Reflections on China and Hong Kong; looking forward to KL, SG, and asean.

 

The bus lurches and I jerk awake. The clock reads 09:37, and I congratulate myself for sleeping away the past hour and a half. About two hours earlier, the delegation departed from Guangzhou (pronounced guang-jo in Mandarin, and guang-zhow in Cantonese) headed for Hong Kong's international airport. This bus ride, and the flight it is carrying us to, ends the China leg of the trade mission. I have met way more people in Hong Kong from the University of British Columbia and Simon Fraser University here than I ever dreamed. Since I'm from Vancouver, where these two Universities are based, this bodes well for a future move to the booming Chinese economy. It is truly incredible how well connected Canada is with Hong Kong; many of my new connections were born in China, grew up in Vancouver, and returned to Hong Kong to start their careers and their families.

In terms of lifestyle, Hong Kong itself is an amazing metropolitan city. I love that you can do anything at any time of day. It's amazing the sheer number of people that have packed themselves into such a small geographic area, and because of that, there's always something going on. I've never been to New York, but I imagine there is a strong parallel between Honk Kong and North America's most densely populated city. There's even a pretty decent salsa dancing scene in Hong Kong about three nights a week... these are the sorts of things a young Vancouverite concerns himself with when considering moving to China's business hub.

The next leg of our journey will take us to Singapore and Kuala Lumpur. Singapore is a major player in asean (Association of SouthEast Asian Nations). Collectively, asean (pronouned ah-see-an, not 'asian') represent a $2 trillion USD emerging market, with the combined economic power of Malaysia, Thailand, Phillines, Myanmar, Vietnam, Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Singapore, and Thailand. This is nowhere near as large as the $7 trillion USD Chinese market, which surpasses the other three BRIC countries of Brazil, Russia, and India combined, but $2 trillion is still very substantial. And it's growing.

Hong Kong is positioned as the entry point to Asia. It will be interesting to see how Singapore and Kuala Lumpur, the next two cities we visit, have positioned themselves in the international business community. Although Hong Kong and China may be the world's largest emerging markets by far, with extreme investments in infrastructure still going on to date, the air quality leaves something to be desired. I'm realizing that being from Vancouver, I'm more than a little spoiled, and I wonder which of these international cities will hold a better nexus between opportunity and lifestyle for a young professional such as myself.

by Brandon Hastings, BBA, JD, Junior Team Canada Ambassador

http://www.bhastings.com

Legit Singapore

As I sat in the food court of my old neighbourhood, the glass sliding doors of the ExtraFoods to my left, the 5 minute walk to my old apartment to my right, surrounded by my trade mission colleagues and new friends, I felt at home. I was honoured that these people, most of whom I had known for less than 2 weeks, trusted me enough to follow me 25 minutes from our hotel, into a foreign city, and out into a suburb, all based on my solemn assurance that this was the best authentic Singaporean food I had found during my four months in Singapore as an exchange student.

On the way to the restaurant, I had purchased us all cards for Singapore's Mass Rapid Transit (MRT): a system which rivals that of Hong Kong. A 10 minute walk into the Little India MRT station (closest to where we were staying), and a 15 minute train ride, and we had arrived.

Assembled on the table in front of us were my favourite foods, and I have yet to find their equals in taste, and certainly in price, in my hometown of Vancouver. We had (5 bowls of) Laksa: this might be my favourite thing in the known universe; it's a spicy seafood soup with coconut milk as the base. Fried Kway Teow, Goreng Mee, Carrot Cake (does not contain carrots), and a Korean claypot rice dish with chicken cubes and chilis. Later, we went for Durian McFlurries at a nearby McDonalds. Each of these dishes cost no more than $7 SGD, which is the equivalent of about $5.75 CAD. It's not uncommon to have a moderately lavish meal in Singapore for under $10 CAD. I used to regularly buy bowls of Laksa for $3, which was enough of a meal to sustain my 6'3'' frame. I can't think of a country I have visited with a stronger food culture. The only complaint I have is that it is remarkably difficult to find a good salad, and when I lived here I had to resort to making my own. Making your own food is a terribly un-Singaporean thing to do.

It used to be that all the food we enjoyed that evening would have been sold from stalls on the side of the street, called “hawker” stalls. Since Singapore has been industrialized, these stands have been moved indoors into “Hawker Centers,” which are most easily described in North American terms as foodcourts. Peculiar to this particular area is a a shopping mall which neighbors our food court. It contains another grocery store (the same brand), and a second food court.

The neighborhood in which we ate, called Hougang, is very similar to many other communities in Singapore. We sat surrounded by rings of government constructed and owned subsidized condominiums. Within this neighbourhood are several shopping centres, community centres, grocery stores, and bus stops. At it's centre is the Hougang MRT station, as well as the Hougang bus terminal.

