I've just set up my new blog about Hong Kong.
It's called The Fragrant Harbour at http://thefragrantharbour.blogspot.com.
Now that I don't have to deal with the Great Firewall anymore, it will be great to actually read your comments!
Friday, July 9, 2010
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Xie Xie and Zaijian
Today is my last day in Beijing.
It's my last day living in the Chinese capital after three years, two months and about three weeks.
I came here in April 2007 eager to have a greater understanding of the country and to find out if it really is going to be the next superpower.
When you first arrive, you are impressed by what it has achieved so far and think it has so much potential to be greater.
The people in general are good, honest folk, but their lack of common sense and basic skills can lead to frustration. Just go to any restaurant and flagging down a fuwuyuan or waitstaff is a test in patience, as they'd rather ignore you.
The newly-constructed buildings look shiny and sleek, but after a few years they are still unoccupied, or look run-down due to the low-quality building materials or lack of management.
And then you begin to see the numerous contradictions in the country, like how in the constitution people have the right to petition the central government and many make the journey to Beijing. But once they get to the capital, they are whisked away and thrown into "black jails" where they are illegally held for days, months, weeks before being sent back to their hometowns.
People spend their hard-earned money to buy an apartment, only to have it confiscated later by government officials who have sold the land to developers in return for kickbacks. The developers take over these properties by cutting off the gas, water, electricity, and then even sending thugs to beat up the so-called owners of the place.
While the country's GDP was at double digits for several years until last year at 8 percent, and holds some $2 trillion in US Treasury bills, these mind-boggling numbers do little justice in explaining the real situation in China.
The income gap between the rich and the poor is staggering to see in person. The Liu family living on the border between Beijing and Hebei Province at the Simatai section of the Great Wall live the simple farmer lifestyle, waking up with the sun, tilling the dry patch-work fields and eating mostly vegetable dishes before going to bed early.
Meanwhile the uber rich have no qualms ordering everything expensive on the menu, force each other to drink baijiu and smoke up a storm before leaving behind several dishes barely touched. They also think they own the road, especially when they drive SUVs.
How the wealthy gain their riches is an interesting mystery, while how the majority of the population scrape by on a few thousand RMB a month is another.
There's no question that people's lives have improved significantly in the past 30 years, but at what cost? Rivers and lakes are so polluted that "cancer villages" are springing up near these water sources. Climate change has also resulted in dried up river and lake beds that decades earlier were teeming with fish.
It seems like Beijing has a strong consumer culture -- people buying up all kinds of things from clothing to cars, everyone carrying at least one shopping bag. There is so much noise pollution, hypnotically telling people to buy more stuff, or on-going public service announcements that are so vague they hardly mean anything.
But this is the way the government wants things to be run -- it doesn't want its people to know too much or to think they deserve more. It continues its mantra that China is a big country and so managing it is a big task.
However, when you look at it, the Communist Party of China has had over 60 years of experience in governing the vast country and the world's largest population. One would have thought that by now it would know how to administer the place in an efficient and effective manner.
But the only way the CPC knows how to do this is mostly by force.
This was seen in how Tibet and the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region were governed and these two areas in particular continue to see repression. Instead of trying to understand and integrate cultural differences in policy, the Chinese government believes economic development will create harmony.
Ah a harmonious society. Practically everyone I know here mocks President Hu Jintao's slogan. How can there be harmony when there is such a discrepancy between the rich and the poor, environmental degradation, a persistent consumer culture and lack of respect of people's rights?
It's really all about the Party. It's not about improving the welfare of the people or creating a better environment. It's about preserving the Party's power. At any cost.
Which is why it was reported today that best-selling author Yu Jie was taken by police for questioning on Monday. They threatened to imprison him if he continued with his plans to publish a book criticizing Premier Wen Jiabao.
They warned him that Wen was no ordinary citizen and that the book, China's Best Actor: Wen Jiabao would harm state security and national interests, which could lead to a prison sentence similar to rights activist Liu Xiaobo.
"People cannot tell the truth," a friend remarked to me the other day over lunch. "If you do, you get into trouble."
But some believe it is important to forgo all personal consequences and try to tell the truth for the sake of the greater society.
Tan Zuoren was jailed for five years for trying to help those who lost their children in the Sichuan earthquake almost two years ago; and Liu for 11 years for helping to write the Charter 08, calling for multi-party elections among many things.
And there is also Gao Zhisheng, the human rights lawyer who was detained by police, illegally I may add, and then released, and now detained again and no one knows where he is.
The government is terrified of these people -- scared of them for saying that the emperor has no clothes on.
But it is true. How can there be any civil society in China when basic human rights are ignored, and actually trampled on? How can China ever become a great power when it cannot stand dissent or criticism?
Meanwhile we in the west cannot compare China to ourselves -- it must find its own way in establishing a just society, and looking back at its past can give it some inspiration.
So on this note I bid zaijian.
Thank you Beijing for teaching me a lot of things about China I didn't know. The country is still a work in progress and hopefully the Party leaders will make the right choices for the people.
After all, it is the People's Republic of China.
It's my last day living in the Chinese capital after three years, two months and about three weeks.
I came here in April 2007 eager to have a greater understanding of the country and to find out if it really is going to be the next superpower.
When you first arrive, you are impressed by what it has achieved so far and think it has so much potential to be greater.
The people in general are good, honest folk, but their lack of common sense and basic skills can lead to frustration. Just go to any restaurant and flagging down a fuwuyuan or waitstaff is a test in patience, as they'd rather ignore you.
The newly-constructed buildings look shiny and sleek, but after a few years they are still unoccupied, or look run-down due to the low-quality building materials or lack of management.
And then you begin to see the numerous contradictions in the country, like how in the constitution people have the right to petition the central government and many make the journey to Beijing. But once they get to the capital, they are whisked away and thrown into "black jails" where they are illegally held for days, months, weeks before being sent back to their hometowns.
