Current Events

[Randy W]

International concern mounts over welfare of player who hasn’t been seen since she made sexual assault allegations.

from Al Jazeera English on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/aljazeera/posts/10160420595033690

WTA says it is prepared to pull China tournaments over Peng Shuai
International concern mounts over welfare of player who hasn’t been seen since she made sexual assault allegations against former top Chinese official.

Quote

 

Peng has not been seen in public since she announced on social media on November 2 that former vice premier Zhang Gaoli had forced her to have sex.

The post on China’s Weibo platform has since been deleted and all discussions of the issue in China have been blocked.

WTA chief Steven Simon, who on Thursday questioned the authenticity of an email allegedly from Peng shared by state media, told reporters in the United States that the association was prepared to pull tournaments worth millions of dollars over the issue. It has called for an investigation into the allegations.

“We’re definitely willing to pull our business and deal with all the complications that come with it,” he told CNN in an interview.

“Because this is certainly, this is bigger than the business. Women need to be respected and not censored.”

 

 

Edited January 20, 2023 by Randy W (see edit history)

[Randy W]

Chinese tennis star Peng Shuai makes first ‘public appearances’ since sexual assault . . .
Peng Shuai, the Chinese tennis star who has become the focus of international concern, made an appearance at a youth tennis event in Beijing on November 21, according to images posted online.

from the SCMP on Facebook 
https://www.facebook.com/scmp/videos/589860808943400/

 

[Randy W]

Beijing urges US to investigate Chicago shooting that killed university graduate from China

China has urged the United States to take concrete measures to investigate the death of a Chinese student who had recently graduated from the University of Chicago with a master’s degree. Dennis Zheng Shaoxiong was fatally shot during a robbery in November.

from the SCMP on Facebook 
https://www.facebook.com/scmp/videos/1225446868287017/

 

Edited January 20, 2023 by Randy W (see edit history)

[Randy W]

From the vital statistics -

China registered 8.14 m marriages in 2020, marking a decline for the seventh straight year and a 17-year record low. Marriages peaked in 2013, at 13.47 million.

Check out more Daily Tones: http://ow.ly/eEPK50GU2m0

from the Sixth Tone on Facebook 
https://www.facebook.com/1570821646570023/posts/3095485757436930/?substory_index=0

 - or - 

https://www.facebook.com/sixthtone/photos/a.1604152706570250/3095485757436930

 - and this -

China’s Birth Rate Lowest in 43 Years, Official Data Shows
The annual demographic data reveals concerning trends for a rapidly aging country.

 

Edited January 20, 2023 by Randy W (see edit history)

[Randy W]

This is in the news tonight on CGTN, but I haven't yet paid enough attention to learn if it sold or what.

Ming dynasty carpet that may have graced the throne valued at US$5.4 million in upcoming Christie’s auction

• There are only 39 known intact carpets from the Ming dynasty and only 16 that feature an imperial dragon
• An American couple originally bought the carpet on their honeymoon in China in 1920 before it was sold to a person in Switzerland in 1987

While the carpet has a striking gold colour today, it would have been a rather stunning “imperial red” during its heyday.

A carpet from the Ming dynasty is expected to be valued at between US$4.08 million to US$5.4 million at an upcoming auction at Christie's. CREDIT: Christie's

Quote

A Ming dynasty-era carpet will be valued at between US$4.08 million and US$5.4 million at a Christie’s auction scheduled for November 23 in Paris.
The carpet was woven in the 16th century under the Ming dynasty (1368 to 1644) and would have decorated the Forbidden City. Christie’s said this carpet probably covered the floor beneath the emperor’s throne, signifying the ruler’s connection to the heavens.
It features two large five-clawed blue dragons sewn in a traditional imperial style, which would have symbolised the emperor’s power and a blessing for good luck. Chinese emperors were often called the “True Dragon”, or “Son of Heaven”.

 

 

Edited November 24, 2021 by Randy W (see edit history)

[Randy W]

Here's the news - 

'Phenomenally rare' Chinese imperial carpet sells in Paris for $7.6m

 

Quote

 

An Asian buyer acquired the piece for a final, post-commission price of $7.6m.

The hammer fell at Christie's in the French capital after 13 minutes of tense bidding online.

 

 

[Randy W]

The Battle at Lake Changjin has made over $890 million at the box office, making it the highest-grossing film of 2021, the highest-grossing film in Chinese history, and the highest-grossing non-English film ever released. 

Check out more Daily Tones: http://ow.ly/4yWw50GWaKW

from the Sixth Tone on Facebook 
https://www.facebook.com/sixthtone/posts/3096937393958433/

Wikipedia said:

The Battle at Lake Changjin is a 2021 Chinese war film directed by Chen Kaige, Tsui Hark and Dante Lam. It was written by Lan Xiaolong and Huang Jianxin, produced by Yu Dong, and stars Wu Jing and Jackson Yee. This is the most expensive film China has ever made, with a budget of 200 million dollars.

