Month: June 2019

Have you ever seen an Argentine supermarket on the streets in China? If the answer is no, you may be surprised to know that in Argentina, a Latin American country thousands of miles away from China, Chinese supermarkets abound.

There are about 11,000 supermarkets in Argentina belonging to Chinese families and nine million out of the country’s total population of 43 million shop there daily, Diego Ramiro Guelar, Argentine ambassador to China, said in an interview with China Daily website.

Now you might be wondering why are there so many Chinese supermarkets in Argentina? When did those Chinese emigrate there? Which part of China are those immigrants originally from? Above all, how did those immigrants feel in the new country?

From Here to China, an Argentine drama comedy directed by Federico Marcello, may help satisfy your curiosity and offer answers to your questions through quite an atypical way.

Inspired by his observation that most of Chinese immigrants in Argentina are engaged in the retail trade, Marcello interviewed nearly 400 Chinese supermarket owners before he made up his mind to tell a story about the Chinese community, a reticent ethnic group that is often ignored or even misunderstood in his country.

However, instead of directly bringing those Chinese immigrants into focus in his film, the director blazed a trail by telling a story of an Argentine man Facundo who travelled to Xiamen, East China’s Fujian province, with his friend and opened the first-ever Argentine supermarket there.

The duo’s act is part of Facundo’s revenge for his father’s business failure back in the 1990s when the arrival of a slew of Chinese supermarkets in Argentina elbowed many local ones out of business and the one owned by Facundo’s father was unfortunately one of them.

To the director’s mind, a mockumentary portraying two Argentines’ struggle to establish a business in an utterly different cultural milieu on the other end of the world can help put his countrymen into the shoes of their Chinese neighbors whose stores dot the neighborhood.

The indie production, made on a tight budget of $80,000, nearly emptied the director’s pocket. But to ensure authenticity, the team did not simply opt for the China Town in Argentine as the setting for the film; instead, they packed up some Argentinian delicacies such as mate tea and dulce de leche (caramel), and then embarked on an eastward journey to China’s Fujian province, where nearly 85 percent of the first-generation Chinese immigrants originally hail from.

To get by on the tight budget, the film also stars the director himself and his friend Pablo Zapata, producer of the film. Plus, many of Marcello’s family members acted in the film and his house was used as the filming location.

Despite a script test and some preparations, everything seemed topsy-turvy when the team first arrived in Xiamen. Their efforts of running an Argentine supermarket were beset by a series of problems – language barriers, falling behind the shooting schedule, low supermarket patronage and more.

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Battery giant Contemporary Amperex Technology Ltd will invest up to 1.8 billion euros ($2.05 billion) in expanding its European production and research base.

The investment will be used to construct a lithium-ion battery production base and a center for product research, development and testing, CATL said in a statement on Tuesday.

The investment in the project, located in Thuringia, Germany, would amount to a maximum of 1.8 billion euros, up from the previous plan of 240 million euros last year, according to the statement.

Construction is estimated to last no less than 60 months, and the project will cover around 70 hectares, the statement said.

According to CATL’s earlier announcement, the project will start operation in 2021, and have the capacity of 14 gigawatt-hours by 2022. The newly released statement did not mention or update this information.

“Based on the 1.8 billion euros investment, we estimate that the final capacity of the project may exceed 14GWh,” analysts from Sinolink Securities said in a report on Wednesday. Equipment manufacturers are expected to benefit from the project, according to the analysts.

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The report noted that the new energy vehicle sector has grown rapidly in Europe in recent years, while its battery industry lags behind. The battery capacity of the European Union accounts for less than 4 percent of the world’s total, according to the data from Bloomberg.

CATL, which was established in 2011, has set up branches in countries including the United States, Canada and Japan.

Cui Dongshu, a senior researcher with the China Automobile Dealers Association’s research institute, said the move would help CATL better serve local clients, and will further consolidate the battery giant’s position in foreign markets. Cui said many Chinese battery manufacturers have improved their technology and have the capability to expand overseas.