People spend their hard-earned money to buy an apartment, only to have it confiscated later by government officials who have sold the land to developers in return for kickbacks. The developers take over these properties by cutting off the gas, water, electricity, and then even sending thugs to beat up the so-called owners of the place.
While the country's GDP was at double digits for several years until last year at 8 percent, and holds some $2 trillion in US Treasury bills, these mind-boggling numbers do little justice in explaining the real situation in China.
The income gap between the rich and the poor is staggering to see in person. The Liu family living on the border between Beijing and Hebei Province at the Simatai section of the Great Wall live the simple farmer lifestyle, waking up with the sun, tilling the dry patch-work fields and eating mostly vegetable dishes before going to bed early.
Meanwhile the uber rich have no qualms ordering everything expensive on the menu, force each other to drink baijiu and smoke up a storm before leaving behind several dishes barely touched. They also think they own the road, especially when they drive SUVs.
How the wealthy gain their riches is an interesting mystery, while how the majority of the population scrape by on a few thousand RMB a month is another.
There's no question that people's lives have improved significantly in the past 30 years, but at what cost? Rivers and lakes are so polluted that "cancer villages" are springing up near these water sources. Climate change has also resulted in dried up river and lake beds that decades earlier were teeming with fish.
It seems like Beijing has a strong consumer culture -- people buying up all kinds of things from clothing to cars, everyone carrying at least one shopping bag. There is so much noise pollution, hypnotically telling people to buy more stuff, or on-going public service announcements that are so vague they hardly mean anything.
But this is the way the government wants things to be run -- it doesn't want its people to know too much or to think they deserve more. It continues its mantra that China is a big country and so managing it is a big task.
However, when you look at it, the Communist Party of China has had over 60 years of experience in governing the vast country and the world's largest population. One would have thought that by now it would know how to administer the place in an efficient and effective manner.
But the only way the CPC knows how to do this is mostly by force.
This was seen in how Tibet and the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region were governed and these two areas in particular continue to see repression. Instead of trying to understand and integrate cultural differences in policy, the Chinese government believes economic development will create harmony.
Ah a harmonious society. Practically everyone I know here mocks President Hu Jintao's slogan. How can there be harmony when there is such a discrepancy between the rich and the poor, environmental degradation, a persistent consumer culture and lack of respect of people's rights?
It's really all about the Party. It's not about improving the welfare of the people or creating a better environment. It's about preserving the Party's power. At any cost.
Which is why it was reported today that best-selling author Yu Jie was taken by police for questioning on Monday. They threatened to imprison him if he continued with his plans to publish a book criticizing Premier Wen Jiabao.
They warned him that Wen was no ordinary citizen and that the book, China's Best Actor: Wen Jiabao would harm state security and national interests, which could lead to a prison sentence similar to rights activist Liu Xiaobo.
"People cannot tell the truth," a friend remarked to me the other day over lunch. "If you do, you get into trouble."
But some believe it is important to forgo all personal consequences and try to tell the truth for the sake of the greater society.
Tan Zuoren was jailed for five years for trying to help those who lost their children in the Sichuan earthquake almost two years ago; and Liu for 11 years for helping to write the Charter 08, calling for multi-party elections among many things.
And there is also Gao Zhisheng, the human rights lawyer who was detained by police, illegally I may add, and then released, and now detained again and no one knows where he is.
The government is terrified of these people -- scared of them for saying that the emperor has no clothes on.
But it is true. How can there be any civil society in China when basic human rights are ignored, and actually trampled on? How can China ever become a great power when it cannot stand dissent or criticism?
Meanwhile we in the west cannot compare China to ourselves -- it must find its own way in establishing a just society, and looking back at its past can give it some inspiration.
So on this note I bid zaijian.
Thank you Beijing for teaching me a lot of things about China I didn't know. The country is still a work in progress and hopefully the Party leaders will make the right choices for the people.
After all, it is the People's Republic of China.
Monday, July 5, 2010
Moving On
These last several days have been hectic for me. On Tuesday I moved out of my apartment in Dongzhimen and spent the entire afternoon and early evening cleaning it.
Apparently it was so clean that my landlord was pleased he didn't have to re-clean it and gladly handed back my one-month deposit.
I really enjoyed the one-bedroom place, with its convenient location right by the subway station and bus stop, as well as other amenities nearby (including the hairdresser and favourite restaurants, not to mention a concert hall too).
Downstairs is the gym I belong to (anyone want to carry on the remaining time on my membership?) where I pounded the treadmill and raced in the pool, blowing away the local competition.
I know many of the buses at the Dongzhimen bus stop and where they can take me, and best of all, practically every other taxi driver knows my apartment building so there's no need to give directions.
In the last few days I have been living in my friend's place and for another few days before starting a new adventure -- in Hong Kong.
I've just got a new job there and will be starting there in about a week.
In addition to all this packing and moving, I've been trying to see a few friends here and there and do a few last things (last massage at Bodhi, last meals at favourite restaurants).
It's a strange feeling knowing its my last few days in Beijing, but as my job will entail travel around Asia, there is a good chance I will be back in the Chinese capital for business soon.
Apparently it was so clean that my landlord was pleased he didn't have to re-clean it and gladly handed back my one-month deposit.
I really enjoyed the one-bedroom place, with its convenient location right by the subway station and bus stop, as well as other amenities nearby (including the hairdresser and favourite restaurants, not to mention a concert hall too).
Downstairs is the gym I belong to (anyone want to carry on the remaining time on my membership?) where I pounded the treadmill and raced in the pool, blowing away the local competition.
I know many of the buses at the Dongzhimen bus stop and where they can take me, and best of all, practically every other taxi driver knows my apartment building so there's no need to give directions.
In the last few days I have been living in my friend's place and for another few days before starting a new adventure -- in Hong Kong.
I've just got a new job there and will be starting there in about a week.
In addition to all this packing and moving, I've been trying to see a few friends here and there and do a few last things (last massage at Bodhi, last meals at favourite restaurants).
It's a strange feeling knowing its my last few days in Beijing, but as my job will entail travel around Asia, there is a good chance I will be back in the Chinese capital for business soon.
