Your Careers In The Balance

[Old China Driver]

Gentlemen,

I have refrained from commenting for quite some time now. Unfortunately, the current events compel me to offer my thoughts and suggestions to my friends and colleagues.

We are confronted with possibly the gravest threat to the value and security of our careers since the communist riots in HK during the 1960's. The difference is that this time our adversary is totally lacking in morals, unlike the communists who at least had some idealism about them.

What you see developing are the fruits of a concerted program that was designed and implemented in the early 90's. The Swire 'machine' determined that going forward, their employees would be reduced to well below industry standards, and that it would be done in both a subtle and sometimes ruthless manner. The result has been a steady and deadly erosion of our career potential, and the 'management' of our expectations to the point that we are seemingly willing to put up with just about anything they impose on us. You must all ask yourself the question: What indignity is finally a step too far, and what will I do about it, both collectively and individually? The time is now at hand where everyone of us will make a decision that will determine the true nature and value of our careers for many decades to come.

Firstly, be of no doubt that CX has is determined to force through some drastic changes at the moment of greatest advantage to them. The economic situation has developed to provide the 'appearance' of grave peril to the airline, and this is an opportunity that our managers cannot resist. I say 'appearance' of peril, because in fact the situation is much better than they choose to portray.

The airline is in fact in very robust condition. We have many many billions of cash, liquid assets and credit lines available. We could fly every flight, every day empty for over a year before we had anything close to a cash crunch. We also have billions in mortgagable assets that could be converted into enough cash to see us well into the next decade. The airline is patently NOT anywhere near to 'going out of business'. Our managers work on a simply theory: Any concessions now will be returned slowly over the next 10 year period. This ensures that they constantly reduce their realised cost basis on an inflation adjusted basis for years to come. To put it in context, the 2500 pilots now cost them in real terms what 1400 pilots cost them back in the mid 90's. Read what I just said again carefully. Each one of us costs them about half what we did 15 years ago.

In addition, in the many profitable years we have all worked very had to produce, CX management have given most of the gain to themselves. The employees came a very distant 2nd or 3rd. If they had renumerated us properly (using a fair and equitable profit sharing scheme) during those years, there would be a reasonable moral acceptance of helping during the down year(s). However, as they chose to cheat us for so long, any talk of concessions now is beyond galling, and verges on the obscene.

I will have more (much more) to say in coming days. In the meantime, be of no doubt that you should steel yourselves for the greatest fight of your careers. It's outcome will determine whether your career is of value or not. It will determine your very character. I suggest you all start forming small, dependant groups of 4 or 5 friends who will educate each other and hold each other responsible for the well being of the others in the group. Now is the time to find resolve, character, courage and determination.

The reality is that CX cannot function without the pilots. They cannot victimise a single individual if they know that the rest remain united against both the day to day events, and the individual events designed to intimidate. The AOA needs to lay down a marker to the company, inform the membership as to the stance it is taking, and then have the members fully support the plan going forward.

CX will be well prepared in the coming weeks...and we must be also. Now is the time to stand up for yourselves and your profession.

OCD.

[Apple Tree Yard]

I also don't see our competitors (BA,DL,UA,QA, etc) suggesting pay or benefit cuts for their staff. CX can get stuffed. If you had paid me extra when the good times were here you would have a bit of an arguement, however, you cheated me and everyone else (I remember 2 years ago when we made $300m usd profit, but none of it was paid to the staff...althought the Swire mangers recieved hefty bonuses...:yuk:). Unbelievable what passes for man management in this sorry excuse for an airline (oh, I see we got 'airline of the year' again...what a joke!).

[goathead]

OCD
:ok: :ok: :ok:

[hongkongfooey]

Guys, would you really expect anything more from a bunch of ex drug dealers in suits ? Perrlease:rolleyes:

[Flap 5]

One hard fact is this: Hong Kong law allows that you can be sacked for no reason as long as they pay you your pay and allowances for your notice period.

Fine words OCD but that needs to be born in mind. It has happend before and will happen again.

[Apple Tree Yard]

Regardless of the law, all it would take is the 'elusive' determination to remain united. If the entire pilot work force had stopped flying the day the 49's were fired, the airline would have capitulated less than 24 hours later. It is simply our disunity that causes our weakness. The airline cannot function without it's intricate and fragile pool of 2500+ pilots operating in a sustained and reliable manner. If that is threatened, the costs to the airline increase exponentially. Never mind the PR disaster that a shutdown would incur. As soon as we find a way to resolve this decade(s) long weakness in our character and resolve, the problem of being constantly beaten with a big stick will end.

