|
|
| About
Us |
Dedicated
to ordinary people who need a simple point of contact
and local information about life in China |
|
China
Expats Limited is a Hong Kong registered company,
No.1391715, registered office: 7/F., Kin On Commercial
Building, 49-51 Jervois Street, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong.
This is the holding company for the diverse range
of products and services we supply worldwide. However,
the bulk of our initiatives and Operational Headquarters
are based in the Pearl River Delta of Mainland China
near Hong Kong.
China Expats was founded in 2004, and was originally
dedicated to offering Language Training and Sourcing
services. However, the need for expansion of our role
soon became evident as we were often asked to supply
practicable advice for other expatriates living in
China, coupled with servicing enquiries from potential
tourists and Native Chinese
Mission Statement:
China Expats are dedicated to:
|
China Expats Summer Camp 2009
Pictured: Dormitories, Showers and Gazebo |
|
1. Promoting international
understanding between all world peoples
2. Pursuing opportunities for Cultural Exchange
3. Providing free resources and information for
anyone in need of advice
Initially most requests were at a personal and
friendship level. Quite a few also came from Travel
China Guide Community, whom we voluntarily edit
some English text for
As many of the requests for assistance were of
a similar nature:
• How do I renew
my visa
• How do I get a Chinese driving
licence
• What is the electricity supply
/ do I need to bring an adapter
• What
is the food like
• What is the weather
like
and so on...
So we decided to build a new website to supply
ready answers to these and other questions. |
|
| |
| |
| |
We were already involved with language training, summer
camps, exchange schemes and teaching locally in Guangdong.
We were also offering Employability, Placements, and
Gap Year options to foreigners in China.
Our other main function was to support foreign traders
and help them fulfil export contracts. We understand
this business intimately, and include amongst other
things: our own QA on the factory floor, loading containers
ourselves (Saves CBM), dealing with timings and all
international paperwork required. These remain core
business, which are now complimented by many other services
and resources
Over the years, China Expats has grown considerably
and now is best described as consisting of a collective
of individuals and specialists who work together on
projects and initiatives whenever there is human need
of guidance. Most of our resources and advice are free
of charge, such as the information found in this website.
Changes for 2009
During the first months of 2009 we completed the basic
free online information resource pages. Of course, there
are always things to add, but we are pleased with what
we have accomplished so far. We also simplified the
visa and company formation pages, and formed an alliance
with ChinaBiz21, a local company specialising in visa
renewal and company formation. However, we still retain
the services of a trusted friend and corporate Lawyer,
so we can still offer independent legal and contract
advice that is totally accurate - and presented to you
in English
We then added our History of China, which was a very
big undertaking and took many months to research, write,
and edit. There are two version: A quick guide aimed
primarily at those new to Chinese history; and a more
in depth look at each Empire from circa 10, 000 bc to
the present day
The next item was a project Jonno had been working on
for some years, 10 Word Cantonese. The noted problem
is that all Cantonese phrasebooks available in the West
always use a rare form of Cantonese, which is from Hong
Kong, and not even many Hongkongians can speak it properly.
The great need was for Mainland Cantonese presented
in a very simple format. We now have 1, 000 words online
for free, and this also forms part of a real-life course
we offer to foreigners wishing to learn the local language.
We will take this online during September 2009, if only
to support our current students adequately
This January we decided to supplement our teaching here
on the local streets of Foshan and ZhaoQing, with an
online support blog. However, although useful at times,
it did not allow us to proactively support our class
sessions and language salons as we had hoped. Therefore
our next step is to incorporate the excellent Moodle
online teachers package, and this should have course
content added by the end of August 2009. This will also
result in us having space to dedicate the existing blog's
to other matters better suited to the medium
During the first weeks of August we have added a section
detailing Chinese instruments, and in the process have
become a contributor to the excellent Wikipedia. There
are about 60 instruments detailed online at the moment,
and we intend to increase this number to over 100 during
the coming weeks
Running in tandem with this is a new section about Chinese
music: the artists of note, completed with either links
or downloads. Again, there is always more content to
add - but apart from adding a couple more famous people
and groups + resolving 2 outstanding copyright issues
so we can offer more downloads; this section is now
functioning as a starter
What's Next?
