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Gearing up for the next trip to China…

It’s been a busy time around the Trent house for what seems like forever.  China in March, MMS 2009 in April, local soccer program all summer, a kid starting college on a Track scholarship, a new baby, a daughter turning 16, etc., etc.  So, now that I have a bit of extra time, it’s time to start planning for next year already.

The new year (2010) will bring some awesome things.  MMS 2010 for one, but also, more importantly, our next trip to China. 

We’re planning our next trip to China for March 2010, and we always need assistance in the form of prayers, support, and funds.  If you want something real to support in this day-and-age, check into joining our cause.

We’re using the Causes.com web site to host our China missions, which also hooks into Facebook (if you use that).  Here’s the permanent URL:

http://www.causes.com/causes/391836 

Feel free to join, ask questions, and please consider donating to a worthy cause.

And, as always, as we travel across China again in March 2010, we’ll keep you updated constantly through Twitter and Facebook.

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Back to China…

I leave tomorrow morning about 3am, headed back to China for a while.  Thanks to all of your prayers and thoughts.  I’ll see you when I return – closer to MMS 2009!

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The Associated Press: China’s 3G rollout sets off sales scramble

 

China's 3G rollout sets off sales scramble

By JOE McDONALD

BEIJING (AP) — China is starting a long-delayed introduction of third-generation mobile phone service, setting off a politically charged scramble by foreign and Chinese equipment makers for up to $41 billion in orders.

Chinese sales could be crucial for suppliers such as Motorola Inc., Alcatel-Lucent SA and Nokia-Siemens Networks as global demand slumps. State media say the largest Chinese carrier, China Mobile, expects to sign up 100 million 3G subscribers — more than most nations' entire mobile markets — in the next three years.

But how much business the international equipment makers can get depends in part on whether regulators try to boost China's high-tech industry by ordering wireless carriers to buy domestic products. Beijing has tried to use such restrictions to nurture other fields, prompting complaints by the United States and other trading partners.

The leading domestic competitors are Huawei Technologies Ltd. and ZTE Ltd., ambitious upstarts with government support that already sell low-cost gear in Africa and Asia and are improving their technology.

Foreigners are likely to get less than half of China's 3G orders, said Duncan Clark, chairman of BDA China Ltd., a Beijing consulting firm.

"It's basically an intensely political process," Clark said.

The United States and European Union say they are closely watching how the telecom suppliers are picked. Washington and the EU are pressing Beijing to abide by World Trade Organization promises to treat foreign and domestic companies equally.

Even though the wireless carriers are state-owned, Chinese companies sometimes resist regulators' orders to do things that hurt profits. It is unclear whether the carriers consider Chinese equipment good enough to support complex 3G services that will form the core of their future business.

The Associated Press: China's 3G rollout sets off sales scramble

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Prepping for a December trip to China

My original plans to travel were disrupted a bit, but I’m now back on track for a proposed trip to miscellaneous destinations within China during the first 2 weeks of December.

Here’s the proposed itinerary:

  1. USA to Beijing
  2. Beijing to Inner Mongolia (visit friends there for 2 or 3 days)
  3. Inner Mongolia to Kunming (Mountain trip for 2-3 days)
  4. Kunming to Zhengzhou (Visit children's home for 1-2 days)
  5. Zhengzhou to Beijing to leave (1-2 days in BJ)

It will be a whirlwind trip with lots of travel!

I’ll bring back lots of photos.

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Another cool b-day present…

Here’s something that my wife got me for my birthday – love it…

 

How to Read Chinese Poetry: A Guided Anthology (Paperback)

 

It’s a great book in that it allows you to learn Chinese through understanding thousands of years of poetry.  It provides explanations, history, Pinyin, English translation, and Chinese characters for each poem.