China Watch Blog

China Watch Blog has learnt that French logistics student Pauline Bourderiou is about to sit her final examinations, helped on her way by a four-month internship at Impatex Freight Software, the UK’s leading freight and Customs software supplier.

During her stay with Impatex, Pauline has worked behind the scenes on the company’s 24/7 Help Desk to learn about the company’s software and the UK Customs system. She also translated Impatex’s Integrated Customs for Europe (ICE) and NetFreight software screens into French. In her final two months, she assisted in finding a French distributor for NetFreight, and also represented the company on its stand at a trade exhibition.

Pauline’s placement was arranged by Wiltshire College, where she has been studying in the UK; they publicised the availability of French interns through BIFA’s member newsletter. Wiltshire College operates an exchange scheme with IUT Laval, Pauline’s local business college close to her home near Le Mans, France.

In June, Pauline will sit her examinations for the “Licence Gestionnaire Import-Export” – equivalent to a bachelor’s degree in Import and Export; she will also receive an HNC in Business. In April, she sat and passed the Cambridge University Certificate in Business English.

To date, Pauline has spent two years studying international trade, with work placements in Spain and France that involved translation, organising and attending overseas exhibitions, identifying potential international distributors, supply chain analysis and accounting.

Says Pauline: “My last work placement in a logistics department in France, gave me the desire to follow my study in Import-export. For me, logistics is a really interesting sector because the aim is to coordinate all activities in the areas of procurement, production, handling, packaging, packing, storage, distribution and delivery.

“I was really pleased to do my work placement at Impatex; there is a really good atmosphere at work and everybody has been very welcoming when I arrived. This work placement gave me more knowledge about export and import documents, and how the UK trades with other countries using its software to prepare and manage their exports and imports. I learned how Customs works in England; it is quite unique, and different than French Customs.”

Pauline has her sights set firmly on a career in logistics; and although she favours a French company in the wine or foods sector, she is not against working in other countries or businesses: “I love travelling : it is the reason why I chose to study International trade. I would like to work as an export sales manager, because I really enjoy the contact with customers and it is a really important place within the logistics process.”

Adds Impatex MD Peter Day: “It has been a real pleasure helping Pauline with her studies, and she has also been a tremendous assistance to our business. We wish her very well for the future: she will be a real credit to whoever is lucky enough to employ her.”

China Watch Blog reports that an industrial park Party boss in Jiangsu Province got fired yesterday after he was seen kneeing on a dining table and apologizing to angry people who caught him and other government officials at a lavish banquet.

Zhang Aihua, the Party secretary of Binjiang Industrial Zone in Taizhou City, and at least 30 officials were caught having expensive dishes and liquors in the park’s reception center last Friday, China News Service reported.

There were four tables piled with high-end cigarettes, premium liquors, and rare dishes. A whistleblower estimated that each table would cost at least 10,000 yuan (US$1,612), the report said.

The whistleblower notified local residents who besieged the officials in the banquet room and condemned them for corruption. To seek retreat, Zhang knelt on the table and said with a loudspeaker: “I am wrong. Please forgive me. You can ask me to do anything if you let us go.”

The scene was videotaped on a mobile phone and posted on the Internet, attracting many hits.

Taizhou authorities held a meeting on Sunday night after the video went viral and decided to strip Zhang of his position, the report said.

China Watch Blog has learnt that Unilever announced it is sourcing more than a third of its agricultural raw materials sustainably, having made significant progress towards its target of 100% by 2020.

With 36% now sourced sustainably, it has exceeded the interim milestone of 30% it set itself in 2010 when launching the Unilever Sustainable Living Plan.

The improvement was made against a backdrop of the company reporting annual sales of €51 billion in 2012. Taken together, they represent significant milestones on the way to realising Unilever’s vision of doubling the size of its business whilst reducing its environmental footprint and improving its positive social impact.

This announcement comes ahead of the upcoming Unilever Sustainable Living Plan Progress Report which will be released on 22 April.

