Wandering China

AN 'OVERSEAS CHINESE' STUDENT'S JOURNEY INTO DISCOVERING THE IMAGINATION OF CHINA.

February 13, 2012 • 12:43 am 0

Chinese village experiments with democracy [AFP/AsiaOne]

Seemingly stimulated by the Wukan incident: China rolls out an official disclosure of democracy, perhaps a little ahead of time.

They’ve been having elections such as these for a while but the key difference is now the elections are no longer closed-doors.

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Chinese village experiments with democracy
AFP
Source – AsiaOne, published February 12, 2012 

A Chinese man casts his vote as thousands of residents take part in the voting for their first-ever open democratic elections for the village committee in Wukan, in Shanwei city, south China's Guangdong province on February 1, 2012, after they protested for months in autumn in 2011 against their allegedly corrupt leaders. Residents in Wukan won rare concessions after they faced off with authorities for more than a week in December in a row over land and graft, including pledges to hold free village polls. Photo: AFP

SHANGHAI – A Chinese village which staged an extraordinary rebellion against authorities last year has taken a key step in a process to freely elect its own governing committee, residents said Sunday.

Thousands of residents of Wukan in the southern province of Guangdong voted Saturday for more than 100 representatives who will put forward candidates for a seven-member village committee to be elected in March, they said.

The move followed protests by the village last December when they faced off with authorities for more than a week in an uproar over land grabs. Read the rest of this entry »

Filed under: AFP, AsiaOne, Beijing Consensus, Charm Offensive, Chinese Model, Corruption, Democracy, Government & Policy, Mapping Feelings, New Leadership, Peaceful Development, Politics, Public Diplomacy, Social, The Chinese Identity, The construction of Chinese and Non-Chinese identities, Wukan

January 12, 2012 • 1:00 am 0

Female bodyguards start gruelling training regime in China [AsiaOne]

This story for me has got to be one that prompts my old mindsets of sepia-toned China are diminishing.

Of course, it was probably quite sensationalist for the security company to have the trainees in skimpy (and colourful) swim-wear but I digress.

To get on top of the game in China, some Chinese females take the step up with an 8-10 month training regime to become security personnel for the wealthy. Cunning but true – it is believed that ’women are especially in demand because they are less visible than men and can take on other positions like a secretary or nanny.’

And it comes with an amazing pay package, for everyday Chinese terms. Female bodyguards are paid up to $130 a day when the average wage in China is a reported $308.

See full slideshow from Reuters here.

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Female bodyguards start gruelling training regime in China
Source – AsiaOne, published Jan 8, 2012 

Trainees dressed in swimming suits follow the instructions of a trainer from Tianjiao Special Guard/Security Consultant Ltd. Co. during a training session in Sanya, Hainan province, January 8, 2012. REUTERS/China Daily

Twenty women gathered at a beach in Hainan, China in their bikinis. They were not there for a day out on the beach but instead they began their intense training regime in the hope of becoming bodyguards.

The women, mostly college graduates were kicked, dunked, near-drowned and forced to carry a heavy log between them during a tough boot camp run by professional bodyguards on Sunday.

Tianjiao Special Guard/Security Consultant Ltd. Co will train the potential bodyguards for eight to 10 months to develop the skills needed to serve their clients. Read the rest of this entry »

Filed under: AsiaOne, Chinese Model, Culture, Domestic Growth, Economics, Lifestyle, Social, The Chinese Identity, The construction of Chinese and Non-Chinese identities

November 8, 2011 • 12:11 am 0

Chinese teens sell sex for extra pocket money [AsiaOne]

Few parents would want to hear this: “I don’t want to be a normal worker like my parents, living a hard life to earn money… To me, it’s not even realistic or worthwhile to study hard, go to university and have a decent job.”

Is China’s domestic socio-economic reality of having such a wide income divide really hitting home, has consumerism become the guiding force for self-determinism in youth, or is the lack of sex education the key?

