Stories about China from September, 2009
China: Army on national day parade
Fauna from ChinaSMACK translated netizens’ opinions and comments from a local forum on the training of army on the national day parade.
China: the 2002 needle attacks in Tianjin and Beijing
Rob from Black and white cat pointed out that the use of hypodermic needles to threaten and rob people is not a new phenomena in China and rest of the world. The blogger reminded readers of two needle attack cases back in 2002 in Tianjin and Beijing, of course the...
Hong Kong: TVB's beaten journalists and brave new voice
The strong condemnation delivered by Cantonese-language channel TVB Jade of the way its journalists were treated in Xinjiang spurred certain criticism and ridicule online, and the antagonistic stance taken towards the mainland Chinese authorities in recent days struck some as such a shift in character as to seem hypocritical.
Taiwan: Response to Ex-President's Life Sentence
On September 11, Taiwan's former President Chen Sui-Bian was sentenced to life imprisonment and a NTD 200 million fine (roughly USD 6.13 million) on charges of embezzlement, taking bribes and money laundering. Chen's wife Wu Shu-jen also received a life sentence while their son Chen Chih-chung and daughter-in-law Huang Jui-ching...
China: School girl wants to be “corrupt official”
On the first day of China’s school term, Guangzhou’s Southern Metropolitan Daily interviewed some kids about their life-goals. One girl told the journalist that her dream was to become “a corrupt official."
China: Why Zhu Rongji remains popular
A new book of transcripts of major press meetings attended by China’s former Premier, Zhu Rongji (朱镕基), (the second-ranking leader) has immediately become a best-seller. As a statesman, he was popular for his relative openness and frankness.
China: Interview with the CEO of duoban.com
Alice from DANWEI interviewed Ah Bei, the CEO of douban.com, one of the most popular social networking site in China based on users’ common interest.
China: Considering Han chauvinism
"Within the ranks of CCP cadres, it's not only ethnic minorities who have been deprived of their religious rights, but the Han majority too...As a Han born and raised in China, we really don't see any so-called Han chauvinism!"
Hong Kong: Journalists accused of incitement
Last Friday (Sep 4), three Hong Kong journalists were beaten up and detained by Xinjiang armed polices when they were covering the protest in Urumqi. Yesterday, the authorities in Xinjiang claimed that the three journalists were under the suspicion of inciting public disorder by making hand gestures. The director of...
China: How artistic these buildings are!
MOP forum posted a number of photos on some newly constructed residential buildings in Guangzhou. From a far, one can see some “artistic” white pattern. When getting a closer look, their are all cracks. These buildings have all passed the quality check.
China: Wal-Mart Workers Beat Customer To Death
ESWN translated a local news story about 5-6 a 37-year old woman customer beaten to death by 5-6 Wal-Mart workers in Jingdezhen plaze, at Jiansi province.
China: New real-name requirement
Rebecca MacKinnon from Rconversation discussed the implementation of real name registration in online discussion and pointed out that the system, started from South Korea, is becoming a global trend.
China: Crowdsourcing subtitle translations
Activist Tan Zuoren, little-known outside China, is the inspiration for a new documentary from artist Ai Weiwei and his Sugar Jar posse. Featuring civil rights lawyers Liu Xiaoyuan and Pu Zhiqiang, Chinese netizens have since begun transcribing and translating subtitles for the film.
China: Yunnan Naked Girl Seeking Justice
Recently, “Yunnan Naked Girl” has become one of the hottest topic in the Chinese Internet world. A 21-year old girl, Peng Chunping decided to post her nude photos online in order to draw attention and help from the society. ESWN has translated a full report from Southern Weekend on the...
China: Tanks roll in Beijing
Imagethief noticed the symbolic shift on tanks roll in Beijing city through the military parade celebrating the 60th anniversary of the People's Republic of China.
China: Are syringe attacks terrorism?
Fresh protests broke out in Xinjiang this week following news that Uighurs had been attacking people with syringe needles. Is this terrorism? Why resort to a tactic like this? Just some of the questions being asked of the autonomous region, still disconnected from the Internet after two months.
China: Rights or rumors?
Siweilouzi translated Beijing University professor's opinion piece: the Public's Right to Question Shouldn't Be Misconstrued as Spreading Rumors.
China and Japan: Chinese people's reaction to the Japanese general election
The Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) won the August 30th general election by landslide victory, bringing an end to more than 50 years of almost continuous rule by the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) since 1955. The victory of Yukio Hatoyama-led DPJ has been perceived as the beginning of a new...
China: PetroChina's “Group Purchase Gate” created an online stir
Some employees of PetroChina, the state-owned oil giant and the current no. 2 on the FT 500 List, are going to be allowed to ‘group purchase’ eight apartment buildings near Beijing’s CBD at only about thirty per cent of the actual price.
China: Shanghai “black girl” abused by racist netizens
Fauna from ChinaSMACK translated a forum post full of abusive and racist comments against Lou Jing, whose is the offspring of an extra-marital relation between her mother and a black American.
China: A blog on rescuing husband
A woman's husband was arrested and sentenced to 14 days in a detention center in Beijing. Apart from trying to give him support, she sets up a blog, Beijing Haze, and writes down what she has been through in the process of finding out what has happened.