China have been leading the way in providing not just their country but the world a wide array of high-technology products that are competitive at the global level. These products provide consumers with convenient ways to communicate with one another and have enjoyed their rapid rise based on their affordable prices.

Any introduction to China’s high-technology products must include a discussion on the country’s pioneering and ingenious science park known as Zhongguangun or ZGC. This park is widely known as China’s “Silicon Valley.” It is the birthplace of many of China’s technology companies, including Lenovo, Huawei, Xiaomi, Tencent Holdings, Baidu, ZTE, and Alibaba. These Chinese companies have dominated global markets by producing some of the world’s most innovative as well as affordable products. Among these, particularly noteworthy are Alibaba, Xiaomi, and Huawei.

Alibaba started it all. Alibaba stepped into the spotlight for foreign investors who saw the vast growth potential of the company and the country. Alibaba is a main reason behind the decrease in the market value of U.S.-based portals, leading some to post losses. Yahoo’s 20% ownership stake in Alibaba has brought the U.S. company substantial profitability. Alibaba’s 2013 revenue reached $7.5 billion. Alibaba’s  success in the U.S. has had considerable influence on China. More specifically, an increasing number of Chinese investors are seeking investment opportunities in the U.S. by investing in U.S. companies.

Alibaba’s innovative way to provide people with high-quality technology programs have spurred other Chinese companies to replicate Alibaba’s success by developing new generations of products following the footsteps of Alibaba. One such example is Xiaomi, tagged as “China’s Apple.” The company was founded in 2010 and is considered the largest producer of smartphones. Its market value has spiked to about $45 billion, and it leads the smartphone market in China, outperforming major competitors such as Apple and Samsung. Its success has been driven by quality products offered at competitive prices. The company has since expanded to home products such as TV set-top boxes, air purifiers, and other appliances.

Finally, Huawei has entered the global market and is known as the second-largest producer of telecommunications equipment. Huawei has witnessed continued increases in its global sales, becoming the fifth-largest smartphone company in the world.

The rapid rise of China’s technology-based companies has been nothing short of astounding, but it still has vast room to grow even further. The people behind existing successes are tirelessly envisioning next-generation products and services, and this clearly indicates that China is finally shedding its labor-intensive image for a high-technology powerhouse.

Jinhang Du

This is to announce the list of semifinalists in the Spring 2015 Essay Contest.

These semifinalists will be evaluated for their inclusion as finalists in the coming months. Articles written by all semifinalists will be published over time.

Congratulations to all those who made the cut, and we sincerely appreciate the efforts of all those who participated!

S. Wang

J.Du

I.Kim

C.Yan

W. Lin

J. Xia

K.Park

J.Lee

Social Networking Sites help us connect with people—friends, family members, and even business partners. But despite all the advantages that these sites provide us with, we can’t avoid the fact that too much of it is a bad thing.

Nowadays, instead of working hard to finish things such as homework, projects and presentations—people opt to go online and log on to their favorite social networking site first; resulting in procrastination and failure to complete more important tasks.

There’s also the case of Cyber Bullying—which has been proven to be a bit harsher than physical bullying as it destroys not only the self-esteem of the victim, but also the victim’s relationship with other people.

As the saying goes, “too much of a good thing can make you sick”—innovation is the start of a brighter future, but if innovation destroys what makes us human then how are we even sure that we may have a future?

(Source: http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rb1goz8MXsQ/T4hwhb9fQcI/AAAAAAAAADo/kJGqk3mX0ns/s1600/facebookuser.jpg)