Shanghaiist

HRIC: Improvement in China's human rights situation will create win-win in Sino-American relations

Kenneth Tan — 2012-02-11T19:00:19+07:00

Click the "CC" button to see English captions. [ more › ] ]]> Follow @shanghaiist

Hu Xijin on the Chinese government's (lack of) communication skills

Shanghaiist — 2012-02-11T18:10:24+07:00

"The Chinese government has never really learnt how to 'speak.' You see a lot of politically correct language, and too little self-criticism. Subjects like Wang Lijun are deemed too sensitive to even be touched upon. China is generally a country that does not too bad on the whole, and the hard results are out there. If something has happened, we should talk about. The more you refuse to talk about it, the more you shroud the matter in mystery. But when you choose to talk about it, people think, oh, it's just that. Society needs criticism all the time. The more the government criticizes itself, the less the public will criticize it. The more good news there is on official media, the more bad news and rumors there will be on Weibo. That's just how things balance up." [ more › ] ]]>

SCAA Pet of the Month: Xiao Laohu

Jessica Colwell — 2012-02-11T12:30:00+07:00

This month's adoptable pet from Second Change Animal Aid (SCAA): [ more › ]

Watch: Korean baby belly dancer!

Jessica Colwell — 2012-02-10T09:30:00+07:00

That little belly dancing skirt stretched around her diaper is just too adorable/bizarre. [ more › ]

Hukou Waterfall icicles draw tourists

Kenneth Tan — 2012-02-10T02:54:20+07:00

The Hukou Waterfall, China's second largest waterfall, located on the border of Shaanxi and Shanxi provinces, are an absolutely spectacular sight in winter to behold. [ more › ] ]]> Follow @shanghaiist

Rails Girls Shanghai wants to teach you how to build web aps for free!

Jessica Colwell — 2012-02-09T17:45:00+07:00

If you're a girl, that is. If you are female and have ever had the slightest inclination to futz around with building web applications, then you should check out what's happening over at Rails Girls Shanghai later this month. But the application deadline is tomorrow, so hurry up! [ more › ]

PPAR Cat of the Month: Kitty the Cat!

Jessica Colwell — 2012-02-04T10:00:00+07:00

This month's adoptable pet from Paw Pals Animal Rescue (PPAR): [ more › ]

Wen Yunchao on what Hong Kongers need to know

Kenneth Tan — 2012-02-03T08:30:33+07:00

"If only Hong Kongers knew this: that if the mainland does not have democracy, Hong Kong will not have democracy, and there will be no changes in its circumstances. If Hong Kong does not have democracy, then there will be no security for Hong Kong's liberty and rule of law, and there will be no change in its circumstances. If Hong Kongers took their dissatisfaction and anger, and used it to push for democracy in Hong Kong and the mainland, then Hong Kong would stand to gain from it, and so would the mainland." [ more › ] ]]>

Murong Xuecun on people who complain about the rising cost of books

Kenneth Tan — 2012-02-01T06:00:23+07:00

Some people complain that books are too expensive. Well, you have to see what you're comparing it to. Chinese books cost about 30RMB on the average -- that's a pack of average quality cigarettes, a cup of coffee, a set meal, a cab ride, half of a cinema ticket, or a third of a pizza. Some people can afford to smoke, drink coffee, go to the cinema, but say they're too poor to read. It only goes to show they don't like reading enough. [ more › ] ]]> Follow @shanghaiist

Sha Yexin: Thank goodness for Hong Kong!

Kenneth Tan — 2012-01-31T15:45:35+07:00

Thank goodness there is Hong Kong, where demonstrations are a normal thing. Thank goodness there is Hong Kong, where marches don’t end in disaster. Thank goodness there is Hong Kong, where the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) roots out the dirt. Thank goodness there is Hong Kong, where the government isn’t in bed with business. Thank goodness there is Hong Kong, where refuge is provided for exiles [from the Tiananmen Protests]. Thank goodness there is Hong Kong, where June 4 is not forgotten. Thank goodness there is Hong Kong, where magazines are free. Thank goodness there is Hong Kong, where you don’t have to scale the [Internet] wall. Thank goodness there is Hong Kong, where the sense of human rights is strong. Thank goodness there is Hong Kong, where there are prospects for democracy. Thank goodness there is Taiwan and Hong Kong, when the mainland’s back bristles with thorns and no one dares step too far out of bounds! [ more › ] ]]> Follow @shanghaiist

Newt Gingrich: I'd like to have an American on the moon before the Chinese get there

Kenneth Tan — 2012-01-27T14:00:12+07:00

Two interesting soundbytes from US presidential hopeful Newt Gingrich from the GOP debate in Florida Thursday night: [ more › ] ]]> Follow @shanghaiist

Hong Kong astrologers give their predictions for the Year of the Dragon

Kenneth Tan — 2012-01-22T16:05:11+07:00

[ more › ] ]]> Follow @shanghaiist

Quote of the Day: Foxconn CEO Terry Gou on managing a million animals

Kenneth Tan — 2012-01-21T17:08:00+07:00

“Hon Hai has a workforce of over one million worldwide and as human beings are also animals, to manage one million animals gives me a headache.” [ more › ] ]]>

"I have no freedom"

Kenneth Tan — 2012-01-20T23:56:31+07:00

Gordon Chang, the China skeptic famed for his apocalyptic pronouncements on the People's Republic, begins his latest essay, "China's Unstoppable Billion", with the following anecdote: [ more › ] ]]> Follow @shanghaiist

Chinese reactions to SOPA

Kenneth Tan — 2012-01-20T22:37:09+07:00

Evan Osnos of The New Yorker does a wonderful job summing up Chinese reactions to the controversial and much-debated Stop Online Piracy Act which many have likened to China's "Great Firewall": [ more › ] ]]> Follow @shanghaiist