4. Income taxes (Details 3) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2013 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2012 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 ZHEJIANG JIAHUAN CNY	Dec. 31, 2013 ZHEJIANG JIAHUAN CNY	Dec. 31, 2012 ZHEJIANG JIAHUAN CNY
Income taxes	$ 18us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	$ 73us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	$ 142us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	484	19	0

Amount of current income tax expense (benefit) and deferred income tax expense (benefit) pertaining to continuing operations.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 235

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.4-08.(h))

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26873400&loc=d3e23780-122690

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Glossary Income Tax Expense (or Benefit)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6515339

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 740

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 9

-Subparagraph (a),(b)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=d3e32639-109319

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration