• Audit Finds Beijing Games Produced Surplus [Wall Street Journal] "The 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics produced a surplus of about 1.16 billion yuan ($171 million), according to the latest audit issued Friday by China's National Audit Office. Revenue from the Olympics, which China hosted for the first time in August, totaled CNY20.5 billion and expenditure totaled CNY19.34 billion, according to the auditor's report."
• Gingrich comments on Uighurs don’t sit well with some in GOP [Freep] "Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich got into a public spat with fellow Republicans this week after he denounced the 17 Chinese Muslims who are being released from the Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, military prison as 'terrorists' who should be sent back to China, where they’re likely to face persecution."
• The U.S.: Always Making Trouble For China [Forbes] "Instead of offering the usual foreign-correspondent musings about China, Forbes invited an outspoken Chinese essayist to take a few shots at the U.S. and the rest of the West. Wang Xiaodong, a researcher at the Communist Youth League-affiliated China Youth and Children Research Center, urges that China strengthen its military and stand up to the U.S."

The latest exhibition at the Art Labor gallery on Yongjia Lu is a satirical take on last summer's Beijing Olympics. more ›

Police said yesterday they had cracked down on a Shanghai terrorist cell planning violence at Olympic soccer matches in the city. Shanghai’s Olympic security office head Cheng Jiulong said police, who were put on “crisis” level several days ago, had learned of several international terrorist organizations and staged raids successful in arresting potential attackers. Information not mentioned in Jiulong's report included how many people were arrested, when they were taken into custody and where they are being held. more ›

Nationalistic optimism hits its worldwide high in China, a new survey by PEW Global Attitudes Project has found. Eighty-six percent reported being happy with their county’s direction, with 82 percent positive about the national economy. These numbers have risen startlingly in the past six years, growing 38 and 30 percentage points respectively during an era when many nations, including the United States, have seen severe declines. more ›

The Olympics mean a whole hell of a lot to China — it didn’t take a crazy guy on a bicycle to help us figure that out. But why? In this video, Chinese take a break from their daily activities to try to explain the motivations behind the Olympic madness, which they say range from national health and unity to international recognition and understanding. Despite the hassles of the past few months, this is the time for the ancient country to step into the future with their best foot forward, and its citizens are eager to explain why they are so excited about the opportunity to showcase the culture and virtue of their newly-modern nation. more ›