Chery includes Catalonia on its development plans

From http://www.expansion.com/2011/04/28/catalunya/1304018088.html (in Spanish)

Chinese car maker Chery International Automobile Co. has confirmed that Catalonia is included on its future development plans. In an interview to Spanish economic newspaper Expansión, Deputy General Manager at Chery Patrick Gao has declared that "Catalonia is a potential candidate (for establishing a factory) and we have entered in close contact with local authorities", but he also mentioned that "other countries have also shown interest for the investment of Chery” and that "no final decision has been made". Conversations between Chery and the Catalan goverment started in late 2010 when the former President José Montilla traveled to China to meet and negotiate with Chery representatives and now will be resumed by the government led by new President Artur Mas.

Banco de Santander sets foot in rural China

From http://www.icex.es/icex/cda/controller/pageICEX/0,6558,5518394_5519005_6366453_4479153,00.html (in Spanish)

Banco de Santander has reached an agreement with the China Construction Bank to develop a joint-venture in rural China that will allow the Spanish bank firmly establish itself in the Chinese market. Investment will reach 3.5 billion yuan (370 million euros), of which 80.1% will be provided by the China Construction Bank and the other 19.9% by Banco de Santander. This venture will be essential in order to provide services to the rural population in China, which still accounts for two thirds of its 1.3 billion inhabitants.

Unemployment still on the rise in Catalonia

From http://www.catalannewsagency.com/news/business/unemployment-increases-first-quarter-year-and-reaches-1901-active-population-catalonia (in English)

According to data recently published by the Spanish Institute of Statistics, unemployment in Catalonia has still increased in the first quarter of 2011, reaching 19.01% of the active population. During this period, job destruction created new 40,900 unemployed workers, which increased up to 727,600 people the number of jobseekers. These figures are a little bit better than in overall Spain, where the percentage rose up to 21.29% and the total number of unemployed workers reached 4,910,000.

Catalonia on new website Foods from Spain

From http://www.icex.es/icex/cda/controller/pageICEX/0,6558,5518394_5519005_6366453_4478719,00.html (in English)

A new website, Foods from Spain, has been presented in Madrid's IFEMA, on the XXV edition of the Salón de Gourmets. Foods from Spain offers information in English to food professionals located abroad, such as importers, chefs, distributors, cooking schools and media. Catalonia has its specific page on the website, that can be visited by clicking on Foods from Spain - Catalonia.

Taiwan Business Indicators in March 2011

From http://www.cepd.gov.tw/encontent/m1.aspx?sNo=0015252 (in English)

The Taiwanese Council for Economic Planning and Development has released the information on the economic indicators corresponding to March 2011, which can be found on the link above. These indicators kept on showing an steady growth on Taiwan economy.

Spanish car maker SEAT is looking for partners in China

From http://www.expansion.com/2011/04/19/empresas/auto-industria/1303248269.html (in Spanish)

Volkswagen-owned Spanish car maker SEAT has had meetings with 30 local car dealers in order to start selling cars in China in April next year. SEAT León and SEAT Ibiza have been presented in the 2011 Auto Shanghai exhibition and it is expected they can be sold in 2012 by the time of the Beijing car exhibition. All the cars to be sold in China initially will be produced in the SEAT factory in Martorell (Barcelona province), together with the Audi Q3. SEAT has been renamed as XiYaTe (西雅特) for the Chinese market.

El Celler de Can Roca awarded as second best restaurant in the world

From http://www.acn.cat/acn/609884/Cultura/text/Celler-de-Can-Roca-El-Bulli-restaurant-Ferran-Adria-Restaurant-Magazine-Arzak.html (in Catalan)

Girona-based restaurant El Celler de Can Roca has climbed from #4 to #2 position in the ranking of best restaurants in the world, according to the website The World's 50 Best Restaurants. This distinction represents a new achivement for this Catalan family run restaurant after it was also recently awarded with the third Michelin star. El Celler de Can Roca has been ranked right after restaurant Noma, from Denmark, which has remained on top of the list for the second consecutive year. Joan Roca, chef of El Celler de Can Roca, has declared that this award represents a new international recognition for Catalan cuisine. After the success of Ferran Adrià and El Bulli in Roses, and the late Santi Santamaria and El racó de can Fabes in Sant Celoni among others, El Celler de Can Roca is definitely taking the relay as the present day leading resturant in Catalonia.

Enjoy your meal! Bon profit!

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="596"] Welcome page at El Celler de Can Roca internet site[/caption]

 

Michelin launches a Taiwanese Green Guide

From http://foreigner.tncg.gov.tw/en/home.jsp?key=null&mserno=5&serno=9&menudata=EnglishMenu&contlink=ap%2F02_4announce_view.jsp&dataserno=201102160001 (in English)

Due to the fact that Michelin has recently launched a a Green Guide Taiwan and seems to be preparing a Taiwanese Red Guide, the Tourism Bureau of Tainan City Government is organizing three "Tainan Michelin three-star rating tour" routes combining historical sites, tour spots, and the delicious local 小吃 (pinyin: xiaochi; "small food"). Sinalunya team has been in Tainan and wants to prove that the place and its food are worth a visit!

[caption id="attachment_448" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Different xiaochi dishes in a restaurant in Tainan"][/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="288" caption="Fish soup in a restaurant in Tainan"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_449" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Chikan Tower, Tainan"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_450" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Entrance to the Tainan Confucian Temple"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_451" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Tainan Confucian Temple"][/caption]

 

FC Barcelona will open shop in Beijing

From http://www.expansion.com/2011/04/14/catalunya/1302808882.html (in Spanish)

FC Barcelona is expanding beyond Europe and is currently in conversations with Nike in order to open a shop in Beijing and another one in New York City in a time frame of 2 or 3 years. Apart from China and United States, future marketing actions will be addressed to Mexico, South Korea and Turkey.

Spain admits mistake on communication on China's debt acquisition

From http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/63862548-668d-11e0-ac4d-00144feab49a.html (in English)

Spanish government mistakingly announced that it had secured the acquisition of up to €9 billion euros in debt by China Investment Corporation, but almost immediately it had to make an embarrassing correction. The news came after a China Investment Corporation official informed Reuters that the claims by the Spanish government were false. This is a serious blow to the Spanish regional savings banks, that are desperately seeking for new finantial resources to meet a €15 billion debt created by the loans during the recent property bubble period.

China backs Spain by acquiring more debt

From http://www.expansion.com/2011/04/12/economia/1302595011.html (in Spanish)

Chinese prime minister Wen Jiabao has announced today to Spanish president José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero that China will keep on acquiring more debt, as done in the recent months, and will also invest in Spanish saving banks. José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero has thanked Wen Jiabao for the Chinese support during the toughest moments in which international finantial markets showed little trust in Spanish economy. José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero’s words are explained by the fact that Spanish debt in Chinese hands has grown from 4% in 2009 to the present 12%. In turn, Wen Jiabao has declared Spain as China’s best friend in Europe, whereas Li Keqiang has congratulated Spanish government by the measures undertaken in order to improve the situation of the economy. He has also declared his impression that Spain is back to the path of sustained growth and shown interest in the import of Spanish agricultural products. José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero and minister Miguel Sebastián have invited Chinese officials to invest in Spanish ports and in the privatization process of airports, and to consider Spain as a prominent destination for Chinese tourists.

Mango aims at Chinese and Russian markets

From http://www.expansion.com/2011/04/12/catalunya/1302609388.html (in Spanish)

After a total 81% sales abroad in 2010, Catalan group Mango has decided to increase its presence in Chinese and Russian markets. Total sales in 2010 increased by 11% as compared to 2009 and they reached 1.27 billion euros. Online sales grew by 80% and although they represented only 1.6% of total sales, they are expected to double in 2011. Top model Kate Moss is currently working in Paris in Mango’s new promotional campaign.

Spanish president Zapatero visits China and Singapore

From http://www.expansion.com/2011/04/11/economia/politica/1302493662.html (in Spanish)

Spanish president José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero is currently visiting China and Singapore in order to support Spanish companies and to attract new investments. He will travel together with Colombian president Juan Manuel Santos and is scheduled to meet Chinese prime minister Wen Jiabao and vice-prime minister Li Keqiang. President Zapatero will explain to Chinese authorities the measures undertaken to recover Spanish economy, since one third of the Spanish debt is now in Chinese hands. He will also attend the signature of business agreements of Spanish companies such as Banco Santander, Indra, Grupo Antolín, Ringo and Gamesa. Later, he will travel to Singapore, where he will meet prime minister Lee Hsieng Loong and his father, Lee Kuan Yew, founder of the country. Finally, he will travel again to China, to the tiny island of Hainan, where he will attend the Boao Forum for Asia, equivalent to the European Davos forum.

