Current Events

[Randy W]

This City’s BBQ Brings All the Boys to the Yard
The city of Zibo in Shandong province has received a record number of visitors after going viral on Chinese social media platforms for its BBQ.

from the Sixth Tone on Facebook 
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This City’s BBQ Brings All the Boys to the Yard

The city of Zibo in Shandong province has received a record number of visitors after going viral on Chinese social media platforms for its BBQ.

Posted by Sixth Tone on Sunday, May 7, 2023

 

 

[Randy W]

The mysterious deaths of two Chinese tourists at a luxury hotel in Bali, Indonesia, have triggered safety concerns for Chinese tourists traveling to the popular resort island. 

Read more: http://ow.ly/kEa150OhVmo

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Mysterious Deaths of 2 Chinese Tourists in Bali Raise Alarm
People in China have been shocked by the graphic details of the deaths. Local police are still investigating the cause.

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According to local reports, at around 6:45 a.m. on Monday, hotel staff received a call from a guest who had heard cries for help. When staff arrived at the scene, Li was found dead on the corridor balcony, naked and covered in blood. Hotel surveillance footage showed Li crawling in the corridor for more than 20 minutes.

A local forensic expert said that Li had two open wounds on his neck and left leg. Chen, who booked the room, was found dead in the bathtub of their hotel room with bruises on her body and head, also naked. A deep bruise on her neck indicated that she had been strangled with a rope or other tools, local media reported.

Local police have not yet determined the cause of the deaths. The couple’s belongings were not taken from their room. 

 

 

[Randy W]

China retaliates in Canada diplomat row, with consul ordered to leave

• A Canadian envoy based in Shanghai has until Saturday to leave the country, as Beijing hits back at Toronto-based Chinese diplomat’s expulsion
• The move follows claims of interference in Canada’s internal affairs with Zhao Wei accused of intimidating an MP

from the SCMP

Canadian diplomat Jennifer Lalonde has been asked to leave China, as part of an escalating row between the two countries. Photo: Weibo
 

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The move comes after Zhao was evicted from Canada, following a Globe and Mail report last week claiming that he was involved in a Chinese Ministry of State Security effort to get information on Conservative lawmaker Michael Chong and his family in Hong Kong.

“Canada has decided to declare persona non grata Mr. Zhao Wei,” said Mélanie Joly, Canada’s foreign minister. “I have been clear: We will not tolerate any form of foreign interference in our internal affairs.”

Chong, who represents the Wellington-Halton Hills district in Ontario, was allegedly targeted because of his sponsorship of a February 2021 parliamentary motion calling Beijing’s policies in Xinjiang a “genocide”, according to the Canadian newspaper report.

 

 

[Randy W]

On 5/15/2021 at 4:02 PM, Randy W said:

“Strong Pig” was one of the few survivors in an area leveled by the 2008 Sichuan earthquake, managing to keep himself alive for 36 days despite being surrounded by rubble. Thirteen years later, the hardy hog is nearing the end of his life.

Learn more: http://ow.ly/oJ9i50EMCLm

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Out of the Rubble, Into Hog Heaven: Wenchuan’s Hero Pig, Remembered
“Strong Pig” became a celebrity by surviving the 2008 Sichuan earthquake. Thirteen years later, the hardy hog is nearing the end of his life.

 

People visit Zhu Jianqiang, or the “Strong-Willed Pig,” in the run-up to the 15th anniversary of the Wenchuan earthquake at Jianchuan Museum Cluster in Chengdu, Sichuan province, May 10, 2023. The pig was one of the few survivors in an area leveled by the quake, managing to keep himself alive for 36 days despite being surrounded by rubble. He died in 2021 at the age of 14. VCG

Related read: http://ow.ly/p5L050OljiX

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People visit Zhu Jianqiang, or the “Strong-Willed Pig,” in the run-up to the 15th anniversary of the Wenchuan earthquake...

Posted by Sixth Tone on Thursday, May 11, 2023

[Randy W]

Because . . . it's his JOB!

Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, on Friday inspected Shijiazhuang, the capital city of north China's Hebei Province xhtxs.cn/HMM

from China Xinhua News on Facebook
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[Randy W]

The latest offering from Nintendo’s decades-old saga has social media buzzing with memes and jokes about taking leave from work to play the game.

from the Sixth Tone on Facebook
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Chinese Gamers Brace for Adventure as the New Zelda Hits Shelves
The latest offering from Nintendo’s decades-old saga has social media buzzing with memes and jokes about taking leave from work to play the game.

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Titled “Tears of the Kingdom,” the role-playing game continues the exploration of the open-world Hyrule amid protagonist Link’s battle against villain Ganondorf.

The anticipated launch ignited a frenzy worldwide, with images circulating of eager fans queuing late into the night to buy the latest addition to the series. In China, a viral post on the microblogging site Weibo garnered thousands of comments and likes, as a user and his partner described their plans to dedicate all their spare time to playing the game.

 

 

[Randy W]

On 5/5/2023 at 5:40 PM, Randy W said:

The law goes into effect on July 1.

China has widened its already sweeping counter-espionage law. Experts say foreign businesses should be worried

from CNN

A comic strip poster warning of foreign spies is displayed at a subway station in Beijing on April 22, 2016

 

China sentences elderly US citizen to life in prison on spying charges

from CNN

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A 78-year-old American citizen has been sentenced to life in prison by a Chinese court on spying charges.

John Shing-Wan Leung, who is also a Hong Kong permanent resident, was convicted of espionage and given a life sentence Monday by the Intermediate People’s Court in the eastern city of Suzhou, according to a statement on the court’s social media account.

Leung was detained on April 15, 2021 by state security authorities in Suzhou, Jiangsu province, according to the brief statement, which did not provide details on his charges.

The court also confiscated personal property worth 500,000 yuan ($71,797), the statement added.

Chinese authorities and state media have not previously disclosed any information on Leung’s detention or the court process that led to his conviction. In China, cases involving state security are usually handled behind closed doors.

The US Embassy in Beijing said Monday it was aware of reports of Leung’s sentencing.

“The Department of State has no greater priority than the safety and security of US citizens overseas. Due to privacy considerations, we have no further comment,” a spokesperson for the US Embassy said in a statement to CNN.

Suzhou Intermediate People's Court said:

Liang Chengyun (English name JOHN SHING-WAN LEUNG), male, born on May 1, 1945, Hong Kong permanent resident identity card number A801504, Hong Kong and Macao residents travel to and from the Mainland number H06816957, and US passport number 505462343. Liang Chengyun was suspected of engaging in espionage, according to the relevant provisions of the "Criminal Law of the People's Republic of China" and "Criminal Procedure Law of the People's Republic of China", the State Security Bureau of Suzhou City, Jiangsu Province took compulsory measures against him on April 15, 2021. After a trial in accordance with the law, the Suzhou Intermediate People's Court issued a public verdict in the first instance on May 15, 2023. Liang Chengyun was found guilty of espionage, sentenced to life imprisonment, deprived of political rights for life, and confiscated personal property of RMB 500,000.

 

 

Edited May 15, 2023 by Randy W (see edit history)

[Randy W]

A small commercial booth near West Lake in Hangzhou, Zhejiang, was auctioned off at a rental price of 2.84 million yuan ($408,000) per year, equivalent to 7,780 yuan per day. The number of tourists who traveled to Hangzhou from April 29 to May 3 reached 6.36 million, or 1.27 million per day.

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A small commercial booth near West Lake in Hangzhou, Zhejiang, was auctioned off at a rental price of 2.84 million yuan...

Posted by Sixth Tone on Monday, May 15, 2023

 

[Randy W]

On 2/27/2023 at 7:01 PM, Randy W said:

4 suspects, including ex-husband, charged in killing of Hong Kong model Abby Choi 

Four former family members of a Hong Kong socialite, whose partial remains were found in a village house, were remanded in custody without bail.

from the SCMP on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/scmp/videos/608652961083865/

 

 

 

 

Exclusive | Abby Choi murder: Hong Kong model’s ‘face to be recreated using 3D printing technology’ to allow grieving family a chance to mourn, hold proper funeral

• Funeral is being arranged after Choi’s family collected the slain 28-year-old social media influencer’s remains last month
• A source says Choi’s family plans to hire an overseas hi-tech firm to use three-dimensional printing and make-up service to recreate face for funeral viewing

Parts of Abby Choi’s body remain missing following her murder in late February. Photo: Instagram/xxabbyc

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A source familiar with the arrangements said Choi’s family planned to hire an overseas hi-tech firm to use three-dimensional printing and a make-up service to recreate a face for the skull to allow a respectful viewing of the remains for mourners at the funeral if needed.

