Recently, the shortage of food worldwide has become a major concern for many international monitoring agencies, governments of state and of course those poverty stricken individuals and families who will be most impacted by rising food prices. Clearly, we are on the brink of a global crisis that could threaten the lives of over a billion hungry people and incite political unrest as the quality of life dramatically deteriorates, particularly in regions across South America, Africa, and Asia. But this serious humanitarian concern is also a source of macroeconomic instability affecting budgets, trade balances, and of course, incomes almost everywhere in the world – from China’s interior provinces, to the shattered neighborhoods of Iraq, and to the streets of Baltimore.
I haven’t fully considered the implications of such a catastrophe, but let’s just assume that it would be a disaster of biblical proportions, old testament, real wrath of god type stuff, fire and brimstone coming down from the sky, rivers and seas boiling, forty years of darkness, earthquakes, volcanoes, the dead rising from the grave, human sacrifice, dogs and cats living together… mass hysteria. So when my great-great-grand son, who will live in an underground bunker his whole life due to nuclear winter stumbles across an old newspaper from April 28, 2008, what will it reveal about the past. Well, if he lives in a bunker in New York, he could start piecing together lost history with stories like:
“…over the next year, international trade in rice is expected to decline more than 3 percent, when it should be expanding. The decline is attributable mainly to recent restrictions on rice exports in rice-producing countries like India, Indonesia, Vietnam, China, Cambodia and Egypt.”
“Chinese officials blame Tibetan rioters in Lhasa for the deaths of at least 18 civilians … but Tibet’s government in exile in India has made unverified claims that Chinese security forces have killed more than 140 Tibetans. For weeks, Chinese officials have castigated the Dalai Lama and blamed him for orchestrating the protests. The Dalai Lama has denied any involvement.”
“A North Korean defector tried to set himself on fire to halt the Olympic torch relay through Seoul, while thousands of police guarded the flame Sunday from protesters blasting China's treatment of North Korean refugees.
Hundreds of China supporters waving the Chinese flag greeted the torch, throwing rocks at anti-Beijing demonstrators.”
But if his bunker happens to be under Beijing (rumor has it that there is a massive one under Tiananmen Square and even an underground highway connecting it to the suburbs in south-east Beijing) he would read:
“A German agricultural market research group on Friday dismissed the often repeated claim that rising demand from China is the main reason for surging world food prices.”
“A senior scholar has refuted the Dalai Lama’s claim of "cultural genocide" in Tibet and talks about China’s tremendous efforts on Tibet’s culture preservation.”
“Seoul welcomes Olympic flame…..the relay met with even more boisterous support" [As of April 28, 2008, no reports in China show protesters or disruptions of the relay in Seoul]
Beijing’s state run newspapers apply censorship and restrictions to cover-up and control the flow of information thus assigning these mass publications as propaganda instruments and the Party’s most powerful tools to maintaining power over the country and the minds of the people. Western newspapers, like the New York Times and Washington Post, are independent publications containing objective accounts and critical editorials, but often choose events, issues, and sometimes biased reports that they know will attract more readership.
If history is nothing but a collective memory of all those who live in today’s world, I am curious to see how the events of today will be perceived centuries from now, especially if the rise of an authoritarian state dictates the mass media and the wikipedia’s of the future. With 1.3 billion Chinese and a majority of them not aware of any significant event happening in Tiananmen Square in 1989, will such events be erased from history forever. This bleak conclusion of a failed Western civilization may be a bit extreme, but as long as China stretches its sphere of influence and has a government with supreme authority over written history and access to the truth, Chinese historian’s skewed perceptions will not only write Chinese textbooks… but will impact how we write our future textbooks.
In other words, we are only our experiences. If you really want to know about China don’t watch CNN, don’t read the China Daily, don’t read my blog….. just come and visit me here.
Monday, April 28, 2008
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Discounts at Carrefour!!
Recently the French and more specifically their major retail store in China, Carrefour, has been rolled into a campaign mixed up with both boycott and anti-boycott. Carrefour, the French retail giant, is the newest target on the list of what cyber-nationalists in China hate and aim at. Cell phone text messages calling on boycotts are popping up, over 5000 net cafes in China have been rife with posts against Carrefour, and quite a few radical netizens have already made the slogans into practice. The boycott is supposed to be caused by the recent grief and violence the Olympic torch relay suffered from in France and the saying that a big shareholder of Carrefour, LVMH Group, has donated money to the Dalai Lama.