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Chinese teens sell sex for extra pocket money
Source – AsiaOne, published November 7, 2011 

Photo: AsiaOne

Police have taken in 20 teenage girls in Shanghai, China, who have been offering sex to earn pocket money.

Among those arrested are mostly students under 18 years old and two under 14.

Three of the suspects are believed to be the masterminds behind the “teenage prostitution ring” and face charges of offering sex services and inducing classmates and friends to enter the business, reported Shanghai Daily. Read the rest of this entry »

Filed under: 52 Unacceptable Practices, AsiaOne, Crime, Domestic Growth, Mapping Feelings, People, Population, Social, The Chinese Identity, The construction of Chinese and Non-Chinese identities

August 5, 2011 • 12:55 am 0

Taxi drivers end strike in eastern Chinese city [AsiaOne/Reuters]

The democratisation of China or a reminder that the Chinese have never been happy to accept unjust conditions for too long. One only has to look back at the rise and topple of a multitude of dynasties over hundreds of emperors. Recent actions such as the Honda China strike revealed deep labour discontent at low wages amidst rising living costs. And they seem to be winning. Foxconn has been made to raise wages by up to 66-70% (depending on who you read) which is indicative of a notable shift of power back to the people. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. According to research at the Transition Institute, there have been 60 taxi strikes in Chinese cities in recent years.

For local coverage, check out China Daily – Striking cab drivers back to work in Hangzhou, August 5, 2011

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Taxi drivers end strike in eastern Chinese city
Reuters
Source – AsiaOne, published August 4, 2011

Photo: Reuters

SHANGHAI – Taxi drivers in the eastern Chinese city of Hangzhou have returned to work after three days of protests demanding higher wages, the official Xinhua News Agency reported on Thursday.

A series of similar protests by taxi drivers have hit other cities across the nation, highlighting mounting frustration among migrant workers who make up a growing share of the country’s workforce.

The drivers in Hangzhou, who have gathered at several points throughout the picturesque city for the past three days, had begun taking passengers on Thursday morning after the government pledged to hold a public hearing and adjust fares, Xinhua reported. Read the rest of this entry »

Filed under: AsiaOne, Automotive, Chinese Model, Culture, Democracy, Domestic Growth, Economics, Government & Policy, Honda Strike in Foshan 2010, Infrastructure, Mapping Feelings, Politics, Population, Reform, Reuters, Social, The Chinese Identity, The construction of Chinese and Non-Chinese identities, Transport

March 8, 2011 • 10:14 am 0

Chinese businessman spends $1million on mother’s funeral [AsiaOne]

An insight into China’s domestic growth and the Chinese mind for filial piety. 600 musicians with 600 monks on top of 16 gold-plated cannons; juxtaposed with this statement -

The dramatic transformation in recent decades has created dozens of dollar billionaires in China, but also left millions more languishing at the bottom of the pile in a country still marked by grinding poverty among the rural masses.

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Chinese businessman spends $1million on mother’s funeral
AsiaOne
Source – AsiaOne, published Mar 07, 2011

Photo – AFP

CHINA – A Chinese businessman threw a lavish funeral for his mother that cost close to S$1 million.

The funeral procession included a fleet of eight stretched Lincoln limousines and other luxury cars for transporting family members.

There was also a large marching band of more than 600 musicians, and a row of 16 gold-painted cannons which fired a salute as the coffin passed.

Reports said that 600 monks carried out the funeral rites, and monks had to be recruited from neighbouring provinces because there were not enough monks in the province where the funeral was held. Read the rest of this entry »

Filed under: AFP, AsiaOne, Beijing Consensus, Chinese Model, Culture, Domestic Growth, Economics, Education, Lifestyle, People, Population, Social

March 8, 2011 • 3:54 am 0

China says Dalai Lama has to reincarnate [AsiaOne/Reuters]

An attention-grabbing headline from Reuters found in AsiaOne – China says Dalai Lama has to reincarnate?

I am not sure it sets readers in the right headspace especially since the issue of China and Tibet has moved beyond just neighbouring tension to become a oft-used international relations / human rights weapon and to a lesser extent, popular culture phenomenon.