Sunday, July 4, 2010
Hoping for Calm in Urumqi
Today is the eve before the first anniversary of the Urumqi riots in Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region.
And the government is taking no chances in compromising security.
The police have installed 40,000 security cameras in the capital Urumqi, much like the ones in Shenzhen to track people's movements from the moment they walk out of their homes. They have been installed in buses, bus stops, streets, lanes, schools, kindergartens, supermarkets, shopping malls and other places.
An extra 5,000 police officers were recruited this year and anti-riot exercises took place in the hopes of deterring trouble. A Uighur told AFP that on Thursday all their big knives were confiscated and they were told not to go out on Monday, the day of the anniversary.
Nothing will make people in China forget what happened last year, when according to the government, nearly 200 people were killed and 1,700 were injured in the worst ethnic violence in decades.
While the government blames the violence on "separatists" led by Rebiya Kadeer, it is really Beijing's policy in oppressing the Uighur minority group, while giving preferences to Han Chinese who move to the area that caused the unrest. The resentment boiled into frustration and anger that was taken out on the streets and on many innocent people.
However, the government has done little to adjust its policy in realising its blatant discrimination and instead focused on economic development, thinking money will make Uighurs happier.
Long-time Party chief Wang Lequan was removed in April and replaced with Zhang Chunxian, a senior official who has a good track record in terms of building GDP figures.
We will have to wait and see what happens tomorrow and with the world watching, the government will hope it will be a quiet anniversary.
But within Urumqi and elsewhere in Xinjiang, the resentment continues to simmer.
Those who have the resources are trying to send their children out of the region in the hopes that they will have better lives abroad.
For them it is their last resort in keeping their Uighur culture alive and giving the next generation a chance to flourish far from Chinese repression.
And the government is taking no chances in compromising security.
The police have installed 40,000 security cameras in the capital Urumqi, much like the ones in Shenzhen to track people's movements from the moment they walk out of their homes. They have been installed in buses, bus stops, streets, lanes, schools, kindergartens, supermarkets, shopping malls and other places.
An extra 5,000 police officers were recruited this year and anti-riot exercises took place in the hopes of deterring trouble. A Uighur told AFP that on Thursday all their big knives were confiscated and they were told not to go out on Monday, the day of the anniversary.
Nothing will make people in China forget what happened last year, when according to the government, nearly 200 people were killed and 1,700 were injured in the worst ethnic violence in decades.
While the government blames the violence on "separatists" led by Rebiya Kadeer, it is really Beijing's policy in oppressing the Uighur minority group, while giving preferences to Han Chinese who move to the area that caused the unrest. The resentment boiled into frustration and anger that was taken out on the streets and on many innocent people.
However, the government has done little to adjust its policy in realising its blatant discrimination and instead focused on economic development, thinking money will make Uighurs happier.
Long-time Party chief Wang Lequan was removed in April and replaced with Zhang Chunxian, a senior official who has a good track record in terms of building GDP figures.
We will have to wait and see what happens tomorrow and with the world watching, the government will hope it will be a quiet anniversary.
But within Urumqi and elsewhere in Xinjiang, the resentment continues to simmer.
Those who have the resources are trying to send their children out of the region in the hopes that they will have better lives abroad.
For them it is their last resort in keeping their Uighur culture alive and giving the next generation a chance to flourish far from Chinese repression.
Saturday, July 3, 2010
Picture of the Day: Cloud Formations
Friday, July 2, 2010
A Taste of Morocco
Yesterday two friends and I had dinner at Argana, a Moroccan restaurant whose chef was behind Moro, which I had tried about a year ago.
Argana is located in Xingfucun Zhong Lu, off of the bus stop from the Worker's Gymnasium, across from a Western grocery store called April Gourmet. Interestingly enough, over a year ago I had seen an apartment in the building right next to the restaurant, but didn't like it.
In any case, with the summer heat baking us all day, the somewhat cool breeze in the evening was perfect for al fresco dining.
We got a table right in front of a giant flat-screen TV for the quarter-final World Cup match of the Netherlands against Brazil (Brazil lost in a shock defeat, 2-1).
The menu is conveniently in front of you as a place mat, and we started off with the tapas platter, which was a delicious start. The rectangular plate featured roasted slices of fennel, mushrooms, roasted peppers, salad, slightly curried squid, and prawns.
And as an added bonus we got some bread to mop up the excess sauce and olive oil on the platter.
Then we had a beetroot salad with fried quail eggs and new potatoes that was underwhelming, but as it was hot out, it was a refreshing summer dish.
For our mains we shared the vegetarian tagine, of braised pumpkin, courgette, tomatoes, onions, and carrots in a tomato-based sauce heavily spiced with pepper that was fantastic. Another was the slow-cooked rabbit leg, the meat very tender.
A strange dessert is pigeon pie, minced meat in layers of pastry with rosewater and icing sugar dressed with finely sliced almonds. The small cake cut into quarters was plenty for each of us.
We also got some free entertainment courtesy of a magician named Rock, a young Chinese guy with faltering English but had quick hands. He transformed ordinary pieces of paper into 10RMB notes (we asked if he could change them into 100RMB notes), and could pick out the cards we had chosen from the deck of cards.
However, the service was very inconsistent, with some waiters understanding English, and others not knowing English or Chinese. Obviously some training is in order as these incompetent staff would try to hide or ignore diners flagging for their attention.
Nevertheless, the manager of Argana, a rotund boisterous fellow did his best to make his guests feel welcome, many of whom are regulars who came out to watch the exciting football match.
Argana
55 Xingfucun Middle Road
Chaoyang
8448 8250
Argana is located in Xingfucun Zhong Lu, off of the bus stop from the Worker's Gymnasium, across from a Western grocery store called April Gourmet. Interestingly enough, over a year ago I had seen an apartment in the building right next to the restaurant, but didn't like it.
In any case, with the summer heat baking us all day, the somewhat cool breeze in the evening was perfect for al fresco dining.
