Current Events

[wawster]

This was fairly common, even back in the 90's. When I worked at Bell Labs, we had to scour the circuitry of anything bought from China, and we usually found something. Back then it was just EEPROMs with some code burned in to allow Ethernet access, but it looks like they've graduated to VSLI SOC's.

[Randy W]

This performance got her locked up for 5 days!

from the SCMP

Chinese live-streaming star locked up for singing national anthem in ‘disrespectful’ way

Online celebrity Yang Kaili given five days’ detention for ‘insult to dignity’ of the March of the Volunteers during broadcast

Edited January 13, 2021 by Randy W (see edit history)

[True Blue]

If this was China, I Wonder what Jimi Hendrix would have received after his version of the Star Spangled Banner

[True Blue]

That's what I'm talking about

[Randy W]

from the SCMP

‘Add oil’ entry in Oxford English Dictionary is just latest Cantonese phrase to hit mainstream

A look at the process and significance of landing a place in the world’s most authoritative record for the English language

Quote

“Add oil” has been made an official term in the Oxford English Dictionary (OED). It follows a long list of other Cantonese terms and phrases to have entered the mainstream “Hong Kong English” lexicon and later wriggled into the world’s most authoritative record for the English language.

. . .
 

It represents the metaphor of injecting fuel into a tank, or alternatively, stepping on an accelerator to propel a vehicle forward. But the use of “add oil” as an expression of encouragement is a creation of Cantonese: ga yao, or jiayou in Mandarin. Often accompanied by exclamation marks, it is a versatile phrase Chinese speakers use to express encouragement, incitement or support, somewhere along the lines of “keep it up” or “good luck”. It is believed to have originated as a cheer at the Macau Grand Prix during the 1960s.

Edited January 13, 2021 by Randy W (see edit history)

[Randy W]

from the SCMP

Chinese millennials ‘falling out of cars’ in search of internet fame

‘Falling stars’ challenge attracts Chinese millennials hoping to go viral and a mocking response from more down-to-earth citizens

 

Quote

In the falling stars challenge, “influencers” post pictures of themselves lying face down, as if they have tripped while getting out of sports cars and private jets, spilling designer shoes, bags and even wads of cash on the street.

 

Another woman who “fell” out of her Aston Martin onto a Shanghai pavement was fined 200 yuan (US$29), according to the city’s traffic police department.

 

The falling stars challenge has spawned a series of satirical memes making fun of rich kids, with apparent Chinese soldiers, government staff, firefighters and students lying face down surrounded by service certificates, firefighting equipment and scattered documents.

 

Edited January 13, 2021 by Randy W (see edit history)

[Randy W]

Red Bull - China vs. Thailand - from the Sixth Tone

 

Red Bull Continues Its Battle With Chinese Counterpart

Red Bull China denies the Thai company’s claim that its brand rights have expired and says the media’s ‘unscrupulous rhetoric’ is hurting business.

Quote

In a lengthy statement Tuesday, Red Bull China said the “unscrupulous rhetoric” from recent media reports has disrupted its production and sales, with the company asserting that the trademark is a part of the joint venture assets.

 

. . .

 

Chaleo Yoovidhya, the late Thai tycoon, created the Red Bull energy drink in Bangkok in 1966 and established another company in China’s southern Hainan province in 1993. In 1995, he partnered with Chanchai Ruayrungruang from the Reignwood Group and set up Red Bull China in Shenzhen to better tap into the country’s domestic market. However, the Shenzhen company was re-registered in Beijing in September 1998 to change its status from an entirely foreign-funded firm to a Sino-foreign joint venture company.

 

China has been one of the most important markets for the energy drink brand, but its sales figures and market share have slumped, partly due to rising competition as well as the ongoing legal battles. The rift between the Thai and Chinese companies has resulted in over 20 lawsuits since August 2016. Last year, T.C. Pharmaceutical sued ORG Packaging Co. Ltd., the Chinese packaging supplier for Red Bull China, for using the Red Bull trademark without a license.

 

 

Edited January 13, 2021 by Randy W (see edit history)

[Randy W]

from China Daily

 

AmEx wins China approval to clear card payment

The preliminary approval allows the company to process and settle payments in yuan domestically by setting up its own network with its Chinese joint venture partner LianLian Group.

Rivals Visa and Mastercard have also submitted requests for licenses but are yet to get approval

AmEx's JV, named Express (Hangzhou) Technology Services Co, is required to complete operation preparations within a year and get a nod from the central bank before running the card clearing business, the People's Bank of China said in a statement on its website.

. . .

Until now, foreign card companies have had to partner with China's UnionPay, a state-controlled consortium that enjoyed a monopoly on all yuan payment cards issued and used in the country, for access to the country's payments network.

Foreign card companies, especially behemoths like Visa and Mastercard, have been lobbying for more than a decade for direct access to China - where the number of cards in circulation is expected to rise to 9 billion by 2020 from 6 billion in 2016, according to research firm GlobalData Plc.

UnionPay counts Visa, Mastercard, and Apple Inc among its partners for payments-related services in China.

Visa was the first to submit its application for a license in July 2017, but its request was put on hold and the company was asked to firm up its local equity partnership before resubmitting its application, sources told Reuters last year.