Website:
Added content for Chinese TV and Film, which will have
film reviews and brief bio's of very famous Chinese
stars. There is a subcategory for Kung Fu, starting
with Bruce Lee of course. Supplemental to another existing
category, we will also try and explain Chinese TV to
the uninitiated - wish us well!
We also have been contacted by a couple of our readers
who have offered to add details of other destinations
to our City Guides section. We look forward to expanding
this in due course, as it is more of a 'rough-guide'
format, detailing what is good, what is not, and how
to do it in real life
E-Commerce Solutions
and SEO
Working in partnership with ChinaBiz21, we have just
finished developing a fully functioning e-Commerce solution
... that actually works!
Some readers may be aware that if you buy an e-Commerce
package from virtually anyone - they either charge you
prohibitive prices, or you spend around $1K on something
that doesn't actually work properly. Then you find out
their technical support is useless, or they don't understand
it at all. It is actually very common!
Working closely together; Jonno from China Expats,
and Norbert of China Biz 21 (Both foreigners living
and working in China for many years) have spent many
sleepless nights trying to sort out many bugs in .php
scripts and code - and now offer an 'Out-of-the-box'
solution ideally suited to most small and medium sized
business's requirements. Our business solutions start
from as little as $300 complimented by support and update
packages.
The solution is primarily based upon the most reliable
'Zen Cart', but our upgrades and extra package options
(Modules) offer exactly what you require as a small
business. You also get free listing in our Business
Directory - something else we have designed to actually
put Buyers and Sellers in direct contact with each other.
We currently support over 100, 000 Chinese and International
companies, and the list is growing exponentially with
direct support from ShenZhen and Guangzhou Governments
Hollywood Comes to China
We have a new cross-cultural initiative coming for 2010
which involves China Expats working closely with Steinlein
Productions from Hollywood. Our aims are two-fold
1. To offer advanced courses to Chinese
Film, TV, and Performance Troops under the direction
of Iris Steinlein, head of one of Hollywood's most respected
Studio's. Main workshops include: Film, Acting, Makeup,
Modeling, Dance and Yoga, and Voice.
2. Sacred Rainbow Dance is a new initiative
we will be launching in China. It is a tour which works
in association with established Chinese performing arts
schools, and includes: talent casting, training, and
production. The show is designed to include a ménage
of cultural elements from both West and East, culminating
in a spectacular performance
more...
Education and Summer Camp
We are already planning summer camp 2010 building on
our past success. Next year the venue will change, but
all popular course and activities will remain and we
will increase the options available. The new venue will
actually be under our direct control, thus allowing
us far greater freedom to deliver the content we and
the children want
Meanwhile our local teaching continues every day. There
are no new plans to add anything major fortunately,
just a few tweaks here and there. The big change will
be the purpose built online portal, with its own blog,
forum, messenger, reporting system, course and class
framework. It is already online for admin to to add
content for September + some teachers and students are
already enrolled for testing purposes and advice; but
there is nothing for you to see yet. The main menu will
change when we are ready to publish online and you should
look for 'Speak Up' in early September
To extend this, we are also interested in collaborations
with teaching institutions from around the globe. Your
local 'Speak Chinese Club' can also become a member.
Please let us know if this interests you, as we are
always looking for ways to promote international exchanges
of culture - and with children, this needs to be within
a safe and secure environment
Marina
in Jui Jiang:
Starting next week, we commence building a new Marina
complex at our chosen venue: an island in the nearby
Pearl River. This project has total backing of local
government and business. There is a lot of work to do,
as we open for Valentine's Day (Chinese New Year 2010)
but we are confident that things will come together
quickly. This Marina is for ordinary Chinese people
(Something that does not exist at the moment - as all
are exclusive yacht clubs for the very wealthy). Our
CEO Jonno is a qualified Yachtmaster, so sail and power
training will feature heavily. We will also offer onshore
swimming tuition in our purpose built pool. Yesterday
we received an enquiry and offer of support from a Hong
Kong yacht club, plus offers of co-operation from Vietnam
- so word is spreading very fast!
We
are very interested to hear from anyone who fancies
a year in China to teach Sailboarding or Skin Diving.
Is this you?
