Public Holidays in China in May:

Labour Day - May 1-3 and the Duanwu Holiday - May 28-30.

Since 1978, well over a million Chinese students and scholars have gone abroad to advance their studies and conduct research. To date, some 400,000 have returned to the mainland, earning themselves the nickname "Sea Turtles" (hai gui pai). Many have also settled in Hong Kong. What role does this important group of mainlanders play in China's post-Mao era?. Employers should not ignore this talent.

China has unveiled a blueprint for health-care over the next decade, kicking off a much-anticipated reform to fix the ailing medical system and to ensure fair and affordable health services for all 1.3 billion citizens.

By 2020, the country will have a basic health-care system that can provide safe, effective, convenient and affordable health services to urban and rural residents. This will be supplemented by a more detailed implementation plan for the three years until 2011. The plan has yet to be published, but the State Council announced earlier this year an investment plan of 850 billion Yuan for the reform in three years

The core principle of the reform is to provide basic health care as a public service to the people, which requires much more government funding and supervision. The document said the government role in formulating policies and plans, raising funds, providing service, and supervising must be strengthened in order to ensure the fairness and equity of the service.

A recent survey found that manufacturing in China expanded marginally in March, positive news for an economy that has shed millions of jobs over the last few months. Six months ago analysts made it clear that China would be the last into the economic decline and the first out, and now there are some indications that the forecast was on the mark.

A China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing found the purchasing managers index was 52.4 in March, an increase from 49 the previous month. Manufacturing is considered to be expanding. This study was conducted by a state sanctioned organization so other surveys have not delivered such optimistic results.

For instance, a survey released at around the same time by analysts in Hong Kong found that March marked the eighth month in a row that manufacturing had contracted in China. Even Chinese president Hu Jintao noted at the recent G20 summit in London that problems with unemployment and other areas continued to increase, a remarkably frank public observation by a Chinese leader.

What does this all mean for those of us who watch and work closely with China? There is room for cautious optimism!

A lot of things need to happen for the potent Chinese economic engine to be revving fully.

Despite domestic demand Chinese manufacturing relies on a healthy export market and analysts generally agree this will take time to recover, but analysts do not predict further contraction. The Chinese government has projected an eight-per-cent growth rate for 2009.

Analysts agree recent data from China indicates recovery has started, export markets still need to rebound; but the Chinese government’s massive stimulus package is beginning to produce results.

If you would like to know more about recruiting talent in China, please contact Gemini.

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