Both the planned nature of the Singaporean neighbourhoods, and the way their hawker culture has been brought indoors, provide elucidating examples of how Singapore has fuelled its massive growth. Singapore is technically a democrary, true, but it's middle class is small which means that the average Singaporean is not very involved in the country's politics. Lee Kuan Yew has been left as a de facto dictator for most of the country's history, and by most accounts has done an excellent job. Despite having a population which might not be ready to be thrust into the world-wide capitalist system, Singapore is of growing importance on the world stage, and is rapidly creating the infrastructure necessary to fuel that growth. The message to its citizens appears to be "ready or not, here we come."

by Brandon Hastings, BBA, JD, Junior Team Canada Ambassador

http://www.bhastings.com

Meeting with Aaron Chu, Director United Strangers

Our final day in Guangzhou was full of excitement as we raced from one end of the city to another. Cathy, Andrew and I had just come from Sun Yat-sen University, named after the Republic of China’s first president. It was a beautiful day as we set off for our meeting with Aaron Chu, Director of United Strangers in an industrial area of the city. We had met Aaron the day before at the Consulate office in Guangzhou; he told us what it is like being a successful Canadian entrepreneur in southern China.

The United Strangers office and showroom was located in an extremely compelling part of the industrial area in Guangzhou. The surrounding area had been revitalized from an old can factory to an urban, scenic shopping location. Aaron’s shop displayed variety of products that they ship to clients all around the world. He also explained to us how many of his products come from recycled materials such as the decks out of old fishing boats. These boat parts would be used to create tables, chairs, shelves and other household items. His shop contained a variety of other products ranging from knapsacks to lamps and painted art.

At this meeting Aaron was able to put me in contact with a clothing manufacturer as part of my mandate from Saint Mary’s University Students Association. I have been in contact with the manufacturer and we will be set to do business in the coming months. I was extremely pleased to have made a solid connection with a Chinese company. However, my biggest takeaway from this day goes far beyond the connection that was made.

This meeting with Aaron inspired me as a young Canadian. It was amazing to see this wonderful niche market that Aaron, someone who was living a similar life to me about a decade ago, was able to tap into. Hearing his presentation was good, seeing the small, growing empire he created brought an entirely new perspective to the way I now perceive entrepreneurship in China.

Thoughts on Asia 2013

During the past twelve days here in Asia, I have experienced and absorbed significant and meaningful experiences. Learning about the gateway to Asia for businesses and companies (Hong Kong), economic and business growth in China, and the diversity of the population in Singapore gave me a genuine understanding of the relationships between these three cities and Canada. Even though Asia is 6,500 miles away from Canada, Canada and Asia have a very strong relationship.

Hong Kong is also known as "the gateway to mainland China." As an international business hub with a rapidly growing economy, it is easy to see why Hong Kong has an unemployment rate of only 3.7%. For businesses seeking to expand their market into mainland China, Hong Kong is a land of opportunity. The unique government structure of Hong Kong affords many privileges for those doing business within it. The low taxation rates for imports and exports, compared to mainland China, foster the interest of foreign businesses. This is one of the many reasons why Hong Kong is a prominent place for a company.

In just twenty years, Guangzhou has grown faster than many other cities in China. This highlights how important this city is becoming, both for business and economic development alike.

Singapore is definitely a fascinating country, with the country's population made up of Chinese, Indian and Bangladeshi people. Singapore offers a diverse and multicultural environment to the businesses coming to the country, which reminds me of Vancouver.

The cities visited on this international trade mission have varied significantly, from culture to language to business relationships. However, these cities are united by the fact that they are strongly connected to Canada via groups such as the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, university alumni, Invest HK, Canadian Trade Commissioners, and especially by the Canadian business community working hard away from home.

Kevin Park, Junior Team Canada Ambassador

Three Shades of Guangzhou - 2006, 2010, 2013

Guangzhou, China - For many in Canada the name evokes confusion, a rather odd response in a country which is home to 1.3 million people from the Pearl River Delta. It is even more surprising so many know so little about this place when you consider Guangzhou is officially home to 13 million people, and the cities which ring it (within 2 hours) are home to another 71 million. Or as many people as live in Florida, New York, and California combined. It is a city which I first visited with Global Vision in 2006, and subsequently visited again in 2010 and 2013. To say Guangzhou is an indicator gauge for the growth story in China does not do justice to just how much has changed in 7 years.

I still remember the first time I stepped out of the Guangzhou East Railway station - home of the Hong Kong-Guangzhou through train, a station slated for replacement in 2013. The air was thick, it was raining and of course the sky was brick brown from all of the low end low value manufacturing taking place in the city and its immediate vicinity. The traffic was horrendous, and many of the roads were dirt - made muddy from all of the rain - and with the exception of CITIC tower (CITIC is a large Chinese bank based in Guangzhou) there was little in the way of tall buildings. This made the 80 story tower look particularly out of place in this city which looked to be part construction zone, part industrial wasteland.

As for mass public transit in 2006 - forget it - the metro was "under construction" - with four small lines it was hardly adequate to serve 13 million people. In meeting with city officials they proudly discussed their grand plans, as did the businesses - including Jade and Company, and HJM Asia law - both of which we met that rainy Guangzhou day. I have to say the team at the time was left slightly skeptical an entire modern city could be built in a decade - let alone one for 13 million people.

