Coffee with Cream on

Flushed with record profits, Starbucks envisages more stores inChina's wealthy southern cities as the way ahead. STARBUCKS demonstratesits commitment to China,"began the statement. Whenwas the world's biggestcoffee brewer not commit-ted to China? The American firm haspoured huge efforts over the past decadeinto making China a key market. But arecent agreement to increase its stake inits southern China operations signals anew focus on China as the world's lead-ing retailer and roaster of…     

Yeah,Very Good

US post-punk favorites came,conquered and got very wet in Beijing's Haidian Park AFTER months of will-they-won't-they speculation,US indie rockers the Yeah Yeah Yeahs played the in- augural Modern Sky Festival that took place October 2-4 during the five-day National Day holiday.The hour-long wait between the preceding Joy Divi- sion-admiring RETROS and the head- liners suggested some space between     

The Brainy Bunch

China’s punk pioneers Brain Failure do fashion shoots and sing in English. What’s punk about that? FROM after-show beers     

Sounds Like China

A renowned British avant-garde artist is the latest to drill the aural environments of China＇s cities for a sound art project.     

The Sum of Parts

BEFORE China joined theWTO.automakers thatwanted to manufacture inChina were compelled touse local content.Earlyentrants like GM and Volkswagen builtup local supply networks and manufac-turing plants.China's WTO membershipbrought import duties down,promptinga rush of foreign firms bringing in kitsfor local assembly.Manufacturers im-porting60percent of parts,however,will shortly be taxed at the same rate asimported finished cars.To get around the tax,carmakers areencouraging their suppli…     

Wei Wei on the Web

How an Irish dotcom company is using a Chinese popstar’s new album to get the world to use its handset-friendly .mobi Internet domain.     

Move over Mandopop

Mainland pop stars, long accustomed to living in the shadows of counterparts from Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore, must now deal with a push by international labels onto their home turf.     

Sounds Like Promoting

Years on the scene, musician and promoter Jon Campbell has learned what China's music fans want to hear - and pay for.     

Ringing in the Changes

SUITED senior officials,shaggy singers and slouch-ing Internet potatoes movedaround each other with anuneasy lack of familiarity atthe opening ceremony of the Intel i-CafeMusic Studio in Zhengzhou on an icylate November day. The dignitaries wereofficials from the Department of Cultureof Henan. the central Chinese provinceof which Zhengzhou is capital. Wearinga surfeit of black, white and brown hairdye, the would-be rock stars were mak-ing a rare public foray. Most of themweren't familia…     

Art Matters

Beijing's Huajiadi community of contemporary artists may have disbanded, but its impact and the commercial success of its artists have been enormous.