[TheHKAOA]

Spot on ATY.

3 months pay as notice to all pilots, the stoppage of the airline within a few days after the sackings, the crippling of HK's economy, Beijing would not be happy either......

Determination will stop the bully. Instead of spouting forth in PPrune and then running for cover when things get nasty, if we all showed some ba!!s
no one would stay sacked and the big stick will be broken for ever.

[Cpt. Underpants]

If you think for ONE SECOND that PEK will allow a predominantly expat UNION to cripple the economy of it's showpiece, you're dreaming gents.

In the blink of an eye, CX will disappear, China Eastern/Southern/Air China aircraft will be here in their hundreds, and the worlds' media, led on by CNNs' Chinoy (Hi Mike - missed you at the Sevens) and others will breathlessly report from CLK while the greedy pilots are shipped out.

Get real.

[ACMS]

Don't forget ATY a strong union in Australia ( My AFAP ) did just what you suggest, we all resigned on mass. You know ( or should know ) how that little exercise in industrial action turned out. :=

[Cafe City]

Correct ACMS.

The reality is that CX cannot function without the pilots.

People who think they are indispensable are in for a rude awakening.

[Rook]

I may not be irreplaceable, but the fact is that +2500 are not. Any Cx may be replaceable, but I'm sure Cx doesn't want that.
Also, it is my opinion, that at the end of all this, there could be less pilots for more jobs than anytime in any of our careers. Stick together now and look forward. Why would you roll over just because you lost the last fight. Get your buds together and fight back for **** sakes.

[hongkongfooey]

'89 just proves ATYs point, if it wasn't for a few selfish :mad:s that started the cancer, AN and to a lesser extent AA were weeks, possibly days from going broke, FACT.
So I suppose china airlines, southern and eastern are going to drop everything and come down here ( they might have a " little " trouble with the bases ) and do all of CXs and KAs flying ? And even if they did initially, they are goiing to do that ad infenitum ? They can barely crew their own a/c.
If there is going to be a fight, it would be nice if we didn't start running in the opposite direction before the 1st sword is drawn.

[TheHKAOA]

Spot on Rook. Pilots ARE indisensable, the problem is that most of us are too worried about what has happened in the past that we don't realise it any more.

Can the DFO, the CEO or COO fly your aircraft? What does the DFO do by the way, apart from gossip and spread rumours?

ACMS, I don't think ATY suggested we all resign. Forget 89, it happened, sadly, but learn from it don't keep on bleating about it.

I can see a big brown stain in Capt Underpants. PEK will not let CX management ruin the economy of its showpiece. China can't get enough pilots to fly its own carriers' aircraft, let alone CX's. Look at all the recruitment firms that are based in China recruiting (or trying to) expat pilots.

[Apple Tree Yard]

...sometimes I really do despair....:ugh: Why don't you doubting Thomase's think through the relevant scenarios before giving a kneejerk reaction? This airline has two thousand five hundred pilots. It has hundreds of flight daily, all relying on a sophisticated ballet of interlocking departures and arrivals. It has regulatory restraints on who/how/when the aircraft can be operated. It has a reputation, largely based on the safety and competence of it's pilots over many decades. Do you think the HK govt could or would allow much of a disruption to CX's operation right now? HK needs good news...not bad. They would put extreme pressure on CX management to resolve any serious dispute. What if they did another 49er move? Hmmm, just what our management want...more years in court rooms, bad press and eventual recognition that the whole episode actually was as damaging to the company as it was to the 49er's. There is no fear of being fired if you know that your colleagues will immediately give you full support and suspension of operations. All that seperates us from slavery and democratic control of our careers is a sense of honour, character and resolve. If you don't possess such things, then please continue to post defeatist, alarmist and self debasing posts as a few seen above. Time to grow up...

[Sqwak7700]

Not to mention what got the economy into this mess. The reality is that for about 30-40 years, inflation has mostly gone up, forcing costs to go up while salaries have only marginally gone up. That has led to this credit crunch - as people could afford less, credit is the only thing that kept it going. The world was building a house of cards and the last cards (hedge-funds, low-rate mortgages, margin trading, credit card debt) where the final "cards" that made the whole house collapse.

