Yanwen’s blog

12/25/2024

Merry Christmas! Today, I’m stepping away from my usual coverage of China’s deserts to share two related stories in my life recently.  

First, The Puppy Challenge

During my last meeting with my Korean student, she seemed overwhelmed by her new 8-week-old puppy. The little one wakes up every two hours at night, barking and demanding attention. If she ignores him, he just keeps barking. Her husband uses earbuds, her daughter isn’t bothered—but for her, the relentless barking is a major headache!

She told me she’d only slept two hours the previous night and was utterly exhausted. We even had to cut our meeting short because she was so drained.  

Afterward, I reached out to a friend who had faced similar challenges with their own puppy. I picked up a few helpful tips and shared them with my student the next morning. In many ways, raising a puppy is like raising a baby. Here’s what I learned:

1. Tire Him Out   A tired puppy is more likely to sleep longer. Engage him in plenty of physical activities, especially in the evening.  

2. Create a Calm Environment   Set up a quiet, relaxing space for him to sleep.

3. Introduce a Playpen or Crate   Train him to feel comfortable in a playpen or crate during the day. This way, he’ll see it as a safe and familiar space to sleep at night.

4. Ignore Attention-Seeking Barking   Like babies, puppies often bark to get attention. If you respond to it, you reinforce the behavior. Ignore the barking to teach him that it won’t get results. However, if he seems genuinely distressed, comfort him gently—but don’t take him out of the pen or hold him unless he needs a nighttime potty break.

5. Time Your Discipline   There’s a crucial time window for effective discipline: it’s best to establish good habits before your puppy turns 8 months old and enters adolescence. After that, it may become harder to correct unwanted behaviors.  

Finally, remember: your puppy isn’t human. Crate training goes against his natural instincts as a free-roaming animal. Be patient, stay consistent, and prepare for the process to take time.

Second, The Language Learning Window

This brings me to my second story. A young relative of mine plans to send his two sons to a summer camp in America next year to learn English. Naturally, I was wondering: how much English can they learn in a single summer?  

I remember advising him back in 2015 to expose his new-born baby to American cartoons and simple English stories, much like how my own children learned Chinese here in America. Recently, I suggested that the boys can learn English by watching American soap operas. His response? “They don’t understand a word and won’t watch.”

I see a missed window here. If the kids had been exposed to American cartoons from their infant days, they might have absorbed the language effortlessly. 

Much like training a puppy, learning a language also has a time window. When we start young, the process is natural and almost effortless.

Both stories highlight the importance of timing in development—whether for a puppy or a human baby. Start early, and the process becomes easier and smoother; wait too long, and it gets exponentially harder.

Finally, in both puppy training and language learning, the owner and parents play a crucial role because puppies and babies are too young to know what’s good for them—they rely entirely on guidance and consistency from their owner and parents.

12/24/2024

Approximately 20% of China’s territory is covered by deserts, totaling an area of around 1.9 million square kilometers—roughly equivalent to 13.5 New York States. Among China’s deserts, the Taklamakan Desert (塔克拉玛干沙漠, Tǎkèlāmǎgān Shāmò) stands out as one of the most inhospitable and historically significant landscapes.

Spanning roughly 130,000 square miles, the Taklamakan Desert is the world’s second-largest shifting sand desert. Its surface is dominated by 85% shifting sand dunes, some towering up to an impressive 984 feet. 

Known as the "Sea of Death," this desert endures extremely low annual precipitation and offers an arid environment that has long challenged the limits of human courage and resilience.

Despite its harshness, the Taklamakan holds profound historical importance. It lies at the heart of the ancient Silk Road, a vital network of trade routes connecting China to the Middle East and Europe. Travelers often skirted its edges, as crossing its treacherous expanse was perilous. Beneath its sands lie the remnants of many ancient cities, once flourishing hubs of culture and commerce, now swallowed by time and sand.

However, the Taklamakan is more than a historical landmark—it has become a pressing environmental concern. The New York Times reported that China's deserts expanded annually by more than 1,300 square miles, exacerbated by climate change and human activities, which accelerated desertification and buried many villages in its path.

Transformative Efforts to Tame the Desert

In recent decades, China has embarked on ambitious and innovative measures to combat the expansion of the Taklamakan Desert, reflecting its broader strategies for ecosystem restoration and sustainable development.

The "Great Green Wall": Recently, China completed a 3,046-kilometer-long green shelterbelt encircling the desert. This monumental effort, dubbed the "Great Green Wall," serves as a vital barrier to halt the desert's advance toward arable land and human settlements. It involves planting drought-resistant trees and shrubs capable of stabilizing sand dunes and thriving in the arid environment.

Taklamakan Desert Highway Shelterbelt: To support key infrastructure, such as the Tarim Desert Highway, China has established a plant-based shelterbelt along the road. This green corridor is irrigated by underground water systems, stabilizing the shifting sands and ensuring that the highway operates smoothly despite the desert’s encroachment.