A massive search for her body parts at a New Territories landfill and a Tseung Kwan O cemetery drew a blank, with police recovering only those found in the village flat.

After completing all examinations including a DNA test, the remains were given back to her family late last month.

 

 

 

 

Edited May 16, 2023 by Randy W (see edit history)

[Randy W]

On 5/15/2023 at 7:46 PM, Randy W said:

China sentences elderly US citizen to life in prison on spying charges

from CNN

 

American jailed for spying by China is a veteran pro-Beijing advocate who rubbed shoulders with senior Chinese officials, CNN reporting shows

from CNN

John Leung, 78, has been sentenced to life in prison by a Chinese court on spying charges.

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The court in eastern China that sentenced John Shing-Wan Leung, 78, did not provide additional details on the espionage charges or Leung’s personal background, apart from his US passport and Hong Kong ID numbers and date of birth.

Searching in previous Chinese state media reports, CNN found a man with the same Chinese name and date of birth as Leung, who has headed several pro-China organizations in the US, including a group promoting Beijing’s claims over Taiwan, the Texas Council for the Promotion of China’s Peaceful Reunification.

In the Texas business registry, “John Leung” is listed as one of the three directors of that same group.

Another director listed on the registry, David Tang, confirmed to CNN that the now-imprisoned Leung is an associate at the organization and his long-time friend.

“He’s a very famous person, known by many overseas Chinese in the southern US,” Tang said.

 . . .

There are at least three other Americans publicly known to be imprisoned in China – Kai Li, Mark Swidan, and David Lin – all of whom have been designated as wrongfully detained by the US State Department.

In April, China passed a wide-ranging amendment to its already sweeping counter-espionage law, which will take effect from July 1.

The new legislation expanded the definition of espionage from covering state secrets and intelligence to any “documents, data, materials or items related to national security and interests,” and to include cyberattacks against state organs or critical information

 

 

Edited May 17, 2023 by Randy W (see edit history)

[Randy W]

 

China issues $2 million dollar fine for joke about army

The joke that cost $2 million: China imposes huge fine for comedian's army-themed quip

from CTV News

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On Wednesday the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism said a subsidiary of the firm would be fined $1.91 million and deprived of $189,000 it made in “illegal gains” – an apparent reference to Li’s two live shows last weekend. The company was also indefinitely suspended from holding any performances in the capital.

On Wednesday evening, police in Beijing said that they had opened an investigation into Li, claiming his performance had “seriously insulted” the military and caused “bad social impact.”

 . . .

During the show, he began a skit about how he had adopted two stray dogs since moving to Shanghai.

He went on to say that their chase after a squirrel one day reminded him of eight words, before he unleashed the controversial punchline, according to audio posted to Chinese social media site Weibo.

“Fine style of work, capable of winning battles,” he said, flipping a well known Chinese Communist Party slogan referring to the PLA.

The phrase was first uttered in 2013 by Chinese leader Xi Jinping, who also chairs the military, when he set out a list of qualities he commanded from the nation’s army. It has since been repeated at various official occasions and in state media.

 

 

 

 

 

[Randy W]

Unlike many other countries, the Chinese musical industry flourished during the pandemic. But the tension between quality and quantity worsened as China’s musical industry became ever more mainstream.

from the Sixth Tone on Facebook
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‘The Phantom of the Opera’ is Here — in Chinese
The first-ever Chinese-language production of the legendary musical was always going to find it difficult to impress diehard Chinese musical fans. But the translation has largely been a success.

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Reaction online has also focused on the quality of the translation. Like Jia, netizens seem largely satisfied, with comments on the microblogging platform Weibo ranging from “smooth and elegant” to “generally not embarrassing.” 