What led to all this? Corporate greed exacerbated by lack of regulation to control corporations that where allowed to write the law books and police themselves. This obviously didn't work and people are just only now getting outraged because the credit dry-up means that they can no longer afford their lifestyles and are much more aware of how under-payed they've been for years.

Just look at how much a family home used to cost 30 years ago as compared to the average college-educated employee pay package. It was 2, maybe 3 times their yearly salary - now it is more like 15 to 20 times as much! If you want property values to go up and airline ticket prices to go up you need to put enough money back into the system so that it can be spent in those tickets and expensive houses. Otherwise you are only increasing the credit / debt. That is not the way that debt works - eventually you have to pay that debt, which is where we are now. Except that so much debt was allowed to accumulate that there isn't enough money to pay it off.

In order for the world economy to return to normal and prosper / grow is for that balance to return. These downturn / upturn cycles in the economy are completely unnecessary and caused by the extremes of greed which destabilize the equation causing so many problems for everyone. We can't just trust that Capitalism will keep things going right - obviously this failure was rooted primarily in Capitalist nations like the US and the European Union . There needs to be laws in place to control human greed and more importantly, they need to be enforced.

If there is one thing you can count on is Human greed - we can't allow it to go unchecked any further. Giving Cathay concessions is irresponsible and we would only be making the situation worse. Do you think that property prices are gonna go down if things improve? Sure, the housing allowance will keep pace, but it is useless if you can't afford the down-payment. And food / supplies are not getting any cheaper either. We need to stand our ground - they've already got concessions when they got the B-scale, the C-scale COS08, the medical co-payment, and the 20% productivity increases they've already gotten since this major expansion started. We need to stop subsidizing their prosperity NOW! We are not seeing our fair share. If they want cost cuts they need to start with the top.

Sorry for the long rant.

[Apple Tree Yard]

...it was a good, long rant sqwak...!! :ok:

[yokebearer]

Every single year we have gone without a payrise we assentially made a concession.

Every time you pay more for a staff ticket - you make a concession.

Every time you miss a family event because nobody in management can be bothered to get us a grown up rostering system - you make a concession.

Every time an FO or Captain gets hired above you and you don't get your bypass - you make a concession.

Need I go on?

Enough has been given.

[Obama57]

Listening to the comments on this forum is like drifting back to a WWII movie. Most of the contributors wishing it were 1945 - back in the 'good old days'. The Hong Kong bubble mentality is not your friend or your reality. The aviation business has been in a race to the bottom since Frank Lorenzo broke the union at Continental Airlines in 1981. Just look at the carnage since. Many good people who did the right thing found themselves out in the street with no job and less prospects. Hubris makes you think it cannot happen to you. You are better then the also-rans like Continental, Eastern, Ansett, and all the others! Your cause is just! The law is on your side. You will prevail!!! Unfortunately, happy endings are for Hollywood. The reality is a glut of unemployed pilot’s world-wide, underpaid pilots at major carriers, and thousands of commuter pilots who work for peanuts. A United 777 or 744 Captain, I believe, is in the $185,000/yr range with NO retirement. If you think that you are indispensable, you are in for a very rude awakening. Management always wins because they are proactive; they have the money and the spin, as well as the lawyers and judges. The union is always playing catch up - reacting to and not driving the discussion. And since you have no hope of winning, I suggest BOHICA and enjoy it. Best of luck.

[Apple Tree Yard]

Obama, ...what a load of utter distorted crap. I'll do you a favour and just chew to pieces a couple of your points...ok?

1) Continental Airlines. Now considered the best major carrier in the US, with the most enlightened management in the airline industry, courtesy of Gordon Bethune. Their pilots have the highest salaries, and also fully funded A and B pension plans. They are treated well, with respect, and decisions are made in an open and negotiated manner.

2) United Airlines pilot salaries.......hmmm, you mean the salaries of pilots who work for an airline that has gone BANKRUPT TWICE...? Yes, I can see the relevance to us at CX, an airline that has been profitable for all but ONE year of it's existence.

Great points Obama....you're obviously as naive as your namesake. :ok:

[Storm Girl]

I'm with O'57 0n this one. If you were in this game in '81, you will realise the significance of Lorenzo and the sc@bs who enabled him to start this race to the bottom.