We got a table right in front of a giant flat-screen TV for the quarter-final World Cup match of the Netherlands against Brazil (Brazil lost in a shock defeat, 2-1).
The menu is conveniently in front of you as a place mat, and we started off with the tapas platter, which was a delicious start. The rectangular plate featured roasted slices of fennel, mushrooms, roasted peppers, salad, slightly curried squid, and prawns.
And as an added bonus we got some bread to mop up the excess sauce and olive oil on the platter.
Then we had a beetroot salad with fried quail eggs and new potatoes that was underwhelming, but as it was hot out, it was a refreshing summer dish.
For our mains we shared the vegetarian tagine, of braised pumpkin, courgette, tomatoes, onions, and carrots in a tomato-based sauce heavily spiced with pepper that was fantastic. Another was the slow-cooked rabbit leg, the meat very tender.
A strange dessert is pigeon pie, minced meat in layers of pastry with rosewater and icing sugar dressed with finely sliced almonds. The small cake cut into quarters was plenty for each of us.
We also got some free entertainment courtesy of a magician named Rock, a young Chinese guy with faltering English but had quick hands. He transformed ordinary pieces of paper into 10RMB notes (we asked if he could change them into 100RMB notes), and could pick out the cards we had chosen from the deck of cards.
However, the service was very inconsistent, with some waiters understanding English, and others not knowing English or Chinese. Obviously some training is in order as these incompetent staff would try to hide or ignore diners flagging for their attention.
Nevertheless, the manager of Argana, a rotund boisterous fellow did his best to make his guests feel welcome, many of whom are regulars who came out to watch the exciting football match.
Argana
55 Xingfucun Middle Road
Chaoyang
8448 8250
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Picture of the Day: Hitching a Ride
Some like to transport them in their bicycle baskets too.
But this little pooch seems to have a cool ride from his master, who seems to need the exercise more than Fido does...
Monday, June 28, 2010
Military Bans Blogging
Recently revised regulations from the People's Liberation Army (PLA) state that Chinese soldiers are banned from blogging on fears that they may inadvertently leak military secrets.
The revised PLA Internal Administration Regulations which came into effect about two weeks ago says soldiers are prohibited from setting up websites, homepages or blogging on the Internet.
"It means soldiers cannot open blogs on the Internet, no matter if he or she does it in the capacity of a soldier or not," Wan Long, the political commissar of a regiment in the Guangzhou Military Area Command was quoted by the PLA Daily as saying.
"The Internet is complicated and we should guard against online traps," he said.
The revised regulations also ban soldiers from issuing "lonely hearts" and job hunting advertisements in the mass media.
"If information of military officers and their unit aroused attention of people with ulterior motives, it'll pose a threat to the confidentiality of the armed forces," Yang Jigui, commander of the Xigaze military sub-command in Tibet Autonomous Region was quoted as saying.
The ban on blogging is completely understandable; many companies and organizations forbid employees from talking about their work online.
But the rule about not being allowed to look for mates online is a tricky one.
Many men go into the military because they can't get a good job, and after getting in, they become more eligible because Chinese women have a high admiration for soldiers.
However, what are the chances of finding a mate if they can't even let single women know they are looking?
Sounds like lonely hearts in the military have gotten a lot lonelier.
The revised PLA Internal Administration Regulations which came into effect about two weeks ago says soldiers are prohibited from setting up websites, homepages or blogging on the Internet.
"It means soldiers cannot open blogs on the Internet, no matter if he or she does it in the capacity of a soldier or not," Wan Long, the political commissar of a regiment in the Guangzhou Military Area Command was quoted by the PLA Daily as saying.
"The Internet is complicated and we should guard against online traps," he said.
The revised regulations also ban soldiers from issuing "lonely hearts" and job hunting advertisements in the mass media.
"If information of military officers and their unit aroused attention of people with ulterior motives, it'll pose a threat to the confidentiality of the armed forces," Yang Jigui, commander of the Xigaze military sub-command in Tibet Autonomous Region was quoted as saying.
The ban on blogging is completely understandable; many companies and organizations forbid employees from talking about their work online.
But the rule about not being allowed to look for mates online is a tricky one.
Many men go into the military because they can't get a good job, and after getting in, they become more eligible because Chinese women have a high admiration for soldiers.
However, what are the chances of finding a mate if they can't even let single women know they are looking?
Sounds like lonely hearts in the military have gotten a lot lonelier.
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Cutting Off Access to the Wall
On top of that, the authorities have told the villagers in the area to move out. While it is a suggestion rather than an order, there was no mention of compensation in the open letter issued June 16.
The letter didn't explain the reason for the closure or the length of time involved, only that there would be some reconstruction in the area.
It added that the government started cooperating with China CYTS Tours Holding Co. Ltd. last month and that investments would be made to develop tourism resources in the near future.
The closure has undoubtedly resulted in a serious impact on local businesses in the area, farmers who had opened up small restaurants and even lodgings for visitors. This could impact the Liu family who I met in early May, as the son has a bed & breakfast as well as a restaurant.
"Only two tables in my restaurant were filled today at lunch. Last year, there was a queue that went out of the door," said the owner of a roadside restaurant next to the Simatai scenic area.
"Some restaurants with worse locations are facing an even dire situation with a complete lack of customers since the closure," he said.
Rumours are abound among villagers in the area, speculating what the changes may be, including the possibility Simatai could become more like the Badaling section; the touristy area not only has a rebuilt wall, but also a sad collection of hungry bears waiting for visitors to throw food at them and a bizarre slide.
This ad hoc management of the area without consulting the residents or businesses is a good example of how the government manages things. While enterprising people may have put in tens of thousands of renminbi into restaurants and bed & breakfasts, there is little care or respect for them and their welfare.
These people are only trying to better their economic situation and then when the government sees they are making profits -- not wads of cash, but a better living than toiling in the fields, the authorities want to shut everyone else down in order to monopolize on the burgeoning businesses.