Nevertheless, the big question in China’s mind must be – which way forward to maintain stability if the Dalai Lama elects to break tradition by finding his successor by hand-picking or democratic elections. Tricky business as the outcome can lead China appointing their own successor resulting in there being two Dalai Lamas – one recognised by officialdom and the others by the exiles. More division? I doubt China wants that. However, as with things Tibet and Japan where the feelings and hurt run deep, what the rest see as common sense is unlikely to be the order of the day.

“Tibetan Buddhism has a history of more than 1,000 years, and the reincarnation institutions of the Dalai Lama and Panchen Lama have been carried on for several hundred years…” Padma Choling

For more on Padma Choling, go here (NewsWeek, 2010)

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China says Dalai Lama has to reincarnate
Reuters
Source – AsiaOne, published Mar 07, 2011

 

Photo - AFP

It is unclear how the 76-year-old Dalai Lama, who lives in India and is revered by many Tibetans, plans to pick his successor. He has said that the succession process could break with tradition – either by being hand-picked by him or through democratic elections.

But Padma Choling, the Chinese-appointed governor of Tibet, said that the Dalai Lama had no right to abolish the institution of reincarnation, underscoring China’s hardline stance on one of the most sensitive issues for the restless and remote region. Read the rest of this entry »

Filed under: AsiaOne, Beijing Consensus, Charm Offensive, Culture, Greater China, Human Rights, Influence, International Relations, Nationalism, People, Politics, Population, Public Diplomacy, Reuters, Social, Soft Power, Tibet

December 30, 2010 • 11:18 pm 0

China schoolgirl aspires to be ‘corrupt official’:state media [AsiaOne/AFP]

Has the ugliness and material realism of life beginning to manifest in the Chinese young? One child may not be entirely representative, but it is a sign that the seeds are sown.

Many chatroom users praised the child for her “realistic” outlook on life, while others expressed cynicism over rampant corruption in China.

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China schoolgirl aspires to be ‘corrupt official’:state media
AFP
Source – AsiaOne, published September 04, 2009

BEIJING – A six-year-old girl has become a media darling in China on her first day of school by expressing her aspiration to become a “corrupt official” when she grows up, state media said Friday.

The young student stated her aspirations in a televised interview that was posted on a southern China website, leading bloggers to describe her comments as “a reflection of social reality,” the Southern Metropolis Daily reported.

“When I grow up I want to be an official,” said the girl, whose face was blurred to protect her identity. Read the rest of this entry »

Filed under: AFP, AsiaOne, Beijing Consensus, Chinese Model, Corruption, Domestic Growth, Economics, Education, Environment, Lifestyle, Social

December 27, 2010 • 5:16 am 0

16 dead, 25 injured in 2 China road accidents [AsiaOne/AFP]

190 dead a day due to road accidents is no small amount.

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16 dead, 25 injured in 2 China road accidents
AFP
Source – AsiaOne, published December 27, 2010

BEIJING – At least 16 people were killed – including nine schoolchildren – and 25 injured in two car accidents in China on Monday, one of which involved over 100 vehicles, state press reported.

The nine children died when the vehicle in which they were travelling plunged off a road in central Hunan province early Monday, Xinhua news agency said.

One person was missing in the accident in Hengnan county, while 10 others were injured, the report said. Read the rest of this entry »

Filed under: AsiaOne, Automotive, Domestic Growth, Environment, People, Population, Social

December 10, 2010 • 11:03 pm 0

Beijing may implement car taxes S’pore-style [Reuters/AsiaOne]

When I was in China, I saw a news program that analyzed China’s predicament of having 2,000 new cars on the road each day. There are 4.7 million cars there now. According to this article, there will be 7 million by 2012. Clear skies might come in even shorter supply now.

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Beijing may implement car taxes S’pore-style
Reuters
Source – AsiaOne, published December 10, 2010

BEIJING – Drivers in China’s capital Beijing may have to pay to drive their cars in the near future, as part of measures the government will introduce to fight ever-worsening traffic gridlock in the city, local media said on Thursday.