AI-Driven Reforestation with Robots: Most recently, China has deployed 8,000 solar-powered, AI-driven robots, manufactured by Huawei, to revolutionize desert management. These robots can:

  - Operate 24/7, unaffected by extreme conditions such as heat, dryness, and sandstorms.

  - Automate the whole processes of digging, planting, watering, monitoring saplings and progress updating.

  - Use autonomous driving technology to navigate the desert, avoiding vegetation and obstacles to protect fragile soil layers.

This cutting-edge technology exponentially enhances efficiency and reduces the need for human involvement, marking a groundbreaking approach to desert reforestation.

A Triumph Over Adversity

Finally, China’s efforts to transform the Taklamakan Desert exemplify a remarkable blend of engineering ingenuity, technological innovation, and ecological and environmental stewardship. 

Initiatives such as the 'Great Green Wall' and AI-driven reforestation not only showcase effective strategies for combating desertification but also set a precedent for countries worldwide facing similar challenges, particularly under the growing threat of climate change. 

By turning one of the world’s most desolate landscapes into a model of environmental restoration, China is not only redefining sustainable development but also providing inspiration and practical solutions with profound and far-reaching global implications.

12/23/2024

Recently, I stumbled across the concept of Taobao Villages -- a fascinating phenomenon that highlights how China's rural areas are transforming in the digital age. Taobao is an online shopping platform like eBay and Amazon.

Over the past three decades, one striking feature of China's social and economic landscape has been the emergence of Hollow Villages. 

In the early 1990s, a massive migration saw millions of young people leaving their rural homes for jobs in big cities, often working behind assembly lines that produced goods destined for shelves in Walmart and other retailers worldwide. 

This exodus left villages populated by the elderly, the sick, children, and some women—resulting in abandoned homes, overgrown fields, and a pervasive sense of neglect and desolation.

These Hollow Villages were described starkly:  "Outside, it looks like a village, but inside, you see no soul. Old houses stand empty, and fields are overrun with weeds."

While these migrant workers fueled China's industrial boom, the hollowing of villages led to a host of social problems: entrenched poverty, lack of education, food insecurity, and a sense of hopelessness for those left behind, particularly children.

Recognizing the gravity of the situation, the government initiated a series of poverty alleviation policies, allocating funds and implementing measures to revitalize rural areas. Businesses also joined these efforts, and their innovations began to breathe life back into these once-desolate villages.

Reviving Villages with Taobao Villages

In October 2014, Alibaba launched the Thousand Counties, Ten Thousand Villages initiative, creating Rural Taobao as part of its strategy to bridge the urban-rural divide. The initiative provided villagers with internet access, training, and tools to set up online stores on Taobao platform, enabling them to sell agricultural products and local specialties to a broader market.  

The results have been remarkable. Many former Hollow Villages have transformed into thriving Taobao Villages. By 2019, China boasted over 30,000 such villages. Rural e-commerce sales reached an impressive 1.7 trillion yuan, with agricultural product sales accounting for 397.5 billion yuan.

To qualify as a Taobao Village, at least 10% of the population must be involved in e-commerce, and the village's total Gross Merchandise Value (GMV) must exceed $1.4 million.  

Take Bainiu (白牛村, (Bái, Niú Cūn)  as an example. Located 102 kilometers from Hangzhou in Zhejiang province, this small village of fewer than 1,600 residents now hosts 56 online stores, generating annual sales of over 20 million yuan. Bainiu, known for its walnut products, is a shining example of how rural communities can achieve economic revitalization through e-commerce. China's advanced infrastructure forms the backbone of its rapid e-commerce delivery system, enabling swift and efficient transactions.

Reviving Villages with Rural Tourism  

Another successful approach to rural development is tourism, which has become a growing trend among urban Chinese residents. Rural tourism not only attracts an increasing number of visitors but also significantly boosts local incomes with hotels and restaurants.

For example, CNBC highlighted how China’s push to promote rural tourism has stimulated consumption in rural areas and the domestic market. The Village Super League (村超) in Rongjiang County, Guizhou Province, is one innovative model. During its May 2023 event, the county recorded 1.241 billion yuan in total tourism revenue—a 52.08% year-on-year increase.

A Global Model  

China’s transformation of Hollow Villages into thriving Taobao Villages and hot tourism spots serves as a compelling model with global significance. These innovative approaches demonstrate how digital integration and experiential economies can breathe new life into rural villages, creating opportunities that extend far beyond China.

12/22/2024

In my recent posts, I’ve discussed the U.S.’s struggles with China’s rise as a manufacturing powerhouse, particularly its formidable supply chain ecosystem (SCE). Among the most compelling examples of this dynamic is Apple.

Despite mounting pressure to shift its manufacturing out of China, Apple continues to produce the majority of its iPhones there. According to TechNode, over 95% of Apple’s products, including iPhones, are still manufactured and assembled in China. The New York Times also highlighted Zhengzhou, famously dubbed “iPhone City,” as a critical hub in Apple’s operations.

