Stories about China from February, 2006
China: Why unenforced laws matter
Chinese Law Prof notes the appearance of a new book by Kevin O'Brien and Lianjiang Li, Rightful Resistance in Rural China, saying it shows how legal texts can be socially meaningful even when they are not in any practical sense enforceable by courts or other state institutions.
China: Blogger in church
Shanghai-based blogger and Microsoft employee Wang Jianshuo goes to church, and gets something out of the service despite not being a Christian.
The Law of Love in China
How to regulate love in China? A mock law on love has been circulating online in China as early as 2002 and was recently picked up by mainstream media. Joel Martinsen presents the English translation on Danwei.
China's Tiny Step towards Facing Its Past
The Peking Duck gives China credit for opening up the first Cultural Revolution Museum for the people to remember the past – “Yes, it (China) can do a lot more. But there's no question this is a positive step“.
All Quiet on The Chinese Front
The topic of Internet and press censorship in China continued to draw heated debate after the US congressional hearing on this issue last week. Rebecca MacKinnon wrote a comprehensive review of discussions among the English-language blogs on China. She also quoted from two well-known Chinese-language bloggers – Anti and Keso....
Political Posture on China in the US Congress
US Congressman Tom Lantos sharply criticized the US hi-tech firms for helping the Chinese government censor the Internet at Wedn's congressional hearing. Chinese blogger Keso compares that to Chinese government's insistence that no one has ever been arrested due to speech on the Internet. He considers both “political postures”, and...
The Threat of China, Inc.
To acquire sophisticated engine technology, China is buying a car engine plant in Brazil, breaking it up and shipping the pieces back to China for re-assembly. Richard and readers of his Peking Duck discuss whether it's time for carmakers everywhere to start worrying.
Racism in China and South Korea
Matthew Stinson observes the similarities and the differences between the Chinese and the Koreans regarding racism.
How to Take a Stand on Censorship in China?
In PowerPoint bullet-point style, Beijing Loafer explains on Beijing or Bust the many complex issues on the topic of Internet censorship in China and why it is difficult for him to take a firm stand on this.
Taiwan's International Relations, a Detailed View
Douglas Adams on Jujuflop gives a detailed analysis and update on Taiwan's foreign relations: “When it comes to international relations, only two things really matter in Taiwan: Taiwan’s relationship with China, and Taiwan’s relationship with America“.
Hong Kong, Here Comes The Pollution
China has just announced the building of two large nuclear power plants in Southern China. HK Dave reminisces on Simon World about what the announcement says about China's skyrocketing energy needs, and how those needs will translate into pollution traveling to Hong Kong.
The Famous Director Goes to Court
Chen Kaige, one of the most prominent Chinese film directors, is suing a young man for making a video spoofing the director's latest martial arts fantasy epic, The Promise. Chen, famed for his film Farewell, My Concubine, alleged copyright violation. Even though he may be on solid legal ground, most...
No Chinese Arrested for Internet Writing?
People's Daily, the propaganda mouthpiece of the Chinese Communist Party, recently published a piece in which a Chinese official claimed “No Chinese has arrested for Internet writing”. The Chinese blogosphere reacted with sarcasm. Danwai translated a comment on a Chinese blog, Massage Milk: “You see, our democracy has unparalleled advantages...
Panda Remorse
In the midst of the debate in Taiwan over whether to accept China's “generous” offer of pandas, The Foreigner in Formosa points out that “American zoos are having a bit of buyer's remorse when it comes to theirs“.
Joint-Declaration Advocating Press Freedom in China
Richard points out on Peking Duck that contrary to popular belief, some Chinese do care about freedom of speech. Foreign media are prominently reporting the joint declaration signed by 13 senior intellectuals and retired officials protesting press censorship in China.
Law-ful in China
Two laws are going into effect on March 1st in China. One, as reported by HK Dave on Simon World, requires all discos and karaoke lounges to install surveillance cameras. Another will limit admittance to karaoke clubs and internet cafes in China to those ages 18 and up, as noted...
In Defense of Piracy
Beijing Loafer defends the role of piracy in media-controlled China. Without piracy, Chinese audiences “would only get the likes of Titanic, Backstreet Boys and Batman with no shoulder exposed, products as mind numbing as the communist propaganda”. The drawbacks? Misleading subtitles.
Despite The Missiles
Michael Turton on The View From Taiwan blogs on the political backpeddling of Ma Ying-jeou, the mayor of Taipei and the Chairman of Taiwan's main opposition party, Kuomintang. Ma had stated earlier on his visit to the UK that China must remove the 700 missiles pointing at Taiwan before the...
The “Official” View on China's Reform
ESWN translates from the quasi-official Caijing magazine an article that is reputed to represent the views of senior Chinese officials. The article states that many injustices “occurred because the administrative powers intervened in the distribution of production during the marketization“. The author cites the central government's plan to reform “the...
A Near Sighted Attack on The Chinese Way?
On Wedn Feb 15th, the US Congress will review the roles that US hi-tech firms are playing in China's Internet censorship. In “Truth, Justice or A Near Sighted Attack on The Chinese Way”, Angry Chinese Blogger gives a comprehensive overview of the issues at stake and the motives at play.
It's Not Just The Propaganda Department
The liberal Chinese newspaper supplement magazine, Freezing Point, was recently closed by the government. The ostensible reason was a long study the magazine published on revaluating the modern Chinese history taught in middle schools. Letters from China points to a Chinese reader's essay to highlight that the aversion to revisit...
About our China coverage
Oi wan Lam is the North East Asia editor. Email her story ideas or volunteer to write.