IMDB said:

Set in the Second Phase Offensive of the Korean War, "The Battle at Lake Changjin" tells an epic historical tale: 71 years ago, the People's Volunteer Army (PVA) entered North Korea for battle. Under extreme freezing conditions, the troops on the Eastern Front pursued with fearless spirit and iron will, as they courageously fought the enemy at Lake Changjin (also known as Chosin Reservoir). The battle was a turning point in the Korean War and demonstrated the courage and resolve of the PVA.

 

Edited January 20, 2023 by Randy W (see edit history)

[Randy W]

"Is doing business in China still worth it?"

Do Sports Still Need China?
Global outrage, broken contracts and shifting politics could change the calculus for leagues and teams that once raced to do business in China.

from the NY Times

The WTA Tour hosted nine events in China in 2019. It’s unclear when, or if, it will return there.Credit...Lintao Zhang/Getty Images

Quote

 

The rewards for international sports leagues and organizations are plain: lucrative broadcast deals, bountiful sponsorship opportunities, millions of new consumers.

The risks are obvious, too: the compromising of values, the public relations nightmares, the general atmosphere of opacity.

For years, they have surveyed the Chinese market, measured these factors and come up with the same basic math: that the benefits of doing business there outweighed the possible downsides. The N.B.A. might blunder into a humbling political crisis based on a single tweet, and rich contracts might vanish into thin air overnight, but China, the thinking went, was a potential gold mine. And for that reason leagues, teams, governing bodies and athletes contorted themselves for any chance to tap into it.

But recent events may have changed that thinking for good, and raised a new question: Is doing business in China still worth it?

 

 

Edited November 25, 2021 by Randy W (see edit history)

[Randy W]

After 25 years, #Walmart’s Honghu store in #Shenzhen, the 1st Walmart hypermarket in China, will close on Dec. 7. The store in Luohu District first opened its doors Aug. 12, 1996. This year marks the 25th anniversary of both the store’s opening and Walmart’s presence in #China.

from Shenzhen Pages on Facebook 
https://www.facebook.com/shenzhenpages/posts/1471552006562767

First Walmart outlet on mainland to close next month in city

2021-11-25  08:53    Shenzhen Daily

Quote

 

Walmart China, which is headquartered in Shenzhen, told Shenzhen Daily in an email Tuesday that its Honghu store will close due to the property owner’s plans to upgrade the entire property.

    Walmart stated that it reviews its stores’ performance on a regular basis to ensure long-term business optimization, and that opening or closing stores is normal in the retail industry’s daily operations.

    “China is a market full of opportunities for development. We have full confidence in the Chinese economy and market. Walmart China will open more Walmart stores, Sam’s Club stores and distribution centers to provide more seamless online and offline services to its customers and members,” the retail behemoth said.

    Quite a few customers were seen shopping at Walmart’s Honghu store Tuesday night, despite empty or half-empty shelves at the three-story supermarket.

    “The store’s closure will have little impact on my life because there are many other places to shop, both online and offline,” a citizen surnamed Chen, who was shopping with her husband and son, told Shenzhen Daily.

    “I heard the news on Douyin and came specially to shop today,” another citizen surnamed Xing said. “I’m sorry it’s going to be closed. I believe it has something to do with the company’s operations, as well as increased competition from e-commerce platforms and livestreaming commerce, among other things.”

    Hypermarkets’ business model has lost its competitive advantage as China’s retail market has embraced massive changes, where closing stores and stopping losses has become the norm. Walmart China closed about 80 stores between 2016 and 2020, according to partial statistics.

    However, Walmart China’s net sales and comparable store sales in the third quarter increased  18.8 percent and 16.5 percent, respectively, and e-commerce net sales grew by 96 percent, according to the company’s recently released third-quarter fiscal results.

 

 

Edited January 20, 2023 by Randy W (see edit history)

[Randy W]

The people who get "disappeared"

They seem to have left the Hong Kong booksellers off this list

from the Indian Express

Peng Shuai to Jack Ma: The high-profile disappearances in China
The Chinese tennis star disappeared from public view for weeks this month after she accused a top Chinese leader of sexual assault, prompting a global chorus of concern for her safety

Quote

 

Peng Shuai, tennis player

 . . .

Ren Zhiqiang, real estate tycoon

 . . .

Jack Ma, tech billionaire

 . . .

Chen Qiushi, citizen journalist

 . . .

Lu Guang, photographer

 . . .

Duan Weihong, businesswoman

 . . .

Zhao Wei, actress

 . . .

Ai Weiwei, artist and activist

 . . .

Meng Hongwei, former Interpol president

 . . .