In 2010 we undertook to visit Guangzhou with a team for a second time. Once again the connections built on the first mission with Jade and HJM were relied upon to help teach a new generation of young Canadians about business in Guangzhou. On the day we were leaving Beijing to fly into Guangzhou - I made sure to prepare myself, and my team for the Guangzhou I remembered - a disorganized place (or so I thought) where we would have to be prepared to rough it.

Anyone reading this who was living in or visited Guangzhou in 2010 would understand I was in for an earth shattering shock - the Guangzhou I visited in 2006 was more or less gone. Thousands of architecturally interesting tall buildings dotted the sky as we cruised into the city - again on a famous rainy Guangzhou day - on a brand new state of the art expressway with traffic signals designed to alert drivers of traffic jams and allow them to divert around them. Not only that the city had an efficient, and functioning metro system with over 150 KM of track, and 6 long operating lines with another in the trial phase.

Some features from 2006 did however remain, there was a large amount of garbage, debris and some general untidiness especially when it came to the area around the waterfront. By 2013 - when we visited last week - I expected the city to have changed greatly - and it had. Not only were there many new buildings and features on the skyline - but the highway system was even better than I had remembered. And a couple more lines, and another 100 KM of track had opened on the metro system. As for that dirty waterfront, the debris and general dirtiness? It had given way to tree lined boulevards, and granite walkways lined both sides of the pearl river.

Notably the air quality had improved on both of these subsequent visits. An indication of the move up the manufacturing value chain which had taken place in the region. No more is Guangzhou a city of the made in China plastic toy or undergarments - it is a modern high end manufacturing centre building complex products from pressure washers to cars.

Upon explaining these contrasts to the students we brought with us from Canada - none of whom had ever been to Guangzhou before - myself and Terry received looks of confusion and disbelief. It was quite apparent they did not believe this gorgeous city could have been anything different less than a decade ago. In the Canada such development would be impossible - Ottawa, Toronto, and Vancouver have all embarked on mass transit projects to build single lines - all took decades to build or are still not complete 10 years later.

In short its hard to believe something until you see it for yourself, and in the case of many Canadians the extent of their exposure to the Chinese economic progress is the large quantity of goods originating from China. They have not had the opportunity to witness the leaps and bounds by which the economy has grown on the ground, and the extent to which life has dramatically improved for millions of people. While many are now talking of a "China slowdown" the reality is it does not hold water as a story, the situation on the ground is such that it is clear the economy is still booming. What is also clear is China is so large any economic statistic regarding it should be taken with a grain of salt, and probably disregarded - as the country is so large many "leading economic indicators" are simply immeasurable.

Adam Dewar is a JTC 2006 Graduate (China, and Hong Kong SAR) who holds a degree in Economics from Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada. He has worked as a Project Manager for Global Vision since 2009 working as part of the "A" team on numerous projects including: MY SUMMIT 2010 G8 - G20, 2011 Inter American Development Bank Summit, 2011 APEC Summit, and trade missions to Hong Kong, China, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Panama, Ecuador, and Colombia.

Komaspec Asia - Factory Visit & Briefing

On our first day in Ghangzhou, China, Junior Team Canada had the opportunity to see first-hand how a Canadian entrepreneur had found success in Asia. Six years ago, Maxime Bérubé and Francis Gervais were college graduates who had little capital to start a business. Today, Komaspec is a 12,500 square-foot factory that manufactures over 800 different products annually for clients from industries around the world.

Turnkey manufacturing describes a complete manufacturing function that manages all manufacturing and supply chain services, including material acquisition, assembly, test, and aftermarket service and warranty support. Komaspec chose a turnkey model right from the start, because they recognized that the niche market of innovative gadgets would drive their business model, instead of the mass-produced simple-to-make items.

As cost of labor increase in Asia the demand for the type of goods naturally shifts as well. 10 years ago, almost all the world’s demand on Asian manufacturing was in mass-produced, low quality goods. Today, there is a shift towards higher quality and customized products. As a result, this shift creates a demand that traditional Chinese companies cannot fulfill, and an entry point for SMEs like Komaspec to succeed.

“The more complex the design, the more of a competitive advantage we have.” says Bérubé. During our tour of the factory, we witnessed the manufacturing process of a container for stem cells, a revolutionary gaming device, and an innovative snow plow developed by a Quebec company.

Bérubé stressed the importance of finding the “right” opportunity and focusing one’s efforts. Serving a niche market in contract manufacturing, Komaspec has achieved its mission of being the fastest and most competitive operation in its field and is a leading model for others to follow.

by Richard Sookraj and James Sun, Junior Team Canada Ambassadors

To learn more about Komaspec, visit http://www.komaspec.com/

Thoughts

Hi, my name is Evan Paradis and I am from Melville, Saskatchewan. I finished high school this year and am going to the University of Regina to study engineering. One of my goals on this trade mission is to help find a company to export recycled plastic products to be re-used rather then ending up in landfills. As well as gather technological ideas related to the recycling of plastic products.

This Mission has been a great experience to not only learn more about the world we live in, but also more about ourselves. Our interests, our goals, our fears, our potential; All of these are shown day in and day out. Sometimes it can be overwhelming, especially when you have to do a presentation in front of a group of important people.