[Sqwak7700]

ATY:

You are obviously not American and you don't know anyone at Continental.

First of all, Continental's pay sucks! FOs start at about 25K per year and are still only making about 70K after 5 years - that is regional style pay. Not to mention that an equal seniority 737 Captain at SWA makes 50,000 USD more than their counterpart at CO. You should check your facts before you throw about false statements which spread ignorance.

And their management are not that good, they just simply have less of them than other top-heavy carriers like AAL, UAL, and DAL.

One of the reasons the airline has done well is because it is subsidized by the employees, same as other carriers.

Also keep in mind that almost half of the COA pilots are scabs. You can look at the ALPA scab list by searching for it easily in Google, and you will mostly see CO pilot's names.

[Lowkoon]

Yeah, with less than 50% membership, you should be confident about getting 100% support. :rolleyes:

[stilton]

You are rather misinformed about Continental yourself, we certainly do not have 50% scab Pilots !


My seniority is roughly 1400 0ut of 5000, I am not one and no one junior to me is.


I would say the real numbers would be closer to 6-700 today, most of that rot is gone.


It is true that things are run fairly well these days, however our 'A' fund is nowhere near being fully funded and our management recently stated they did not consider it a legally binding obligation.


We are in negotiations however and this is pretty standard stuff..

[Lowkoon]

Stilton, I was refering to CX AOA low rates of membership. The original subject of the thread before the excessive creep was them standing shoulder to shoulder to fight everything from CX management to the beijing boys. Cant quite see them getting the numbers, can you?

[Jack57]

OCD

One of the smartest and well thought out posts I've read on Prune!!

Hear, hear

[I'mbatman]

AOA numbers...does anyone have the actual number of members, b/c each week I get the update and for the past few months it seems like there have been a LOT of people joining. It seems ever since the new prez took over, the numbers have been going up huge.

[jonathon68]

64% was the last figure I heard, from a GC member.

AOA recruitment has increased in the last 6 months, but more significantly new CX pilot recruitment has basically stopped and is likely to stay at zero for the rest of the year (except for the 30 or so Cadets graduating from ADL).

Over the past few years CX has been recruiting 200+ new pilots annually, so the AOA has had to find 200+ new members every year just to maintain their "market share". It is commendable that AOA recruitment basically did keep up with the Airline expansion, especially given CX efforts to deny the AOA access to new members.

It looks as if we are going to have another bitter industrial summer, which is always good for increasing membership numbers. Maybe 75% by the end of the year? :rolleyes:

[BusyB]

Last count 63% rising:ok:

[Minimums!]

from what i understand its increasing at ~1% per month

Minimums!

[411A]

1) Continental Airlines. Now considered the best major carrier in the US, with the most enlightened management in the airline industry, courtesy of Gordon Bethune. Their pilots have the highest salaries, and also fully funded A and B pension plans. They are treated well, with respect, and decisions are made in an open and negotiated manner.


Yup, quite true....but just to set the record straight, this was possible only because Lorenzo was able to pull the airline back from the brink, so many years ago.
Many folks quickly forget the dire straights Continental was in at that time...UAL was cleaning Continental's clock on major routes to/from Denver and Chicago, and would have gone truly bust, if something wasn't done, and quick.

The pilots at CX have only two realistic choices, stay and enjoy your jobs, or fine work elsewhere.
Collectively or individually, you will not be able to change your managements tune, no matter what you do.

Them's the facts.

[BusyB]

Well, well, 411A back again and disputing what a currently employed continental pilot says about his pension.
Gives a good hint as to what credence we should give his opinions.:ugh:

[raven11]

411A

Pulled Continental from the brink? Wow, heady stuff! He must have received some recognition and praise for that effort!

Gee, what ever happened to your hero Lorenzo....?

And what was it the FAA banned him from ever doing again???

[411A]

Gee, what ever happened to your hero Lorenzo....?



Still owns quite a large chunk of Continental preferred stock, mostly through a blind trust.
Many present Continental pilots were barely out of diapers when Lorenzo pulled the strings at Continental, so I would hardly expect them (as a collective group) to know what time of day it is, let alone anything about the 'old days' at Continental.

Except of course, the BS that ALPO feeds you.

[I'mbatman]

We could ask the one CX guy who was there in '83 about Lorenzo.

