There's a new phenomenon sweeping China. Back in January on a Chinese web page, a new video made its way from there into the hearts of internet users all across the country, spawning a wave of related items such as cartoons, documentaries and grass-mud horse dolls. … [Read more...] about Song of the Grass-Mud Horse
freedom of speech
Something to chuckle about #4
I suppose it is generally a good idea not to pick up a fight with someone agreeing with you. Or as Sherlock Holmes would have said, "it's elementary". So with that in mind, this following story probably sounds rather amusing. (H/T to Charles Liu) The short version: Some Falun Gong followers literally stopped the press of a Canadian newspaper over a sympathetic article towards … [Read more...] about Something to chuckle about #4
Should Obama Learn to Engage the Chinese People through the Internet?
President Obama has not exactly started out making a great impression that he will bring U.S.-China relations to a new high - what with unwelcomed vague belligerent references against communist and authoritarian governments in his inaugural speech, followed up by now Treasury Secretary's Geithner's sharp tone and use of the legally-loaded term “currency manipulation” in … [Read more...] about Should Obama Learn to Engage the Chinese People through the Internet?
(Letter from Arctosia, Opposing Viewpoint) Chinese Government publishes list of “vulgar” websites and information
For many Chinese website operators, 2009 didn't start very well. China Internet Illegal Information Reporting Centre, a semi-government agency, has published a list of websites which contain "vulgar and unhealthy information" deemed to be harmful to the country's youth. The list (in Chinese) can be found here. The interesting thing about this list is that it covered majority … [Read more...] about (Letter from Arctosia, Opposing Viewpoint) Chinese Government publishes list of “vulgar” websites and information
The Xintai Mental Institute Scandal
A couple of days ago, the Beijing News reported how local officials in Xintai - a city in the eastern province of Shandong - locked up citizens in mental hospitals to prevent them from making journeys to Beijing to alert central government officials of local injustices going on in Xintai (see original story - and english version translated by Global Voices). … [Read more...] about The Xintai Mental Institute Scandal