Christian Henrik Nesheim

"School na scam"that’s what many people say. But the truth is, once you step out of the four walls of school, you begin to realize something deeper: school taught you structure. From your first year to your final year, you learned how to follow a timetable, meet deadlines, prioritize work, and pace yourself. That structure? It’s the same thing wealth requires. There’s a huge difference between saving aimlessly and building a structured financial life. Savings, regular investing, expense tracking they may sound basic, but ignoring them is what silently keeps people broke. You must be intentional about your money. Do you have a monthly budget? Are you removing a fixed percentage (say, 10%) from your income every month for investing or saving? Do you track where your money goes weekly or monthly? Money doesn’t grow by vibe. It grows through patterns. Through plans. Through systems. Structure is what makes money predictable. Spontaneity may feel good in the moment, but it rarely builds wealth that lasts. bit.ly/adesinapf

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Are you a Chinese Language Nerd? Want to learn some cool phrases to impress your Chinese friends with? Look no further! Read this post to learn 3 phrases you can use in business conversations today. These are all "advanced" but "useful" in business convos: 1/ 薅羊毛 hāo yáng máo take advantage of discounts Example: "More importantly, how much longer can the platforms continue their promotions?" (更重要的是，平台的“羊毛”消费者还能薅多久？) 2/ . 三足鼎立 sān zú dǐng lì tripartite rivalry Example: "JD holds roughly 45% market share, firmly establishing itself as a key contender in the tripartite rivalry with Meituan and Eleme." (京东外卖约有45%的市场占有率，与美团、饿了么共同构建起“三足鼎立”的行业新格局) 3/ 偃旗息鼓 yǎn qí xī gǔ to cease fighting Example: "The food delivery war that began in April had already died down for a while by early June." (始于今年4月的外卖大战，本来已经在6月初偃旗息鼓一阵子了) Here's what to do next: 1/ Pick one phrase 2/ Practice the sentence above 3/ Think of it as a "template" (Eg A 与 B、C 构建起“三足鼎立”的行业新格局) 4/ Come up with your own sentence, practice it on your own 5/ Grab your nearest Chinese speaking friend / colleague / family member, and give it a go! I guarantee you'll impress with your amazing language skills! Want to learn more "advanced but useful" phrases like this? We'll be discussing these and more in tomorrow's RealTime Mandarin newsletter. Published every Saturday, it helps 12k+ China Nerds and Mandarin enthusiasts practice and improve their language skills every week. Want in? All you need to do is comment on this post (something like: "I'm a China Nerd and I want in!") and I'll send you the link. (You can also DM me if that's too much! Send me your email and I'll add you to the list 🤩)

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PIECES OF CHINA - Neijuan: when competition turns inward One of the words often heard in China today is “Neijuan” (内卷), usually translated as “involution.” It describes a situation where competition becomes so intense that effort increases but rewards do not - everyone runs faster, but no one moves forward. The concept, first used in anthropology to describe stagnant farming systems, has taken on a new life in China as a way to express the pressures of modern life. It now applies to education, the workplace, and even daily routines. ▫️ Education: the starting point Neijuan is most visible in the race for academic success. Children attend school during the day and are enrolled in tutoring programs at night or on weekends. Parents invest enormous sums in extra classes, not to help their children excel, but simply to keep up. The Gaokao university entrance exam symbolizes this pressure: hard work is necessary, but relative position matters more than absolute achievement. ▫️ Workplace competition The term also applies to professional life. In China’s tech sector, the “996” schedule (working 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., six days a week) became famous as an example of Neijuan: employees push themselves harder, not always for higher productivity, but to avoid falling behind peers. Promotions, salary increases, and recognition often depend not only on performance but on visible commitment and endurance. ▫️ Social dimensions Neijuan extends beyond education and work. It describes the constant comparisons between families, neighbors, and colleagues: who buys the better apartment, who secures the better school district, who earns a higher salary. In this sense, it is about status anxiety in a society where opportunities are abundant but competition is even greater. ▫️ Generational reactions Young people in China are increasingly vocal about the downsides of Neijuan. Some respond by embracing “tǎng píng” (躺平, “lying flat”), rejecting endless competition and opting for a simpler lifestyle. Others turn to entrepreneurship or creative industries, looking for spaces where value is not dictated solely by endless comparisons. The debate has become so widespread that it influences recruitment practices, educational reforms, and even government messaging. ▫️ Why it matters Neijuan is a lens through which many Chinese interpret their daily lives. For companies, it explains consumer behavior : parents’ spending on education, demand for products that save time, or the appeal of entertainment as escape. For policymakers, it is a challenge: how to sustain ambition and productivity without burning out the very people who drive growth. 💡 My Piece of Advice: Pay attention to Neijuan. It is a reflection of how a society under constant competition looks for balance between effort and reward. For anyone engaging with China, recognizing this pressure helps explain both consumer choices and workplace culture. ______ #PiecesofChina #Neijuan

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⚠️ When “Pretending to Work” Becomes a Survival Strategy. In China, 17.8% of youth are unemployed, and many are showing up to libraries and mock offices just to “pretend to work”. Not for pay - just to maintain routine, identity, and dignity. If this sounds absurd, think again: it’s a warning for Singapore. Our youth are ambitious, educated, and driven - but opportunities are limited, and expectations are rising. 💡 Here’s what leaders must confront: * Are we creating real pathways, or just certificates and KPIs? * Are alternative careers - freelancing, startups, side hustles - truly supported, or stigmatized? * Are we acknowledging that work defines identity, not just income? Pretending to work isn’t laziness. It’s resilience in a failing system. 💬 Leaders, employers, policymakers: What are we doing today to ensure our youth don’t have to fake it tomorrow?

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The annual Two Sessions in China, beginning today, is a key political event where leaders set economic priorities. The meetings of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and the National People’s Congress (NPC) will focus on economic stimulus, with expected targets of 5% GDP growth, a 4% fiscal deficit, and 2% inflation. Measures include increased treasury bonds and local government spending to stabilize the economy amid U.S. trade tensions. Premier Li Qiang’s Government Work Report will emphasize pro-growth policies, reflecting a shift to a more expansionary stance. Despite pledges to boost consumption and private sector confidence, structural reforms remain unlikely, as China prioritizes technological self-reliance and state-led economic strategies. Beijing is also taking steps to attract foreign investment, introducing the Foreign Investment Stabilization Action Plan to improve market access and streamline regulations. However, our AHK Greater China member companies await concrete policy changes before committing to long-term expansion in China. #China #Policies #Trade #Economy

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