[Apple Tree Yard]

Something about the LWOP concept is particularly absurd. The management want me/us to give up some of our BASE salary....while they award themselves BONUSE'S. Before there could be any talk about taking away from base salaries, at the very least the starting point would be the management recoginising that awarding themselves bonuses is beyond obscene. The fact that they don't seem to recognise this is more reason for us to not recognise them crying wolf yet again....:mad:

[Humber10]

why would you take LWOP while they have been hiring?

[Apple Tree Yard]

......why would we pay for managements utter cock-ups...?

[Sleeve_of_Wizard]

We will never understand, nor accept Corporate Culture. Bonuses are par for their course. THey're upstaris laughing at how we workers keep complaining about it. Unfortunately, no matter how much we whinge and bitch here, nothing can be done until something is put forth by our AOA to address the obscene , asburd situation. So, GC, get your asses into gear and listen to our whinging and bitching!!!!

[Harbour Dweller]

Speaking to 3 Airbus FO's today... all are over 90hrs for the month :confused:

[And Then]

The pilots at CX have only two realistic choices, stay and enjoy your jobs, or fine work elsewhere.

Collectively or individually, you will not be able to change your managements tune, no matter what you do.

Them's the facts.

411a I beg to differ. Dragonair pilots were successful in an industrial campaign last year. The improvements have been very good.

Has surprised me the AOA hasn't tried to welcome the DPA in an aggressive manner. Actually, it really makes me wonder.

[Obama57]

ATY Aside from your less than cordial reply and sketchy facts of history, your posting misses my point - the airline business is in a race to the bottom.
The CAL pilots of the early '80's decided to withhold their services from Lorenzo, et al, because they thought that abrogation of their contract without due cause was worthy of a strike. They were very solid and sadly, soon out of work, and in many cases, out of work forever. It doesn't matter that they (or you) are 'right', it only matters that you win. History has not been kind to the pilots. I don't see how this fight will end up any other way but for management to win. As someone eloquently stated above, you have two choices; withhold your services and suffer the consequences or adjust to the new reality.
As for your comment about me being naïve, I would offer that as proof that you still do not grasp the nature of the beast. Every downward push to a competitor’s pilot contract absolutely affects yours. It doesn’t matter the cause, be it bankruptcy, economic scares, weak union, strong management, whatever. The result is the same to you – management can pay you less money and make you work harder for it.

[JLQ]

Obama57

You do realise that the DFO et al read this and then keep the rumors spinning on the defeatist attitude you put fourth. I do agree that some events in history have not been kind to our profession.

ATY has good points however, just think that a year ago CX and almost every company in the world were struggling to find crew. Why is CX still taking extendee’s past 55.

They have just held a conference in Dubai about the forecast shortage of pilots (and engineers and air traffic controllers) to try to find a solution to the problem. It’s said the next shortage will be much worse than the previous. Look at the aircraft orders.

Try to focus on the positive! Ignore the weekly updates and keep an eye on the market instead for a more accurate gauge on what’s happening.
:ok:

[BIMBO HIMONASHI]

A recession is NOT the time to threaten CX management !
Reduced passengers/cargo mean CX would love to ground aircraft.
Even if every CX aircraft was parked there are plenty of airlines who would be happy to lease aircraft and crews to run our main routes.
Remember the C/As strike !?

[Rice power]

"reduced pax"
Bimbo, what is the load factor ?
3rd floor has you scared of your own shadow.

[Apple Tree Yard]

...rarely does a persons username seem so appropriate...

[N1 Vibes]

Ah yes Apple Tree Yard,

a place full of twisted, gnarly, old tree's, oft producing the same bitter/sour fruits year after year and permanently rooted in the same place - i.e. unable to move from the same monotonous standpoint.

You are so right!

[Five Green]

N1: First off , thanks for joining in ! It is so nice to see that even when you have nothing to add to the discussion you still feel the need to insult someone......

ATY I am with you this time, we need to stay the course and not give up anything else. Then when the 6 billion consumers start consuming again, we can begin to use our larger representation to try to improve our collective lot rather than continue to accept reductions.

All you panic mongers out there, remember there are degrees to everything. Play the strong position in any negotiation regardless of your perception. There are many levels of pressure we can exact. We do not need to go screaming straight for the parked airplane.

