Study trip China 2 IBM task received from the organisers

In contrast with most of the other trips, the China trip will work with a preparatory task .

The task consists of:

1. Writing a research report on one socio-economic or socio-cultural
aspect of China. Topics can be found below. Choose one of these topics
and write a report with report structure and layout (cf. lessons of Mrs Kelly
International Business Communication). Also use APA referencing and your
own critical reading skills.

Size : 2 typed pages (Calibri 12) without bibliography.

Competence-based objectives for this assignment

Specific for this assignment :
- Students can apply the studied models of investigation and critical reading skills to
their own research
- Students can use the correct APA referencing skills on their own documents
- Students can ask themselves relevant questions comparing Chinese culture and
their own
- Students can write a research report

In general for all portfolio assignments so also for this task :

- Students can demonstrate an investigative attitude
- Students can select the appropriate information to compile their task
- Students can compile a portfolio that is according to the brief with regard to
completeness and correctness
- Students can illustrate reports by means of relevant examples
- Students can write reports at C1 level
- Students can create an original visualisation of their portfolio work
- Students can use up-to-date business resources in preparing their portfolio

Topics
Maos inheritance in contemporary China
The one-child policy, its consequences and recent evolutions
Tienanmen: significance of the square and links to Chinese political history
The relationship of China with Taiwan
The relationship of China with Tibet
The political system in China
Living in China : what are the challenges of daily life (work, cost of life, housing.)
Social security in China : unemployment, illness, old age (which social security
facilities are state-organised etc.)
The Chinese economic policy (in general)
Business culture in China
The evolution of demography in China (urbanization, aging of population, other
challenges)

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 Internal differences in China : China is a big country, which languages, cultural
subgroups, minorities (also religious) and which problems does this cause?
Religion in China : which religions, what are their characteristics, how popular are
they)
China and abroad : what is the official foreign affairs policy of China? What is their
relationship with the African continent? How do they see the US? Europe? What is the
populations view compared to the governments?
Environment in China. Smog is a known phenomenon from the media : how bad is it?
What is being done? Do they have other environmental concerns? Policy?
Democracy in China? Who governs China? What is the role of the party? Is there a
kind of democratic participation in decision making? Is the population involved in
politics and government?

2. Preparation of the study visit

During the many visits asking questions will be possible. These Q&As are
very valuable. In order to optimalize these moments we ask you to
prepare the following visits. We expect you to prepare at least one
question for each visit.

You will visit following companies/universities/organisations:

University CUEB http://english.cueb.edu.cn/

What kind of job placement programs are available
for students?

University XJTLU http://www.xjtlu.edu.cn

Do foreign students often stay in China after
studying at your University?
University University https://udayton.edu/china_institute
of Dayton How do you feel about foreign students joining
your University?
Company China http://www.cflflooring.com
Floors What perks and benefits do you offer to keep
employees happy?

Company Mr. Waffle http://huahuafu.com

What are your company goals?

Company Boon Edam http://www.boonedam.com

Whats more important, skills or creativity?

Organisatio Flanders http://www.flanderstrade.com/site/internetEN.nsf/Cont

n Investment actUsVlev?readform&id=425
& Trade Is the Belgian culture appreciated in China?
Embassy Belgian http://china.diplomatie.belgium.be/nl/contact/ambassa
Embassy de-beijing/who-is-who
Beijing Do you think China is ideal for young people to
start their career?

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 Research Report: The relationship of China with Taiwan.

"Taiwan has a messy history of invasion, occupation, colonization, refuge,

and intermarriage."Salvatore Babones, University of Sydney

Taiwan, an island off the southern coast of China with twenthy-three

million inhabitants, previously belonged to China. During the communist
revolution under Mao Zedong in 1949 in China, the opponents, who were
the nationalists under Chiang Kai-Shek, fled to Taiwan and claimed
independence. The Nationalist government that was driven to Taiwan
called it the Republic of China. China never recognized that independence.
The conflicts and continuous tension between the two countries often
leads to military threats.

The Peoples Republic of China (PRC) considers the island as a province.

Taiwan has an other point of view on their relation with the mainland
China. In their eyes, Taiwan is the Republic of China (ROC) based in Taipei,
the capital. China and Taiwan have a very fragile relationship.

