Stories about China from March, 2010
China and Hong Kong: Post 80's Generation
K.E. David from ChinaGeek translated an article written by Yang Hengjun on his encounter with post 80's generation in a talk on democracy. The discussion makes him realize the connection between democracy and young people's future.
China: Google.cn search blocked
Several twitterers, including @williamlong @geekinmedia @aHexie @terryxxy and @mranti, confirmed the blocking of google.cn's search in major cities, such as Beijing and Shenzhen in China. According to @mranti: Google search is blocked in Beijing. Any search will trigger reset.
China: Kidney Stone Babies’ father on trial
Today, Zhao Lianhai, the founder of “kidney stone babies” whose 4-year old son was poisoned by Sanlu melamine tainted milk in 2008 was put on trial today under the criminal charge of “provoking an incident”. The trial ended at 2:30pm, Zhao pleaded not guilty but the verdict has yet to...
China’s Top IT Enterprenuers Call For Internet Special Zone
CTD translated a local news about top IT enterprenuers’ call for the setting up of Internet Special Zone free from censorship in Shenzhen.
China: The potential of Microblogging
Toadi from interlocals.net has translated a Beijing News’ interview with Hu Yong on the potential of micro-bogging in China.
China: Characters in leaders’ names made sensitive search terms on Google
Beginning Wednesday and continuing today, Chinese Internet users have discovered that Google searches containing the Chinese characters for the surnames of China's top leaders (ie. the ‘hu’ [jintao] in carrot, ‘huluobo’) are resulting in a reset connection to the website. Isaac Mao has made a screencast showing how this works.
China and Japan: Expo Osaka and Expo Shanghai
Martin J Frid notices that the theme of Expo 2010 is loaded with a strong belief in “developmentalism” and “urbanism”. He then shares the experience of Expo Osaka in 1970 which helped setting up the global agenda of sustainable development.
Rio Tinto and Chinalco Sign a Joint Deal with Guinean Junta over Mining Project
Baldeabdoulaye explains that mining companies Rio Tinto and Chinalco have come to an agreement on jointly developing an iron ore project in Guinea. The opposition criticizes the signing because they perceive the deal as a way for the military junta to take advantage of the current obscure political circumstances to...
China: Official Nudity
A township government in Sichuan Province is being called “China’s first completely nude government” after township officials issued salary and expenditure information online. The reference to nudity recently found in many Chinese publications denotes an unprecedented level of transparency in local government. The government of Baimiao Township in northeastern Sichuan disclosed...
China: Bride Dumped on Wedding Night Because She Isn't a Virgin
PH from Veggie Discourse translated a local forum post and comments about a bride being dumped on the wedding night because the groom found out that she isn't a virgin.
The Trials of Being a Chinese Reporter
C. Custer from ChinaGeeks translated a telephone recording in which a Hong Kong reporter trying to confirm Google’s retreat from China with Chinese government officials.
China and the U.S: Testimony on Internet control
Rebecca MacKinnon posts her testimony for the U.S Congressional Executive China Commission on Google and Internet Control in China: A Nexus Between Human Rights and Trade.
China: Google.cn migrated to Hong Kong
Finally Google has decided to leave China. Soon after the announcement, Google stopped censoring the search result of google.cn by redirecting the site to google.com.hk. In Google's official blog, David Drummond, the corporate's chief legal officer explains that its decision is due to the Chinese government's “non-negotiable legal requirement” in...
China: Singing farewell to Google
Google has formally closed its mainland Chinese search engine and rival Baidu will not need long to pick up the slack; nonetheless, former users of Google.cn search braved the cold air to show their support outside the company's Beijing headquarters, singing an anti-Internet censorship protest song while they were at it.
Japan: Foreign trainees’ sad stories
A photo-reportage by Buddhika on five Chinese female trainees who reportedly escaped from the fabric factory of Tode Bussan (in Toyama prefecture) where they were underpaid and exploited.
Chinese netizens’ open letter to the Chinese Government and Google
Rebecca MacKinnon has summarized the viewpoints of some Chinese netizens who have issued an open letter to express their stand in censorship.
China: Oxfam's ill-intentions
CDT translated a notification issued the the CCP's education bureau back in February which defines Oxfam Hong Kong an overseas organization that infiltrates into China.
China: Shanxi Vaccine scandal
PH from Veggie Discourse puts together various local reports on the “undetermined” causes led to death, disability, or serious sickness among nearly one hundred children in Shanxi. Many believe that the sickness and deaths are result of vaccines that are exposed to high temperature.
China: Revaluing the One-Child Policy
Amidst talk of an aging society and a depleting demographic dividend, appeals for a reconsideration of China’s One-Child Policy were voiced during the annual meetings of the National People’s Congress and the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference.
China: Urban Villages
Maryannodonnell explains how “urban villages” appears in city, like Shenzhen, as a result of development and the negotiation of space between “farmers” and “city people”.
China and U.S: Rhetorics on Google's Exit
Kai Pan from china / divide criticizes western rhetorics in discussing Google's exit from China. The blogger in particular comments on Nicole Kempton piece on the Huffington Post that neglects democratic countries’ role in advocating Internet censorship.
About our China coverage
Oi wan Lam is the North East Asia editor. Email her story ideas or volunteer to write.