Zhang Xiang, one of the script translators, is happy to see the largely positive response from audience members. He’s even been touched by some that give substantive feedback, as some users have praised the translation’s use of everyday words instead of “flowery” words in some songs, and also for not forcing rhyming at the expense of meaning. 

“It’s exactly what we tried to accomplish,” Zhang, an English literature major from the eastern Zhejiang province, told Sixth Tone. “I’ve always strived for a ‘natural’ translation, and the audience members who sense that are like soulmates.”

It was no mean feat to translate this musical, which will begin a nationwide tour of an estimated 200 performances in June. Chan Siu-kei, director of the translation team, wrote on Weibo that it was very difficult to translate the text because it was a “three-dimensional” project. Not only did the translation have to be done, but it also had to be coordinated with other teams like set design, props, and lighting.

For example, for the major song “Music Of The Night,” when the Phantom lures Christine to his lair, the translation team decided to translate the lyric “Night unfurls its splendor” into “Night is filled with fragrance” after seeing photos of the set design and finding no appropriate word in Chinese. 

“If it was just a literary translation, we would not have translated it like this,” he wrote.  

 

 

 

[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 
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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.

 

Ofo, one of China's first bike-sharing startups, has yet to refund over 16 million former users a total of 1.5 billion yuan. The news emerged following reports that Ofo's founder is starting a new coffee business in the U.S., incensing former users still out in the cold.
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[Randy W]

‘Difficult to earn a living with dignity’: viral Chinese anger as frog-costumed vendor moved on by Shanghai officials over inflatable froglet sale

• A wave of indignance has swept mainland social media after video emerged of officials ‘harassing’ a man in frog costume selling his ‘babies’
• Inflatable frog-selling craze swept China last year and led to a flood of viral videos which have brought joy to customers and online observers alike

from the SCMP

A wave of anger has gripped mainland social media after a video emerged of Shanghai officials moving on a man in a frog costume who was selling inflatable “babies” of himself on the street. Photo: SCMP composite/Sohu

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In the video, taken on May 10 in a crowded street, chengguan, or city administrative and law enforcement, officials order the “frog” to take off its costume while one of them scolds the man inside: “What does it feel like to dress like this every day?”
Two days after the incident, the director of Shanghai Urban Management and Law Enforcement Bureau, Xu Zhihu, responded on a television programme, saying that it was illegal to sell things in public without a permit, except in officially sanctioned areas.
Xu added that the frog was “a disturbance to passers-by and the urban environment”. However, he also called for officials to be “flexible” when it comes to law enforcement.

 

 

[Randy W]

Buffet binge: Chinese diner forced to fork out US$6,500 to eatery for overeating and stuffing leftovers into handbag during 5 visits in 2 weeks

• ‘Greedy’ woman diner ordered only the best dishes, including shrimp and salmon, then stuffed leftovers into pre-prepared bags
• She refused to cough up compensation to restaurant until eatery bosses threatened legal action for which she also had to pay costs

from the SCMP

Mainland social media has been left astonished by a Chinese woman who vastly overindulged at a restaurant, stuffed leftovers into her handbag and has been forced to pay US$6,500 in compensation to the eatery as a result. Photo: SCMP composite

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Surveillance footage showed the woman visiting a restaurant in southwest China’s Guizhou province five times in the space of two weeks in August 2022, according to the manager of the restaurant, surnamed Wu.

Each time she ordered more than she could eat then used several pre-prepared plastic bags to pack leftovers under the table before sneaking them into her handbag.

Wu told the Chinese media outlet Hongxing News that in addition to the five times surveillance records showed, the woman had also visited the restaurant more than a dozen times since March last year.

Each time she ordered around 10,000 yuan (US$1,500) worth of food – 10 times more than most people. The restaurant charged 218 yuan per person for the buffet.

In addition, the restaurant’s owner, surnamed Chen, said the woman only ordered expensive items, such as sweet shrimp, salmon and goose liver.

According to one bill, the woman diner, surnamed Wen, ordered 45 servings of three sweet shrimps, priced at 48 yuan each, 20 servings of three salmon sashimi, priced at 38 yuan each, and another 140 servings of meat and dessert.