Personally Carrefour is often too crowded therefore I support a boycott that drives customers away and createes discounts - its great. However, I thought it would be interesting to show you some messages I found on someone elses blog illuminating some intersting views of China's netizens:
"We hope you are able to boycott Carrefour at least on 1 May, to deliver with an empty Carrefour on that day, one message to the western world: Chinese shouldn't be humiliated! Chinese people shouldn't be insulted!The boycott against Carrefour is going to spread all over the country, and we anticipate your presence! Thank you."
"Support the Olympics, oppose Tibet-independence; boycott French products and Carrefour!"
"I feel it is so ridiculous when hearing that so many people are organizing a boycott against Carrefour. I bear great sorrow for their blindness, which is as stupid as the boycotts against Japanese, American and all western products a long time ago. Do you have to isolate China from the world again? Reviewing the anti-Japan activity years ago, I wonder what we commoners have really got to campaign for. When the tension between the governments began to ease, the anti-Japan action that slightly crossed the line received a crackdown and we have not yet learnt our lesson from that, and now we are going to have anti-France. Fine, with the boycott, you would simply favor advantage to all other supermarkets and let people travel further and spend more for daily shopping. Anything else? Someday in the future when a new French president comes into power or the policy gets changed, everything will just go back to “Long live China-France friendship”, sooner or later. At that time, won't it be laughable to look back at what we are doing now?"
"Boycott Carrefour? Come on! You are actually boycotting the Chinese manufactures, Chinese workmen there and the country of our own since Carrefour pays taxes to our government!!! Not to mention 95 percent of the goodss sold in Carrefour are made by Chinese hands!! Are you able to boycott the Paris mayor? BS."
"Our city is taking pain to introduce Carrefour into our community... every official extremely busy on that plan. What should I do? Boycott? Then I will be clashing with our party and country."
"Anti-Japan anti-France anti-German anti-Korea anti-Taiwan anti-Italy anti-Australia anti-Vietnam anti-Britain anti-U.S…anti-world…anti-universe. But NO anti-autocracy and corruption. So tragic man."
"The patriotic youngsters are the condom of the party— discarded right after orgasm."
Wow!
The points of the two camps diverge sharply. Rumors have been heard that Carrefour is going to make considerable discounts on 1 May to counteract the planned boycott. And it has announced that it will always be the friend of Chinese. But even so, the chances of a successful boycott campaign is doubted, as the predominant public opinion years ago for a boycott over Japan didn't last very long. And although nationalist propaganda has covered the airwaves and newspapers for weeks, the goverenment has now noticed that people are aggresively directing their anger toward foreigners thus tarnishing China's image as a hospitable and welcoming nation - with the Olympics and the arrival of 1.5 million foreigners only a few months away this could spell disaster. The goverenment will use all of its psychological intruments to dissuage the public from overprotesting and striking out in anger, the Chinese will once again love foreigners and the French in time for the Opening Games.
Otherwise this wave of self expression and protest transferred through technological channels difficult to restrict by the government, will continue to fuel the fire, and perhaps those who started it, the Communist Party, will find themselves in the middle of it. Can you smell a revolution.... we'll see.
Personally Carrefour is often too crowded therefore I support a boycott that drives customers away and createes discounts - its great. However, I thought it would be interesting to show you some messages I found on someone elses blog illuminating some intersting views of China's netizens:
"We hope you are able to boycott Carrefour at least on 1 May, to deliver with an empty Carrefour on that day, one message to the western world: Chinese shouldn't be humiliated! Chinese people shouldn't be insulted!The boycott against Carrefour is going to spread all over the country, and we anticipate your presence! Thank you."
"Support the Olympics, oppose Tibet-independence; boycott French products and Carrefour!"
"I feel it is so ridiculous when hearing that so many people are organizing a boycott against Carrefour. I bear great sorrow for their blindness, which is as stupid as the boycotts against Japanese, American and all western products a long time ago. Do you have to isolate China from the world again? Reviewing the anti-Japan activity years ago, I wonder what we commoners have really got to campaign for. When the tension between the governments began to ease, the anti-Japan action that slightly crossed the line received a crackdown and we have not yet learnt our lesson from that, and now we are going to have anti-France. Fine, with the boycott, you would simply favor advantage to all other supermarkets and let people travel further and spend more for daily shopping. Anything else? Someday in the future when a new French president comes into power or the policy gets changed, everything will just go back to “Long live China-France friendship”, sooner or later. At that time, won't it be laughable to look back at what we are doing now?"
