Word: qingdao
(lookup in dictionary)
(lookup stats)
Dates: during 1980-1989
Sort By: most recent first
(reverse)
Three U.S. naval ships last week pulled into the northern Chinese port of Qingdao as a 21-gun salute fired and a 27-piece brass band played Happy Days Are Here Again. The vessels were in China for a six-day stopover, the first such visit by American military ships to the People's Republic since the Communist takeover in 1949. The port call had been delayed by more than a year, following Peking's unexpected statement that no nuclear-armed vessels would be permitted to dock. But the Chinese apparently had second thoughts after reports began to circulate last...
...Xuling enjoys a right that is basic in the capitalist world but is still a rarity in China. The 21-year-old spindle operator is free to quit her job at the No. 10 cotton mill in the northeastern coastal city of Qingdao. Reason: she has a five-year labor contract with the government that allows her to seek work elsewhere when the agreement expires...
...employment system, which the Chinese call the "iron rice bowl," workers can shirk their duties without fear of dismissal or reductions in pay. Their jobs are assigned, often regardless of ability or skill; indeed, most aspects of their careers are controlled by their bosses. "Because of these practices," says Qingdao Mayor Guo Songnian, "workers are slouchy and enterprises are sluggish. The job-contract system aims gradually but substantially to solve this problem...
Managers in Qingdao, which began offering labor contracts on an experimental basis in 1983, say the new system has boosted employee morale as well as factory performance. Li Xuling agrees. While her friends in permanent jobs earn an average of $27 a month, she took home nearly $60 in July. Asked if others were envious, Li replied, "No. But if they do get jealous, I'll tell them, 'Hey, this is socialism. If you want to earn more, work more...