Earlier today, at the World Economic Forum in Dalian, the ever so smug and smart-alecky CCTV host Rui Chenggang (芮成钢), successfully put himself in the limelight once more by asking US Ambassador to China Gary Locke, "I hear you flew here coach. Is that a reminder that US owes China money?" more ›

Rui Chenggang, the host of CCTV's BizChina, has decided very suddenly to take up the cause of criticizing luxury goods and how the rich use them to keep everyone else down probably. On his Weibo, Rui criticized China's consumption of luxury goods and the brands that supply those goods, specifically Hermes. "The Hermès Birkin handbag and the leather 'H' belt are strong weapons for China's nouveau riche and socialites to show off their wealth," which is kind of the idea of buying a Birkin handbag. Rui also said in the west, Birkin handbags are "just used by a few middle-age women." But Rui wasn't done being angry at luxury goods. He then put up a poll called "The Ten Most Vulgar Luxury Brands." When he closed the poll, he called the winning brands "the most effective weapons to show off one's wealth." Again, that's the idea. The winners of the poll were Louis Vuitton, Gucci and Rolex. His grand enemy Hermès came in 7th. Some people have begun speculating where Rui buys his luxury goods and why he's suddenly decided that this is bad. Others have speculated that this is all self-promotion from the man who's been called the Chinese Lou Dobbs (as if one wasn't enough!). more ›

Is the old perception about Beijing being the seat of culture, while Shanghai merely serves the idle rich still relevant? New rumors have surfaced alleging a private club for the well-heeled will be housed inside the Forbidden City's Palace of Established Happiness (建福宫), with membership costing 1 million RMB and limited to 500 of China's most fabulous. more ›

CCTV-9 news anchor Rui Chenggang should be happy now. Finally, a store that serves not just coffee but traditional Chinese beverages like tea too! After all, Rui was the wonderful guy who sparked it all off with a post on his blog which said that having a Starbucks in the Forbidden City, "is not globalising, but trampling Chinese culture". The coffee chain is "a symbol of low-end US food culture presence" which "undermines the Forbidden City's solemnity' and is 'an insult to Chinese civilisation". His vitriol attracted half a million hits within two days, and eventually led to the ousting of Starbucks from the Forbidden City. more ›

Photo by Anton Berkovich. more ›

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Even though we've long put our public relations days behind us, we can't help but think what a day in the life of a PR executive at Starbucks must be like. They must all have been working overtime lately with the Seattle-based coffee company hitting the headlines like crazy lately. First it was the landmark victory against Shanghai Xingbake, then there was the trans fat issue. more ›