Marina in Jiang
Men:
Jiangmen ( 江门 ) is a large city and regional capital
situated on the Pearl River near it's entry to the South
China Sea. China Expats are also involved with this
luxury Marina development, shipyard, and boat factory
- to be built on the coastal side of this city. Being
a high-level development with serious government backing,
we expect this to take several years to move from design
plan to completion. However, we have been asked to project
manage the yacht club and marina parts of this development.
We will of course update readers of our progress.
Olive and Tomatoe Farms
A separate initiative with foreign experts sees us also
developing the Chinese produce market with facilities
new for 2010 with the support of local government. These
include Olive Fruit and Oil, plus produce compatible
with the climate in Guangdong Province, such as: Tomatoes,
Capsicums, and similar crops.
Looking ahead you may have experienced just how awful
the majority of Chinese wines tend to be? They are usually
red and very sweet, with little body. Therefore we are
also looking at introducing top quality vines with associated
Chateau to make a decent and drinkable Chinese wine.
Scrap Paper and Plastic
Our final new initiative is to help source and sell
scrap paper and plastic products. Our team includes
both international and Chinese partners, and business
is very brisk!
|
And that is about where
we are today, and how we all got here.
|
|
But who are we?
|
 |
Team
China Expats Are:
Uncle Sam: Marina's and Projects
Yuan Wei: Director of Chinese Operations
King Leung: Marina's and Condominiums
Eason: Project Design Consultant &
fully qualified Architect
Wong San: Promotion & Cultural
Events
Su San: Large Projects Advisor
Candy:
PA (and the person who really does all the
work!)
Stephanie: Export/Import
Director
Siu Ying: Negotiator (aka
"The Rottweiller"), & Jonno's Wife
Fiona: Projects Director & Chinese
English Teaching
Yuyi (Fish):
Fully Qualified Chinese Corporate Lawyer, International
Contracts Manager
Winnie: Sales
and Marketing
Candy 3: Administration: Events &
Entertainment
Neal: Excel Education & Summer
Camps UK
Caroline:
DreamScheme UK
Dave: QA in China. Technical and Engineering
Consultant
Connie:
Educational Teaching & Moral Standards Manager
Tatianna: Russian Language Services,
International English Consultant
Olguitta:
International Spanish Services, Summer Camps
in Peru
Marisol: Madrid Spanish
Language Services, and our Health Issues Consultant
Dan: Nepal and Region Tours, &
Summer Camps
Maxwell: Anything
to do with; Central and Southern Africa
Gawie:
Our man in South Africa (Plus Wuxi and Shenzhen in China)
Jonno: Founder and CEO
and
Dave and Dawn: without whom
- none of this would have ever been possible |
|
| Best
Advice: Your smile is your biggest resource,
use it generously :-) |
|
| Search
this Website |
|
|
| Our
Friends |
Professional
Visa Services
Company
Formation Packages
.
|
Hollywood
in China
Traveling Workshops:
Film Production, Acting, Makeup, Modeling, Dance/Yoga,
and Voice.
Sacred Rainbow Tour spectacular
China 2010 |
British Foreign Office
Advice for Travelers
Personal Email Updates |
Down
The Road.org
How We Traded Our Ordinary Lives For a Global Bicycle Touring Adventure
See
Us in China |
Excellent
& Free Online Chinese Language Portal
Thousands of free print-friendly Chinese reference sheets,
tests and revision aids.
Easy Learning format &
Listen to Spoken Words |
Chinese Embassy in UK
Information About China
International Relations
Visa & Consular |
UK Embassy in China
Information About UK
International Relations
Visa & Consular |
|
Excel
Education |
Languages Courses
Study Abroad
Employability
Summer Camps
Information for Teachers |
|
Based in Xi'an,
China's Premiere Travel Agency and International Travel
Community -
Committed to providing:
Best travel deals & current information for all
International Travelers |
Based in Shangri-la,
Yunnan
Province
Dedicated to Exploring Remote Areas of China
Committed to Nature Conservation and Preserving Ethnic
Cultures & Traditions
|
Empowering Underprivileged Children
& Their Communities = Worldwide
|
 |
Excellent and relaxing base to
explore beautiful of regions in all China! |
Pearl
Dragon
Vast
Online Trading and Information Resource
Link goes to Chinese Tourism and Galleries Section |
Follow
Your Imagination! |
|
