Today's Links: TV host accused of spying, poppy hunts, and the future of film in China
- China state TV host denies spying for Taiwan [AFP] "A star presenter with China's state television network has denied allegations that she spied for Taiwan, amid reports that she could be under investigation, state newspapers have said. The China Daily, quoting unnamed sources from China Central Television on Friday, said Fang Jing, the 38-year-old face of the network's prime-time military programme 'Defence Watch,' had been 'taken away for a possible spy probe'."
- China's family planning policy shadowed by violations from rich [kazinform] "The rich and famous who break the rules have cast a huge shadow over the policy, denting social equality and even stability. Many mainland women gave birth in the Hong Kong special administrative region to skirt the restrictions, experts say."
- U.S. Births Hint at Bias for Boys in Some Asians [New York Times] "Demographers say the statistical deviation among Asian-American families is significant, and they believe it reflects not only a preference for male children, but a growing tendency for these families to embrace sex-selection techniques, like in vitro fertilization and sperm sorting, or abortion."
- Copter used for first time for poppy hunt in Beijing [Xinhua] "The copter, with experts onboard, hovered around the mountainous areas in Yanqing District and sent video images of the ground back to the headquarters. The first hunt, which lasted about half an hour, found no poppy plantation in the region."
- Leaders gather for Shanghai talks [BBC] "Chinese President Hu Jintao and other leaders are gathering in Russia for the ninth Shanghai Co-operation Organisation summit. Some will also attend the first summit of the four emerging economies - Brazil, Russia, India and China. The main agenda item at the meetings in Yekaterinburg will be how to deal with the global economic crisis. Putting the two top-level meetings next to each other highlights the dominance of the economic crisis for both groups."
- Anil Kapoor eyes China film collaboration [Reuters] "Kapoor, who starred in the Oscar-winning movie Slumdog Millionaire, said the higher global profile of the Indian film industry represented opportunities for tie-ups not just with Hollywood, but also with China."
- Chinese box office has far to grow [Variety] "Unlike Hollywood where the helmer is often seen as another major figure in an overall production process that also stresses the role of the producer and the stars, China’s film business is still heavily focused on the director. They have the kind of power the great auteurs of French cinema had in their heyday and are often producer-distributor-helmer all rolled into one. Critics of the Chinese biz say the multi-tasking needs to end if Chinese films are to become more successful abroad."
Contact the author of this article or email tips@shanghaiist.com with further questions, comments or tips.