“Homegrown firms remain at the forefront of EV battery innovations, driven by their technological strength and solid client base,” said Zou Hui, an analyst at Orient Securities.

Other leading homegrown players in the EV battery sector include automaker BYD and Guoxuan High-Tech Co Ltd.

The Chinese government’s efforts to popularize electric vehicles have underpinned the fast expansion of battery companies. China’s new energy vehicle market has experienced a boom, despite sluggish sales for gasoline-powered vehicles.

Data from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers show that new energy vehicle sales in May reached 100,400 units, up 1.8 percent year-on-year. The growth rate was 18.1 percent in April and 85.4 percent in March.

Adding No 1 overall draft pick Hughes and trading for All-Star defenseman Subban sends signal

NEWARK, New Jersey – The New Jersey Devils introduced No 1 overall NHL draft pick Jack Hughes to local media on Tuesday – and he’s already sharing the spotlight.

The Devils have served notice they might be re-emerging as a contender with an encouraging draft and the stunning acquisition of three-time All-Star and former Norris Trophy-winning defenseman PK Subban from the Nashville Predators.

Pessimism is turning into optimism for a team that finished with the NHL’s third-worst record this past season and missed the playoffs for the sixth time in seven years.

“Adding a talent like Jack Hughes on Friday night and getting PK Subban on Saturday, obviously I think the Devils are back in business, “said general manager Ray Shero.

It started with winning the draft lottery in early April.

With the first pick, the Devils plucked Hughes, a shifty 18-year-old center. Subban, meanwhile, immediately steps into the role as New Jersey’s top defenseman.

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A recent gala dinner in Guangzhou featured dishes from Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Cantonese and Sichuan cuisines prepared by masters in their own right, Li Yingxue reports.

Food documentary director Chen Xiaoqing thinks most delicacies come about because of the combination of different ingredients and seasonings, and each food is looking for its other half.

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“When I look at a table of gourmets, I’m always wondering what kinds of minds can create these wonderful meetings of different ingredients,” says Chen.

Speaking at a gala dinner themed “The Rediscovery of the Taste of Chinese Cuisine” in Guangzhou recently, he explained his understanding of the relationship between food and life.

The dishes at the dinner were prepared by three chefs specializing in Jiangzhe (Jiangsu and Zhejiang) cuisine, Cantonese cuisine and Sichuan cuisine.

Wang Yong, the executive Chinese chef of the Four Seasons Hotel Hangzhou at West Lake; Chen Xiaodong, the executive chef of Co-create Restaurant & Yue Restaurant; and Michelinstar chef Andre Chiang from Taiwan joined hands to prepare a nine-course dinner.

Different from refrigerators used to keep food, vegetables and fruits fresh, specially designed refrigerators for cosmetic products have become popular among Chinese youngsters as they pay more attention to appearance.

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Better financial conditions have allowed Chinese youngsters to spend more time on their faces and also learn how to do makeup from others, such as online makeup bloggers.

The tiny, colorful makeup fridges used by these bloggers to store cosmetics such as masks, creams and perfumes at a constant temperature in the scorching hot summer have rapidly gained popularity among youngsters.

Although the price of a refrigerator for cosmetics is much higher than an ordinary one, from some hundreds to thousands, some youngsters are still willing to pay for it.

According to data from e-commerce platform Tmall, the proportion of new buyers grew at 99.26 percent. Of them, 40 percent were born after the 1990s and the majority lived in second-tier cities.

A young woman surnamed Zeng, from Xiamen, East China’s Fujian province, said she purchased a fridge to protect her makeup from deteriorating due to high temperatures.

However, given cosmetics are tested to hold up at room temperatures, some netizens have expressed their doubts about the need for such items and considered them unnecessary.

Deng Jingkun, an expert on cosmetics in Xiamen, said that in most cases, cosmetics should be preserved according to the instructions on the package, with no need to keep them in a special fridge, but facial masks and aloe vera gel would be suitable for such storage.