 

 

[Randy W]

Three years after Ofo the bike rental service collapsed under a mountain of abandoned yellow bikes and lost deposits, Ofo the company still exists as a half-baked e-commerce app. And it’s still promising to give users back their deposits — as long as the users give them even more money.

The controversial company returned to the news this week after telling users they could get their deposits back if they got friends to give the company money.

from the Sixth Tone on Facebook 
https://www.facebook.com/sixthtone/posts/3096464477339058

Ofo Wants Users to Invite Their Friends Into Its Debt Pit
Can you make a buck off owing millions of people money? A former Chinese bike-rental company is trying.

Quote

 

With money owned to millions of jilted customers, its operating licenses suspended, and its assets seized or melted down for scrap, some companies would file for bankruptcy. The Chinese company that pioneered dockless bike rentals is going another route.

Three years after Ofo the bike rental service collapsed under a mountain of abandoned yellow bikes and lost deposits, Ofo the company still exists as a half-baked e-commerce app. And it’s still promising to give users back their deposits — as long as the users give them even more money.

The controversial company returned to the news this week after telling users they could get their deposits back if they got friends to give the company money.

The feature was subsequently withdrawn from the platform after a state-run media outlet criticized it Nov. 21. However, unimpressed observers continued to take to microblog platforms to express their anger.

“This is asking users to cheat their friends,” one Weibo user wrote.

 

 

Edited January 20, 2023 by Randy W (see edit history)

[Randy W]

More Businesses Will Stand Up to China After the Peng Shuai Outcry
It’s getting harder for executives to balance supporting social causes with reaping the riches of the Chinese market. 

from Bloomberg

Quote

 

Rule No. 1 of doing business in China: Don’t tick off the government. Its bureaucrats hold the power of life and death over a business. Why risk forfeiting the riches of its vast market? Most of all, avoid anything of political sensitivity. 

Apparently, Steve Simon didn’t get the memo. In recent days, the chairman and chief executive officer of the Women’s Tennis Association has waged a relentless campaign to protect one of its stars that has highlighted the iniquities of the communist regime, sparked global outrage, and left Chinese authorities stumbling and scrambling to find a way out. 

 . . . A confluence of factors—heightened U.S.-China tensions, intensifying repression within China, and, most of all, more pressure on companies outside China to support social equity—will make it harder and harder for big business to turn a blind eye to Beijing’s abuses. The outcome could be a lot more sharp confrontations between prominent businesses and the Chinese state, with the potential to reshape China’s economic relationship with the rest of the world. 

 

 

[Randy W]

On 11/26/2021 at 11:47 PM, Randy W said:

Three years after Ofo the bike rental service collapsed under a mountain of abandoned yellow bikes and lost deposits, Ofo the company still exists as a half-baked e-commerce app. And it’s still promising to give users back their deposits — as long as the users give them even more money.

The controversial company returned to the news this week after telling users they could get their deposits back if they got friends to give the company money.

from the Sixth Tone on Facebook 
https://www.facebook.com/sixthtone/posts/3096464477339058

Ofo Wants Users to Invite Their Friends Into Its Debt Pit
Can you make a buck off owing millions of people money? A former Chinese bike-rental company is trying.

 

In the aftermath of the "bicycle wars": a protracted, venture capital-funded fight between Ofo and Mobike that took place from 2016 to 2017, the industry seems increasingly stable. Are the country’s bike-sharing firms finally on the right track?

from the Sixth Tone on Facebook 
https://www.facebook.com/sixthtone/posts/3101382943513878

After the Crash: Checking In on China’s Bike-Sharing Industry
It’s been almost five years since the “bicycle wars.” Are the country’s bike-sharing firms finally on the right track?

Quote

 

These bike rental firms are still living in the shadow of the “bicycle wars”: a protracted, venture capital-funded fight between Ofo and Mobike that took place from 2016 to 2017. Both companies wanted to be “Uber for bike sharing”; together, they spent hundreds of millions competing to see who could build the biggest bike fleet — and collect the most user deposits. For consumers, this had its advantages: Competition kept fares artificially low, with frequent discounts and plenty of bicycles strewn across cities. For officials, the bikes were a management nightmare, clogging sidewalks and inconveniencing pedestrians.

In August 2017, China’s Ministry of Transportation, together with ten other departments, jointly issued new rules requiring urban officials and enterprises to regulate bike parking, standardize services, and guarantee the safety of users’ deposits. The bike-rental industry underwent a sudden contraction, with tens of millions of bikes removed from city streets. In the end, both firms lost, leaving debt and vast bicycle graveyards behind.

Ofo and Mobike’s missteps, however serious, did not kill the bike rental industry in China. If anything, in the aftermath of the bicycle wars, the industry seems increasingly stable, with firms like Qingju, Meituan, and Hello carving up the market. According to a 2020 report issued by data agency EqualOcean, these three companies have entered a combined 400 cities and have tens of millions of monthly active users.