Afterwards though you can feel yourself being more confident after doing something which scares you. Global Vision as a program that has provided me more confidence in myself and I will never take that for granted. Unfortunately the mission is already over halfway done, and with only one more stop after Singapore, hopefully the rest of the Mission will be as eventful as the first half.

Evan Paradis, Junior Team Canada Ambassador

Amazing Race Singapore

Après un départ de Guangzhou très demandant physiquement, nous nous sommes transportés vers l’incroyable ville et pays de Singapour, ou encore Singapura, Spore et «Lion City». Vous comprendrez que cette ville aux facettes calmes et colorées détient plusieurs noms.

Dimanche matin, 11 août, de nouvelles équipes ont été formées afin de compléter la course. Cette fois-ci, il y avait 60 tâches à faire et certains bonus pour compléter le Amazing Race Singapour. Notre équipe n’a pas gagné, mais elle a donné son 110%. Ce qui comptait pour nous, c’était aussi d’avoir du plaisir en complétant la course, ce que nous avons eu, parfois même trop, selon les regards des résidents. Il nous arrivait de partir en courant en criant «Go Go Go» et Amazing Race. La ville de Singapour étant très calme, les gens «normaux» nous photographiaient pendant nos prouesses et pendant l’accomplissement de notre quête.

Il faut souligner la gentillesse et l’amabilité de notre guide Phoebe Liew, qui nous poussait sans cesse à développer notre sens de l’initiative et notre leadership, tout au long de cette course. Nous souhaitons aussi partager un met typique de Singapour, que Phoebe nous a fait découvrir et qui est succulent et très abordable : les muah chee. Il y a toute une culture et une histoire autour de ce met, que l’on peut retrouver dans plusieurs kiosques de Singapour.

En terminant, cette course et cette journée dans Singapour a été très formative et a servi à refaire le plein d’énergie pour continuer notre mission économique.

by Guillaume Chabot, Junior Team Canada Ambassador

Three Shades of Guangzhou: August 7th-10th, 2013

Guangzhou, China - For many in Canada the name evokes confusion, a rather odd response in a country which is home to 1.3 million people from the Pearl River Delta. It is even more surprising so many know so little about this place when you consider Guangzhou is officially home to 13 million people, and the cities which ring it (within 2 hours) are home to another 71 million. Or as many people as live in Florida, New York, and California combined.

It is a city which I first visited with Global Vision in 2006, and subsequently visited again in 2010 and 2013. To say Guangzhou is an indicator gauge for the growth story in China does not do justice to just how much has changed in 7 years.

I still remember the first time I stepped out of the Guangzhou East Railway station - home of the Hong Kong-Guangzhou through train, a station slated for replacement in 2013. The air was thick, it was raining and of course the sky was brick brown from all of the low end low value manufacturing taking place in the city and its immediate vicinity. The traffic was horrendous, and many of the roads were dirt - made muddy from all of the rain - and with the exception of CITIC tower (CITIC is a large Chinese bank based in Guangzhou) there was little in the way of tall buildings. This made the 80 story tower look particularly out of place in this city which looked to be part construction zone, part industrial wasteland.

As for mass public transit in 2006 - forget it - the metro was "under construction" - with four small lines it was hardly adequate to serve 13 million people. In meeting with city officials they proudly discussed their grand plans, as did the businesses - including Jade and Company, and HJM Asia law - both of which we met that rainy Guangzhou day. I have to say the team at the time was left slightly skeptical an entire modern city could be built in a decade - let alone one for 13 million people.

In 2010 we undertook to visit Guangzhou with a team for a second time. Once again the connections built on the first mission with Jade and HJM were relied upon to help teach a new generation of young Canadians about business in Guangzhou. On the day we were leaving Beijing to fly into Guangzhou - I made sure to prepare myself, and my team for the Guangzhou I remembered - a disorganized place (or so I thought) where we would have to be prepared to rough it.

Anyone reading this who was living in or visited Guangzhou in 2010 would understand I was in for an earth shattering shock - the Guangzhou I visited in 2006 was more or less gone. Thousands of architecturally interesting tall buildings dotted the sky as we cruised into the city - again on a famous rainy Guangzhou day - on a brand new state of the art expressway with traffic signals designed to alert drivers of traffic jams and allow them to divert around them. Not only that the city had an efficient, and functioning metro system with over 150 KM of track, and 6 long operating lines with another in the trial phase.

Some features from 2006 did however remain, there was a large amount of garbage, debris and some general untidiness especially when it came to the area around the waterfront. By 2013 - when we visited last week - I expected the city to have changed greatly - and it had. Not only were there many new buildings and features on the skyline - but the highway system was even better than I had remembered. And a couple more lines, and another 100 KM of track had opened on the metro system. As for that dirty waterfront, the debris and general dirtiness? It had given way to tree lined boulevards, and granite walkways lined both sides of the pearl river.

Notably the air quality had improved on both of these subsequent visits. An indication of the move up the manufacturing value chain which had taken place in the region. No more is Guangzhou a city of the made in China plastic toy or undergarments - it is a modern high end manufacturing centre building complex products from pressure washers to cars.

