China allegedly has the highest number of blogs in the world, and the highest ranked according to Technorati. I tend to focus on English voices blogging from within the country (because I can’t read nor speak Mandarin) and have four favorites I want to share. Some are marketing focused, some very funny, one is thought provoking, etc.. I am open to suggestions of other ex-pat blogs worth following.
My hat is off to these bloggers, particularly those blogging from inside the country, anyone who has tried to read, comment, or otherwise operate as a blogger with tools as diverse as Flickr to Technorati will attest to how hard and annoying it can be.
1. Will Moss: ImageThief. Moss is a PR pro now blogging from Shanghai. His work is syndicated by CNET Asia and he has been kind in his links to this blog in the past. He would be a top pick if I was asked who I would want to have dinner with during my next trip to China.
2. Kaiser Kuo: Ogilvy’s China Digital Watch. I almost did have dinner with Kaiser during my last trip, a meeting set up by our China marketing team. The man’s personal blog is very good, but his professional blog written for Ogilvy (our agency of record) is the best analysis of digital media trends. Period.
3. Michael Mann: Mann in China. Mike is a colleague running our production teams in Beijing. His diary of life as a twenty-something single guy in Beijing is very funny. His post about his driver — nicknamed “Dale” after Dale Earnhardt — is a classic
4. Rebecca MacKinnon: RConversation. Former CNN correspondent, now the leading voice on freedom of speech and expression issues for Chinese bloggers.
Sounds like a list from chinalawblog’s blogroll (or what we all read…)
But really, I think there is a common trends for expats in China – they serve other expats and foreign companies. In order for them/us to do that, they/we have to show our knowledge on the subject – which is where blogs come in.
David, thanks … much appreciated. Now I feel obligated to be more active on the blog! I’ll start that off by sharing my view of the grand opening of … Hooters! Yes, that’s right… Hooters Beijing is now open for business.
James Fallows from Shanghai. One ofd his first posts about bringing his private plane to China and getting it fueled (which was done by the airport manager by siphoning av gas from a barrel in the back of a truck via a 20mm garden hose hose was a scream.
the URL is wwww.jamesFallows.com
best,
Jim
Honored! Wish I had more time for the thing, but the damn job keeps getting in the way. Will Moss and I would both be delighted to dine with you next time you’re out this way. I’m proud to call him a good friend, and soon a neighbor again: he’s moving back to Beijing soon. I agree with you–ImageThief’s the best China expat blog. He’s every bit as insightful and funny in person.
Here’s a blog that I follow – a Brit who moved to Hong Kong with his family. Covers a bit of everything – but makes me laugh.
http://crippong.blogspot.com/
K