Apple faces several challenges when considering relocation, the foremost being the need to replicate its highly efficient SCE. This ecosystem is a meticulously coordinated network of suppliers, manufacturers, logistics providers, and support systems, all located in close proximity. It enables Apple to source components, assemble products, and manage logistics seamlessly. Relocating production would require not just moving factories but also uprooting the entire network of supporting companies.

Key Challenges to Relocating Apple’s SCE

1. A Comprehensive and Integrated Ecosystem:   Apple’s SCE is a massive, finely tuned system that has been optimized over decades. The dense concentration of suppliers and manufacturers in China allows for unparalleled efficiency. Recreating this level of integration in another country would be a monumental undertaking, both logistically and financially.

2. A Skilled and Mature Workforce:   China offers a vast pool of skilled workers, especially in high-tech manufacturing. Regions like Shenzhen have built decades of expertise in electronics production. Training workers elsewhere to achieve similar levels of productivity and precision would require significant time and investment.

3. Advanced Infrastructure and Economies of Scale:   While labor costs in China are rising, the country’s sophisticated infrastructure—including ports, transportation networks, and power grids—continues to support efficient and cost-effective manufacturing. Moreover, the economies of scale achieved in China cannot easily be matched elsewhere. Apple and its partners have to invest billions in infrastructure before even constructing manufacturing facilities, making relocation prohibitively expensive.

4. Flexibility and Adaptability in Production:   Chinese factories are renowned for their ability to adapt rapidly to changes in production needs. This flexibility is critical for prototyping, scaling production up or down, and responding to market demands. Few other countries possess this level of agility.

5. The Complexity of Rebuilding an SCE:   Apple’s supply chain ecosystem is not just a collection of factories—it’s a highly complex, interconnected network optimized over decades. Rebuilding this system outside of China would require overcoming substantial infrastructure, skill, and logistical gaps in other countries, as well as making enormous investments of time and money.

At this moment, I think of a Chinese saying, “水到渠成” (shuǐ dào qú chéng) literally means, "When the water reaches, a channel is formed." The implied meaning is "when right conditions are in place, success will naturally follow." Or, When enough efforts are made, success will follow. It reflects how China’s decades of hard work -- investment in infrastructure, workforce training, and supply chain building and integration -- has created the perfect conditions for Apple to thrive. Apple's success is inevitable when all necessary elements are in place.

Ultimately, Apple is just one example of China’s extraordinary manufacturing prowess. Countless other tech giants, from electronics manufacturers to consumer device companies, rely on the same intricate supply chain ecosystem that China has perfected over decades. This vast and interconnected network, supported by skilled labor, advanced infrastructure, and unmatched adaptability, is not something that can be easily replicated or dismantled. 

Finally, China’s dominance in high-tech manufacturing is not just a foundation for Apple’s success but has become a critical pillar of the global technology industry, making any attempt to dismantle or relocate this system a monumental challenge.

12/21/2024

Yesterday, I highlighted the U.S. struggle with strategies like de-coupling and de-risking, using onshoring, nearshoring, and friendshoring.

Two days ago I came across Thomas Friedman’s article, "How Elon Musk and Taylor Swift Can Resolve U.S.-China Relations?" It reveals a profound sense of anxiety.

Friedman begins bluntly: "I just spent a week in Beijing and Shanghai… and let me get right to the point: While we were sleeping, China took a great leap forward in high-tech manufacturing of everything."

He sounds alarmed, noting, "You have to go to China to see it… a lot of people in Washington have missed the country’s staggering manufacturing growth."

This is something new when he mentioned "dark factories." These are factories so highly automated and fully roboticized that they operate day and night without lights, as there’s no need for human presence—aside from engineers occasionally adjusting the machines. As China Daily explains, “Dark factories, also called smart factories, are entirely run by programmed robots.”

China’s independent manufacturing ecosystem is unparalleled, capable of producing and sourcing virtually any component or material domestically. Friedman acknowledges this, stating, "No other country in the world has such a complete homegrown ecosystem."

A Chinese saying captures the rapid development of China, “日新月异” (rì xīn yuè yì), means "transformative changes with each passing day," symbolizing rapid progress and continuous innovation. It reflects China's transformative growth in high-tech manufacturing and infrastructure.

Toward the end, Friedman credits China’s achievements, saying, "We fool ourselves if we believe China’s growing strength in advanced manufacturing is only from unfair trade practices. It’s also because it has people driven to work ‘9-9-6’—9 a.m. to 9 p.m., six days a week—and because Beijing has invested in world-class infrastructure and education, producing countless engineering graduates."

Make no mistake, Friedman’s intent isn’t to praise China but to urge the U.S. to respond urgently to China's technological and manufacturing rise. He proposes an “Elon Musk-Taylor Swift paradigm”—suggesting that the U.S. should focus on Elon Musk-type innovation and domestic manufacturing ability, while China should open its door to Taylor Swift-type American culture, products, food and drink. In other word, Americans should produce and export more while China should import and consume more American goods.

Finally, Friedman warns, without strong industrial efforts, the U.S. risks losing its competitive edge to China’s technological and manufacturing dominance.