Upon explaining these contrasts to the students we brought with us from Canada - none of whom had ever been to Guangzhou before - myself and Terry received looks of confusion and disbelief. It was quite apparent they did not believe this gorgeous city could have been anything different less than a decade ago. In the Canada such development would be impossible - Ottawa, Toronto, and Vancouver have all embarked on mass transit projects to build single lines - all took decades to build or are still not complete 10 years later.

In short its hard to believe something until you see it for yourself, and in the case of many Canadians the extent of their exposure to the Chinese economic progress is the large quantity of goods originating from China. They have not had the opportunity to witness the leaps and bounds by which the economy has grown on the ground, and the extent to which life has dramatically improved for millions of people. While many are now talking of a "China slowdown" the reality is it does not hold water as a story, the situation on the ground is such that it is clear the economy is still booming. What is also clear is China is so large any economic statistic regarding it should be taken with a grain of salt, and probably disregarded - as the country is so large many "leading economic indicators" are simply immeasurable.

Press Release: JTC Lands in Singapore

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: High Commissioner Heather Grant Welcomes Junior Team Canada to Singapore

Singapore — (August 12th, 2013), Global Vision

Canada’s High Commissioner to Singapore, Ms. Heather Grant, welcomed 31 Junior Team Canada (JTC) Ambassadors to Singapore, Canada’s third largest trading partner in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), on Monday morning.

Following a preliminary overview of Singapore and the ASEAN market by Commissioner Grant, the Ambassadors participated in several briefings by trade commissioners in the sectors of clean-technology, defense & aerospace, agriculture, and life sciences. The speaker panel preceding the briefings included: Chia Wan Liew, Chief Representative of the Export Development Bank of Canada; Caroline Berube, Managing Partner at HJM Asia Law & Co. LLC; and Huijin Kong, Counselor and Program Leader at LinHart Group Pte. Ltd.

“Starting a business in China requires comittment to things like a commercial lease for a minimum duration of 12 months.” explains Pedro Burgarelli, a Junior Team Canada Ambassador from Montreal, Quebec. “In Singapore however, you can set up a business very quickly, in a few days. With it’s prominence in the ASEAN market and it’s free trade economy, Singapore would be a great market for Canadian entrepreneurs to set up in, especially in research-intensive sectors.”

The Canada-Singapore relationship is strengthened by cooperation in multilateral forums such as Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC and with dialogue through the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Canada’s support for Singapore’s entry as an observer entity in the Artic Council, and conversely Singapore’s support for Canada’s involvement in the developing Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) Agreement, both demonstrate the close ties between the two nations.

Global Vision and Junior Team Canada would like to thank Commissioner Grant and the Trade Commissioners with the Canadian High Commission in Singapore for their continuous support of this mission.

Singapore, A Balancing Act

Having been denied entry to the gaming floor, the security was kind enough to direct us to the upper level. The top tier restaurants featured in Marina Bay Sands include Wolfgang Puck's CUT, Mario Bateli's Osteria Mozza, and Guy Savoy. Our circuitous route up led up past Armani, Louis Vuitton, and BVLGARI as well as a world class centre for the performing arts

2 years ago, when I lived here on a University exchange, the Broadway rendition of the Lion King was playing in this theatre. Nearby, at the Art Science Museum (there is some argument as to whether it is shaped like a lotus flower or the Buddha's Palm), Vincent Dali was being featured, as well as the HMS Titanic's travelling exhibit. Across the street sits the Marina Bay Sands Resort: literally, a cruise ship (the resort) that has been placed on top of three 194 metre columns (the hotel).

Approaching the balcony on the casino's third floor is a truly vertigo-inducing experience. We were able to snap the shots (above) before being informed that pictures were not allowed. The pictures don't do it justice; the sense of scale is all wrong. Staring down, past the second floor gaming area in the world's largest atrium casino, and into the gaming pit, one tends to lose perspective. There is a spot, about 30 degrees from straight down, where one can see nothing in their field of view except gaming tables. People look diminutive, and the casino maintains the frenetic pace, and the organized-but-chaotic atmosphere of an ant hill.

The construction of Marina Bay Sands was a hotly contested issue. It's only Singapore's second casino. The Singaporean government had to balance the protection of its citizens from the perils of gambling, with the huge revenue that an international casino and resort would provide. In order to effectively strike this balance, Singaporean citizens are discouraged from gambling through a $100 per person cover charge. Foreigners, however, or at least those over the age of 21 and who have valid passports, may join the throng for free.

Singapore has only recently been confronted with the trappings of success, and the balancing act its government has played in deciding to construct Marina Bay Sands, then create regulation around its citizen's entry, perfectly exemplifies one of the major challenges faced by the Singaporean government: how do you take a citizenry into the middle class with alacrity, open up to international trade, and still maintain the welfare of a population whose culture isn't necessarily ready to resist the glitz and glamour of North American opulence that comes part and parcel with international trade?

by Brandon Hastings, BBA, JD, Junior Team Canada Ambassador

http://www.bhastings.com

ICT Sector Summary

Sector Summary: Information & Communication Technologies in South Asia

Many factors contribute towards South Asia's international reputation as both a leading manufacturing complex and a major commercial centre within the world. While many factors such as the economic policy of free enterprise and free trade, the rule of law, a well educated and industrious workforce, a sophisticated commercial infrastructure, as well as development of ports and airport which are among the world’s finest are important, an emerging factor that attracts the attention of the world to this specific region is the fast-paced growth of their I.C.T Sector.

