This is an interesting little keyhole look into a country that’s obviously so important to international trade and economics, and yet still relatively mysterious to the uninitiated outsider.
I especially liked hearing about the differences between Chinese and US Wal Marts.
It was great to hear that one can buy snakes in Wal Mart China or fish one’s own fish out of the aquarium for immediate filleting. The sound of Chinese employees singing Wal Mart anthems is fun too – but I wanted to hear why they were so enthusiastic. Is it company policy to oblige them to sing along? Or do they feel loyal because they get paid better than the average wage in China?

And of course its low wages is one of the things that have brought Wal Mart a dubious fame internationally – the piece mentions that in China, they’re not as averse to unions as they are in the US, but it just so happens that no one wants a union in China’s Wal Mart. Really? The producer neglects to ask Chinese employees themselves what they think about the company. Or Chinese shoppers for that matter.

I like to hear from the people involved in the story rather than get a full interpretation from the narrator and this is the biggest drawback of this piece. Still – its certainly very easy