China and The 21st Century Part 1

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The vehicle that has created the opportunity for China to emerge as a great power has been its superior economic performance. Since Deng Xiaoping's announcement in the late 1970s of China's "Four Modernizations" Program, an effort designed to bring about economic reform and an opening to the outside world, China has experienced extraordinary growth. According to the State Statistics Bureau, the Chinese economy grew 9.7 percent in 1996 and was predicted to grow 10.5 percent in 1997. China has had the world's fastest growing economy for the past several years. For the past 15 years, it has experienced nearly a 10 percent growth rate. Even the most pessimistic of analysts believe that China wil likely grow at a rate of at least 5 percent per year, which means the gross national product (GNP) could double every 12 years. The real question for China is not whether it will continue to grow, but how quickly it will continue to do so.

There is no economic or systemic reason why China's economy could not continue expanding rapidly for at least the next decade. Many other poor countries have been able to sustain growth for prolonged periods; Japan saw 10 percent growth from 1950 to 1970, South Korea 9 percent per year from 1962 to 1987, and Indonesia 6 to 8 percent for the past 28 years. High growth is a function of adopting modern production processes and eliminating inefficiencies. China can do both. A high savings rate (one-third to two-fifths of national income) means that it can afford to invest in neccesary advanced technology. A bloated state sector implies abundant waste (a recent survey found as many as 90 percent of state-owned enterprises were overstaffed, with the average level of surplus workers at 25 percent).

One might wonder what has taken China so long to achieve this economic growth. It has

substantial national resources, a reasonably well-educated labor force, a large territory and population, and a high national savings rate. But as China began to shift from a traditional planned economy (reflected in economic policies adopted between 1949 and 1978) to a socialist market economy, the extensive economic expansion was able to occur. By the 1990s, China's role in the international community was transformed. Deng Xiaoping embraced the international market both for goods and capital as well as capital investment and left Maoist ideology that supported the national policy of economic independence. The result was that by 1993, China was the world's 10th largest exporter, 10th largest importer, and the largest recipient of foreign investment. Replacement of inefficient enterprises, reformation of the market sector, and allowance for privatization of economic enterprise have all helped stimulate the domestic economy. This economic growth has made some believe that China will become the world's largest economy by 2010. According to the international Monetary Fund, China is already the world's second-largest economy. To Be Continued ....

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China's Flag

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China vs The US Graphic

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LEARNING IN 9 VOCATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL OF HOTEL AND TOURISM PADANG IS PROMISING TO FACE THE WORKLIFE By : Tito Fairuz Nuriadi

Before we faced the economic crisis, a lot of people could get jobs more easily. With their skills, they could do their tasks from one to another. But now, as we can see on TV, many unemployees are mushrooming. A lot of requirements have to be fulfilled. Also, the people must be creative on doing their jobs. The people are so confused to choose a job which is best for their future life. So that’s why the government gives a solution, especially for the young generation, by promoting vocational high schools more than regular high schools. Based on the latest research, vocational high schools of hotel and tourism have got a good respect and also will be recommended as a favourite vocational high school, for instance 9 Vocational High School of Hotel and Tourism Padang. So, what makes the vocational high school of hotel and tourism has got a good respect and become the first choice from junior high school students ? Learning in 9 Vocational High School of Hotel and Tourism Padang is promising to face the worklife for three reasons.

Firstly, the students are trained in doing their job. The school offers a unique curriculum by doing the internship. According to BusinessDictionary.com, internship is period of supervised training required for qualifying for a profession. It follows a specified number of academic credits or classroom years. So, by doing the internship, the students can learn the ropes on how to do the job. The students do more practicing than the theories. As in 9 Vocational High School of Hotel and Tourism Padang, the school owned a hotel named edOTEL Bundo Kandung. Also, the training is conducted there. So, the students can learn the ropes on how to do the job more effectively. They have to serve the guests. Although it is just a training, the students will be given a salary. Essentially, the students learn by doing. eDOTEL Bundo Kandung is located in Bundo Kandung Street No. 18 Padang, Indonesia. The facilities that are provided here such as air-conditioned room, hot and cold water shower, 21” flat TV, mini bar refrigerator, Double King-sized bed (Deluxe) or Twin bed (Superior), breakfast included, Free Internet 24 hours, and many more. The price list in eDOTEL Bundo Kandung now is : Deluxe Room = Rp 250.000,-/night, Superior Room = Rp 200.000,-/night, Extra bed = Rp 75.000,-/night, and Meeting Package = Rp 125.000,-/day/person (meeting room and meals are included).

Secondly, the International has approved the school’s quality has met the international standard of vocational high school of hotel and tourism. The devices to support the students activities have been imported directly from Austria. There are kitchen utensils, washing machines, public phones as a facility to communicate in school atmosphere, and so on. These facilities are provided with the purposes to simplify the students’ activities. Because the management field of this school is already recognized in the eyes of the world as a good school management according to the international standard, this school has got an ISO 9001 : 2000 certificate in quality management field and also this school is targeted to establish a partnership with business world. In addition, according to en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISO, ISO 9001 is maintained by ISO, the International Organization for Standarization and is administered by accreditation and certification bodies. A company or organization that has been independently audited and certified to be in conformance with ISO 9001 may publicly state that it is "ISO 9001 certified" or "ISO 9001 registered". Certification to an ISO 9001 standard does not guarantee any quality of end products and services; rather, it certifies that formalized business processes are being applied. Quality is a "culture" - ISO 9001 "Quality" is an important Accreditation to achieve, it is also essential for maximum benefit that information is shared so that the culture of the business ensures that the Quality culture is embedded.

Finally, the students are guided by professional tutors. The tutors, just like all teachers in 9 Vocational High School of Hotel and Tourism Padang, have got a training in Austria. Because this school’s quality has met the international standard of vocational high school of hotel and tourism and also has established a partnership with Austria, the teachers were asked to follow the training from Austria to increase their skills and methods in teaching in International-scaled school. With their skills, they will design the students to be independent, creative, and goal-oriented.

So, we can conclude that the international standard of vocational high school which teaches skills can prepare the students to face the worklife. Hopefully, the school may produce superior seeds that are skillful and useful for the future.