In the aftermath of the bicycle wars, the industry seems increasingly stable.
- Huang Yang, researcher
With far fewer bikes allowed on city sidewalks — and far less competition from smaller players that didn’t survive the crash — fleet management has become a game of chess. The more vehicles a company maintains, the higher its operations costs will be and the more scrutiny it will receive from regulators. Failure to deploy enough bikes, however, will result in low exposure — and runs the risk of alienating users unable to find a ride when they need one.

This has forced firms to refine their vehicle management and dispatching techniques. Part of the puzzle is getting users to park their bikes properly after a trip. Bike rental companies have developed many technical solutions to this problem, including using geofencing technology to draw lines around designated parking areas within the app. Users can confirm whether they parked in a permitted area after their ride. If they don’t, they may be charged an extra fee; repeat violators may lose eligibility for discounted monthly or annual subscriptions. Some cities have even set up Bluetooth markers in designated parking areas to sense if a bicycle has been parked properly. If a bicycle is outside the Bluetooth module’s range, it will not lock, and riders will continue to be charged.

 

 

Edited January 20, 2023 by Randy W (see edit history)

[Randy W]

This news is all over CGTN lately

Starting on the morning of December 2, train tickets for the Yuxi-Mohan section of the China-Laos Railway in Yunnan southwest China’s Yunnan province was available.
A total of 17.5 pairs of CR200J Fuxing EMU trains will be operated during the early stage of operation on Chinese section. The ticket prices will vary according to travel seasons, and discounts of 55% to 90% will be offered to encourage train rides. 
A first-class train ticket from central Yunnan’s Kunming City to the border town of Mohan costs 271 yuan, while second-class ticket costs 244 yuan. 
Soon it will only take around three and a half hours for one to travel from Kunming to Xishuangbanna and less than three hours from Kunming to Pu'er, cutting the traditional traveling hours by half or more.

from YunnanFocus on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=314646890663914&id=100063558157795

The #China-#Laos Railway ended the history of no railway connection between #Puer and #Xishuangbanna. The journey from Vientiane to the China-Laos border was shortened from 2 days to 3 hours. Before the completion of the railway, Laos had only a 3.5-kilometer-long railway connecting #Thailand, and the railway converted Laos from a landlocked country to a land-linked hub. The construction lasted for 5 years and finally open today! This is undoubtedly one of the most exciting news!

https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=314812073980729&id=100063558157795

The uniforms of the #China-#Laos #railway attendants look so good! With peacock blue as the main color, the cuffs and clothes are decorated with elements such as peony and #camellia, highlighting the biodiversity of the countries along the railway line, and also showing that the #friendship between China and the countries along the route will flourish like flowers in the future.#uniform #biodiversity

https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=314708327324437&id=100063558157795

 

Edited January 20, 2023 by Randy W (see edit history)

[Randy W]

“My body was dirty and slimy, but I was seen as a beautiful and rich woman by others.”

Could you survive for three weeks in the Chinese capital on a zero-yuan budget? A 23-year-old art student tried it, and discovered it was surprisingly easy — if you’re dressed like a member of China’s social elite.

from the Sixth Tone on Facebook 
https://www.facebook.com/sixthtone/posts/3101867383465434

How to Live for Free in Beijing: An Artist’s Guide
Could you survive for three weeks in the Chinese capital on a zero-yuan budget? Zou Yaqi tried it, and discovered it was surprisingly easy — if you’re dressed like a member of China’s social elite.

Quote

 

The secrets to her success? A fake Hermès handbag, bright red lipstick, and a velour designer tracksuit — all of which helped Zou pose as a member of China’s wealthy social elite. She found that when she was disguised as a mingyuan —  or “socialite” — businesses would let her exploit their hospitality without question.

“Though I’m poor, I was able to enter the world of the rich and get their free stuff,” Zou tells Sixth Tone. “I wanted to break the rules.”

 . . .

So when Zou presented her project at Beijing’s Central Academy of Fine Arts in June, it quickly went viral on Chinese social media. At one point, the artist even became a trending topic on Weibo, China’s Twitter-like microblogging platform. But the response to her stunt has been far from universally positive.

While Zou said her stunt was intended as a criticism of capitalism and consumerism, many critics have accused her of being unaware of her own privilege. Her experiences as a student at one of China’s elite arts colleges, the theory goes, allowed her to pass as a socialite with ease. 

“What enables her to accomplish her performance art is precisely her class,” wrote one user on Weibo. “Everything — her makeup, choice of props, successful repartee in each place, and the individual image she presented — come from the invisible accumulation (of cultural capital) prior to the experiment.”

 

 

Edited January 20, 2023 by Randy W (see edit history)