Shanghai

Frans Vandenbosch 方腾波 14/10/2025

ALDI in China

The German ALDI supermarket giant opened its first stores in China in June 2019. Today in October 2025, there are some 80 ALDI stores, most in Shanghai. Only since April they started to expand to Suzhou and Wuxi. ALDI has built a strong reputation in China on a strategy of “好品质、够低价” (Good Quality, Low Price).
Here in ALDI we can find the common products we are used to in Europe. They even have Camembert and Gewürztraminer !

Self check out

Mid-Autumn Festival

We are still in the October holidays. Today 6 October, we celebrate Mid-Autumn Festival 中秋节 Zhōngqiū jié, a major traditional Chinese holiday celebrated on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month. This year, it falls on 6 October, exceptionally late in the year. This festival places a strong emphasis on family reunions, with people gathering for a special meal. A central tradition involves sharing and eating mooncakes, which are round pastries that symbolize completeness and family unity. The celebration is also associated with the ancient legend of Chang’e, the Moon Goddess, who is said to live on the moon. Modern customs include admiring the bright full moon, which represents reunion, and enjoying activities like lighting and hanging lanterns.

Crayfish

The culinary phenomenon of crayfish is deeply woven into the social fabric, particularly as a centrepiece of summer night markets and social gatherings.
While “river lobster” is a colloquial name often used for crayfish, especially in China where they are called “小龙虾” (xiǎo lóngxiā, or “little lobster”), they are a distinct species from true lobsters.
China has grown to become a world leader in crayfish production, with an annual output of hundreds of thousands of tons, dominating both domestic consumption and the international export market.

Chen Weihua 陈卫华

Last week I had the pleasure to meet my good friend Chen Weihua again, here in Shanghai.
Chen Weihua very recently retired as the EU Bureau Chief for China Daily, based in Brussels, a role in which he also mentored the next generation of international journalists. He is a prominent commentator who actively engages in global discourse, particularly on issues related to China, such as challenging Western narratives on topics like surveillance by drawing comparisons with the United States. He basically was the only journalist daring to challenge Ursula Von der Leyen after her regular press conferences in the EU HQ in Brussels.
In his capacity as a senior correspondent and editor, Chen Weihua plays a significant role in shaping the coverage of European and Chinese affairs for a global English-speaking audience.

Beyond his political commentary, his reporting also captures cultural moments, as seen when he documented the playing of mahjong at a Spring Festival event in Brussels, humorously noting his own inability to play when invited to join. Through his columns for China Daily, he frequently articulates China’s perspectives on international relations and critiques what he describes as the “Cold War mentality” of Western nations. Following his retirement, he has returned to his roots in Shanghai, from where he continues to contribute critical political commentary to China Daily in his new capacity as a Senior Freelance columnist. I had the pleasure of sharing an excellent meal with him, which led to a wonderfully warm and stimulating conversation on global politics. We discovered a significant convergence in our views, finding substantial common ground on a number of international issues.

It’s hot, exceptionally warm for the time of the year

It is very hot here. In all my years living in Shanghai, I have never experienced such heat in the first week of October.

It is so hot here that some people are using hand fans.

State Grid Corporation of China (SGCC)  国家电网有限公司

SGCC is the world’s third largest company overall by revenue. It also is the largest government-owned company of the world.

The LiHe hotel 礼和酒店 where we stay here in Shanghai is owned by State Grid Corporation of China.

• 礼 (Lǐ): Literally means “courtesy”, “ritual”, “etiquette” or “politeness”. It carries connotations of respect, kindness and traditional values (often connected with Confucian ideals of harmonious social behaviour).
• 和 (Hé): Literally means “harmony”, “peace” or “reconciliation”. It symbolises balance, tranquillity and harmonious relationships.
• 酒店 (Jiǔdiàn): means “hotel”.

We remember State Grid Corporation of China from the EANDIS affair of 2017.
From a Chinese perspective, the failed attempt by China State Grid to acquire a stake in the Belgian Eandis (now Fluvius) is interpreted through a specific lens of geopolitics and economic relations. The core point of the Chinese perspective can be summarised as follows:

• Protectionism and discriminatory treatment: The official reason of “national security” for blocking the deal is not seen as genuine. Instead, it is regarded as a pretext for economic protectionism. Chinese analysts and officials argue that a distribution network in Flanders does not pose a critical threat to national security and that the same standards are not applied to investments from other allied countries. The incident is cited as a textbook example of the unfair barriers that Chinese companies face in the West.
• Politicisation of normal trade: China sees this as a clear case where a normal, mutually beneficial commercial investment was unjustly politicised. The role of the Belgian state security service in producing a brief, conclusive report is not seen as a legitimate assessment, but as a political instrument that was used to torpedo a deal that was otherwise solid from a business perspective.
• “Systematic restriction” of China’s rise: This event fits into a broader narrative in China that Western powers, including Europe, are systematically working to restrict China’s economic and technological rise. Blocking access to crucial infrastructure sectors is seen as a tactic to prevent Chinese companies from achieving global leadership and integrating into high value-added international networks.
• Criticism of “double standards”: The Chinese position often emphasises a double standard. European companies are welcomed and operate freely in Chinese energy markets and infrastructure, whilst Chinese companies experience disproportionate scrutiny and rejections when they attempt to invest in Europe, despite making competitive bids and having technical expertise.
• Scepticism about Western media and institutions: There is a deeply rooted belief that Western media and government institutions are often complicit in promoting an anti-China agenda. The role of the media in fabricating security concerns without, from a Chinese perspective, sufficient critical scrutiny, is seen as part of this problematic dynamic.

In summary, the Chinese position rejected the official Belgian narrative of a national security threat. Instead, the failed Eandis deal is described as a violation of the principles of fair competition, driven by protectionism, geopolitical fear of China’s growth, and a discriminatory political agenda that undermines the proclaimed commitment to global free trade. Similar cooperation attempts by State Grid Corporation of China happened in Philippines, Portugal, Italy,  Greece (all successful) and in Australia in 2016 (failed) and Germany 2018 (failed)

The cost of household electricity in China is 0.622 CNY per kWh (= 0.075 EUR)
The cost of household electricity in Flanders, Belgium is average 0.348 EUR per kWh. 
That’s almost 5 times more expensive than in China.
The large price gap stems from how electricity bills are structured. The final price includes more than just energy costs:
In Belgium: A large portion of the bill consists of government taxes, levies and tariffs   
For example, the real energy cost might be €0.084/kWh, but government taxes and network costs add significantly to the final price.  
In China: The provided price is a straightforward household rate, reflecting a different market structure and potentially lower associated costs and taxes.
It is expected that in 2030, electricity will be for free in China.

No wonder there are so much more EV’s in China than in Europe.

Shanghai street cleaners

The streets and pavements of Shanghai are exceptionally clean and well-maintained. One rarely sees litter or debris, a testament to the city’s efficient sanitation services. The surfaces are consistently swept, several times per day, even on Sundays and during holidays, presenting a gleaming and orderly appearance to residents and visitors alike. This remarkable cleanliness contributes greatly to the city’s overall atmosphere of pride and meticulous upkeep.

Chinese food, TCM, pastries, tea, flowers,…

Can you even imagine that I, here in China very much enjoy the real freedom and democracy in this country ?
…the freedom that I miss so much in Western Europe.
Can you imagine that ?

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Dit artikel in het Nederlands: Azië reis 2025 – deel 5