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Dan's China diary - day 14
A Friday night on the town and a chance encounter with a government official

By Dan Ilett

Published: Friday 23 June 2006

In May 2006, silicon.com senior reporter Dan Ilett travelled to China, seeking to get behind some of today's most interesting tech and business stories. This is his warts-and-all diary, which appears daily this month. For in-depth coverage of this fact-finding trip inside China, including analysis and exclusive stories, click here.

Friday 19 May, Shanghai

'World's tallest woman seeks treatment in Shanghai', the front page of the English language China Daily reads. Apparently Yao Defeng, a woman 2.36 metres tall, is receiving treatment for a brain tumour that has led to her gigantism.

It's a good picture story but I'm baffled. Why would you run that as a front page lead headline when the rain I was whining about yesterday turned out to be a typhoon that killed at least 16 people? There's a story about it at the bottom of the page but the Shanghai Daily got it right, leading with the storm.

My mum was sending me text messages last night to see if I was OK. She'd been watching the news "and just wondered". But it didn't really hit that badly here. The weather was just a bit grotty.

Another headline that also sticks out: 'Google in talks with China Mobile'. That would make sense after what Andy Tian - a Google contact I made in Beijing - was saying the other night. I wouldn't mind betting he's had a hand in that.

Several interviews lined up with the young US entrepreneurs I met the other night. They go well and, as expected, I find these guys have a good grasp of how to run a business over here. They all have MBAs and seem to be giving the home-grown talent a run for their money. My editor will be pleased I got these in the bag.

Go home (the hotel is home now) get changed and head out to a CNET launch party - these guys really know how to put on a show. There are people dressed as robots to give it a high-tech feel and models handing out drinks. A Friday evening could be worse.

Meet one of the execs from the Shanghai Daily, James - a very tall Dutchman with a big appetite for parties. We decide to flee the corporate scene and hit the town.

Because of his status with the paper James gets us in to a club called the VIP Lounge for free. Not only that but we're given a VIP table with all the free drinks we could ask for. Amazing.

Within a few minutes of sitting at the table a local guy from one of the other top tables approaches us.

By the looks of things, we're the only foreigners in the club tonight. In Japan - my main reference point - you'd frequently get people coming up, asking to have their picture taken next to you. They say it's the same here but I've only experienced it twice so far.

This guy can't be more than 35 but there's a group of people with him all dressed for a good time.

He pours me something that tastes very strong and I'm told to finish the whole glass.

"What do you do?" he asks.

"I'm a writer," I say.

"I'm a government official," he says, pouring me another drink.

Excellent - I've wanted to meet someone in the government but have had no luck. This couldn't be better.

I slosh another drink back and notice that he, Tony, is pouring something different into his glass. As I'm about to challenge him about this, he pre-empts me and introduces me to a few people.

Actually it's a lot of people. He knows almost everyone in the club as it turns out. I'm not sure who this guy is but he seems to be quite important and we're getting on well.

After a few more drinks, introductions and mad conversations with the group about the UK and China we head down to Bar Rouge - the place to be on a Friday night in Shanghai.

Bar Rouge is located on the Bund. There's a beautiful view of the river and the skyline. From the décor you get a sense of what it was like here in the 1920s and 1930s. It was a party town then and has become so again.

I've heard a lot about this place. And it's not bad. Again by chance I run into realtor Luke Nolan and friends. They're a really cool bunch of people. We talk, dance, drink. I lose James but it's already 4:00am so I make my excuses and leave.

As I'm walking out a group of beggars clutching babies approach me. After a night of pure indulgence I realise that there's a whole side of China I'm failing to get close to. There are so many people without money, food and shelter that I don't feel like partying much more.

End the day again feeling like there are so many considerations when it comes to working here, in tech or in business more generally.

Tomorrow, find Dan taking a Saturday stroll, lapping up some of Shanghai's street culture before he departs for the south of the country.