A recent article in the NY Times with excerpts below, talks about the continued deepening of China's economic slowdown. When calculated in China's own currency for a true local effect, the situation is worse than expected even a few short weeks ago. There is recession in the USA, recession in Japan, cancelled orders and lack of re-orders hitting the Chinese businesses dedicated … [Read more...] about As Trade Slows, China Rethinks Its Growth Strategy
Hu Jintao Urges Closer Ties with Taiwan
Yesterday's Associated Press article featured below might indicate movement between China and Taiwan in terms of closer military cooperation and inclusion in some international organizations. The language seems softer than in the past and no date for reunification was set forth by Hu. Now that the three links have been established, what should the next step be? Would it be … [Read more...] about Hu Jintao Urges Closer Ties with Taiwan
China's Charter 08
Recently, over 2000 Chinese citizens signed the document below, released on December 10th, calling for human rights and democracy with an eventual end to one party rule. I've used the translation from the New York Review of Books with sections of their Postscript included. This document was signed by Chinese citizens living inside China, not expat dissidents living abroad. The … [Read more...] about China's Charter 08
Chinese Crew Fights Off Pirates
From the Times Online website with thanks to FOARP: Chinese Crew Used Beer Bottles To Fight Off Pirates The crew of a Chinese ship have described how they used beer bottles and water cannon to fend off a pirate attack off the Somali coast before they were rescued. Zhenua 4 was one of four vessels seized by pirates on Wednesday, shortly after the UN Security Council … [Read more...] about Chinese Crew Fights Off Pirates
Direct Flights between China & Taiwan Begin
It's about time! Per Mark McDonald at the International Herald Tribune: Shortly after dawn Monday, a passenger plane took off from Shenzhen, China, bound for Taiwan. The 80-minute flight across the Taiwan Strait marked the first regular cross-strait traffic since the end of the civil war in 1949 and another dramatic step in the improvement of relations between the … [Read more...] about Direct Flights between China & Taiwan Begin