Current Events

[Randy W]

Chinese real estate giant Vanke said its best employee of 2021 was not a human. Vanke executive claims the bot has a 91.44% success rate in collecting overdue payments.

from the Sixth Tone on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/sixthtone/posts/3124651061187066

Chinese Company Names AI Debt Collector Employee of the Year
Vanke executive claims the bot has a 91.44% success rate in collecting overdue payments.
 

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Developed by an in-house team using toolkits from Xiaoice, an AI system owned by Microsoft, Cui is depicted as a young woman and joined Vanke’s accounting department in February.

“Under the support of systematic algorithms, she quickly learned the methods of humans to discover problems in work procedures and data and has displayed her skills hundreds of thousands of times more than humans,” Yu Liang, chairman of the board of directors of Vanke, wrote in a social media post on Dec. 20, adding that Cui has a 91.44% success rate in collecting overdue payments.

 . . .

Before Cui, so-called virtual humans have previously been seen as a news anchor for the state-run Xinhua News Agency, a computer science student at the prestigious Tsinghua University in Beijing, and even a chat bot providing company to lonely men. The latter two projects were both supported by Xiaoice.

 

 

 

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

[Randy W]

French retailer Carrefour has launched a festival of “Xinjiang Fine Goods” in China to promote products from the western Chinese region of Xinjiang.
The move came as shopping for New Year and Spring Festival kicked into high gear.

from China Pictorial on Facebook 
https://www.facebook.com/ChinaPic/posts/4492887090836645

 

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

[Randy W]

S China's Guangdong plans to build Shiziyang Bridge across Zhujiang River in the Greater Bay Area (#GBA), linking the province's Dongguan to the major GBA city Guangzhou, in next 6 years. This double-deck suspension bridge is expected to have the world's longest span. (file pic)

from the People's Daily  - Hong Kong on Facebook 
https://www.facebook.com/PDChinaHK/posts/471979007890946

 

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

[Randy W]

Beijing’s average concentration of PM2.5 was 33 micrograms per cubic meter in 2021, the lowest level since records began in 2013. The city saw 288 days of good air quality last year — up by 112 days from 2013 — while there were only 8 days of heavy air pollution.
Check out more Daily Tones: http://ow.ly/Xkly50HobE3

from the Sixth Tone on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/sixthtone/photos/a.1604152706570250/3128437854141720

[Randy W]

Archaeologists in north China's Shanxi Province have discovered three brick tomb chambers with murals inside dating back to the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644).
The tombs are located in the Luzhou District in the city of Changzhi, according to the Shanxi provincial institute of archaeology. Excavations in the area began last year as part of road construction works.
The structure of the tombs and the excavated artifacts indicate that they may have been family tombs during the early Ming Dynasty.

from China Pictorial on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/ChinaPic/posts/4503256866466334

 

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

[Randy W]

On 12/28/2021 at 2:28 PM, Randy W said:

Metaverse is a combination of multiple high-tech elements, including mobile internet, the internet of things, virtual reality, augmented reality, artificial intelligence, and videos, which makes users feel like they are “living” in a digital universe.
China needs to remain on high alert against financial speculators trying to cash in on the metaverse craze, not least because such actions could disrupt the efficient allocation of resources, hinder the cultivation of talents, and harm industries. This is all the more important as China is taking strict measures to curb monopolies, according to an editorial piece titled “Need to guard against ‘metaverse’ craze.”

from China Pictorial on Facebook 
https://www.facebook.com/ChinaPic/posts/4476450539146967

 

 

 

Artist Huang Heshan sold 310 “houses” — digital images of buildings in the form of NFTs, or non-fungible tokens, unique units of data stored on a blockchain — within two days for 400,000 yuan ($63,000), mostly to young buyers. 
China has seen a boom in all kinds of virtual houses, as domestic enthusiasts jump on the metaverse bandwagon.
Read more: http://ow.ly/Raua50Hok4B

from the Sixth Tone on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/sixthtone/videos/325205265989309/

Chinese Buyers Join Metaverse Land Rush
China has seen a boom in all kinds of virtual houses, as domestic enthusiasts jump on the metaverse bandwagon.

A GIF shows real estate NFTs from artist Huang Heshan’s project “TooRichCity.” Courtesy of Huang Heshan

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Much of the enthusiasm around metaverse property is being driven by the success of Decentraland and The Sandbox, virtual worlds that offer users the right to buy virtual land and customize it as a sort of localized video game, with land records kept on a blockchain. A fitting comparison would be if you reimagined the video game Second Life for the blockchain generation.

The U.S.-developed projects have attracted eye-catching investments from celebrities, including the American rapper Snoop Dogg and Singaporean Mandopop star JJ Lin. These deals also made headlines in China, and over recent months several high-profile Hong Kong investors — such as Adrian Cheng of New World Development and the real estate firm Sun Hung Kai Properties — have also bought into The Sandbox.