As a student interested in learning more about investments geared towards the Technology, Media, and Telecommunication industries, I have been a keen observer of the way the improvements in technology and infrastructure have affected the regions' society and culture. As a race that heavily values the concept of efficiency and effectiveness, it is only inevitable that the way people communicate has shifted tremendously in the last decade. Unlike in the North American society, the Asian world is heavily reliant on smartphone as well as portable technologies, up to a point that this technology is subtly being integrated to everyday tasks such as ordering a cup of coffee through the use of E-Wallets and booking a taxi through SMS messages.

While there is large variance across Asia's ICT infrastructure landscape, there are centralized themes and factors driving innovation and development, largely deriving from the region's increasing economic integration, which in turn has several important effect for ICT technology purchase. Intra-regional trade and investments as well as increasing foreign demand has made South Asia one of the world's fastest-growing economic regions. The fact that carriers and enterprises largely avoided the global Financial Crisis has proved that it is more convenient for them to make decisions on next-generation technology, such as the introduction of Long-Term Evolution technology and other 4G mobile upgrades.

This economic robustness, and the continuous cycle of regional integration that has supported it, has also facilitated cross-ownership in telecommunication and particularly mobile network operations. An example of this would be Singapore's SingTel as well as Malaysia's Axiata who hold stakes in operators in Thailand, Indonesia, and other ASEAN nations.

As well, the Asian nations are currently experiencing difficulties while dealing with the flow of information. The growing concern has led the Asian market to become early adopters of technology that has just been introduced to the North American and European markets. By transferring most of their collection to the Cloud servers and technology, government organizations and multinational corporations that are headquartered in South Asia has been able to centralize their database and reduce the need for manual I.T tasks, allowing their human capital to automate their systems and allocate more of their efforts in developing strategies.

In conclusion, I can say that I was tremendously enlightened by the rapid growth of the ICT industry of South Asia. Through such growth, I was able to determine three key opportunities that could potentially rise from this on-going trend: Wireless Build, Next Generation Networking, and Mobile Media. These three sector are not as well promoted to the Western world, however, shows promising future for investors as they are all experiencing fast-paced growth. By providing services dealing with Wireless Broadband technologies, I.T Solutions (Hardware and Software), and mobile content services, there is no doubt that Canadian investors and entrepreneurs could see success in the years to come.

by Andrew Shon, Junior Team Canada Ambassador

Singapore's Culture!

Singapore is extraordinarily diverse. Fifteen percent of Singapore's population is Muslim. It's citizens are also Catholic, Buddhist, and Hindu. With all of Singapore's diversity it is also home to a wide variety of languages. Singaporeans do not only speak Mandarin and Cantonese, they also speak English, Malay, and Tamil. Compared to home in Canora Saskatchewan where I have only been exposed to one language. Singapore also has a unique heritage, arts, and culture scene. Singapore hosts a lot of festivals, including; art, film and writing festivals. These are only a few of the cultural activities available to Singapore's residents.

Singapore is also home to a world leading gastronomy scene. To really experience Singapore's diversity, one may visit different parts of Singapore. In Chinatown, you can enjoy traditional, authentic Chinese food. By walking down the street to Little India you get the authentic Indian experience. It is possible to mentally transport oneself from India to China by walking down the street.

What amazes me most is that Singapore has so many different cultures and aspects of living in a single island state.  Singapore’s variety of culture reminds me a lot of Canada’s cultural diversity, as a common feature is something which allows Singaporeans and Canadians a gateway into each others lives, cultures, and realities.

JTC-NYAA Amazing Race Singapore

Neither the tropical rain of Sunday morning nor hot sun that afternoon intruded the adventures of Junior Team Canada on their Amazing Race Singapore. Designed by the National Youth Achievement Award (NYAA) council, JTC was split into 6 teams faced with 60 questioned with answers hidden in all corners of Singapore.

As a member of Team 6, we had the opportunity to visit many sites of the city such as The Flyer, Greek Theatre, the Marina, Artistic District, National Museum of Singapore, Chjmes, and the Battle Box. All teams reunited in the breath taking scene of Singapore Botanical Gardens, waiting patiently for the results while bonding with NYAA youth. Beyond all the sites visited, we learned a lot about Singapore. From singing their National anthem in Malayan to understanding how fast the city emerged, us Canadians felt connected to Singapore on another level . I spoke with Mr. Ken Ong after the race, as he explained the structure of the NYAA program. Quickly, we were comparing its many similarities to the Canadian familiar Duke of Edinburg Award program. It was amazing to realize that in other places in the world, that there are like-minded youth who submerse themselves in programs like the NYAA to not only better themselves but the community around them as well.

