With the National People’s Congress recently taking place and the latest National Plan being promulgated, now’s a good time to reflect on some of China’s oft overlooked “shortcomings”. Hu Jintao and Wen Jiabao may be setting out the course for the Chinese nation until 2016, but what else should they be aiming for?

1) Improve Taxi drivers’  knowledge of cities

How often have you gotten in to a cab and the driver doesn’t know where the place is? Either that, or they repeat what you say as though you’re talking in Ancient Persian or Vulcan  (“Chong wen men?” “Dui. Chongwenmen.” “Chong... wen... men...?”). Before being licensed, London cabbies have to undertake a test called “The Knowledge”, one of the most demanding feats of memory known to man because of the unruly and unplanned nature of London roads. With Chinese roads being somewhat more grid-like, surely it isn’t too much to expect taxi drivers to know where places are!

2) A National “Learn How To Queue” campaign

This should be something major, with short films during commercial breaks starring Jackie Chan and Zhang Ziyi. Da Shan could refer to it in a crosstalk dialogue, while Jay Zhou could sing an up-tempo pop song. There should be speeches given by officials, awards given by businessmen, and an educational crusade, with millions of schoolchildren taking time every day to learn the mysterious ways of waiting your turn. Buses, subways and trains could have banners and posters; individuals could wear ribbons or wristbands, showing their adherence to the great cause. Think about it – you know it makes sense!

3) Increase bank note denominations  

The largest note in current circulation is of course the 100 RMB note. This is equivalent to £10 or US $15; it’s not a large amount of cash. Why is this? Surely the time has come for 200 RMB and 500 RMB notes! If paying for something large in cash, it would be nice to be able to fit the notes inside my wallet, rather than them bulging out and giving an illusory sensation of temporary wealth. And we might as well get rid of the 1 fen coins, while we’re at it.

4) Deodorant

China is a hot country in the summer. It would therefore be nice if deodorant and anti-perspirant were easier and cheaper to buy. Even when supermarkets do sell it, the options are usually few and far between. Why the deodorant industry just hasn’t taken off in China is sometimes baffling. Companies have nothing to lose, but instead, may gain a major profit and help fill the streets with more pleasant smells.

5) Holiday re-arrangements

It’s nice to get time off work for Spring Festival or Mid-Autumn Day – while I yearn for a lengthier holiday at Christmas, every nation has different festivals. I respect that. But what irritates is the jiggering about of the working calendar: Mid-Autumn Day and National Day 2010, for example, saw a schedule of six days on, one day off, three days on, three days off, five days on, seven days off, two days on, and one day on, before returning to normal. A simplification of the holiday times would make things much simpler and easier to plan ahead for.

6) Banks

In many ways, China is a tech-friendly nation; Chinese-made cell phones are cutting edge, for example, while a great percentage of popular consumer technology is constructed in China. Yet Chinese banks continue to use remarkably archaic practices. Somehow, it’s harder to replace a lost bank card than it is to open a new account; ATMs only report your balance, not your recent transactions; and you may have to sit for up to an hour to see a teller. Chinese staffing costs aren’t that high, so surely the banks could arrange for more staff at peak times? The banks may not value our time, but I’m sure we customers do! Banks of China: you need to raise your game.

7) Property prices

Okay, everyone knows about this, but still. Property prices are thought to be generally sustainable at 3x annual salary. To buy a standard three bedroom apartment of around 100 square metres in Beijing, one would therefore have to be earning in the region of 70,000 RMB per month. I literally have no idea how local residents manage to buy houses. Wages rising ahead of property inflation is obviously what’s required here.

8) Buying train tickets

I would like to travel during Spring Festival, too. With time off from work, it would be nice to see some part of China I haven’t yet visited. But I’m certainly not going to queue for 17 hours outside a railway station to be able to do so, thanks! A system to book tickets online is sorely needed – and would help prevent parasitic scalpers from jacking prices even higher.

9) Doggy clothes

Dressing dogs up in cute little outfits – perhaps a coat, or a pair of jeans – it’s wrong! Just stop it, everyone! A harsh, steep tax is what’s required here, with the proceeds going to animal shelters, and perhaps a special centre dedicated to the restoration of canine morale, after their owner-inflicted humiliations.

10) The service sector.

As China makes the transition from the world’s workshop to a consumer society, the service sector needs to improve drastically. We’ve all encountered sullen waiting staff, menus filled with dishes that aren’t available, shop staff who refuse to help you, bar staff unable to complete basic requests… We all joke and grumble about such occurrences, but why must we suffer them? Developed economies show the way.

Let’s hope that 2016 shows great improvements in all these areas!
 

Related links
7 Things in China That Could Kill You
What to Expect and How to Prepare for Your Move to China
10 Things I Wish I’d Known before Coming to China

Warning：The use of any news and articles published on eChinacities.com without written permission from eChinacities.com constitutes copyright infringement, and legal action can be taken.

Keywords: China’s shortcomings tips for improvement China China Five year plan suggestions