"Boycott Carrefour? Come on! You are actually boycotting the Chinese manufactures, Chinese workmen there and the country of our own since Carrefour pays taxes to our government!!! Not to mention 95 percent of the goodss sold in Carrefour are made by Chinese hands!! Are you able to boycott the Paris mayor? BS."
"Our city is taking pain to introduce Carrefour into our community... every official extremely busy on that plan. What should I do? Boycott? Then I will be clashing with our party and country."
"Anti-Japan anti-France anti-German anti-Korea anti-Taiwan anti-Italy anti-Australia anti-Vietnam anti-Britain anti-U.S…anti-world…anti-universe. But NO anti-autocracy and corruption. So tragic man."
"The patriotic youngsters are the condom of the party— discarded right after orgasm."
Wow!
The points of the two camps diverge sharply. Rumors have been heard that Carrefour is going to make considerable discounts on 1 May to counteract the planned boycott. And it has announced that it will always be the friend of Chinese. But even so, the chances of a successful boycott campaign is doubted, as the predominant public opinion years ago for a boycott over Japan didn't last very long. And although nationalist propaganda has covered the airwaves and newspapers for weeks, the goverenment has now noticed that people are aggresively directing their anger toward foreigners thus tarnishing China's image as a hospitable and welcoming nation - with the Olympics and the arrival of 1.5 million foreigners only a few months away this could spell disaster. The goverenment will use all of its psychological intruments to dissuage the public from overprotesting and striking out in anger, the Chinese will once again love foreigners and the French in time for the Opening Games.
Otherwise this wave of self expression and protest transferred through technological channels difficult to restrict by the government, will continue to fuel the fire, and perhaps those who started it, the Communist Party, will find themselves in the middle of it. Can you smell a revolution.... we'll see.
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Dalian
Last week my team and I were sent to Dalian to conduct research on a few properties namely villas and golf courses – a confidentiality agreement with our clients prevents me from elaborating – however my experiences in Dalian are worth posting. In 2006 I had briefly visited this city as the last stop on my Trans-Siberian journey before heading to Beijing, but I now realize that I had in fact only skimmed the surface.
This modern metropolis of six and a half million people sits on a peninsula in the Northeast province of Liaoning, with the Bohai Bay separating it from Beijing and the rest of mainland China in the West and the calm Yellow Sea separating it from the Koreas in the East. What I love about Dalian in comparison to other Chinese cities, especially Beijing, is its rich natural environment and its promotion of a healthy, fashionable, and modern lifestyle. Considered as China’s cleanest city, Dalian prides itself in its clear air, its beautiful golden coastline, and its enchanting integration of rolling hills and cityscape. Perhaps this city can be best described as China’s San Francisco. Although lacking in a big red bridge, Dalian has been able to maintain its San Fran image over the years by replacing heavy industry with services and creating what many agree has become China’s “Silicon Valley”. Strategically developed IT parks with policies encouraging investment have covered the peninsula, attracting the world’s biggest players which include Intel, Sony and Cisco. If you have an R&D center in China, and that's practically everyone these days, chances are you’re based out of Dalian. This massive influx of foreign software engineers and various service-oriented employees not only helps foster a high-tech cosmopolitan with attractive natural amenities (likes golf courses, beaches, and hiking trails), but also diversifies the population with Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Russian cultures all blending together to create one of China’s most dynamic communities.
I certainly would like to revisit. And with real estate investments shifts to hot spots in tier II cities like Dalian, I am sure that I will get a chance to feel that ocean breeze once again in the near future. Now I shall share one interesting observation or discovery from each day of my trip…
DAY 1: During a visitation to one of Dalian’s golf courses we happened to stumble upon a new construction site where villas were being constructed. A critical part of our research involves asking questions about new projects while using developers and on-site contractors as vital sources. However, the men at this particular project were quite short with us, refused to cooperate, and even physically confronted me as I attempted to photograph the development. My suspicions of foul play were later vindicated by the City Planning Bureau who asserted that the local Mafia does have a heavy hand in many real estate projects throughout Dalian. These organized crime syndicates launder money by buying back properties they themselves develop. Liaoning Province is not new to shady business practices. Recently, a drug company based in Shenyang began producing nutritional snacks and beverages using ingredients found in ants. Unable to farm its own ants, it sold ant eggs to investors who after a few years of ant farming would sell the ants back to the company for a hefty return. Speculation in this market attracted millions of investors, and promised returns were rightfully awarded, until of course the product failed, funds were misappropriated and the money dried up. The company went bankrupt, the CEO was arrested, and the government is now trying to keep a lid on this insidious scandal that has destroyed many lives and has begun to foster unrest in Northeast China.