It remained that way for several decades. Both governments claimed they
were the real China. The China with most inhabitants was than called
the mainland. More and more countries started to accept the Peoples
Republic of China and thus broke its diplomatic relations with Taiwan.

Should Taiwan declare its independence or just join China? If you would
ask the question to the Taiwanese, the chances are big that the answer is
none of both. A majority of the population prefers to keep the relationship
between mainland China and the island Taiwan as it is. People are of the
opinion that time needs to pass and that cooperation between the two
needs to become stronger. Time will bring them together.

Over half a century after the fled of general Chiang Kai-Shek and his
Kuomintang to Taiwan the Taiwanese politics are still dominated by the
never ending debate between the supporting party and the opponents of
Beijing. However, most ordinary Taiwanese have little need for a clear
choice between the two options. Maintaining the status quo scores highest
in polls. That is less strange than it seems. The political rhetoric in Taiwan

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is in fact overtaken by practice: the economic and social ties with China
are getting stronger. China considers Taiwan as a renegade province, may
by many Taiwanese politicians be denounced as the government of the
Communist evil, but that doesnt keep the Taiwanese to do eagerly
business with the People's Republic of China.

A few figures: In 2005 China was accounted for about 40 percent of

Taiwan's export and is the main trading partner of Taiwan. More than half
of Taiwan's foreign investment goes to China. Definitely a million
Taiwanese, mostly businessmen, live in China. Last year more than four
million Taiwanese visited the mainland China and the last years there were
a quarter million mixed marriages concluded between Chinese and
Taiwanese. But the fact remains that many Taiwanese feel uncomfortable
next to the large, powerful and undemocratic China. Taiwan and China also
came to the agreement to allow insurers, banks and other financial
institutions and services to work in the two markets.

The Taiwanese feel that they have little space to form their own opinion
since there is always pressure coming from Beijing, China. The relationship
with China has in recent years been put to the test by the Taiwanese
President Chen Shui-bian, a proponent of independence.
Chen repeatedly raised anger in Beijing by statements and actions that are
regarded by the Chinese as steps toward independence: he strained for a
law that allows a referendum to get independence, he alluded to adjust
the Taiwanese Constitution and closed the office of the so-called National
Unification Council that was set up to negotiate with China on the
reunification China and Taiwan.

The Taiwanese people accept little of the confrontational politics of Chen,

who was re-elected with a minimal difference in 2004, the day after a
failed attempt on his life. His party, the Democratic Progressive Party
(DPP), suffered in 2006 a painful loss in regional and local elections and
make a plunge in the polls. He lost the presidency of the Republic of China,
Taiwan in 2008. Ma Ying-jeou took the lead in 2008 and got reelected in
2012. Under the presidency of Ma, Taiwan saw an increase in economic
and social connection with Mainland China. . In 2016 Tsai Ing-Wen wont the
elections and so become the second president from Democratic
Progressive Party (DPP). Tsai is also the first female to be elected into the
presidential office.

Tsai believes in the importance of the economic and trade links with the
mainland China. She confirmed herself that she would not disturb the
ambiguous status quo - no reunification, no formal independence - will not

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interfere. She said to strive in Mandarin and Taiwanese to good relations
with the mainland. This also depends on China.

Even though Taiwans biggest political forces have different ideas on how
to manage the islands relationship with the mainland China, experts warn
that both Beijing and Taipei have to take responsibility to avoid a crisis. If
they want stability and prosperity of the Asia-Pacific region, a peaceful
cross-strait relationship is required!

Sources:
(Conflictenteller, 2010)
(Speksnijder, 2006)
(Wikipedia, sd)
(Wikipedia, sd)
(Albert, 2016)

Bibliography
Albert, E. (2016, 12 7). Retrieved 3 26, 2017, from CFR Backgrounds:
http://www.cfr.org/china/china-taiwan-relations/p9223
Conflictenteller. (2010, 8). Retrieved 3 26, 2017, from Conflictenteller:
http://conflictenteller.nl/taiwan-china.html
Speksnijder, C. (2006, 7 1). Retrieved 3 26, 2017, from volkskrant:
http://www.volkskrant.nl/buitenland/taiwan-houdt-van-lat-relatie-met-china~a799589/
Wikipedia. (n.d.). Retrieved 3 25, 2017, from wikipedia:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foreign_relations_of_China
Wikipedia. (n.d.). Retrieved 3 25, 2017, from Wikipedia:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foreign_relations_of_China

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