 

 

[Randy W]

from the Globe and Mail (apparently Canadian)

 

 

Young activists go missing in China, raising fears of new crackdown

 

At least a dozen young activists who took part in a national campaign for workers’ rights in China are missing, friends said Sunday, in what appeared to be an effort by the government to silence one of the most visible student protests in years.

Unidentified men in at least five Chinese cities rounded up the activists, who are recent graduates of elite universities, over the past few days, according to friends of the activists. The men beat several activists before pushing them into cars and driving away, the friends said.

The activists, describing themselves as ardent communists who fervently believe in the ideals of Marx and Mao, have waged an unusual campaign against inequality and corporate greed that has gained traction at some of China’s top schools.

The campaign has put the ruling Communist Party, which prides itself as a socialist guardian of workers’ rights, in an awkward position. Now, in line with President Xi Jinping’s efforts to curtail dissent and political organizing, the party appears to be redoubling efforts to quash the movement.

 

 

[amberjack1234]

I guess a leopard can't change its spots.

[Randy W]

This is ALL over the news lately . . . from China Daily

 

This luxury hotel is clean, right? Guess again

In response to a viral video exposing shoddy cleaning practices at 14 luxury hotels, health departments in Shanghai and Beijing, where most of the disgraced hotels were located, dispatched inspection teams on Thursday to take a closer look.

Health officials in Beijing's Dongcheng, Haidian and Chaoyang districts collected samples from four of the hotels shown in the video. Test results will be made public, they said.

The Beijing Municipal Commission of Tourism Development summoned managers of the four hotels for an inquiry on Thursday. If the claims are true, the hotels will be ordered to rectify their hygiene procedures.

The 11-minute video titled The Secrets of Cups, was produced and uploaded to Sina Weibo on Wednesday night by a well-known Chinese blogger who goes by the username Hua Zong Diu Le Jin Gu Bang. Within 24 hours of its release, the video was viewed more than 14 million times, sparking heated discussions in print and online media.

. . .

The video showed housekeepers cleaning drinking mugs with soiled towels or the same cloth that was used to wipe toilet seats.

. . .

Wu said all the footage was recorded this year. He was inspired to create it after walking in on a housekeeper who was using a bath towel to clean cups.

 

[amberjack1234]

The wife has been telling me this for 18 years. At first, I didn't believe her then I grew to believe it. The first thing that she does when she goes into a room is to proceed to clean it thoroughly. At least here we have plastic cups enclosed and sealed inside of a plastic bag.

[Randy W]

Here - TAKE THIS! (you COULD be arrested if you don't)

Volunteers ruin Chinese runner’s chance to win marathon by pestering her with national flag

The runner has apologized for dropping one flag on the road during the final stretch, explaining that her arms were too stiff to keep hold of it

Quote

On Chinese social media, Weibo users have blamed He’s loss on the volunteers, accusing them of throwing the runner off her rhythm during the final stretch, while also criticizing the marathon for unprofessionally allowing its volunteers to blatantly interfere with runners for a cheap patriotic stunt.

 

Meanwhile, some nationalistic netizens have also criticized He, declaring that no matter what she should not have dropped the flag. Soon after the conclusion of the race, He took to Weibo to explain and apologize.

 

“I didn’t throw it away, the flag was completely soaking wet and my arms were stiff,” she wrote. “When my arms were swaying, it flew out. I’m very sorry and hope you can understand!”

 

Edited January 13, 2021 by Randy W (see edit history)

[Randy W]

So, of course, the important topic on social media is (from the SCMP) . . .

 

Dolce & Gabbana cancels show in China after celebrities and models boycott over founder Stefano’s ‘racist online outburst’ and controversial ad campaign

• Designer Stefano Gabbana says his Instagram account was hacked and apologised following screenshots of him apparently calling China ‘a country of s***’
• That followed an ad campaign that featured a Chinese woman struggling to eat pizza, spaghetti and an oversized cannoli with chopsticks

 

Model agency Dongfang Binli said all of its 24 models had pulled out of the show and put a “Not Me” tag on their online profile photos in protest.

Supermodel Jin Dachuan said he would not take part in the show or any staged by the brand in the future.

The Central Committee of the Communist Youth League demanded Dolce and Gabbana “respect Chinese people” as the basic principle of foreign enterprises investing in China.

The brand has ignited controversy in China before. Last year, the “DG loves China” promotional campaign featured models with taxi drivers, garbage collectors and street vendors, a view some internet users said deliberately showed the negative side of the country.

 

 

[Randy W]

from the Sixth Tone - I buy three different beta blockers that run me less than $30USD per month

China Forbids Third-Party Management of Public Hospital Pharmacies

Quote

China’s National Health Commission on Monday published guidelines prohibiting public hospitals from authorizing for-profit companies to manage their pharmacies.

 

With the country’s recent health reforms preventing public hospitals from marking up drug prices — one of their main income streams in the past — many have sought to make up for lost revenue by delegating oversight of their pharmacies to third parties. However, pharmacy management companies have been accused of bribery in securing profitable hospital contracts and of monopolistic behavior when selecting drug suppliers.

 

Earlier this year, local governments in cities such as Beijing and Shanghai similarly issued directives to regulate or ban for-profit management of pharmacies at public hospitals. (Image: VCG)

 

Edited January 13, 2021 by Randy W (see edit history)