Marc Engel, Chief Procurement Officer said: “Climate change, water scarcity, unsustainable farming practices, and rising populations all threaten agricultural supplies and food security.

Half of the raw materials Unilever buys are from the farming and forestry industries, so ensuring a secure supply of these materials is a major business issue. However, sustainable sourcing is not only about managing business risks, it also presents an opportunity for growth, allowing brands to stand out in the marketplace.”

One example is how Knorr has supported sustainable growth for the Foods category. In September 2012 a new soup launched in France became the first Unilever product to promote an ingredient (tomatoes) as sustainably grown in accordance with the Unilever Sustainable Agriculture Code. This was made possible through the Knorr Sustainability Partnership Fund, which uses €1 million a year to support vegetable suppliers on complex sustainable agriculture projects. This development has boosted shelf standout and competitive differentiation and now Knorr plans to continue to label other products.

China Watch Blog reports that for Erica Barrett, life changed one Saturday morning on a trip to the grocery store. Frustrated at the lack of anything creative (and nutritious) on the breakfast aisle, she decided she was going to change the way people thought about breakfast.

This excellent cook went from dabbling with recipes for her husband to starting her own company, Southern Culture Artisan Foods, selling all-natural breakfast products. This talented young woman is now a true American success story – distributing her delicious pancakes, waffles and syrup to over 1,000 stores nationwide and three countries internationally! Erica is testament that dreams can come true when you follow your passion.

“We are on a mission to save people from drab, boring breakfasts and instead give them life with carefully hand-crafted batches of goodness,” says Barrett. Adding, “We are dedicated to using the best ingredients available and our vendors are hand-picked to ensure we get only top quality products. We want customers to experience true farm-to-table cooking when they open our products and cook with them.”

Her flagship products include Shortstacks Pancake and Waffle Mix and Shortstacks Maple Syrup. No more ‘blah’ in breakfast with these pancakes – they are divine! They contain only the purest ingredients; no chemicals and no powdered dairy (as most do), so vegans and anyone lactose intolerant can also devour them. With flavors like Bourbon Salted Pecan, Vanilla, Banana Pudding, Sweet Potato, Strawberry Shortcake and Oatmeal Raisin – what’s not to love?

Erica Barrett grew up in a large family in Mobile, Alabama, where creating delicious meals was essential. At the tender age of 9, she was already learning the fundamentals of cooking and by age 13 she was preparing the Sunday dinner for the whole family. This lip-smacking meal, which consisted of fried pork chops, cheddar scalloped potatoes and thin green beans, was a huge hit and made her the go-to girl in the family for great recipes and warm, home-cooked southern dishes. “Southern culture to me means something that’s made from scratch,” says Erica. “Something that’s pure. Something that’s made with a lot of love and made with your heart.”

Erica graduated Clark Atlanta University in 2004 with a Bachelors Degree in Business Finance. After 6 years in corporate America climbing the ranks, she knew something was missing. When one of her recipes won a contest in 2010, sponsored by the Food Network and Lea & Perrins, she knew this was her true calling.

According to Erica, “This is just the beginning; I won’t be happy until everyone around the world can experience breakfast at its best!”

China Watch Blog reports that Malaysia’ s top nutritionist on eggs Dr JB Lim that eggs are good. See the following:

1. Eggs and milk are among the best foods for the body especially to a growing child.

2. Eggs do not cause an elevation of blood cholesterol

3. Eggs do not clog up the coronary vessels as once thought. In fact the opposite is now true

4. Eggs are low in energy value, and is a factor to consider in the formulation of a caloric-restriction diet

5. Eggs protein quality is extremely high, and has a very high nitrogen-retention value. Hence it is extremely useful in post-surgical care, trauma, and in post-management of hypovolemic shock against negative nitrogen balance

6. Eggs contain vitamin D in its natural form. The benefits of vitamin D require several chapters on human nutrition in medicine to discuss. And I refuse to repeat

7. Eggs are cancer-protective, especially for breast cancer

8. Eggs are very rich in sulfur-containing amino acids methionine which is a very crucial amino-acid in blocking damaging free radicals. These are directly linked to the pathogenesis of heart disease, cancers, DNA damage, all degenerative disorders, and accelerated aging.

