I'm told, though, that they are not keen on their city becoming a mega bustling city so they are content with enjoying their wealth and living a more 'relaxed' (comparatively) lifestlye.
So, it isn't swarming with people and cars, and I could actually get across this major road without running for my life. In some other parts of China, I don't even dare to cross at the traffic crossing.
Along the way from Shunde to Guangzhou, aside from huge factories and warehouses, there are also huge condo developments.
Shunde
I'll bet the majority of Chinese Singaporeans don't even know this city exists. I was one such Singaporean till I learnt that it is my father-in-law's hometown. It's about an hour's drive away from Guangzhou and a very much less busy place. This lady working at our Guangzhou hotel exclaimed, 'Shunde? What did you do there? Such a boring place.'
Actually, Shunde (Sun Tak in Cantonese) is a really successful city and a manufacturing hub. All sorts of things are made there, including furniture, home appliances, and even Little Tikes toys! Shunde people are also astute business people. I'm told, though, that they are not keen on their city becoming a mega bustling city so they are content with enjoying their wealth and living a more 'relaxed' (comparatively) lifestlye.
So, it isn't swarming with people and cars, and I could actually get across this major road without running for my life. In some other parts of China, I don't even dare to cross at the traffic crossing.
Along the way from Shunde to Guangzhou, aside from huge factories and warehouses, there are also huge condo developments.So... it's rich, successful, and still growing... where do we stand in comparison?
Guangzhou
Guangzhou's success is well-known, so I won't go into it. I'll just put these pictures of huge expo/convention complexes being built.
Imagine all this construction going on along, say, the stretch of the ECP (I'm not really good at estimating distances). These are just the ones being built. There are complexes already in use. In comparison, Suntec City and those Expo halls in the East are like babies. Apparently, when there's a big convention or expo in town, the city's hotels' seams really burst and people stay all the way up at the Shunde hotels. Why are we not quaking in our boots?
If I'm not wrong, the hordes of MICE visitors descending on our IRs/casinos are supposed to invigorate our economy. But are we even going to get hordes coming here, when they can go somewhere more spacious, with the requisite facilities and supporting infrastructure, and cheaper?
Even the 'entertainment' segments of our IRs will be like babies. How big can our Universal Studios park be? Plus, I foresee we will face the visitorship problems that the 'small' HK Disneyland faces. Also, Macau opened its 25th casino earlier this year. I'm not a fan of the casino idea but, you know, these guys have already got 25 of them, with the 25th already up and running. How are our 2 (am I right about the number?) going to compete?
What are the odds for us, really? And this is just in relation to a part of southern China.
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