Stories about China from May, 2008
Plastic bag plan takes effect in China
Starting June 1, the Chinese government's country-wide plan to make shoppers pay small fees for plastic bags, and to forbid the production of ultra-thin bags will take effect. The move should save China 37 million barrels of oil a year. NGOs have been into the act earlier, pushing for relief...
Hong Kong: Two Songs on Sichuan Earthquake
Florence posted two music videos written for Sichuan earthquake victims [zh].
China: Donation Pressure on Multinational Companies
ESWN translated a report from Southern Weekend about the public pressure on multinational companies regarding earthquake donations.
China: 4-years Old Earthquake Pictures
Fang Li from mindmeters posted three pictures drawn by 4-years old children who survived from the Sichuan earthquake.
China: Open Letter to Plainclothes Police
Zeng Jingyan wrote an open letter to plainclothes police demanding them not to harass her neighbors and her kids [zh].
China: Earthquake Propaganda
Lao Sun from my1510 criticized the post-earthquake propaganda in creating a savior image of the Chinese Communist Party [zh].
China: After the quake, hoping for aid
From inside and outside China, concerned citizens are helping, and putting their hands out to help the victims of the devastating 7.9 in the Richter scale earthquake that leveled out industrial cities, transforming them into refugee camps where people are living under plastic bags, trying to find out their relatives and remake their lives. Four different videos bring us perspectives on how people are dealing with their losses all around the world, and how reaching out to help others could help help ease the pain.
Hong Kong: School Girl Punished for Mean Earthquake Comment
A school girl wrote down her lack of feelings on the Sichuan earthquake in her blog. Netizens found out her identity and she was force to make public apology. Her school also decided give her a demerit. The incident is recorded at evchk [zh]. Yeung Sir (a teacher) wrote at...
China: Earthquake Cursing Video
A video with a woman (from Liaoning) cursing Earthquake victims in Sichuan has been circulated widely in China. More Videos curse back.
China: Chinese Red Cross on corruption watch
Bloggers continue to monitor earthquake corruption, as they wait for the truth to come out as to why so many school buildings collapsed so easily in this month's massive earthquake. The parents of children who died, though, aren't waiting. On Sunday a group from Mianzhu city took photos of their...
China: Sunglasses Gate and Others
ESWN translated an article from my1510.cn on some strange reactions from local government, media and angry youths towards the Sichuan earthquake.
China: Children Protection
Wang Xiaofeng criticized mainstream media practice in interviewing the children earthquake victims as such interviews may have negative impacts on children's psychology [zh].
China: Quake Lake
Michael from the Opposite End of China points out that the Sichuan earthquake has added a new lexicon “Quake lake” to the English speaking world.
China: No Corruption in Building Schools
The education ministry has denied corruption in the construction of school buildings in the Sichuan earthquake zone. The comments in Zhaomu's blog showed that no one believed in the official statement [zh].
China: Relief tents embezzled, while stoppers got arrested
Diaster-relief tents were found in up-scale community and college campus in Chengdu city rather than any refugee site where they should be. Activists took action to check out the fact, while at the night of 21st, a conflict strangely burst out between police and embezzlement stoppers.
China: An Earthquake Reporter's Self-Mockery
A Beijing reporter wrote a self-mockery confession on his trip to Wenchuan earthquake center [zh].
China: Earthquake Relief Posters
Red Cross (China) together with other media companies launched a campaign, Together we are, and called for submission of earthquake relief posters for expressing solidarity with the earthquake victims. A list of posters can be found here.
Nepal: Chindia
The complications of being surrounded by India and China. More at Nepali Netbook.
China: Foreign Rescue Teams
There are criticisms that the Chinese Government should have allowed foreign rescue teams to help the relief works earlier, black and white cat pointed out that foreign rescue teams might not be very useful in earthquake relief work.
China: Shenzhen Garbalogy
Maryannodonnell points out that the history of garbage can tell a lot about a city.
China: Three Minutes Silence Reflected in Search Stats
Jacky Peng blogs the search traffic stats of Google China on May 19 which showed the three minutes silence (mourning for earthquake victims) effect.
About our China coverage
Oi wan Lam is the North East Asia editor. Email her story ideas or volunteer to write.
