About 1,000 authors and publishers participated in the Eric Hoffer Book Award this year. The Chinese Dream has endured rigorous judging and received the highest distinction of Eric Hoffer Book Award in the business book category.
There are fourteen categories under the Eric Hoffer Book Award, including fiction, poetry, memoir, and so on.
According to the letter I received from The Eric Hoffer Award, "each winner was determined to be unique, worthy, and well produced in all aspects of writing and publishing."
I am really encouraged by the awards. As a first time author, I am truly grateful for all the people who helped along way in making this book a success.
This week, CNNMoney is running a series of articles about China. I was interviewed on the topic of China's growing middle class. It is a good thing that mainstream media has started to pay more attention to China.
Among the series, an article "US Companies Betting Big in China" showcased some of the most successful US companies in China:
Apple's sales in China reached $12 billion in 2011
KFC, Pizza Hut, and Taco bell opened 656 new restaurants in China last year alone
Boeing predicts China's aircraft market will generate $200 billion revenue
While multinationals have made significant inroads to China, small and medium sized companies face entry barriers due to lack of resources. To address this problem, I will launch seminars later this year to help small and medium sized companies to take advantage of China's growing market. Stay tune!
In this three minute vedio, Stephen Roach, a professor at Yale University and former nonexecutive chairman of Morgan Stanley Asia, summarized one of the key points of my book The Chinese Dream:
China is well on its way to "create a consumption dynamic that will outstrip the growth of any consumer market in the world,” how the U. S. should embrace the opportunity, and why improving the China–US bilateral relationship is so critical for the economic future of both countries.
Recently, I participated in an International Speech Contest at a Toastmasters Club. Although I didn't win the contest, it was a great experience. Below is a video of the speech:
Please post your comments and feedback in the comment area below. All are welcome!
I will be speaking at Bay Area Council in San Francisco on March 22, at their luncheon series “How to Do Business in China.” See the details below:
The Bay Area Council is a business-sponsored, public policy advocacy organization for San Francisco Bay Area. Founded in 1945, the Bay Area Council has more than 275 of the largest employers in the region and is widely respected by elected officials, policy makers and other civic leaders as the regional voice of business in the Bay Area.
Please join me:
When: 12:00pm – 1:00pm, March 22, 2012
Where: Nixon Peabody LLP, One Embarcadero, 18th Floor, San Francisco, CA
On December 5th, I spoke with Lord Wei at Asia House in London on the impact of China’s middle class to the West and the meaning of a new Chinese Dream. Sir John Boyd, chairman of Asia House, introduced Lord Wei and me at the event. Below is the speech I gave at the event.
Thank you, Sir John Boyd, for your kind introduction.
First, I’d like to thank Lord Wei and Asia House for hosting my book launch here. It’s such an honor for me. Thank you very much!
This is my second time in London. London is a special place for me because, as a native Chinese, my first exposure to the Western world was through Dickens’ novels and Shakespeare’s plays. I remember the first time I visited London in 1993, I made a point to visit the Dickens House and Shakespeare’s home.
Today, I come to London at a very different time. The West’s economy is faltering. The eurozone debt crisis is looming large. Yet, I believe the biggest story of our time is not Italy’s default, or occupying London. Although these events are very significant, there is another story that has far-reaching implications – the rise of China’s middle class.
Do you know that the Chinese middle class is already five times the size of the UK population? In fifteen years, the Chinese middle class will reach 800 million. It will change the dynamics of the world we live in, and have huge impact on everything – our life, our jobs, our economy, and the world.
Today, I’d like to talk about three things: First, I will tell you a little bit about myself – who I am, and why I wanted to write this book. Second, I will tell a story about people I interviewed in China to give you an idea what it is like to be middle class in China. Third, I will discuss briefly the main thesis of the book: “the Oneness of the World.” Continue reading My Speech at Asia House in London
Upon the invitation of Lord Wei, a member of the House of Lords in the UK, I will be speaking at Asia House in London on December 5th. I am very honored that Lord Wei will share the stage with me and have a conversation about the Chinese Dream. Please see the invitation below:
Lord Wei is the youngest member of the House of Lords and a former adviser with the UK Government on the Big Society project. Due to his extraordinary work as a community leader, he was appointed a life peer at age thirty-three by Prime Minister David Cameron.
I will also be attending the House of Lords to discuss with Lord Wei the future of the Chinese dream, and how overseas Chinese can help bridge China and the West to create a more balanced and sustainable world.
A few months back, I wrote an article “What Is the Chinese Dream” here. In that article, I recounted an incident in which someone asked me: “tell me in one sentence or two, what is the Chinese dream?” I stuttered, and then said, “This is a simple question, but there are no simple answers.”
Since then, I have been thinking about this question, “what is the Chinese Dream?” I feel a little foolish that, having written a book titled The Chinese Dream, I still cannot articulate what the Chinese dream is.
When I speak to an American audience, I often say “the Chinese Dream is like the American Dream” (and this has even offended some of my Chinese compatriots). Yes, the Chinese middle class wants what Americans have – owning a big house, driving a luxurious car, and living a comfortable life.
I was on KTSF Channel 26, a San Francisco Chinese TV station, on Sept. 5, to talk about my book The Chinese Dream and the impact of the Chinese middle class on the U.S. economy.
I am thrilled to announce that my book The Chinese Dream has won the 2012 Eric Hoffer Book Award!
