Blogging In China - They Have Open Source Conferences Too

I recently found this article in China's Danwei online magazine. It highlights an article written on the recent blogging conference held last week in Hangzhou, China (it was the second annual!), and touches on reasons why the Chinese government should be embracing, not blocking, these future-thinking, web 2.0 savvy citizens and bloggers.

Read this article here, a summary of the conference, the people in attendance and the issues and topics that were covered.

你好

Ni hao! Just a quick check-in from the China Access 2008 conference here in Beijing. The conference has begun now and I'll be networking and talking about the internet and how companies can use technology and the internet to tell their story and move into new markets.

This is me videoblogging with Qiang Bai of Venture Pacific Group. He's a VC who splits his time between Shanghai, Beijing, and Dallas(!) and has experience investing in the Web 2.0 industry here in China.

It's been a fast and full 3 days of new people, ideas, sights, sounds, smells.... *everything* is different. Here's my photos on Flickr and here are Robert Scales' of Raincity Studios. Lots of podcasts and videoblogs to come!

I'm here at the China Access 2008 Business Forum with Scales and MC of Raincity Studios and Richard Eriksson of Bryght. We're getting a whirlwind business tour of China including an overview of the economy, political climate, growth trends, geography and communications challenges. There are about 40 or so people here at the SFU Centre for Dialogue from Vancouver companies who are either already doing business in China or plan to, as well as a bunch of masters students from UBC Business School who are focusing on economic development in Asia and China.

So far it's been a great session led by Alan and Andrew of China Access 2008 and supported by lots of influential Vancouver business people currently doing business successful in China including Business Objects, CanFor, and Optima Health Solutions (hey Rashid... I'll trade ya a China strategy for Bryght for a web strategy for Optima!).

Robert Scales and I will be attending a business forum organized by China Access 2008 next week on Wednesday, May 24th, prior to departing for China May 26-June 13th, directed at the Vancouver business community that will focus on providing a comprehensive strategy for opportunities in China, while also opening up the accessibility for Chinese companies to work in BC as well.

The forum will provide an understanding in how Chinese businesses function and operate, the on-the-ground know-how and negotiating power, all from people who are doing it now with success. Some of the many speakers at the event are:

Rashid Ahmed, CEO of Optima Health Solutions, will share his experience of recently establishing a joint venture with one of the largest hospitals in China, and is close to finalizing another deal with a medical institution in Beijing using technology developed in BC.

Neall Ryon, CEO of Stratex, will also be a part of a panel discussion. Neall visited China in the fall 2005 and has already initiated an engineering design business.

Maureen McKinnon of McKinnon Consulting Group is putting together the forum. She is optimistic that this venue will provide local businesses the chance to meet the people on the ground, adding "The focus is getting business done. These people have been to China and set up businesses and can share their knowledge".