Stories about Chinese from March, 2011
China: The Interrogation (A Tale of AI and Revolution)
Stainless Steel Mouse, aka Liu Di, has seen many of her peers arrested or disappeared over the past several weeks. Looking at the unusual way in which China's failed Jasmine Revolution began, she has imagined a scenario which mixes fact with fiction.
Taiwan: Nuclear Waste on Orchid Island
In 1974, the Taiwan Atomic Energy Council decided to store nuclear waste on Taiwan's Orchid Island, where the indigenous Tao people have lived for generations. More than twenty years have passed, the radioactive waste barrels have eroded with rust and it seems that no one is ready to take care of the problem.
China: Panic buying continues
Following panic buying of salt earlier this month, the last few days have seen residents of Shanghai buying up laundry detergent, soap, toothpaste and shampoo out of fear that companies are about to raise prices for those and other similar goods. This photo from angry Shanghai microblogger Yin Zhuonan shows...
China: Red flag on Wall Street
Co-founder of Chinese fund management firm CDH Investments Wang Gongquan stopped by the New York Stock Exchange building today to snap a picture of the flag of the People's Republic of China, flying over Wall Street to mark popular Chinese online security company Qihoo 360 Technology‘s IPO. Wang was mocked...
Taiwan: Anti-Nuclear Protesters’ Lonely Quest
A fourth nuclear power plant is currently under construction in Taiwan, in Gongliao town, just 40 km away from the capital Taipei. In 1988, eight years after the Taiwan Power Company first decided to build the plant, locals in Gongliao held the first meeting of what became their anti-nuclear organization. In...
China: Opinion Battle on Baidu's Copyright Infringement
More than fifty Chinese writers have formed an alliance protesting against copyright infringement by the Baidu Wenku platform, a Chinese version of Google Books which allows users to read, share or download books for free.
Taiwan: Call for Energy Policy Review
The ongoing Fukushima nuclear power plant incident in Japan has alerted people in Taiwan about the safety of nuclear power plants in their own country. In order to transform current concern into long term government policy, many netizens are demanding the Taiwanese government conduct a comprehensive review on the country's energy and industrial policy.
China: Gaddafi Has to Go
China's official stance is that Libya's Colonel Gaddafi should be reasoned with through dialogue and other peaceful means; not everyone in China agrees. "Annihiliate him," writes China's most widely-read blogger.
Taiwan: The Reassurance of Nuclear Safety is Not Convincing
Following the Fukushima nuclear accident in Japan, there are calls now for a review of Taiwan’s nuclear energy policy, particularly as a fourth nuclear power plant is now under construction.
China, Tibet: The End of TibetCul.com?
The most popular Chinese-language Tibetan website TibetCul.com has been forced offline since March 16 2011. Two other websites, Cometibet.com (Tibet Travel site) and Tibet Encyclopedia website were also affected as a result of the sudden shutdown of their server.
Taiwan: Curating Japan Disaster Situation
The Association of Digital Culture, Taiwan(ADCT) starts to curate and translate latest information from Japanese and English into Chinese[zht] in order to provide worried Taiwanese netizens a trustworthy source of information upon the media turbulence. They have done the same effort in 2009 when Typhoon Morakot hit Taiwan. (Disclosure: I...
China: Salt Radiation Rumors Fuel Widespread Panic Buying
An official message went out today aiming to reassure people that salt supplies would not be affected by radiation from Japan having leaked into the ocean. This sparked rumors which led to panic buying which gripped major cities which are now out of salt.
China: Netizens Admire Japan’s Post-Earthquake Behavior
Fauna from ChinaSMACK translates Chinese netizens comments on the orderly reaction of Japanese people to the earthquake.
Taiwan: Country's Nuclear Power Plants Are High Risk
The nuclear power plants in Taiwan are not immune to the force that damaged the Fukushima nuclear power plant. The panic escalates when the fourth nuclear power plant was ordered to be rush into operation in 2011.
China: Controversial Speeches from Party Members
The Fourth Session of the 11th National People's Congress (NPC) and Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) closed yesterday (March 14 2011) in Beijing. One-Party leadership was not a subject up for debate, so people have turned their attention to the speeches and proposals made by the so-called "people's representatives".
Japan: Earthquake, “how to protect yourself” in 30 languages
TUFS students launched a website with advices on risk management translated in more than 30 languages. The website provides “a basic guide in several languages to what to do when you have to evacuate because of the earthquake.”
Hong Kong: Panic Over Milk Powder Shortage
Hong Kong has been hit by a shortage in infant milk powder due to mainland Chinese customers buying large amounts of the territory's baby milk formula. Local Hong Kong parents have called for intervention policies from the government, such as a milk powder departure tax to stop smugglers from reselling for profit.
Japan: Info on earthquake for Chinese residents and tourists
Tomitamakoto set up an information website in Chinese with news on the earthquake and suggestions on what to do in these circumstances.
Taiwan: Reflection on Japan Earthquake
When the 5th strongest earthquake ever recorded hit Japan yesterday, Taiwanese were also shocked. Taiwan and Japan share a lot of geological similarity and both countries are very vulnerable to natural disasters such as earthquake and typhoon.
Taiwan: How to Get Your Facebook Back
Recently, Facebook suspended or closed many Taiwanese users’ profiles or pages, including some celebrities’, due to claimed misuse or using pseudo/nicknames. Billy Pan explains his experience in 2009 and how he got his account back.
Taiwan: Social Media Makes Indigenous Voices Loud and Clear
Stories about the Taiwanese indigenous population's struggle for identity, sustainability and dignity are missing from the country's public sphere, as a result of relative social and political domination by the majority Han Chinese population. Now, thanks to social media, indigenous youth are making their voices heard and reconnecting with their traditions.
About our Chinese coverage
Oi wan Lam is the North East Asia editor. Email her story ideas or volunteer to write.