The Lionesses maintained their perfect record in the tournament by outclassing the Scandinavians, with the right-back playing a pivotal role

Lucy Bronze has hailed England for their sound defence and clinical attack in Thursday’s 3-0 win over Norway to book a World Cup semi-final spot.

The right-back was the star of the show as she had a hand in all of her side’s goals as they progressed to set up a tie with either France or USA.

She set up Jill Scott and Nikita Parris before the full-back scored one of her own by firing home from outside the box.

A two-time Champions League winner with Lyon, Bronze is regarded as one of the finest players in the women’s game and England boss Phil Neville sang her praises after the win.

The ex-Manchester United star hailed Bronze as the best player in the world and backed the 27-year-old to win the Ballon d’Or this year.

However, she was eager to heap praise on the team after such a convincing victory.

“It was a comfortable game, even out of possession, we were comfortable,” she told BBC Sport. “They had good chances but defensively we were so solid. We were clinical and found the gaps in their defence while our defence stayed strong.

“It always seems to be against Norway. I’ve been dreaming of getting to the semi-final in Lyon. All the passion came out in that strike.

“I was practicing that one this morning. I did a few shots like that. Practice makes perfect.”

Meanwhile, England centre-back Steph Houghton was elated to book a spot in the final four of the competition and believes they will be even better in the next round.

“We know we are one game away from a final. We’ve been ticking games off in our head,” she said.

“The performances are getting better. You know a semi-final will be tough no matter who we play.

“We look forward to watching them [France and USA]. We’ll be going to the training pitch and getting even better.”

 

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The Brazilian World Cup winner and former Barcelona forward says his countryman will need to rebuild some bridges if he rejoins the club this summer

Rivaldo says Neymar would have to make an official apology to Barcelona fans if he completes a sensational return to Camp Nou from Paris Saint-Germain this summer.

Neymar left Barca under a cloud in 2017 after PSG paid his €220 million (£200m/$262m) release clause, but after two troublesome years the French club’s hierarchy appear to be ready to send him back to Catalunya.

Rivaldo, who played for Barca between 1997 and 2002, says he wants to see Neymar back in Catalunya and believes he could help the club win the Champions League again, but realises the 27-year-old would have to rebuild some bridges before he can get back to business.

“It’s a difficult decision,” Rivaldo tells Goal at Camp Nou, courtesy of Betfair. “It’s difficult because of the way Neymar left. I think a lot of the fans are angry with everything that happened, but football is how it is, football is good, and Neymar is a great player who has personality.

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“So if he comes here of course there will be times when he is criticised by some fans, but in the games, the training sessions, Neymar will still be the same Neymar, and it could be something special for Barcelona. 

He adds: “He should say sorry. Officially, yes. Say sorry, say he was wrong, say that this is his home, that he is going to be the difference. 

“I think that all the fans… many will understand, they’ll see him on the pitch in the league, the Champions League, doing things well, and the fans will forgive him easily. 

“If it’s like it was when he was here playing football before together with Messi and Suarez, it was great for the club. If they win the Champions League, I don’t think it will be a problem for the fans.” 

If Neymar does return to Camp Nou this summer he will inevitably be charged with helping the club win the Champions League, something they have not done since the ‘MSN” frontline featuring the Brazilian, Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez lifted the trophy in 2015. 

Barca had looked set to reach the final this year, only to see a 3-0 first-leg lead slip through their fingers at Anfield, leading to a clamour for coach Ernesto Valverde to be fired. The club elected to stick with the former Athletic boss, and while Rivaldo says he has simply suffered from “bad luck” last season, the Brazilian does say changes need to be made when it comes to the Champions League. 

“They have to be more careful when they play a quarter-final or a semi-final, when they are 3-0 up! To be more careful of the fact that ties are not decided in one game, they are decided in two. You have to play with intelligence; if you win 3-0 at home you have to make some changes to play a bit more defensively.  