Now, a growing number of people on the Chinese mainland are scrambling to buy up real estate inside Decentraland and The Sandbox. Carson, an early Chinese investor in The Sandbox, told Sixth Tone that metaverse property is attracting three kinds of people in particular, namely, “The opportunists, the investors, and the idealists.”

Owners of virtual land in The Sandbox or Decentraland can use them to build custom “worlds” — essentially, video games made with a set of tools provided by the platform. “Metaverse property represents the right to choose your own lifestyle,” Carson said.

 

 

 

[Randy W]

A photography exhibition showcasing a new perspective of countryside landscape in C China's Henan is underway in Zhengzhou. The exhibition, titled "Beautiful Countryside, Hometown Henan", displays 120 images selected from nearly 700 works.

from China Daily on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/chinadaily/posts/10159953934876291

 

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

[Randy W]

#China just opened a 6.7 miles-long (10.79 km) tunnel under a river, the longest in the country. Taihu Tunnel, built under the Taihu Lake in Wuxi, East China's Jiangsu province is a two-way, six-lane highway. The mega project cost around $785 million (5 billion yuan) and took four years to build.
#CGTNAmerica

from CGTN on Facebook 
https://www.facebook.com/ChinaGlobalTVNetwork/posts/487524602741017

 

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

[Randy W]

The rise in fraud is likely being fueled by China’s rapid population aging. The country is now home to more than 264 million people aged 60 or over, and this figure is predicted to increase to 402 million by 2040.

from the Sixth Tone on Facebook 
https://www.facebook.com/sixthtone/posts/3130608820591290

Illegal Chinese Care Home Swindles $125m From Local Seniors
The case is just the latest example of criminals targeting China’s rapidly expanding elder care system.

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There have been several similar cases involving groups defrauding the elderly by offering fake retirement services in recent years, according to domestic media. Chen Ying, a lawyer at the Beijing Yingke Law Firm, told Sixth Tone that criminals often tell seniors they’ll receive various perks — including VIP membership, prebooking discounts, or an annual dividend — if they pay a lump sum in advance, she added.

Gan and Luo were charged with illegal fundraising and received the maximum sentence stipulated under China’s criminal law: life imprisonment. Chen said the tough penalty reflected the severity of the offence.

“The amount of money involved in this case is extremely large, and it mainly affected the elderly,” she said. “It’s had a very bad influence and even affected social stability, which makes it a serious issue.”

According to the indictment, Loving Care was established with registered capital of 20 million yuan in 2010. The company leased rural land in Changsha to build an apartment building, and construction on the project began in 2011. The facility was not registered with the local civil affairs bureau as an elder care institution as required.

By August 2019, Loving Care operated serviced apartments with nearly 600 beds, but it had raised money from over 5,000 customers. The deceived senior citizens suffered losses ranging from 22,000 yuan to 500,000 yuan, according to The Paper. The company raised 811 million yuan of funds in total.

Seniors in Changsha told The Paper that they had visited Loving Care in person and been genuinely impressed by the apartments they had seen. During these visits, salespeople from the company repeatedly urged them to transfer money to the company. 

 

 

 

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

[Randy W]

Last year, China took drastic measures to tighten border control, resulting in the highest number of border-related arrests in the country’s history.

from the Sixth Tone on Facebook 
https://www.facebook.com/sixthtone/posts/3134857660166406

Nearly 50,000 Arrested for Illegal Chinese Border Crossings in 2021
Most of the attempts were busted at the southwestern border.

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Since China closed its border to combat COVID-19 in early 2020, thousands of people continued to cross illegally in 2021 for opportunities on the other side.

Chinese citizens were lured to Southeast Asian countries with promises of high-paid jobs — many of which turned out to be with criminal gangs — the National Immigration Administration said at a press conference on Wednesday. Meanwhile, people from lower-income countries came to China for employment in manufacturing and housekeeping.

Last year, China took drastic measures to tighten border control, resulting in the highest number of border-related arrests in the country’s history.

Police found over 18,000 criminal cases, mostly at the southwestern border, and arrested nearly 50,000 people. The immigration administration did not break down the figures between migrants and smugglers, nor between people arrested on inbound and outbound journeys.

 

 

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

[Randy W]

Luo was one of six active and retired handcannon performers and powder makers in the townships Longtan and Gantian who, by the fall of 2021, had been given sentences for the illegal manufacture, trade, or storage of explosives. Most of them were elderly. They had no idea the private manufacture of black powder had been outlawed.

from the Sixth Tone on Facebook 
https://www.facebook.com/sixthtone/posts/3143506025968236

The Sudden Prosecution of Hunan’s ‘Hand Cannon Performers’
An old Chinese folk custom, incompatible with state laws, lands elderly villagers in trouble.