Team 4 finished with the most points, but the smiles on the faces of every JTC member when they got to the end point proved we were all winners. The time and energy put into both planning and executing the Amazing Race Singapore by the NYAA Council was greatly appreciated by Global Vision, and are all looking forward to getting to know Singapore’s Youth throughout this week.

Kayla St.Croix, Junior Team Canada Ambassador

L'importance des relations

En tant que Canadienne, je suis très fière de constater à quel point notre pays est vu d'un bon oeil de la part des pays du sud de l'Asie. On m'a toujours répété que le Canada était un pays neutre qui avait bonne figure sur la scène internationale. Après seulement quelques jours, j'ai définitivement compris l'importance de cette neutralité. Celle-ci est d'une part primordiale pour les relations entres les pays et d'autre part très importante d'un point de vue économique. En effet, les échanges commerciaux entre cette partie du globe et le Canada jouent un rôle primordial pour notre développement économique. Le Canada est présent non seulement aux sommets du G8 et du G20, mais aussi à l'APEC. De plus, ce dernier est un partenaire clé de L'ASEAN.

Ces relations entretenues avec le Canada sont d'une importance capitale et à ma plus grande surprise, j'ai constaté que nous étions perçus comme des partenaires de confiance. S'il y a bien une chose que je retiens de cette mission économique en Asie, c'est l'importance des relations. En tant que Canadiens, nous avons souvent tendance à garder les relations professionnelles purement professionnelles. Ici, c'est tout le contraire. Pour faire des affaires en Asie, il faut d'abord développer une relation amicale et ensuite passer aux choses sérieuses.

Finalement, le plus important est non seulement de bâtir ses relations, mais surtout des les entretenir!

Maude Rousseau, Junior Team Canada Ambassador

Green Buildings and Clean Tech

Hong Kong is a vibrant city that is growing very fast. With a population of 7 million and hot weather, there is a great demand for air conditioning, which is very energy consuming. With the desire to go green, Hong Kong will soon need new technologies in its buildings to help cool the air and clean it, while reducing the energy consumption. Another reason for this is the fact that the real estate in Hong Kong is very expensive. It clearly appears that they try to render the costs by maximising the space use everywhere, but they do not cut on in the air conditioning. This is why, by implementing new ways to get the building more energy efficient, by getting it to keep cool with less electricity, the cost of commercial and residential spaces would be lower. This would be a long term investment that the Hong Kong industry would be interested in. This is an exciting opportunity for Canadian green building and green tech businesses to bring their advancement and innovation in this sector to this fast growing city.

The rest of China, who will do this transition quickly afterwards, is a massive market that will need these services and expertise. For this, Hong Kong is a great gateway to this huge market.

Green Wall in ITC

Solar panels

Solar panels

Adventures while Chasing the JTC Bus

The following recount describes my experience missing the Junior Team Canada bus – not even in a figurative manner. Towards the end of the presentations at the Canadian Consulate General in Guangzhou, I met Trade Commissioner Assistant Ms. Corrnie Wang, one of twenty local employees at the office, who generously helped me connect with a local print shop for getting revised copies of JTC’s resource guide. The digital file for the booklet was being revised in Canada and there was no way to obtain it without email. The obstacle was that the internet connectivity in China is heavily restricted by what is known colloquially as the Great Firewall of China. To bypass it to check Gmail, one would have to log into the page www.accounts.google.com.hk before loading the inbox. After forwarding the file to Ms. Wang, I was surprised that my colleagues had left and no one at the China Hotel meeting room knew their whereabouts. Then if finally sunk in: I had missed the bus. The only logical step was returning to my room at the Leeden Hotel to rejoin the group later at dinner. This required getting the bellboy to search up the address on his smartphone and explain to the taxi driver the directions – a strange concept at the time. Upon returning, I realized it was impossible to contact my teammates, so my only bet was to refer to JTC’s agenda and contact the organization we were visiting. Luckily, I was connected to a helpful secretary, Eling Cheung from our inviter Jade and Company, who was aware of our visit to the Komaspec manufacturing factory in Guangzhou. She emailed me the address in both Chinese and English, and I proceeded outside to a taxi and learned it would take at least an hour and 50 kilometers of travel. This meant I would arrive with less than half an hour to spare before the JTC ambassadors left the factory. Finally, after negotiating a HKD $160 (CAD $27) flat rate, we began our ride chasing the bus.

The taxi driver and I bonded instantly, discussing culture, economics, careers, family, and JTC’s visitation in Guangzhou. It was smooth sailing until we arrived in the general region of the factory and the driver had no idea where the factory was. I quickly realized that drivers were not familiar with many of the city’s regions, and that cabs were not equipped with maps or GPS navigation. We consulted more than seven locals on the streets, ranging from street cleaners to tourists, most of which gave us conflicting directions. Borrowing a cellphone, I called Jade and Company again and the secretary tried to explain the location to the driver without much success. After getting more roadside assistance from locals, we both couldn’t be more relieved to find our destination.