“I am Barcelona but we have to play for the result, with the goals that they score at home, in some games away from home you can’t play how you always play. If you are 3-0 or 2-0 you can’t play in England and Italy like you would at home, you have to make some changes and hope to finish the first half 0-0 or 0-1, you have to play until the result is in the bag.” 

But while Rivaldo supports Valverde, he says he would love to see Pep Guardiola return to the club as coach one day. 

Guardiola won the Champions League twice in his four seasons at Camp Nou, and has since gone on to enjoy success at Bayern Munich and Manchester City. 

“Always, in every team he has managed, he has done something spectacular,” Rivaldo says. “He’s such a great coach, and I hope that one day he can come back to Barcelona. 

“He’s from the city, he loves the club, and if there is a chance why not? He has already shown that he’s a great coach in other countries, and now if he wants to return home I think he has the opportunity.” 

As official betting partner of Barcelona, Betfair invited supporters from all around the world to play in a tournament at Camp Nou. Fans won a place by testing their Barca knowledge in a quiz named ‘Beat The Elite’ where they had to better the score of 1999 Ballon d’Or winner and Betfair Ambassador Rivaldo.

The Freiburg forward scored twice in Thursday’s dramatic 4-2 win over Romania in Bologna to take his tournament tally to a record-equalling seven

Luca Waldschmidt is not your average footballer.

The Germany Under-21 international is quiet and assuming, a vegan that rarely makes headlines. He doesn not even drive a fancy car, instead turning up for training at Freiburg on a Vespa.

“Luca is such a normal guy,” according to his team-mate at both club and international level, Robin Koch. “Totally grounded. In football, that is very rare.

“Even if he scored three times, he won’t change his behaviour.”

Which is nice to hear, because Waldschmidt has now scored a record-equalling seven times in just four appearances at the European Under-21 Championship.

With his most recent strikes, he earned his country a place in the final with a thrilling 4-2 victory over Romania in an absorbing encounter in a sun-baked Bologna on Thursday evening.

The reigning champions had appeared to be heading out at half-time, trailing 2-1 to a rampant Romania side who were being roared on by a raucous, 10,000-strong travelling support.

Indeed, they should have been two goals down at the break but Alexander Nubel pulled off a stunning reaction save to keep out a powerful header from Romania’s all-action No.9 George Puscas.

The Palermo forward, who sparked transfer talk with his barnstorming performances during his country’s historic run to the last four, had already scored twice at the point, cancelling out Nadiem Amiri’s opener with a penalty before nodding the tournament’s surprise package into the lead.

Ianis Hagi, the sone of the iconic Gheorghe, had won his side the spot-kick but the No.10 then gifted a wiltering Germany side a way back into the game just after the break, when he needlessly pulled back Mahmoud Dahoud on the edge of the area.

It was, as the rightly proud but understandably crestfallen Romania coach Mirel Radio admitted in his post-match press conference, a foul that “changed the entire story of the game”.

Waldschmidt managed to beat Iaonu Radu from the spot – even though the goalkeeper got his left hand to the ball – and then, after squandering an excellent close-range opportunity to win the game with seven minutes remaining, he converted another set-piece in the dying seconds of normal time.

It was by no means pretty, with the Germany No.10 finding the back of the net with a low free kick that somehow snuck under the Romanian wall before then striking Radu’s left post on its way in.

Amiri’s subsequent set-piece striker – which came after Alexandru Pascanu had been sent off for desperately hauling down Lukas Nmecha – was far easier on the eye but there was no denying that the game belonged to Waldschmidt – again.

There had been little hype surrounding the 23-year-old coming into the tournament but he is now being linked with a move to Serie A side Lazio.

It’s easy to understand why. He is technically excellent, more than comfortable dropping deep to pick up the ball, and has a fantastic left foot, as he underlined with his stunning strike against Austria in the group stage.

