China:Obama's Commencement Speech Foder for Debate
Region: ChinaThis article by Rachel Wang originally appeared on Tea Leaf Nation on May 13, 2013 and is republished as part of a content sharing agreement [Format adapted to facilitate translation]. Last week, a speech by U.S. President Barack Obama on the value of engaged citizenship made waves in Chinese social media. Influential Sina Weibo user @假装在纽约, or “pretending to be in New York,” a widely followe... more
Views: 246Chemical Plant Protest Censored in China
Region: ChinaWritten by Abby Residents of China’s southwestern Kunming city took to the streets on May 4, 2013 to protest against the potential production of a toxic chemical at a nearby factory. According to state media, the China National Petroleum Corporation plans to build a chemical plant in the nearby town of Anning to produce 500,000 tonnes of paraxylene (PX) used to make fabric. Close to 3,000 people [1] gathere... more
Views: 347China Rejects Japan's Earthquake Aid Offer
Region: ChinaWritten by Owen The Chinese government has turned down [1] Japan’s offer to help with relief efforts following an earthquake in China's southwest Sichuan province that left at least 193 people dead and more than 12,000 injured [2] [zh]. The quake, which measured a magnitude of 7.0 by the China Earthquake Administration [3], stuck on the morning of April 20, 2013 in the mountainous areas near Ya... more
Views: 692China: Media Banned from Quoting Foreign News
Region: ChinaWritten by Abby On 18 April 2013 China's media authority has announced new regulations [1] barring news outlets and other organizations from reporting on foreign media coverage [2] without permission. The General Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television's unveiled the tighter controls in a notice [3] [zh] released on April 16, 2013, less than a day after The New York... more
Views: 700China: Destruction of Ancient Buddhist Temple
Region: ChinaWritten by Abby Local Chinese authorities, in a bid to preserve parts of the historic Silk Road [1] trade route, have ordered the destruction [2] of another historic site standing in the way. Xingjiao Temple in Xi'an, which holds the remains of 7th-century Buddhist monk Xuan Zang [3], will be partially demolished [4] to make room for greenery as part of the local government's plan to apply for UNESCO... more
Views: 673New Avian Flu Outbreak Causes Deaths in China
Region: ChinaWritten by Owen A strain of avian flu never before seen in humans has so far infected 21 people [1], with six deaths [2], in China, putting health authorities on high alert and prompting fears among many Chinese of the disease spreading. The first reported death associated with the H7N9 virus was an 87-year-old man who died March 4, 2013 in the commercial hub of Shanghai, a city of some 20 million residents.&n... more
Views: 817China: Blogger Detained After Calling Attention to Dead Pigs
Region: ChinaWritten by Abby A Shanghai poet was detained for questioning by Chinese police after she posted to popular microblogging site Sina Weibo calling on her followers to take a stroll en masse along the Huangpu River to bring attention to the waterway where nearly 15,000 [1] dead pigs have recently been found floating [2]. The dead pigs scandal and the resulting fears of contaminated tap water have become... more
Views: 816Anonymous Blogger Shared Intimate Details of incoming Chinese President
Region: ChinaBy owen An anonymous blogger in China who ignited the country's curiosity [1] with intimate details of incoming Chinese President Xi Jingping [2]‘s comings and goings has revealed himself to be a college dropout unaffiliated with the communist party. Bombarded with interview requests from the media and faced with mounting speculation over his real identity, Zhang Hongming, a ... more
Views: 570Record-Breaking Air Pollution Readings in Beijing
Region: ChinaBy owen Beijing is no stranger to air pollution, but this time it was different. A lingering 4-day heavy smog with jaw-dropping pollution readings [1] hit the Chinese capital in mid-January, making news headlines and galvanizing an online community that has become increasingly vocal about environmental issues. State media [3] called on citizens to take pre-cautions and avoid outdoor physical activities. One key p... more
Views: 702China: Censorship and a Book Signing
Region: ChinaBy Abby Outspoken social critic and blogger Li Chengpeng [1] recently released a new book: the Whole World Knows [2] [zh]. Also known as an eloquent public speaker, Li delivered a bold speech [3] on freedom of speech at China’s elite Beijing University last November. While the audience expected another speech at Li’s book signing event in his hometown of Chengdu in China’s... more
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