We are smarter than we give ourselves credit for. Surely we can stand up to the bullying without any sacrificial lambs, without the panic ! I remember being at meetings where grown men in this co. were crying (yes real frekin tears) because they wanted to stop all action. It was the most unbelievable thing I have ever witnessed. That was without even considering parking airplanes, just being a little naughty !

Out in the real world you have to manouver yourself to gain the best business advantage. You have to be smarter and more innovative than your competition. You do not just sit back and try nothing because it may or may not get you in trouble.

Man up Bimbo (too funny) and Obama (your name sake is showing some why aren't you) we are not threatening when all we do is ask to be treated fairly as in BY OUR CONTRACT.

Peace out !

[Traffic]

Bimbo

I think you need a Japanese dictionary....

Bimbo Himonashi means Poor no Thread(as in cotton or string).

I think you mean Bimbo Himanashi...Poor (people) have no time...

Either way ATY is correct.

[Apple Tree Yard]

N1...credit where credit is due....that was very good....:ok:

[italiancheeze]

OCD

Oh how true and do your colleagues learn from history

I remember a Mr Eggington in the early 90's, chairing meetings about OBS (Companys version - Operation Better Shape ) which in reality meant Operation B'**** and get ready for more pineapples

The only group who had the balls to say enough is enough were the perfumed picket brigade who lined up outside Government House in the cold for days

Rodders lost the battle and it was only a matter of time before he left the Swire Group with his tail between his legs

This is what I remember about management, some of who would sell their mothers for sixpence

A body of men who bond together on every suitable occasion, to maintain by deceit and injustice, what they have obtained by the sacrifice of honour

They continue to destroy what was once the best airline in the world

I wish you and your fellow pilots all the best for the future

Italiancheeze

[DaFly]

This is a rather interesting thread, specially, if one hopes to be part of the next intake at CX. From far away, the grass growing on your side seems so much greener...
However, I find it a bit sad, that grownup people - after all CX doesn't have to many kids piloting their aircraft - start insulting each other in the hope of driving home however weak a point. Hiding behind a username makes it possible. Unfortunately it makes this thread sound like the Maun thread in African Aviation, but there are kids flying.
It would be so refreshing, if you guys would use arguments rather than hidden or blatant insults, please.

[Hoofharted]

From Fridays business section of the Australian newspaper.

CHINA'S 4 trillion yuan ($808 billion) stimulus package is starting to produce results, with industrial output rising quickly, backing recent news of stronger retail sales.
Last month, China's industrial output growth jumped 8.3 per cent, up from the 3.8 per cent rise of the first two months, as domestic demand continued to improve, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said.
He described the figures as "better than expected", according to an interview published in the China Securities Journal.
But he warned that the international financial crisis "has not yet hit the bottom".
Financial analysts in China, however, are increasingly confident that the country's slowing economy has bottomed.
"We believe the trough of sequential growth is already behind us, and China is heading into the initial stage of a recovery in the first quarter of 2009," said Goldman Sachs Guo Hua analysts Helen Qiao and Yu Song. "In our view, China has already come out of the long winter featuring the sharpest and most severe growth slowdown in the past 30 years.
"Green shoots of strong domestic credit expansion, together with higher-than-expected fixed asset investment (FAI) growth are signalling the arrival of a spring season with rising upside risks to domestic demand growth."
But Mr Wen warned that the outlook for China's exports -- which together with flow-on effects account for about 30 per cent of its GDP -- was still uncertain with plummeting demand for its products from offshore showing few signs of reversing. This in turn is pushing up unemployment in China, which will have its own economic problems.
"It's hard to say that China alone has steered away from the crisis," Mr Wen said.
In November, China announced its unprecedented stimulus package, which it fast-tracked to counter the global financial crisis.
The country moved more swiftly and on a greater scale than any Western country.
But China's relatively strong economy is beginning to worry other nations, with South Korea voicing concerns yesterday about its neighbour's rising economic power and potential threat to take some of its export markets.
China's National Statistics Bureau is scheduled to release first-quarter data on the Chinese economy on Thursday.
"While the market will likely focus on the lower year-on-year growth readings in the upcoming first quarter of 2009 GDP and March growth data, we reiterate our view that the sequential acceleration in activity growth is more important," Ms Qiao and Ms Yi said. "The growth rebound in 1Q 2009 looks strong, especially compared to elsewhere in the world, but hurdles remain high for GDP growth to reach close to the Government's target of 8 per cent this year."