9. Eggs protect against fatty liver, slow growth, macular degeneration (degeneration of the macula area of the retina in the eyes. This is responsible for central vision for reading, face recognition and detailed vision), edema (water retention), and various skin lesions

10. Eggs promote healthy growth of nails, hair and skin

11. Eggs are rich in tryphophan, selenium, iodine, and riboflavin (vitamin B2)

12. Eggs selenium content is cardio-protective against Keshan disease, cardiomyopathies (diseases involving the heart muscles, cardiomegaly (enlarged heart), myocardial dysfunction (poor heart function) and death from heart failure.

13. Eggs are protective against Kashin-Beck disease (osteoarthropathy) , myxedematous endemic cretinism (mental retardation)

10 Health Benefits of Eggs

1. Eggs are great for the eyes. According to one study, an egg a day may prevent mascular degeneraton due to the carotenoid content, specifically lutein and zeaxanthin. Both nutrients are more readily available to our bodies from eggs than from other sources.

2. In another study, researchers found that people who eat eggs every day lower their risk of developing cataracts, also because of the lutein and zeaxanthin in eggs.

3. One egg contains 6 grams of high-quality protein and all 9 essential amino acids.

4. According to a study by the Harvard School of Public Health, there is no significant link between egg consumption and heart disease. In fact, according to one study, regular consumption of eggs may help prevent blood clots, stroke, and heart attacks.

5. They are a good source of choline. One egg yolk has about 300 micrograms of choline. Choline is an important nutrient that helps regulate the brain, nervous system, and cardiovascular system.

6. They contain the right kind of fat. One egg contains just 5 grams of fat and only 1.5 grams of that is saturated fat.

7. New research shows that, contrary to previous belief, moderate consumption of eggs does not have a negative impact on cholesterol. In fact, recent studies have shown that regular consumption of two eggs per day does not affect a person’s lipid profile and may, in fact, improve it. Research suggests that it is saturated fat that raises cholesterol rather than dietary cholesterol.

8. Eggs are one of the only foods that contain naturally occurring vitamin D.

9. Eggs may prevent breast cancer. In one study, women who consumed at least 6 eggs per week lowered their risk of breast cancer by 44%.

10. Eggs promote healthy hair and nails because of their high sulphur content and wide array of vitamins and minerals. Many people find their hair growing faster after adding eggs to their diet, especially if they were previously deficient in foods containing sulphur or B12.

China Watch Blog reports that the boss of a state-owned enterprise in south China was suspended from his post on Tuesday due to his part in a luxury banquet last month which flouted the country’s frugality campaign.

Zhou Shaoqiang, general manager of Zhuhai Financial Investment Holdings Co., Ltd, was ordered to undertake self-reflection over public expenditure which exceeded standards, said the Communist Party of China’s discipline authorities in Zhuhai, Guangdong Province, based on a Shenzhen Daily report.

A banquet which Zhou and 16 others had in a local restaurant on Jan. 4 cost 37, 517 yuan (about 5, 974 U.S, dollars), far more than the fake bill of 4, 689 yuan, which the restaurant had claimed under the instruction of Zhou.

The high expenditure “seriously violated regulations at central, provincial and municipal levels and caused an extremely bad social impact,” said the authorities in a statement.

With the consumption of 12 bottles of expensive red wine, the extravagant dinner was first exposed on the Internet and sparked criticism among netizens as the country has recently launched a frugality campaign.

Zhou denied that participants had drunk 12 bottles of red wine, saying only six bottles were drunk and the other six were empty ones for them to learn red wine knowledge.

Results of an investigation conducted by the Zhuhai state-owned assets supervision authorities said the bill was just 4,689 yuan. Netizens expressed doubts about the “frugal” dinner.