Beijing’s policy incentives helped propel China pass the United States as the world’s biggest auto market in 2009, but the worsening air quality and traffic have now become a hazard in major Chinese cities.

By 2012, Beijing alone will have 7 million vehicles on the road, rising sharply form 4.7 million now, the National Business Daily said, citing statistics provided by the municipal transportation authorities. Read the rest of this entry »

Filed under: AsiaOne, Automotive, Chinese Model, Climate Change, Culture, Domestic Growth, Economics, Environment, Green China, People, Population, Transport

September 25, 2010 • 6:13 am 0

Chinese skipper home from Japan as Beijing demands apology [AsiaOne/AFP]

“[Japan's] conservative opposition was quick to lash out at what it saw as a loss of face for Japan, which has this year been overtaken by traditional rival China as the world’s number two economy.”

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Chinese skipper home from Japan as Beijing demands apology
AFP
Source – AsiaOne, published September 25, 2010

BEIJING – The Chinese trawlerman whose arrest sparked a major row arrived home on Saturday after being released by Japanese prosecutors as Beijing called for compensation and an apology for the “unlawful” detention.

In a far from conciliatory statement, China’s foreign ministry insisted the disputed islands at the centre of the diplomatic standoff were Beijing’s “inherent territory”, according to a report by the state-run Xinhua news agency.

“(The arrest) seriously infringed upon China’s territorial sovereignty and violated the human rights of Chinese citizens,” the statement said. Read the rest of this entry »

Filed under: AFP, AsiaOne, Beijing Consensus, Chinese Model, Culture, Diaoyu Fishing Boat Incident 2010, History, Influence, International Relations, japan, military, Nationalism, Public Diplomacy, Soft Power

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Good Reads

A History of Hong Kong (Welsh, rev. 1997)

Behind the Open Door: Foreign Enterprises in the Chinese Marketplace (Rosen, 1999)

Beyond the Chinese Face: Insights from Psychology (Bond, 1991)

Charm Offensive: How China's Soft Power is Transforming the World (Kurlantzick, 2007)

China and the Chinese Overseas (Wang, 2003)

China Off Center - Mapping the Margins of the Middle Kingdom (Blum & Jensen, 2002)

China Wakes (Kristof & Wudunn, 1995)

China's Transformations(Jensen & Weston, 2007)

Chinas Unlimited (Lee, 2003)

China’s Security Interests in the 21st Century (Ong, 2007)

Chinese among others - Emigration in Modern Times (Kuhn, 2008)

Chinese Kinship (Chao, 1983)

Chinese Nationalism (Unger, ed. 1996)

Chinese Strategic Culture and Foreign Policy Decision-Making (Feng, 2007)

Dialetic of the Chinese Revolution (Ci, 1994)

Don't Leave Home - Migration and Chinese (Wang, 2001)

Integrating China into the Global Economy (Lardy, 2002)

Interpreting China’s Grand Strategy - Past, Present and Future (Swaine & Tellis, 2000)

Kinship, Contract, Community & State (Cohen, 2005)

Re Orient - Change in Asian Societies (Vervoorn, 2006)

The Gare of Heavenly Peace: The Chinese and their Revolution, 1895-1980 (Spence, 1986)

The Great Chinese Revolution: 1800-1985 (Fairbank, 1987)

The Overseas Chinese of South East Asia (Witzel and Rae, 2008)

The Paradox of China's Post-Mao Reforms (Goldman and Macfarquhar, ed. 1999)

The Real Chinese Question (Holcombe, 1901) **

Understanding China: A guide to China's Economy, History, and Political Structure (Starr, 1997)

Understanding China and India - Security Implications for the United States and the World (Lal, 2006)

Weaving the Net: Conditional Engagement with China (Shinn, ed., 1996)

Where Underpants Come From: From Checkout to Cotton Field - Travels through the New China. (Bennett, 2008)

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