Menacing CEOs are a relatively new threat to order and stability in Shenyang, but for some time now, Shenyang has been notoriously known for harboring some of China’s most dangerous gangsters... who occasionally come down to Beijing. Last year, during one of my late night adventures in Beijing, I happened upon a British man (from South Africa) acting as a liaison between the Beijing government and the nightlife community in Eastern Beijing. I don’t know why he took my friend and I under his wing but after a night of meeting numerous night club owners, receiving VIP service at every location (everything on the house), drinking with a Nigerian drug lord in a white suit and a 10 man posse, running from men with guns, and arm wrestling (and losing) with Shenyang gangsters hired to protect our new British friend, I now know that organized crime in China is more prevalent than they (the government) would like us to believe.
DAY 2: The Japanese and Korean societies are not necessarily best known for being champions of women’s rights. The West also still has a ways to go on that front, but in China where Mao once attempted to destroy all gender lines and where pornography is illegal, erotic entertainment along with the objectivity of woman is a token characteristic of Japanese and Korean catered businesses – many which can be found in Dalian. After a long days work, I went up to the concierge at the Shangri-la Hotel to inquire about bars that expats may enjoy. My colleagues and I were shocked to find out that their recommendation, a place called Alice’s Bar, was in fact a “room salon” – a place where many Japanese and Korean businessmen go to pick a concubine for the night. Many of the bars in the area had women in bras hanging out around the doorways inviting foreigners walking down the street. Dozens of sex shops had moved into the neighborhood selling sex paraphernalia and “happy ending” massages could be found at every corner. Perhaps we had stumbled upon the epicenter for sex in Dalian, the red light district if you will, but after seeing other parts of the city I realized that sex (and its character xing) was omnipresent. Luckily for us, we found a nice American bar with a pool table and some Tom Petty tunes – although there were middle aged Western men chatting with young flirtatious bartenders, it paled in comparison to the Korean sex buffets across the street.
DAY 3: There is a lot of history in Dalian. The Japanese and Russians both at some point used Dalian as a strategic port and military base for their expanding their empires. During these oppressive times, key infrastructural projects were carried out and architecturally impressive structures were built. The mixture of modern design, Maoist style and Russian architecture and city planning, has created a very dynamic and aesthetically pleasing city. Dalian’s heightened sense of fashion among other cities in North China has often been credited to its long history of foreign influence, similar to Shanghai. However, during my visit to Port Arthur (now called LuShun) 50 km west of downtown Dalian, foreigners especially the Japanese are not welcome (unofficially). This port which has held Japanese and Russian warships is now a key naval base for China making this sensitive district very different than the rest of the city. Although those living in military zones in every country are by nature close-minded I was still irked when I heard two people in front of me tell my colleagues that “waiguoren bu xing” or “Foreigners are Not OK”
All in all, Dalian is fun and beautiful city and if I have the opportunity to return again, I have to remember to bring my golf clubs and swimming trunks.
This modern metropolis of six and a half million people sits on a peninsula in the Northeast province of Liaoning, with the Bohai Bay separating it from Beijing and the rest of mainland China in the West and the calm Yellow Sea separating it from the Koreas in the East. What I love about Dalian in comparison to other Chinese cities, especially Beijing, is its rich natural environment and its promotion of a healthy, fashionable, and modern lifestyle. Considered as China’s cleanest city, Dalian prides itself in its clear air, its beautiful golden coastline, and its enchanting integration of rolling hills and cityscape. Perhaps this city can be best described as China’s San Francisco. Although lacking in a big red bridge, Dalian has been able to maintain its San Fran image over the years by replacing heavy industry with services and creating what many agree has become China’s “Silicon Valley”. Strategically developed IT parks with policies encouraging investment have covered the peninsula, attracting the world’s biggest players which include Intel, Sony and Cisco. If you have an R&D center in China, and that's practically everyone these days, chances are you’re based out of Dalian. This massive influx of foreign software engineers and various service-oriented employees not only helps foster a high-tech cosmopolitan with attractive natural amenities (likes golf courses, beaches, and hiking trails), but also diversifies the population with Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Russian cultures all blending together to create one of China’s most dynamic communities.