Photographs show the process of setting up and firing a handcannon. From @梦回黄土矿 on WeChat

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A hand cannon is a heavy-set collection of thick, short barrels that hold explosive powder. During a funeral, accompanied by the sounds of suonas, firecrackers, and crying, Luo would set off the powder to create a loud bang and plumes of black smoke. It is thought to ward off bad fortune.

More than a decade ago, Luo suffered from health problems that prevented him from holding the heavy cannons, and he gave up performing. Tucked away in his home were some five kilograms of “black powder” — a homemade concoction made of potassium nitrate, sulfur, and charcoal chips.

After authorities identified it as gunpowder, it was this leftover stash that got Luo into trouble. He was one of six active and retired handcannon performers and powder makers in the townships Longtan and Gantian who, by the fall of 2021, had been given sentences for the illegal manufacture, trade, or storage of explosives. Most of them were elderly. They had no idea the private manufacture of black powder had been outlawed.

 

 

 

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

[Randy W]

A phenomenal analysis of China, of the Olympics, and of why "good people must fight against China while at the same time fighting against anti-Chinese sentiment in the United States.

Thank you Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

from the China Law Blog on Facebook 
https://www.facebook.com/ChinaLawBlog/posts/10158210534441109

The Way China Is Treating Us, We’re Going to Need a Safe Word

China's influence in sports, entertainment, and politics is subtle but deadly.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 13 hr ago

 

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This is not about Cena, who is a great athlete and an entertaining actor (Peacemaker on HBO is terrific). This is about a famous public figure humiliating himself, and to some extent America, for the sake of a movie and his career. I’m not even against his apology as much as the embarrassing overkill in the pursuit of money.

The recent movie 355 is no better. The film is a fun but familiar spy thriller about a group of highly skilled women saving the world. The problem comes when the Chinese agent, vaguely said to work for the government, offers to turn over to the CIA the device that can hack any computer and shut down entire countries. The film also suggests that, while the spy agencies of the governments of the US, England, and Germany (where the women agents work) are corrupt, the Chinese government is selfless. This bit of propaganda, as tasteless as unsalted popcorn, is because the film was co-financed by Beijing-based Huayi Brothers International.

 . . .

While we have to be vigilant to the spreading influence of China in our country, we also have to guard against the hypocrisy of many right-wing politicians who rant against China while trying to impose the same repressive behavior here: voting restrictions against minorities, free choice restrictions against women, oppressive laws against the LGBTQ+ community, restrictions against immigrants, and more. Their lack of integrity needs to be quashed as much as China’s meddling.

It has been said that the only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is that good people do nothing. This is not a call to arms against China. I want our countries to be friends not just business partners. To work together in peace and for peace. I would prefer they were a democracy, but that’s not a condition of our relationship. Democracies and dictatorships have both committed evil that they justified as “for the good of the people.” But smart people see through that lie and demand better. China could thrive without concentration camps, without censoring the internet and press, without putting its heavy thumb on the scales of justice.

In the meantime, we need to be aware of their behind-the-scenes influence and counter it on both political and economic fronts. Who we vote for and what we buy (and don’t buy) can be powerful influences on China too.

A good example of this grassroots power is Tennis Australia quickly reversing its ban on the “Where is Peng Shuai?” t-shirts on January 24 after receiving heavy condemnation. Tennis legend Martina Navratilova called the stance “pathetic” and accused Tennis Australia of “capitulating” to China. Australia’s defense minister Peter Dutton and the foreign minister Marise Payne also defended the right of free speech.

This is good people doing something. They are speaking out.

 

 

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

[Randy W]

Starbucks China apologized Monday for a “miscommunication” after an employee at one of the company’s outlets in Chongqing asked four police officers who were having their lunch in the cafe’s outdoor dining area to leave. One of the police officers later claimed that the employee had told them to leave because they were damaging the brand’s image, according to a screenshot of the officer’s WeChat Moments feed seen by domestic media. This post subsequently went viral on Chinese social media, sparking online outrage. (Photo: Weibo)

from the Sixth Tone on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/sixthtone/posts/3158127714506067:0

 

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

[Randy W]

Chinese Police Tell Distraught Soccer Fan: Just Support the Women’s Team

A Chinese soccer fan was picked up by police after getting drunk and lying down at the center of an intersection in despair following the national men’s team’s defeat by Vietnam. One of the officers gave him some wise advice: focus on China’s high-flying women’s team instead.

[Randy W]

China is by far the world’s biggest user of Sci-Hub, with three times as many downloads as the next-largest user, the United States. 
Check out more Daily Tones: http://ow.ly/jKU750HWfmE

from the Sixth Tone on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/sixthtone/posts/3158954874423351:0

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