Proving Provenance

Protecting intellectual properties in ASEAN countries using blockchain, IoT and NFC technology Counterfeit goods can be replicas or first copies, making it impossible for the layperson to differentiate. These counterfeit products can be as expensive as the originals. According to a recent survey by the Vietnam Directorate of Market Surveillance, 80 percent of consumers buy … Read more

Chengdu & Chill

Why the capital of Sichuan is China’s happiest city There’s an ancient Chinese proverb that says “the young shouldn’t go to Chengdu, and the old shouldn’t leave,” speaking to the laid-back lifestyle of this city of 10 million. The gateway to Western China and the capital of Sichuan Province, Chengdu is known for many things, … Read more

The Many Faces of Xi’An

48 hours to learn 3,000 years of Chinese history In a country with more than a billion people, it’s hard to stand out. Even the cities clash for attention—Beijing with its stretch of the Great Wall, Shanghai’s East meets West cosmopolitan chic, Guilin’s stunning limestone scenery. But Xi’an, is like nowhere else in China. While … Read more

Walking Beijing

Exploring one of the world’s greatest cities on foot It’s been called by many names: Jicheng when it was first known to be settled more than 3,000 years ago; Zhuojun, the northern terminus of the 1,776 km- long Grand Canal; Dadu, the Mongol capital under Kublai Khan; and Peking, a transliteration of the pinyin form … Read more

Heavenly Ascent

The reward of tackling wild monkeys, hordes of snap-happy tourists and a 3,099-meter climb up Mount Emei in Sichuan, China. Shrouded in mist, speckled with antiquated monasteries, and inhabited by bands of brazen macaques, the holy Mount Emei is the quintessential romantic image of ancient China. Two divergent paths of stairs and a smooth highway … Read more