The French luxury brand Louis Vuitton has opened a new flagship store in the Dalian Times Square in Liaoning province.

The chairman of Louis Vuitton, Yves Carcelle, and the president of Louis Vuitton in China, Christopher Zanardi-Landi, attended the opening ceremony.

The two-floor Dalian Times Square flagship store covers a total area of 1,104 square meters, of which 900 square meters form the business area. The first floor of the new Louis Vuitton store is divided into a men's products area and a travel bags display area while the second floor has a women's products area, a VIP room, and a watch area. Products sold in these areas include travel goods, bags, shoes, apparels, watches, jewellery, and accessories.

The Dalian Times Square flagship store is Louis Vuitton's third flagship store in China. Having previously opened two Chinese flagship stores in Beijing and Shanghai, Louis Vuitton now owns 27 specialty stores on Chinese mainland.

Many thanks to Ron Armberger for providing this weblink for the Chinese Train Schedule in English.

http://www.travelchinaguide.com/china- trains/

The Chinese government recently announced that industrial contaminant
melamine has been discovered in many brands of infant formula produced
in China. Following these reports, the Food and Drug Administration (US)
issued an advisory warning consumers that any formula produced in China
may contain melamine and should not be used.

Melamine has since been found in other dairy products in China as well,
and the Chinese authorities have dispatched inspection teams around the
country to conduct a comprehensive check of milk products for
contamination. Because of the uncertainties related to dairy products
in China, the Embassy is not in a position to monitor or verify the
quality of any dairy product produced in China. Dairy products produced
and imported from other countries and currently on sale in China are not
affected.

September 4, 2008
Dalian Tuoshan Wind Power Farm, the largest wind power farm in Liaoning Province, is being built with in Tuoshan, Wafangdian, Dalian, and occupies an area of 62 square kilometers. The 33 wind power units, each with a capacity of 1,500 kilowatts, will be put into operation in December 2009.
Tuoshan Wind Power Farm will have a total capacity of 300,000 kilowatts — producing 700 million kilowatt-hours annually.
Currently Inner Mongolia has the most wind power units in China, with Jilin and Liaoning ranking second and third respectively.
From China CSR

Beijing: More than 1,000 delegates are expected to flock to Dalian this November for the fifth edition of Cosco's World Shipping (China) Summit. A stellar line up of speakers was unveiled at a press conference in Beijing today. Well known analyst Stephen Roach, chairman of Morgan Stanley's Asian operations, will speak at the event, as will the ceos of Seaspan, CSAV, Emirates, and Cosco, the presidents of NYK, China Shipping, K Line, and Sinotrans.
Described as the "Davos" of the shipping industry, the central theme for the two and a half day event will be "Navigating Cross-Currents". Cosco vice president Capt Zhang Leon noted that obstacles for the industry include the sub-prime credit crisis, the liquidity crunch, the depreciation of the US currency, soaring oil prices "all serving to make the shipping market more unpredictable". He also warned that the industry's "exposure to capital markets will also make it more vulnerable." The summit will address all of these concerns when it convenes on 6-7 November.
The event coincides with the sixth edition of Shiport China which is running this year from 5 to 8 November. The city of Dalian is positioning the whole week as a dedicated Maritime Week with Mayor Xia Deren also on the World Shipping Summit roster. A special maritime report on Dalian is due out shortly in the bumper September/October issue of Seatrade.

It's easy to register and vote absentee at www.overseasvotefoundation.org

Call me here in Dalian if you need help.

Matt Brazil
0411-39231911

People are being advised of an ongoing outbreak in China of an intestinal virus called enterovirus 71, or EV71.
This virus causes a variant of hand, foot, and mouth disease. There are no specific precautions for this other than the general hygiene recommendations for living in China.
Over 3300 cases have been reported in Anhui Province. All of the deaths were children less than 6 years old and most were under 2 years of age. A few additional cases have been confirmed in Zhejiang Province. Hubei Province and Hong Kong have also reported a few cases.
The symptoms of EV 71 are similar but more severe than the common hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD). Typically, it starts with a generalized illness, poor appetite, and sore throat, followed by a fever, rashes on the hands, feet, and buttocks along with mouth ulcers. HFMD is often confused with foot-and-mouth disease of cattle, sheep, and swine. Although the names are similar, the two diseases are not related at all and are caused by different viruses.

Infection is spread from person to person by direct contact with nose and throat discharges, saliva, fluid from blisters, or the stool of infected persons. A person is most contagious during the first week of the illness. HFMD is not transmitted to or from pets or other animals.
For more information here are some useful links

http://www.who.int/csr/don/2008_05_01/ en/index.html

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacifi c/7383796.stm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacifi c/7381741.stm

http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factshe ets/fs174/en/index.html

http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/revb/en terovirus/hfhf.htm

April 25, 2008
This Travel Alert updates U.S. citizens about security issues in China and advises American citizens traveling or residing there to be alert to their surroundings and exercise caution at all times. This Travel Alert expires on October 31, 2008.
Any large-scale public event such as the upcoming Olympic Games may present an attractive target for terrorists. There is a heightened risk that extremist groups will conduct terrorist acts within China in the near future. In light of these security concerns, U.S. citizens traveling in China are advised to use caution and to be alert to their surroundings at all times, including at hotels, in restaurants, on public transportation and where there are demonstrations and other large-scale public gatherings. Consistent with our standard advice, American citizens are urged to avoid the areas of demonstrations.
In accordance with these security concerns, Chinese authorities have increased security in China's airports during recent months. For example, Chinese airport authorities recently implemented tighter restrictions on taking liquids, aerosols, or gels aboard flights in carry-on baggage. Such restrictions may apply to food, cosmetics, toiletries and medicine. Travelers should contact their air carrier before their flight to determine the precise regulation in place.
American citizens are strongly encouraged to maintain a high level of vigilance, be aware of local events, and take the appropriate steps to bolster their personal security. For additional information, please refer to “A Safe Trip Abroad” found at travel.state.gov.
U.S. citizens planning travel to China should regularly check the Department’s Country Specific Information for China at travel.state.gov for the latest safety and security information, including the updated Olympics Fact Sheet, as well as the U.S. Embassy Beijing website at beijing.usembassy-china.org. Americans planning travel to China are advised to register their presence with the U.S. Embassy at travelregistration.state.gov/ibrs/ui/.
As the Department continues to develop information on any potential security threats to U.S. citizens overseas, it shares credible threat information through its consular information program documents, available on the Internet at http://travel.state.gov. In addition to information on the Internet, travelers may obtain up-to-date information on security conditions by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll-free in the U.S. and Canada or from other countries on a regular toll line at 1-202-501-4444.
This Travel Alert is being issued to update U.S. citizens to safety and security concerns

American Citizen Services Unit
U.S. Consulate General
Shenyang, China
Tel: 86-24-2322-1198
Fax: 86-24-2323-1465
Email: shenyangacs@state.gov