I certainly would like to revisit. And with real estate investments shifts to hot spots in tier II cities like Dalian, I am sure that I will get a chance to feel that ocean breeze once again in the near future. Now I shall share one interesting observation or discovery from each day of my trip…
DAY 1: During a visitation to one of Dalian’s golf courses we happened to stumble upon a new construction site where villas were being constructed. A critical part of our research involves asking questions about new projects while using developers and on-site contractors as vital sources. However, the men at this particular project were quite short with us, refused to cooperate, and even physically confronted me as I attempted to photograph the development. My suspicions of foul play were later vindicated by the City Planning Bureau who asserted that the local Mafia does have a heavy hand in many real estate projects throughout Dalian. These organized crime syndicates launder money by buying back properties they themselves develop. Liaoning Province is not new to shady business practices. Recently, a drug company based in Shenyang began producing nutritional snacks and beverages using ingredients found in ants. Unable to farm its own ants, it sold ant eggs to investors who after a few years of ant farming would sell the ants back to the company for a hefty return. Speculation in this market attracted millions of investors, and promised returns were rightfully awarded, until of course the product failed, funds were misappropriated and the money dried up. The company went bankrupt, the CEO was arrested, and the government is now trying to keep a lid on this insidious scandal that has destroyed many lives and has begun to foster unrest in Northeast China.
Menacing CEOs are a relatively new threat to order and stability in Shenyang, but for some time now, Shenyang has been notoriously known for harboring some of China’s most dangerous gangsters... who occasionally come down to Beijing. Last year, during one of my late night adventures in Beijing, I happened upon a British man (from South Africa) acting as a liaison between the Beijing government and the nightlife community in Eastern Beijing. I don’t know why he took my friend and I under his wing but after a night of meeting numerous night club owners, receiving VIP service at every location (everything on the house), drinking with a Nigerian drug lord in a white suit and a 10 man posse, running from men with guns, and arm wrestling (and losing) with Shenyang gangsters hired to protect our new British friend, I now know that organized crime in China is more prevalent than they (the government) would like us to believe.
DAY 2: The Japanese and Korean societies are not necessarily best known for being champions of women’s rights. The West also still has a ways to go on that front, but in China where Mao once attempted to destroy all gender lines and where pornography is illegal, erotic entertainment along with the objectivity of woman is a token characteristic of Japanese and Korean catered businesses – many which can be found in Dalian. After a long days work, I went up to the concierge at the Shangri-la Hotel to inquire about bars that expats may enjoy. My colleagues and I were shocked to find out that their recommendation, a place called Alice’s Bar, was in fact a “room salon” – a place where many Japanese and Korean businessmen go to pick a concubine for the night. Many of the bars in the area had women in bras hanging out around the doorways inviting foreigners walking down the street. Dozens of sex shops had moved into the neighborhood selling sex paraphernalia and “happy ending” massages could be found at every corner. Perhaps we had stumbled upon the epicenter for sex in Dalian, the red light district if you will, but after seeing other parts of the city I realized that sex (and its character xing) was omnipresent. Luckily for us, we found a nice American bar with a pool table and some Tom Petty tunes – although there were middle aged Western men chatting with young flirtatious bartenders, it paled in comparison to the Korean sex buffets across the street.
DAY 3: There is a lot of history in Dalian. The Japanese and Russians both at some point used Dalian as a strategic port and military base for their expanding their empires. During these oppressive times, key infrastructural projects were carried out and architecturally impressive structures were built. The mixture of modern design, Maoist style and Russian architecture and city planning, has created a very dynamic and aesthetically pleasing city. Dalian’s heightened sense of fashion among other cities in North China has often been credited to its long history of foreign influence, similar to Shanghai. However, during my visit to Port Arthur (now called LuShun) 50 km west of downtown Dalian, foreigners especially the Japanese are not welcome (unofficially). This port which has held Japanese and Russian warships is now a key naval base for China making this sensitive district very different than the rest of the city. Although those living in military zones in every country are by nature close-minded I was still irked when I heard two people in front of me tell my colleagues that “waiguoren bu xing” or “Foreigners are Not OK”
All in all, Dalian is fun and beautiful city and if I have the opportunity to return again, I have to remember to bring my golf clubs and swimming trunks.
Monday, April 14, 2008
Lax in Beijing
I am hurtin. After months, many months of not participating in anything remotely athletic or physically enduring, I decided it was a good time to join a club here in Beijing. To my surprise after doing a little research, I was able to get in touch with someone through the online Beijing expat forum to enquire about a lacrosse league that they were plugging. Last Sunday was our first practice and the first time I had touched my lacrosse stick in over a year (I brought it with me to China because I had thought it would be depressing to abandon something that had been apart of my identity for much of my life, I also brought my skates to China). It was held at Forestry University and I had to borrow most of the equipment.