The Great Wall doesn't need more crass touristy sites. When visitors see the wall, they want to see as much of the real thing as possible, not bears or fake trees. That's why they come to Simatai.
Hopefully these local government officials will be reined in soon, but it looks like they have the upper hand when it comes to making their GDP performances look good than encourage more local businesses to flourish.
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Picture of the Day: Remembering Michael
Outside a mall in Sanlitun called 3.3 there was an organized memorial for people to participate. A decent-sized crowd gathered, some even wearing black T-shirts made especially for this sombre occasion.
On the giant screen was a video showing Jackson performing in concert, while two posters were put up inviting the public to remember Michael.
"King of Pop," the posters read. "You are not alone."
It's that last statement, and the title of one of Jackson's songs released in 1995 that seemed to resonate with many young Chinese people here. Perhaps in some way they are searching for their meaning of life through him.
You Are Not Alone
Another day has gone
I'm still all alone
How could this be
You're not here with me
You never said goodbye
Someone tell me why
Did you have to go
And leave my world so cold
Everyday I sit and ask myself
How did love slip away
Something whispers in my ear and says
That you are not alone
For I am here with you
Though you're far away
I am here to stay
But you are not alone
For I am here with you
Though we're far apart
You're always in my heart
But you are not alone
'Lone, 'lone
Why, 'lone
Just the other night
I thought I heard you cry
Asking me to come
And hold you in my arms
I can hear your prayers
Your burdens I will bear
But first I need your hand
Then forever can begin
Everyday I sit and ask myself
How did love slip away
Something whispers in my ear and says
That you are not alone
For I am here with you
Though you're far away
I am here to stay
For you are not alone
For I am here with you
Though we're far apart
You're always in my heart
For you are not alone
Whisper three words and I'll come runnin'
And girl you know that I'll be there
I'll be there
You are not alone
For I am here with you
Though you're far away
I am here to stay
For you are not alone
For I am here with you
Though we're far apart
You're always in my heart
For you are not alone
For I am here with you
Though you're far away
I am here to stay
For you are not alone
For I am here with you
Though we're far apart
You're always in my heart
For you are not alone...
Friday, June 25, 2010
Legally Demanding Submission
The Chinese government trusts no one.
Today a Tibetan man was sent to jail for 15 years, who in 2006 was praised by CCTV as "philanthropist of the year" for giving items from his art collection to state-owned museums. Karma Samdrup, 42, was convicted of robbing tombs and dealing in looted relics.
His lawyer, Pu Zhiqiang said the evidence was faked and the court did not provide a proper translator. Samdrup's wife claims he was beaten during his six-month custody and had lost a lot of weight.
"Tibetans do not touch coffins or corpses, they advocate sky burials, water burials, but not earth burials," Pu explained. "Also, robbing graves is taboo for them," he told the AFP.
The charges apparently date back to 1998 but there was no reason given why the police was pursuing them now.
Many believe the trial was to punish Samdrup for defending his two brothers who had publicly berated a local police chief who hunted endangered species on a Tibetan reserve.
Samdrup is the most high-profile Tibetan to be jailed in the past two years, and it sends a chill among Tibetans who had thought those who towed the party line were safe.
Apparently more than 50 Tibetan intellectuals who are not political activists have also been detained.
Even though Samdrup had a high-profile lawyer from Beijing, that wasn't enough to give him a fair chance.
"I felt like this was not a real trial, but that they just went through the motions to reach a predetermined verdict," his wife Zhenga Cuomao said.
During the trial Samdrup told the judge how there were days he was not given food or water, and that he was soaked in cold water in the dead of winter. "He never signed the confession because he knows he is innocent," Zhenga added.
This continual persecution of people on trumped-up charges just shows how desperate the government is in keeping its grip on power. It demands absolute obedience from its people, while it manipulates the legal system to its own ends. How can anyone continue to have faith in an institution like that?
Today a Tibetan man was sent to jail for 15 years, who in 2006 was praised by CCTV as "philanthropist of the year" for giving items from his art collection to state-owned museums. Karma Samdrup, 42, was convicted of robbing tombs and dealing in looted relics.
His lawyer, Pu Zhiqiang said the evidence was faked and the court did not provide a proper translator. Samdrup's wife claims he was beaten during his six-month custody and had lost a lot of weight.
"Tibetans do not touch coffins or corpses, they advocate sky burials, water burials, but not earth burials," Pu explained. "Also, robbing graves is taboo for them," he told the AFP.
The charges apparently date back to 1998 but there was no reason given why the police was pursuing them now.
Many believe the trial was to punish Samdrup for defending his two brothers who had publicly berated a local police chief who hunted endangered species on a Tibetan reserve.
Samdrup is the most high-profile Tibetan to be jailed in the past two years, and it sends a chill among Tibetans who had thought those who towed the party line were safe.
Apparently more than 50 Tibetan intellectuals who are not political activists have also been detained.
Even though Samdrup had a high-profile lawyer from Beijing, that wasn't enough to give him a fair chance.
"I felt like this was not a real trial, but that they just went through the motions to reach a predetermined verdict," his wife Zhenga Cuomao said.
During the trial Samdrup told the judge how there were days he was not given food or water, and that he was soaked in cold water in the dead of winter. "He never signed the confession because he knows he is innocent," Zhenga added.
This continual persecution of people on trumped-up charges just shows how desperate the government is in keeping its grip on power. It demands absolute obedience from its people, while it manipulates the legal system to its own ends. How can anyone continue to have faith in an institution like that?
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Picture of the Day: The Wolves are Here
It was a giant pack of wolves surrounding a man standing on a stone with a spear ready to defend himself.
It's a sculpture by artist Liu Ruowang and it's appropriately titled, "Lang Lai Le!" or "The wolves are here!"
Each of the fearsome animals looks different, but quite Chinese from the swirls of fur on their backs.
Of all the art we saw today, this one definitely provokes the imagination.
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Making Amends for Higher Gains
President Hu Jintao is on his way to Canada for a state visit before the G20 summit in Toronto.
Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper got a scolding from Premier Wen Jiabao in December for not coming to China earlier.
It was like a principal lecturing his student in front of the entire class and while the dressing down was completely embarrassing, Harper took it like a classy politician.
However, since then ties between the two countries finally got warmer. That's because the Conservatives had been criticizing China for human rights issues so the latter gave Canada the cold shoulder.
But as most countries cannot ignore or be shut out from China too long, Harper finally gave in and now things are smoothing over.
And it is appropriate now (or is it coincidence?) that this year is the 40th anniversary of China and Canada establishing diplomatic ties.
Hopefully on this trip Harper and Hu will sign the deal where China will grant Canada Approved Destination Status to make it easier for Chinese to visit Canada on tourist visas instead of business ones.
Hu's visit comes just before the recent announcement of China finally raising the value of the renminbi, but by how much and when are still up in the air. The Chinese currency rose to its highest level in five years by 0.4 percent on Monday, but then dropped its gains by about half at 0.23 percent the next day.
Some analysts see it as China still carefully monitoring the renminbi and keeping everyone guessing as to when and how much it will rise.
One thing is for sure -- China will not let its currency jump dramatically, not as high as other countries may want to see it go. It doesn't want its own exports to be too expensive or for its import/export firms to have even smaller margins. The recent strikes have also resulted in higher pay for workers, which also cuts into company profits, and making them less competitive.
The rise of the renminbi is just going to be a slow-going process, one that requires patience. Lots of it.
Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper got a scolding from Premier Wen Jiabao in December for not coming to China earlier.
It was like a principal lecturing his student in front of the entire class and while the dressing down was completely embarrassing, Harper took it like a classy politician.
However, since then ties between the two countries finally got warmer. That's because the Conservatives had been criticizing China for human rights issues so the latter gave Canada the cold shoulder.
But as most countries cannot ignore or be shut out from China too long, Harper finally gave in and now things are smoothing over.
And it is appropriate now (or is it coincidence?) that this year is the 40th anniversary of China and Canada establishing diplomatic ties.
Hopefully on this trip Harper and Hu will sign the deal where China will grant Canada Approved Destination Status to make it easier for Chinese to visit Canada on tourist visas instead of business ones.
Hu's visit comes just before the recent announcement of China finally raising the value of the renminbi, but by how much and when are still up in the air. The Chinese currency rose to its highest level in five years by 0.4 percent on Monday, but then dropped its gains by about half at 0.23 percent the next day.
Some analysts see it as China still carefully monitoring the renminbi and keeping everyone guessing as to when and how much it will rise.
One thing is for sure -- China will not let its currency jump dramatically, not as high as other countries may want to see it go. It doesn't want its own exports to be too expensive or for its import/export firms to have even smaller margins. The recent strikes have also resulted in higher pay for workers, which also cuts into company profits, and making them less competitive.
The rise of the renminbi is just going to be a slow-going process, one that requires patience. Lots of it.
Monday, June 21, 2010
Dreams of Marrying Money
Chinese women have the upper hand when it comes to finding Mr Right, or do they?
A popular dating show on TV called If You Are The One, broadcast by Jiangsu Satellite TV, reveals what women want -- which is to show them the money.
In the program, 24 single women judge a bachelor by asking him questions and watching a short video of him. If they don't think he's suitable, they turn off their lights. If there are any lights still on after three rounds of screening, then he gets to date one of the women.
And it's those who have a well-paying job, a house and car that get the most lights, while those with hardly any assets make a quick exit.
The show gained notoriety when one of the female guests, Ma Nuo, told an unemployed suitor that she would prefer to cry in a BMW than smile on a bicycle.
Another guest, Zhu Zhenfang, said her sole requirement for a boyfriend was that he had to earn at least 200,000RMB ($29,420) a month. Where is she going to get a man like that unless a) he is a tycoon or b) a corrupt official.
Bridal demands over 30 years ago weren't that outrageous.
In the 1970s, for groom to marry his wife, he had to provide a bicycle, watch and a sewing machine. This progressed to a TV set, washing machine and a fridge in the 1980s. Now bachelors are only eligible if they have a house and a car.
But buying a house in China is not that easy these days, especially in big cities like Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou.
The skyrocketing property prices make it practically impossible for a young man to buy a place unless all his relatives scrape together their hard-earned savings to buy a small apartment. And after that he and his yet-to-be-born son would be paying off the mortgage, only to have the government reclaim it after 70 years. After all, the government owns all the land, not the people.
A friend told me about her friend in Guangzhou who has a rich girlfriend. He managed to get a good job, and in order to woo her, he bought two apartments, borrowing from friends and relatives. He hopes housing prices will continue to rise so that he can make a profit, but there are dark clouds looming over the possibility of the property market bubble bursting soon.
And that would put him in an even worse position than being a "house slave".
That's why others prefer to rent in order to have more freedom to travel or purchase whatever they want.
But even this carefree movement can't stop what's called the "bride's-mother economy".
Gu Yunchang, deputy director of the China Real Estate Research Association explains. "The couple is going to get married, but the man has not yet decided to buy a house. The fiancee's mother will ask the man for a 'discussion', after which the man will try his best to raise money, through ways ranging from selling stocks to pawning items."
It is this rigid demand, Gu says, that keeps the property market going, and more men becoming "house slaves".
Weddings in China are a big gold mine, as the China News Service reports a whopping 400 billion RMB ($58.8 billion), or 2.5 percent of the country's gross domestic product are spent on wedding-related items. Bear in mind that this could include the car and the house, not just the banquet, flowers and pictures.
Many men who know they hardly have a chance at the dating game are still hoping to find a non-materialistic girlfriend, usually women still living in the rural areas.
But single women like Zhu are still holding out. She said on If You Are The One, "I am genuine. I firmly believe that a rich man will marry me."
Perhaps materialistic women like Zhu will give up their marital dreams and instead pursue the chance to be a rich man's ernai, or mistress in order to get their hands on that house, car and 200,000RMB a month.