However, further probe showed the banquet indeed consumed 12 bottles of red wine, whose prices were 23, 706 yuan in total, said the statement by Zhuhai municipal discipline authorities.

The part of the bill which exceeded consumption standards would be paid by the diners themselves, said the statement.

The discipline authorities of Zhuhai state-owned assets supervision and administration commission were also scolded for their inaccurate probe about the case, it added.

Chinese leader Xi Jinping has urged all official organs to maintain a frugal lifestyle and oppose extravagance.

The recent annual provincial “two sessions”, which referred to the meetings of local legislatures and political advisory bodies, also adopted new frugality moves in food and other respects.

China Watch Blog has learnt that Zhejiang authorities found many shark fins sold in the market are artificial products with some containing excessive levels of cadmium, which is a toxic metal.

The industry and commerce department in Zhejiang province conducting a check of shark fin soup, a popular dish often served at luxurious banquets.

It found many restaurants serving artificial shark fins made of edible gelatin and seaweed gum.

Restaurants purchase the “shark fins” at a low price, but they are sold for up to 1-thousand yuan a bowl in restaurants and hotels.

Similar results were found in another investigation by the province’s consumer rights protection agency as no shark was found in any of the soups.

The consumer rights protection agency also found that about one-third of dried shark fin in the province’s markets contained excessive cadmium and methyl mercury.

Experts say excessive ingestion of mercury can harm pregnant woman and the development of the fetal brain and nervous system.

China Watch Blog has learnt that one billion tourists have traveled internationally in 2012 according to the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), the United Nations specialized agency for sustainable tourism.

This is equivalent to one in every seven people on the planet traveling the world in 2012, up from just 25 million in 1950.

The figure establishes tourism as one of the world’s largest and fastest growing economic sectors, accounting for:

· 9% of global GDP (direct, indirect and induced)

· 1 in every 12 jobs worldwide (direct, indirect and induced)

· US$ 1.2 trillion in exports a year

· 6% of world trade

· 8% of the exports of least developed countries

For developing countries, tourism brings much needed foreign exchange and investment. Tourism has also proven an extremely resilient sector, despite uncertain economic conditions, and is key to supporting the global economy in the current challenging times.

UNWTO forecasts point to the one-billionth tourist arriving somewhere in the world in December. UNWTO has chosen 13 December as the symbolic arrival date of the one-billionth tourist.

To celebrate, UNWTO has been running a global campaign to raise awareness of the power of one billion tourists to affect positive change by making small changes to their travel behaviour. The campaign, One Billion Tourists: One Billion Opportunities, calls on the one billion tourists to make their actions count by saving water and energy, using public transport, protecting heritage and more.

China Watch Blog has learnt that it is that time of the year when people in Shanghai rush to eat Yangchenghu crustaceans, which seems to be a must-do sort of thing, particularly for people living in Shanghai.

Yanghcenghu hairy crabs

But the problem is the mark-up for genuine Yangchenghu crustaceans can be as much as 700%, and that too, there is no guarantee you will get the genuine Yangchenghu hairy crabs.

Yangchenghu hairy crabs with vinegar sauce

Yangcheng is a freshwater lake northeast of Suzhou in Jiangsu province. Hairy crabs from there are known as the best and tastiest crabs in China because of their good living environment and high nutritional value.

For many Chinese gourmands, especially those in Shanghai, Jiangsu province and Zhejiang province, eating Yangchenghu (or Yangcheng Lake) hairy crabs has become a must in autumn. With the increasing brand awareness, cities including Beijing have also reported increasing demand for the delicacy in recent years.

The end of October is the best season to enjoy crabs, when Chinese gourmands will gather around Bacheng township, Weiting township and Lianhua Island in the Yangcheng Lake area.

The statistics from Suzhou Yangcheng Lake Crab Association show the output for the crabs will be around 2,200 tons in 2012. The crabs will be distributed around China according to local demand with large cities receiving a higher proportion.

