"Why, hello there handsome. How's about we discuss cross-strait relations and what it'll take for Chinese Taipei to drop this Republic of China charade and become the 23rd province? Maybe we'll even let you be a Special Administrative, rather than a Special Autonomous (HA!) Region, just like Hong Kong and Macau...Oh! Well, well. I can see the prospect of UN representation and legitimate pinyin is already turning you on, you renegade you! Let's you and I make this One China thing really happen...in bed." more ›

Investigations by South Korea into the sex scandal at its Shanghai consulate which saw several diplomats exchanging fistpunches over a Chinese mistress have concluded. more ›

After a spy camera was found hidden inside the air freshener of a Hangzhou Starbucks last week, Shanghai Starbucks spokesman Huang Yun says "The incident in Hangzhou is just a single case... Our toilets are absolutely safe and we staff also use them." From Shanghai Daily: more ›

• 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."

U.S. senator Sam Brownback has charged China with installing Internet-spying equipment in all major hotel chains serving the Beijing Olympics, the Guardian reported on Tuesday. The conservative Republican cited hotel documents he received, stating that all guests at hotels where Olympic visitors are staying "will be subjected to invasive intelligence-gathering by the Chinese Public Security Bureau." Brownback refused to reveal the names of hotels, but handed out English-language translations of two separate documents he said were received by hotels, outlining the Chinese government's instructions on how to use the Internet spying software. According to AFP, one of the documents stated:

It is required that your company install and run the Security Management System for Internet Access from Public Places in addition to provide network interfaces consistent with the industrial technical standards on public security. Refusing the installment or stopping operation of the system after installment will be subject to punishment.