Unfortunately, there was no bus to found, but I was excited to explore the busy factory with a chance to stretch my legs after sitting in the cab for two hours. Francis Gervais, engineer and Komspec’s Vice-President of Sales, warmly greeted me in the office and I was informed the JTC bus left ten minutes ago, an early departure. Fortunately, Mr. Gervais and I briefly discussed my mandate, Kaleid Snow Gear, who is seeking a manufacturer in Asia.

At the end of the day, I learned that taxi rates are affordable in Guangzhou, and GPSs are better with directions and addresses. Oh, and don’t miss the JTC bus – both literally and figuratively.

Bill Wang, Junior Team Canada Ambassador

Girl Guides of Hong Kong

Being a member of Girl Guides of Canada gave me the opportunity to travel to Switzerland in 2011 representing Canada - this sparked my interest in exploring the world. On this mission with Junior Team Canada, I have been asked by the Honourable Minister Keith Hutchings to look into the non-profit volunteerism sector in Asia. I couldn’t think of a better suited place to visit than the Hong Kong Girl Guides Association (HKGGA). Today, I had the opportunity to meet with Karen Siu, Project Officer with the International and China Liaison Unit of HKGGA.

I was immediately hosted with handfuls of pamphlets and books with rich information to bring back to Canada before I even took a seat. It was evident that she was just as eager as myself to learn. I quickly gathered that the guiding system of Hong Kong is similar to that of Canada. However, the differences easily contrasted- exemplifying the obvious diversity. Consisting of about 60,000 members, HKGGA has both school and open units over three regions, and offered in two languages (English and Chinese). They have girl members aged 4-50+, and is as well open to boys in the ‘Happy Bee’ age group (4-6).

Focusing in on volunteerism, it is an important aspect of the program for both girls and women. All unit guiders are volunteers, and without these 4,500 devoted women, guiding could not happen. All youth members are encouraged to participate in service projects, and Girl Guide Service Flash (Bronze, Silver and Gold) are awarded to Guides who have actively participated in community service. I inquired as to which projects the girls undertake to complete the hours and Ms. Siu replied, “Many girls help care for seniors; maybe doing chores around the house or keeping them company”. She continued to tell me that many also help with the education of those who in poor areas who cannot afford education. Many continue to give back to the guiding association as leaders.

HKGGA has gained much respect for their volunteerism. Classified as ‘Champions’, HKGGA is the Hong Kong Volunteer Award recipient for the 7th consecutive year in 2012 for dedicating close to 4 million hours of services. Within the association, various dedication awards and service awards are given to the guiders. Every girl and guider is listed in each year’s annual report to recognize their involvement.

“Volunteerism is getting bigger, it’s growing”, says Siu in reference to volunteerism itself in Hong Kong- and she credits the Government organized ‘Volunteer Award Ceremony’ to this.

In perspective of Hong Kong- Canadian relations, both Siu and I realized that though both countries attend many international exchanges, camps and programs, Canada and Hong Kong are very rarely in connection. We agreed to keep in contact and work towards connecting our countries. Anyone involved in Girl Guides of Canada wanting to become involved in developing a plan to build closer ties with Hong Kong - Canada Guiding movement can email myself, Kayla, at kstcroix@mun.ca.

Kayla St. Croix, Junior Team Canada Ambassador

Heart of the City

Photo by Megan Schmieder, Junior Team Canada Ambassador 

After spending the better part of the day at “The Peak oh Hong Kong”, I sat down and took the time to really reconsider my visit here. The past 5 days speeding between briefings, meetings and presentations had lead me to believe that the main attraction for Hong Kong was its business savvy; the financing, entrepreneurship, and the hundreds of bright and talented people calling Hong Kong home.

But as I slowed down my pace, looked towards the distanced islands, and took a deep breathe in of tropical freshness, I found a temporary Nirvana.

Being caught up in the rush with people who keep Hong Kong going; I never got the chance to experience the essence Hong Kong itself. I never got to see how all the hard work really paid off and truly see why Hong Kong is so successful. Standing at the height of Hong Kong on Victoria Peak, in one sole moment I found complete beauty in the hard work put into creating this beautiful coexistence; the history and natural beauty of the land placed right at the heart of a thriving global city.

When you make your way to Hong Kong one day, don’t forget to take a breath and appreciate it's natural beauty.

Megan Schmieder, Junior Team Canada Ambassador

A City of Energy and Passion

Junior Team Canada challenges young Canadians to take the road less travelled and be leaders of tomorrow. Members of our team have decided to push themselves to the limit and perform on the world stage. We are all passionate about the work that we are doing and eagerly seeking new challenges. From the slice of Hong Kong that I experienced this is also true for people in this city.

The energy that I experienced in Hong Kong is second to none. This is a city that is constantly on the move and pushing itself to be better than it was yesterday. The passion that businesses and individuals bring to their work is inspiring. The people care about what they do, each other and their city. The emphasis placed on relationships and interconnectivity truly makes this a world class environment.

With such strong parallels between Hong Kong and Canada’s leaders it is no surprise that so many Canadians have chosen to work and live here. I am very confidant that the relationships between us will only continue to grow and become stronger as we both seek challenges and progress together.

Richard Sookraj, Junior Team Canada Ambasssador