The increasing demand has led to Yangchenghu crabs being traded at higher prices than others in the market. In Shanghai, a pair of authentic Yangchenghu crabs can be sold for more than 100 yuan ($15.75), the heavier the more expensive. Crabs not native to Yangcheng Lake are often sold for less than 10 yuan each.

However, buyers’ preferences for genuine Yangchenghu crabs is not being met with increasing quality and a better pricing system. Almost every year there is news about falsely labeled crabs being sold.

This year, some vendors in East China’s Fujian province were reported to be selling falsely labeled crabs even before the authentic crabs were officially on sale from Sept 22.
In other cases, some traders purchase crabs from other regions such as Anhui and Shandong provinces in East China and then put the crabs into Yangcheng Lake for a few days before selling them.

The crabs will be traded at the same price as authentic crabs and buyers will be told the crabs are from the lake. Industry insiders said it is the best way to generate quick profits in a short time. Even worse, some traders just sell falsely labeled crabs without transporting them to Yangcheng Lake.

There is a rumor that all Yangcheng Lake crabs had been pre-ordered by large corporations, implying there would be no authentic crabs in the retail market, although the rumor was denied by the local industry association.

China Watch Blog would like to share this invaluable information to all our readers. Please pass on this information from the medical world that makes sense to as many people as you can as it may be of interest to everyone and may even save a life.

This is an extremely good article. Everyone should read it.

AFTER YEARS OF TELLING PEOPLE CHEMOTHERAPY IS THE ONLY WAY TO TRY (‘TRY’, BEING THE KEY WORD) TO ELIMINATE CANCER, JOHNS HOPKINS IS FINALLY STARTING TO TELL YOU THERE IS AN ALTERNATIVE WAY .

Cancer Update from Johns Hopkins University, a world-class university in Baltimore, Maryland:

1. Every person has cancer cells in the body. These cancer cells do not show up in the standard tests until they have multiplied to a few billion. When doctors tell cancer patients that there are no more cancer cells in their bodies after treatment, it just means the tests are unable to detect the cancer cells because they have not reached the detectable size.

2. Cancer cells occur between 6 to more than 10 times in a person’s lifetime.

3. When the person’s immune system is strong the cancer cells will be destroyed and prevented from multiplying and forming tumors.

4. When a person has cancer it indicates the person has nutritional deficiencies. These could be due to genetics, but also to environmental, food and lifestyle factors.

5. To overcome the multiple nutritional deficiencies, changing diet to eat more adequately and healthy, 4-5 times/day and by including supplements will strengthen the immune system.

6. Chemotherapy involves poisoning the rapidly-growing cancer cells and also destroys rapidly-growing healthy cells in the bone marrow, gastrointestinal tract etc., and can cause organ damage, like liver, kidneys, heart, lungs etc.

7. Radiation while destroying cancer cells also burns, scars and damages healthy cells, tissues and organs.

8. Initial treatment with chemotherapy and radiation will often reduce tumor size. However prolonged use of chemotherapy and radiation do not result in more tumor destruction.

9. When the body has too much toxic burden from chemotherapy and radiation the immune system is either compromised or destroyed, hence the person can succumb to various kinds of infections and complications.

10. Chemotherapy and radiation can cause cancer cells to mutate and become resistant and difficult to destroy. Surgery can also cause cancer cells to spread to other sites.

11. An effective way to battle cancer is to starve the cancer cells by not feeding it with the foods it needs to multiply.

