Friendster Big in China, and Pu Yi Had a Buick

Kevin Maney writes: We Americans all thought Friendster was dead. But no! It's only dead here. Amazingly enough, it is actually huge and growing in China as well as other parts of Asia. As of April, it had 36 million users in Asia, double its next-closest U.S.-based rival, Facebook. The secret seems to have been (like, duh!) Friendster's decision last year to do a Chinese-language version. This week, Friendster landed another $20 million in funding and a new CEO, Richard Kimber.

There is a Chinese-language Facebook, by the way. Earlier this summer, The Wall Street Journal's China blog reported that it was often blocked inside of China. (Maybe the Chinese government invested in Friendster...)

It strikes me that maybe there's a bigger trend here, something like the old joke about rock stars and actors that seemed washed-up in the U.S.: "Oh, he's big in Europe." Maybe there's a growing list of American brands that get new life in China. Ya got Friendster. Ya got...

Buick!

Yes, in case you haven't heard, Buick is big in China. Buick's general manager explains why in his blog. Apparently it seems to matter that Pu Yi, the Last Emperor, had one.

Next thing you know, we're going to find out that Tang is big in China. Or Schwinn. Or PointCast...