The season consists of weekly practices on Sunday mornings leading up to a tournament called the Beijing Cup in June when we play teams traveling from Korea, Japan, Hong Kong, and the U19 Superstars from California who will probably kick everybody’s butt – Beijing will have two teams, one for the Chinese and one for expats like myself. This jamboree will be competitive but more importantly geared towards sharing the knowledge and love of the sport with others from around the world. We will encourage the Americans to do more teaching than slaughtering, considering that the game is fairly new in Asia and any tutorials from these prep school kids can be very helpful in the development of their game. In fact, because the practices every Sunday are mixed (Chinese and expats, boys on one side of the field, girls on the other) there is good deal of coaching that needs to be done to prepare this brave batch of small Chinese college students willing to learn a completely foreign and violent sport. I probably look like a monster to some of them, and they have to be wondering sometimes why they ever agreed to signing up as I run through them. But the other expats and I all try our best to teach the basic skills and strategies of the game while being as encouraging as possible – but at the same time as competitive as possible.
The organizer of the league has come to China to actually start his own lacrosse equipment company based in Beijing and hopes to have his products manufactured and marketed at soon as possible. Once I test out the merchandise, I will tell you what I think, but I think what he is doing for the sport – organizing international tournaments and workshops, creating affordable equipment for markets in and out of the US and developing an affinity for a game in China – is outstanding. And for me, I can finally get back into shape while at the same time revisiting a pastime that had added so much joy and passion in my years at school.
I also missed the battle wounds, I forgot how bad ass they make me look.
The season consists of weekly practices on Sunday mornings leading up to a tournament called the Beijing Cup in June when we play teams traveling from Korea, Japan, Hong Kong, and the U19 Superstars from California who will probably kick everybody’s butt – Beijing will have two teams, one for the Chinese and one for expats like myself. This jamboree will be competitive but more importantly geared towards sharing the knowledge and love of the sport with others from around the world. We will encourage the Americans to do more teaching than slaughtering, considering that the game is fairly new in Asia and any tutorials from these prep school kids can be very helpful in the development of their game. In fact, because the practices every Sunday are mixed (Chinese and expats, boys on one side of the field, girls on the other) there is good deal of coaching that needs to be done to prepare this brave batch of small Chinese college students willing to learn a completely foreign and violent sport. I probably look like a monster to some of them, and they have to be wondering sometimes why they ever agreed to signing up as I run through them. But the other expats and I all try our best to teach the basic skills and strategies of the game while being as encouraging as possible – but at the same time as competitive as possible.
The organizer of the league has come to China to actually start his own lacrosse equipment company based in Beijing and hopes to have his products manufactured and marketed at soon as possible. Once I test out the merchandise, I will tell you what I think, but I think what he is doing for the sport – organizing international tournaments and workshops, creating affordable equipment for markets in and out of the US and developing an affinity for a game in China – is outstanding. And for me, I can finally get back into shape while at the same time revisiting a pastime that had added so much joy and passion in my years at school.
I also missed the battle wounds, I forgot how bad ass they make me look.
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
"London and Paris a success"
A few days ago I had written this long post about Qingming Jie, or Tomb Sweeping Day, a national holiday in China to pay homage to your family ancestors. People take the day off to go to the cemeteries, tidy up the graves, leave flowers, and perhaps burn some fake money to wish their relatives good fortune in the afterlife. Anyway, because I have to use a proxy server to go to my blog these days, one wrong click and I lost everything to cyberspace – I hate when that happens. In retrospect, most of the lost post contained my accounts of a scandalous night at a “room salon” accompanied by a group of visiting businessmen with a knack for Chivas, KTV, and concubines, so its probably for the better (Hint: “room salons” are underground KTV clubs where you get to pick your quasi-concubine for the night, minus anything sexual, unless you pay more, oh god there is no way to morally justify the place, I should just shut up, my mom and girlfriend are reading…. ). But seriously, it was interesting – field work in Beijing is never easy.