A popular dating show on TV called If You Are The One, broadcast by Jiangsu Satellite TV, reveals what women want -- which is to show them the money.
In the program, 24 single women judge a bachelor by asking him questions and watching a short video of him. If they don't think he's suitable, they turn off their lights. If there are any lights still on after three rounds of screening, then he gets to date one of the women.
And it's those who have a well-paying job, a house and car that get the most lights, while those with hardly any assets make a quick exit.
The show gained notoriety when one of the female guests, Ma Nuo, told an unemployed suitor that she would prefer to cry in a BMW than smile on a bicycle.
Another guest, Zhu Zhenfang, said her sole requirement for a boyfriend was that he had to earn at least 200,000RMB ($29,420) a month. Where is she going to get a man like that unless a) he is a tycoon or b) a corrupt official.
Bridal demands over 30 years ago weren't that outrageous.
In the 1970s, for groom to marry his wife, he had to provide a bicycle, watch and a sewing machine. This progressed to a TV set, washing machine and a fridge in the 1980s. Now bachelors are only eligible if they have a house and a car.
But buying a house in China is not that easy these days, especially in big cities like Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou.
The skyrocketing property prices make it practically impossible for a young man to buy a place unless all his relatives scrape together their hard-earned savings to buy a small apartment. And after that he and his yet-to-be-born son would be paying off the mortgage, only to have the government reclaim it after 70 years. After all, the government owns all the land, not the people.
A friend told me about her friend in Guangzhou who has a rich girlfriend. He managed to get a good job, and in order to woo her, he bought two apartments, borrowing from friends and relatives. He hopes housing prices will continue to rise so that he can make a profit, but there are dark clouds looming over the possibility of the property market bubble bursting soon.
And that would put him in an even worse position than being a "house slave".
That's why others prefer to rent in order to have more freedom to travel or purchase whatever they want.
But even this carefree movement can't stop what's called the "bride's-mother economy".
Gu Yunchang, deputy director of the China Real Estate Research Association explains. "The couple is going to get married, but the man has not yet decided to buy a house. The fiancee's mother will ask the man for a 'discussion', after which the man will try his best to raise money, through ways ranging from selling stocks to pawning items."
It is this rigid demand, Gu says, that keeps the property market going, and more men becoming "house slaves".
Weddings in China are a big gold mine, as the China News Service reports a whopping 400 billion RMB ($58.8 billion), or 2.5 percent of the country's gross domestic product are spent on wedding-related items. Bear in mind that this could include the car and the house, not just the banquet, flowers and pictures.
Many men who know they hardly have a chance at the dating game are still hoping to find a non-materialistic girlfriend, usually women still living in the rural areas.
But single women like Zhu are still holding out. She said on If You Are The One, "I am genuine. I firmly believe that a rich man will marry me."
Perhaps materialistic women like Zhu will give up their marital dreams and instead pursue the chance to be a rich man's ernai, or mistress in order to get their hands on that house, car and 200,000RMB a month.
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Flawless Airport Expansion
When it opened in 1998 it had 80 gates, but this time I found it has 30 more in a new mini terminal that can only be accessed by a shuttle bus in an open space near the tarmac. What was confusing was that they were labelled Gates 501-530. Why did they use these numbers? I looked on the airport's website, but didn't find the answer.
Nevertheless, some of the low-cost airlines like Hong Kong Express Airways and China Southern fly out from here.
When I got to the shuttle bus, I asked an airport staff if there was anything to eat in this terminal. She warned only small snacks and coffee were available so I imagined the worst -- like a typical mainland Chinese airport with tasteless buns or overly sweet ones and coffee that came out of a vending machine.
So I was surprised to find it was very new and modern, complete with Starbucks and a small selection of duty-free shops and a bookstore.
I grabbed a sandwich and fruit salad from Starbucks and the staff was even kind enough to put them on a tray and place it on a table for me while I managed my hand luggage.
And on top of that, this Starbucks had a few computer terminals for people to surf the net (provided they bought something) and free wireless Internet connection courtesy of the Airport Authority.
Everywhere else I'd been had their Internet connection controlled by PCCW, which meant having to shell out or not feeling connected.
The new mini terminal was a good experience overall, not penalizing passengers for choosing cheap flights. This is not the case in Beijing's Capital Airport in Terminal 1 and 2, where if you do get a cheap plane ticket, chances are you have to run to the gate furthest away or even worse, take a shuttle bus that takes you to the Siberian regions of the airport.
No wonder Hong Kong International Airport was named the World's Best Airport serving over 40 million passengers a year for the fourth consecutive year in May by the Airports Council International.
When accepting the award, Airport Authority CEO Stanley Hui Hon-Chung dedicated it to the 60,000-strong airport staff.
"We couldn't have achieved this without the concerted effort of all the staff in the airport community who provide passengers with the best possible service," he said. "It is gratifying to see that our overall score in the Airport Service Quality survey has been constantly on the rise over the past few years."
I know why this airport has been getting top grades for the past four years -- every time I get to this airport, I know that things will be as stress-free as possible aside from airline operations. And who wouldn't want that?
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Picture of the Day: Blue Skies
Earlier in the week Hong Kong was overcast for most of the day and on Wednesday evening it rained, and on Thursday and Friday threatened to unleash some wet days.
However, the city got beautiful clear skies yesterday and seemed too good to be true!
But by the same token it was very hot and humid...
Here's a picture from Pokfulam, the south side of Hong Kong Island.
Continuing Hong Kong's Can-Do Spirit
When I bumped into an ex-colleague in Beijing about a month ago, he was telling me that people in Hong Kong were more friendly. And I have to say in the last few days I've been in the city, I've noticed that too.
You still do get the odd person who isn't afraid of showing their frustrations with someone or being curt, but on the whole, many in the service industry are more willing to help customers than put on airs.
Some still trip up when they encounter Mandarin-speaking clients; at Nha Trang, a popular Vietnamese restaurant on Wellington Street, a server wasn't able to communicate at all with a Taiwanese woman. But this was quickly rectified when she brought over a colleague to talk to her about her take-out order.