With his double against Romania, he has now scored in four consecutive games and, on Sunday, against either Spain or France, will have the chance to break Marcus Berg’s record of seven goals at a single Under-21 Euros.

He really isn’t your average footballer.

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The return of Leonardo to Paris has sparked talk of the midfielder extending his stay in the French capital but his mother issued a formal denial

Adrien Rabiot has not rejected an offer to extend his contract with Paris Saint-Germain, his mother and agent insists, adding that the midfielder will not renew his deal with the French giants.

Rabiot’s contract expires at the end of June and he has long been linked with some of Europe’s top teams.

Juventus are leading the race to sign the 24-year-old, but Manchester United, Liverpool and Barcelona have all been named as potential destinations in recent months.

PSG, meanwhile, recently saw sporting director Antero Henrique leave the club and brought Leonardo back to the French capital to replace him.

The Brazillian’s return has sparked rumours Rabiot could be set to turn back on his decision to leave by signing a new contract.

However, his representative, Veronique Rabiot, says she has not discussed the possibility with Leonardo and says there is no chance of it happening.

“I want to make a formal denial,” she told  RTL .  “I read absolutely everything. That Adrien had an appointment with Leonardo that he did not honour. Or that I received an offer to extend his contract from Leonardo that I refused to raise the auction.

“This is absolutely wrong. There is not the slightest discussion between Leonardo and I.
 
“I had him on the phone once since he came back and we greeted each other with respect. He’s a smart person. There was no offer and there will not be any.”

Goal  understands Juventus have offered Rabiot a contract worth €7 million (£6m/$8m) per season and are confident of sealing the signing of the France international.

But Veronique refused to confirm that a move to Turin is on the cards and will not reveal where he is going until a deal is made official.

“You know, in football, we’re very superstitious, and it’sbetter to say as little as you can until nothing is done.”

Rabiot rose through the PSG academy to make 227 appearances for the first-team and has won six Ligue 1 titles with them. 

However, his ongoing contract dispute saw him limited to just 20 games in all competitions in 2018-19.

In British author Kenneth Grahame’s literary classic, The Wind in the Willows, Water Rat says to an astonished Mole who is experiencing the river for the first time: “Believe me, my young friend, there is nothing half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats.

“In absolutely no way is that fictional, anthropomorphic rodent wrong. Personally, I love it. Growing up in a Welsh seaside town, I’m always drawn to the water.

So naturally, when it was jokingly suggested that I, a foreign-born copy editor with a habit of avoiding too much social interaction, should join the dragon boat racing team of this venerable organ, I immediately made my mumbled excuses. “I’d love to,” I said with mock disappointment, “but the boat is probably already full.”

“Oh, no,” piped up my always smiling and helpful colleague.

“But it’s probably not open to the foreign staff,” I countered.

“I’m sure it is,” she retorted with a knowing smile. “I’ll find out.”

And thus, I was press-ganged; bound by a sense of duty to my colleague. I was officially a Dragon Boatist.

While I have had my fair share of boat-based physical exertion on oceans, lakes and rivers (even coming unstuck on some rather tricky weirs), I was not prepared for the entirely different techniques required for propelling a dragon boat across the inky brine. Needless to say, 6 am starts were an equally alien concept.

With 10 of us sitting two abreast to paddle the boat, I was required to lean forward and twist my body sideways to the right, with my left arm high in the air, arced over my head holding the T-shaped handle of the paddle. My other hand, meanwhile, was thrust out in front of me, practically in the water, ready to dredge the blade of the paddle backward to the beat of a singular drum.

By the end of that first session, my entire flank was aflame. Muscles I have not felt since youth were screaming an angry song to every other part of my body.

Our second outing wasn’t much easier, but we were, as a team, finding our cohesiveness. Even if I still felt very much like an interloper, needing to have my aforementioned colleague sit behind me－like the parrot on a pirate’s shoulder－interpreting everything for me. Her boundless enthusiasm and promises that the coach was praising my efforts convinced me, however, that my spot in the boat was warranted.

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