Today I wanted to comment on the ludicrous reports coming out of China’s media on the recent protests in London and Paris amidst the Olympic torch relay. Yesterday, the front headline of the China Daily read “French passion greets torch in Paris” only mentioning the protests as “disruptions by some seperatists” and then made light of the fact that “Pars…failed in all three of its bids” to host the Olympics in the past decade – ouch! The torch runs in London and Paris have been labelled a "sucess" throughout the media in China. Here is some more fun sketchy reporting and from China’s objective journalists:
“The Paris section of the Olympic torch relay has ended. It's the fifth leg of the flame's global journey. The torch relay was at least one hour behind schedule due to disruptions by protests over Tibet.The torch had to be put onto a bus three times on Monday before it resumed the relay on the ground. A member from the French Green Party attempted to snatch the torch but was stopped by policemen. At least five people have been arrested who tried to interrupt the relay. Around 3,000 French policemen have been deployed to protect the torch. The relay started at the Eiffel Tower, and was scheduled to pass famous landmarks including the Arc de Triomphe, the Champs Elysees, Concorde Square, the Louvre and Notre Dame Cathedral.”
“As the torch's global relay continues, residents of Lhasa in Tibet Autonomous Region are also preparing to welcome the flame's arrival. A set of stamps depicting the torch relay of the 29th Olympic Games has been published. Many people in Lhasa have shown an interest.”
HEADLINE: Dalai´s brag about "peace", "non-violence" is nothing but lie
BEIJING, April 8 (Xinhua) -- China on Tuesday criticized that the Dalai Lama has proved with his own acts that his brag for "peace" and "non-violence" is nothing but lie.
Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Jiang Yu made the remarks at a regular press conference on Tuesday afternoon when asked to comment on the Dalai Lama's claim in his recent statement that he sticks to his "middle way" approach and does not seek for "Tibet independence".
Jiang said the Dalai Lama is the head representative of the serf system which integrates religion with politics in old Tibet.
Such serf system, which harbors no democracy, freedom and human rights in any form, is the darkest slavery system in human history, Jiang said, adding that only the serf owners could enjoy special privileges under such a system.
The "middle way" approach that the Dalai Lama is pursuing for is aimed at restoring his own "paradise in the past", which will throw millions of liberated serf back into a dark cage, Jiang said.
"Such a 'middle way', who can accept it?" said Jiang.
On the Dalai Lama's claim that he is unconnected with the riots in Lhasa, Jiang said "Dalai has always been dependent on telling lies", noting that it does not matter much about what he said, only what he did.
One thing that the Dalai Lama has done recently is to instigate and orchestrate the violence in Lhasa, Jiang said.
The Dalai Lama's own acts have proved "peace" and "non-violence" are all lies to cheat people, Jiang said.
Jiang also added that the central government's policy toward the Dalai Lama is consistent and the central government has been patiently keeping contact with the Dalai Lama side.
"Our door to conduct dialogue with the Dalai Lama was open in the past and is still open now", Jiang said.
Only if the Dalai Lama changed his mind, stopped separatist activities, violence and sabotaging the Beijing Olympic Games, "we are still willing to contact and consult with him", Jiang said.
…… Good luck San Francisco, I look forward to not reading about in accurately in Beijing
Today I wanted to comment on the ludicrous reports coming out of China’s media on the recent protests in London and Paris amidst the Olympic torch relay. Yesterday, the front headline of the China Daily read “French passion greets torch in Paris” only mentioning the protests as “disruptions by some seperatists” and then made light of the fact that “Pars…failed in all three of its bids” to host the Olympics in the past decade – ouch! The torch runs in London and Paris have been labelled a "sucess" throughout the media in China. Here is some more fun sketchy reporting and from China’s objective journalists:
“The Paris section of the Olympic torch relay has ended. It's the fifth leg of the flame's global journey. The torch relay was at least one hour behind schedule due to disruptions by protests over Tibet.The torch had to be put onto a bus three times on Monday before it resumed the relay on the ground. A member from the French Green Party attempted to snatch the torch but was stopped by policemen. At least five people have been arrested who tried to interrupt the relay. Around 3,000 French policemen have been deployed to protect the torch. The relay started at the Eiffel Tower, and was scheduled to pass famous landmarks including the Arc de Triomphe, the Champs Elysees, Concorde Square, the Louvre and Notre Dame Cathedral.”
“As the torch's global relay continues, residents of Lhasa in Tibet Autonomous Region are also preparing to welcome the flame's arrival. A set of stamps depicting the torch relay of the 29th Olympic Games has been published. Many people in Lhasa have shown an interest.”