People here understand more than ever that it's customers who pay their salaries and so they must bend over backwards to serve them whatever they want. In a way it does go back to the old days where Hong Kong people did whatever it took to get the job done.
And wandering around the western side of Hong Kong Island, I'm seeing more small shops, boutiques, cafes and bars popping up in what used to be the most unlikely places. Originally they spread from Lan Kwai Fong to the areas around the escalator. But now these small-scale entrepreneurial ventures are even further west into Kennedy Town, with Japanese restaurants practically sprouting on ever other street, in what used to be areas only locals lived or worked in.
Just today walking down Aberdeen Street from Caine Road, I saw many new shops with English names along side streets, places I didn't even know about. There were small art galleries, cafes and boutiques. Perhaps part of the fun is stumbling into these places, a small gem you find in your neighbourhood.
It's just good to know the entrepreneurial spirit is still alive on a small scale and they continue to venture into territory that exists in harmony with its local residents.
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Attempting to Quell Discontent
Premier Wen Jiabao is calling for better living conditions for migrant workers, saying officials should treat them like their own children. China owes them its wealth, he added.
"Rural migrant workers are the main army of the contemporary Chinese industrial workforce," he said earlier this week. "Our wealth and our tall buildings are all distillations of your hard work and sweat," he told a group of migrant workers in Beijing.
However he stopped short of saying the wages of some 200 million migrant workers should be raised after the spate of suicides at Foxconn and the strikes at Honda.
Wen pledged to improve public facilities in the countryside, such as schools and hospitals, saying migrant workers would have less to worry about in their hometowns. But what kinds of improvements is he talking about? Schools and hospitals in rural areas need better-qualified teachers and doctors as well as better equipment. If he's talking about a new paint job, then that's hardly sincere.
He also stopped short of announcing a further relaxing the hukou household registration system. From time to time, cities like Shanghai and Guangzhou and the central government claim they are making it easier for migrant workers to get an urban hukou. But the reality is that the requirements are so demanding that it is practically impossible for the majority of migrant workers to get this hukou in order to enjoy social benefits in the city, like education for their children or healthcare.
So while the premier is trying to show that he is supportive of the workers, he hasn't made any concrete measures to really improve their welfare. "Grandpa Wen" appears sympathetic in the hopes of quelling discontent, but until the central government really takes significant steps to improve things for this giant section of the population, the disillusionment of creating a "harmonious society" continues.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Button-Pushing Feedback
This morning I went to Beijing Capital International Airport to head to Hong Kong.
At passport control, there were many people in line and to pass the time, I checked out the TV screen above us which showed a polite customer service message from the Beijing General Station of Entry and Exit Frontier Inspection of the People's Republic of China.
It basically said that in order to better serve people, it had to know where it was going wrong in the process in order to improve. Which is why they put these customer service feedback buttons at each officer's station. And after the passport control process was completed, each passenger should either press "very satisfied", "satisfied", "check too long" or "not satisfied" to evaluate the officer that served them.
Most of the officers seemed to be working very quickly, so the line moved quite fast, and presumably good feedback.
Us passengers just want these routine checks to be as efficient and painless as possible; and to their credit, the Chinese have made it so.
However, these buttons really give an indication if anything is wrong with the process? How can people elaborate if they have a complaint by only having the choice of pressing one button?
Accumulating these kinds of statistics make it easy to assess a person's work performance, but do they really give a true picture of what problems if any they are having?
If I pressed "not satisfied" would that mean a black mark next to my name and I would get hassles when I tried to get back into the country? Best to be nice...
It's just another opportunity for China to statistically prove that it's serving X many customers each day. But who knows if they really are well served... or not?
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
The Fen Dilemma
China issues dollars and coins, and in the coin department there are 50-jiao, which is half of 1RMB, and then 10-jiao or basically 10 cents.
Then it divides further into fen, or cents, and these coins are really feather-weight. There are 5-fen, 2-fen and 1-fen coins.
Two friends of mine collect their spare change in a jar as they hate carrying coins. One time I counted most of the money in there and it amounted to over 20RMB ($2.92). They still didn't take it to the bank for some bills. So I've been helping them bit by bit get rid of these coins -- hey it's free change!
When I pay my water bill, the management office of my building accepts these fen, and allows me to get rid of these coins.
But when it comes to supermarkets, they aren't interested in these cent coins and would rather round up or down to the nearest jiao.
So when I went to get fruits at a neighbourhood grocery store the other day, I thought the shopkeeper would accept fen.
However, she was annoyed when I gave her one jiao and 1 five-fen, two 2-fen, and 1-fen coins to make 20 cents. "I don't accept these!" she exclaimed. But when I told her that was all I had, she grudgingly accepted the exact change.
If even small shopkeepers won't accept these fen coins in Beijing? Who will?
Perhaps before I leave, I will make the rounds to the various beggars around town and give them my fen; after all, money is money.
Then it divides further into fen, or cents, and these coins are really feather-weight. There are 5-fen, 2-fen and 1-fen coins.
Two friends of mine collect their spare change in a jar as they hate carrying coins. One time I counted most of the money in there and it amounted to over 20RMB ($2.92). They still didn't take it to the bank for some bills. So I've been helping them bit by bit get rid of these coins -- hey it's free change!
When I pay my water bill, the management office of my building accepts these fen, and allows me to get rid of these coins.
But when it comes to supermarkets, they aren't interested in these cent coins and would rather round up or down to the nearest jiao.
So when I went to get fruits at a neighbourhood grocery store the other day, I thought the shopkeeper would accept fen.
However, she was annoyed when I gave her one jiao and 1 five-fen, two 2-fen, and 1-fen coins to make 20 cents. "I don't accept these!" she exclaimed. But when I told her that was all I had, she grudgingly accepted the exact change.
If even small shopkeepers won't accept these fen coins in Beijing? Who will?
Perhaps before I leave, I will make the rounds to the various beggars around town and give them my fen; after all, money is money.
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