*CANCER CELLS FEED ON:

a. Sugar substitutes like NutraSweet, Equal, Spoonful, etc. are made with Aspartame and it is harmful. A better natural substitute would be Manuka honey or molasses, but only in very small amounts. Table salt has a chemical added to make it white in color Better alternative is Bragg’s aminos or sea salt.

b. Milk causes the body to produce mucus, especially in the gastro-intestinal tract. Cancer feeds on mucus. By cutting off milk and substituting with unsweetened soy milk cancer cells are being starved.

c. Cancer cells thrive in an acid environment. A meat-based diet is acidic and it is best to eat fish, and a little other meat, like chicken. Meat also contains livestock antibiotics, growth hormones and parasites, which are all harmful, especially to people with cancer.

d. A diet made of 80% fresh vegetables and juice, whole grains, seeds, nuts and a little fruits help put the body into an alkaline environment. About 20% can be from cooked food including beans. Fresh vegetable juices provide live enzymes that are easily absorbed and reach down to cellular levels within 15 minutes to nourish and enhance growth of healthy cells. To obtain live enzymes for building healthy cells try and drink fresh vegetable juice (most vegetables including bean sprouts) and eat some raw vegetables 2 or 3 times a day. Enzymes are destroyed at temperatures of 104 degrees F (40 degrees C)..

e. Avoid coffee, tea, and chocolate, which have high caffeine Green tea is a better alternative and has cancer fighting properties. Water-best to drink purified water, or filtered, to avoid known toxins and heavy metals in tap water. Distilled water is acidic, avoid it.

12. Meat protein is difficult to digest and requires a lot of digestive enzymes. Undigested meat remaining in the intestines becomes putrefied and leads to more toxic buildup.

13. Cancer cell walls have a tough protein covering. By refraining from or eating less meat it frees more enzymes to attack the protein walls of cancer cells and allows the body’s killer cells to destroy the cancer cells.

14. Some supplements build up the immune system (IP6, Flor-ssence, Essiac, anti-oxidants, vitamins, minerals, EFAs etc.) to enable the bodies own killer cells to destroy cancer cells.. Other supplements like vitamin E are known to cause apoptosis, or programmed cell death, the body’s normal method of disposing of damaged, unwanted, or unneeded cells.

15. Cancer is a disease of the mind, body, and spirit. A proactive and positive spirit will help the cancer warrior be a survivor. Anger, un-forgiveness and bitterness put the body into a stressful and acidic environment. Learn to have a loving and forgiving spirit. Learn to relax and enjoy life.

16. Cancer cells cannot thrive in an oxygenated environment. Exercising daily, and deep breathing help to get more oxygen down to the cellular level. Oxygen therapy is another means employed to destroy cancer cells.

> > 1. No plastic containers in micro.
> > 2. No water bottles in freezer.
> > 3. No plastic wrap in microwave..

> >
> > Johns Hopkins has recently sent this out in its newsletters. This information is being circulated at Walter Reed Army Medical Center as well. Dioxin chemicals cause cancer, especially breast cancer. Dioxins are highly poisonous to the cells of our bodies. Don’t freeze your plastic bottles with water in them as this releases dioxins from the plastic. Recently, Dr Edward Fujimoto, Wellness Program Manager at Castle Hospital , was on a TV program to explain this health hazard. He talked about dioxins and how bad they are for us. He said that we should not be heating our food in the microwave using plastic containers. This especially applies to foods that contain fat. He said that the combination of fat, high heat, and plastics releases dioxin into the food and ultimately into the cells of the body. Instead, he recommends using glass, such as Corning Ware, Pyrex or ceramic containers for heating food. You
get the same results, only without the dioxin. So such things as TV dinners, instant ramen and soups, etc., should be removed from the container and heated in something else. Paper isn’t bad but you don’t know what is in the paper. It’s just safer to use tempered glass, Corning Ware, etc. He reminded us that a while ago some of the fast food restaurants moved away from the foam containers to paper The dioxin problem is one of the reasons. Also, he pointed out that plastic wrap, such as Saran, is just as dangerous when placed over foods to be cooked in the microwave. As the food is nuked, the high heat causes poisonous toxins to actually melt out of the plastic wrap and drip into the food. Cover food with a paper towel instead.
> > This is an article that should be sent to anyone important in your life.
> > Philippians 4:17 Not that I seek or am eager for [your] gift, but I do seek and am eager for the fruit which increases to your credit [the harvest of blessing that is accumulating to your account].