HEADLINE: Dalai´s brag about "peace", "non-violence" is nothing but lie
BEIJING, April 8 (Xinhua) -- China on Tuesday criticized that the Dalai Lama has proved with his own acts that his brag for "peace" and "non-violence" is nothing but lie.
Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Jiang Yu made the remarks at a regular press conference on Tuesday afternoon when asked to comment on the Dalai Lama's claim in his recent statement that he sticks to his "middle way" approach and does not seek for "Tibet independence".
Jiang said the Dalai Lama is the head representative of the serf system which integrates religion with politics in old Tibet.
Such serf system, which harbors no democracy, freedom and human rights in any form, is the darkest slavery system in human history, Jiang said, adding that only the serf owners could enjoy special privileges under such a system.
The "middle way" approach that the Dalai Lama is pursuing for is aimed at restoring his own "paradise in the past", which will throw millions of liberated serf back into a dark cage, Jiang said.
"Such a 'middle way', who can accept it?" said Jiang.
On the Dalai Lama's claim that he is unconnected with the riots in Lhasa, Jiang said "Dalai has always been dependent on telling lies", noting that it does not matter much about what he said, only what he did.
One thing that the Dalai Lama has done recently is to instigate and orchestrate the violence in Lhasa, Jiang said.
The Dalai Lama's own acts have proved "peace" and "non-violence" are all lies to cheat people, Jiang said.
Jiang also added that the central government's policy toward the Dalai Lama is consistent and the central government has been patiently keeping contact with the Dalai Lama side.
"Our door to conduct dialogue with the Dalai Lama was open in the past and is still open now", Jiang said.
Only if the Dalai Lama changed his mind, stopped separatist activities, violence and sabotaging the Beijing Olympic Games, "we are still willing to contact and consult with him", Jiang said.
…… Good luck San Francisco, I look forward to not reading about in accurately in Beijing
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
A Good Week
It’s been a good week, not in terms of Tibet or the global economy, but for me. Besides receiving a nice injection of RMB into my fourth Chinese bank account (every time I get a new job the HR department uses a different bank), I also am on the fast track for a 1 year working visa. This is especially nice for a number of reasons - no more paying dubious amounts to black market operatives, no more worrying about expiration dates on my stay, and after two years of having no medical insurance I can bike more, drink more, bike while drinking more, and not worry about the financial consequences.
Of course the procedure of procuring such visa is nothing but mafan (troublesome). I had to bug my landlord to pay her taxes so I could get a residency permit required by all foreigners and given out by the ominous Wudaokou police station (the same one I spent a night at three years ago for partaking in a brawl).
I then had to go to a hospital to be tested for HIV, high blood pressure, bad vision, and then I was X-rayed and EKGed. Chinese hospitals certainly lack that squeaky clean germ free feeling you get in American medical facilities. The combination of too many windows, paint coming off walls and ceilings, stained scrubs, and narrow hallways makes me think more of being in a crack house – maybe I shouldn’t have let them put that needle in me.
Back at the office, I was instructed by the HR girl to hand in a copy of my graduation certificate – no big deal. But then she came back and told me she was having a hard time reading the English, at which point I pointed out that it was written in Latin. So now I am translating Latin into English (purely guessing using my linguistic knowledge) and then she will translate that into Chinese.
Nothing is ever easy in China - the bureaucratic mess is constantly there, but if you just man up, stand in line, sit in traffic, and dot all your “i”s without freaking out, you can end up having a good and sometimes great week.
Of course the procedure of procuring such visa is nothing but mafan (troublesome). I had to bug my landlord to pay her taxes so I could get a residency permit required by all foreigners and given out by the ominous Wudaokou police station (the same one I spent a night at three years ago for partaking in a brawl).
I then had to go to a hospital to be tested for HIV, high blood pressure, bad vision, and then I was X-rayed and EKGed. Chinese hospitals certainly lack that squeaky clean germ free feeling you get in American medical facilities. The combination of too many windows, paint coming off walls and ceilings, stained scrubs, and narrow hallways makes me think more of being in a crack house – maybe I shouldn’t have let them put that needle in me.
Back at the office, I was instructed by the HR girl to hand in a copy of my graduation certificate – no big deal. But then she came back and told me she was having a hard time reading the English, at which point I pointed out that it was written in Latin. So now I am translating Latin into English (purely guessing using my linguistic knowledge) and then she will translate that into Chinese.
Nothing is ever easy in China - the bureaucratic mess is constantly there, but if you just man up, stand in line, sit in traffic, and dot all your “i”s without freaking out, you can end up having a good and sometimes great week.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)