Barcelona design company Lagranja opens office in Hong Kong

From http://www.expansion.com/2011/04/07/catalunya/1302160530.html (in Spanish)

Seeking for new challenges that would keep their creativity at a high level, the Barcelona-based design company Lagranja has recently opened an office in Hong-Kong. Founding partners Gabriele Schiavon and Gerard Sanmartí have chosen the former British colony as a new market for the company, after a failed experience in Brazil. In Hong-Kong, Lagranja will soon start to do the interior design of ten suites for the Madera Hotel, commissioned by the Hip Shing Hong Group. Company's sales rose from 230,000 euros in 2009 to near 500,000 euros in 2010, with customers such as Médicos sin Fronteras, Pans & Company and Banc de Sabadell, among others.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="412" caption="Lagranja new offices at Poble Nou, Barcelona (image from http://www.lagranjadesign.com)"][/caption]

Catalan president Artur Mas aims at internationalizing economy

From http://www.expansion.com/2011/04/07/catalunya/1302192612.html (in Spanish)

Catalan president Artur Mas has stated that Catalan economy should aim at having a greater internationalization through the increase in exports. He has also declared that, similarly to what happens with the largest Spanish companies that make up the IBEX-35, Catalan economy shall seek to have larger revenues from international exports rather than from the internal Spanish market.

Interest rates raised in China to reduce inflation

From http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/56a2c938-5f78-11e0-bd1b-00144feab49a.html (in English)

Chinese Central Bank raised interest rates four times in the last five months in order to tackle inflation. Deposit rate was increased to 3.25%, whereas the lending rate went up to 6.31%. At the same time, consumer price inflation in China increased to 4.9% in February, but March values are expected to be higher. They have probably been the reason for this somewhat unexpected increase.

Taiwan Business Indicators in February 2011

From http://www.cepd.gov.tw/encontent/m1.aspx?sNo=0015053 (in English)

The Taiwanese Council for Economic Planning and Development has released the information on the economic indicators corresponding to February 2011, which can be found on the link above. These indicators kept on showing an steady growth on Taiwan economy.

Economist Kenneth Rogoff sees a rich Catalonia

From http://www.capital.es/2011/04/04/kenneth-rogoff-%E2%80%9Csi-espana-quiebra-podria-caer-hasta-francia%E2%80%9D/ (in Spanish)

Kenneth Rogoff, who served as an economist at the International Monetary Fund and at the Board of Governors of the US Federal Reserve System, was interviewed by the Spanish magazine Capital, where he has declared that "Catalonia, isolated, would be one of the richest countries in the world". Rogoff visited Spain to promote the Spanish translation of his book "This time is different: Eight centuries of finantial folly" and he also declared that if Spain becomes broke, even France might fall.

Unemployment still on the rise in Catalonia and the rest of Spain

From http://www.expansion.com/2011/04/04/catalunya/1301910595.html and http://www.expansion.com/2011/04/04/economia/1301900769.html (in Spanish)

Job destruction is still on the rise both in Catalonia and the rest of Spain. March figures have shown another increase in unemployment rate, which accounted for 1.44% in Catalonia and 0.80% in Spain. Total number of unemployed people in Catalonia has reached 611,269 people and 4.333.669 people in overall Spain.

Industrial production in Taiwan increases in early 2011

From http://www.moea.gov.tw/Mns/english/news/News.aspx?kind=6&menu_id=176&news_id=20857 and http://www.moea.gov.tw/Mns/english/news/News.aspx?kind=6&menu_id=176&news_id=21043 (in English)

The Department of Statistics of the Republic of China (Taiwan) government has released information about the evolution of the industrial production in early 2011.

The industrial production index had an annual increase of 17.19% in January 2011. During this month manufacturing industry increased by 17.28%, mining and quarrying increased by 11.95%, supplies of electricity and gas increased by 1.60%, water supply increased by 2.27%, and building construction increased by a remarkable 42.86%.

In February 2011 the industrial production index had an annual increase of 13.28%. During this month manufacturing industry increased by 15.38%, mining and quarrying increased by 14.01%, supplies of electricity and gas increased by 1.99%, water supply increased by 2.18%, and building construction increased by an even more remarkable 58.96%.

Cadaqués recreated in Xiamen bay

From http://www.catalannewsagency.com/news/life-style/costa-brava-village-cadaqu%C3%A9s-will-be-copied-china (in English)

As already published here in sinalunya.com on October 8th, 2010, under the title of "Coastal village of Cadaqués to be recreated in Xiamen, China", Catalan News Agency reports on March 31st, 2011 that the project is starting to take shape, although it will not be finished until 2018. Chinese architects are determined to capture every detail in order to reproduce the village of Cadaqués in Zhangzhou, a city in the Xiamen bay, where the figure of Salvador Dalí will also play an iconic role.

 

[caption id="attachment_400" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="General view of Cadaqués"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_401" align="aligncenter" width="225" caption="Closer view of the church in Cadaqués"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_402" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Street by the sea in Cadaqués"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_403" align="aligncenter" width="225" caption="Street of Cadaqués in bloom"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_404" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="General view of Cadaqués"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_405" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Seaside view of Cadaqués"][/caption]