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☆ The Art of Telling Forbidden Stories in China
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-03 | by ( Han Zhang | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +5 min

Browsing one of the literature bulletin boards, he came across a serialized novel titled “My Beijing,” published under the pseudonym Drunken Fish. Hao’s depiction of Chengdu’s seedy underbelly became a sensation on forums like Tianya, one of the period’s largest blogging platforms. Once, a colleague recommended the novel to Hao without knowing that he was Murong Xuecun. “From the get-go, he has been completely obsessed with how people are corrupted by the environment in which they live,” says Megan Walsh, author of “The Subplot,” a book about contemporary Chinese literature. Later, at a propaganda meeting, the deputy party secretary of Chengdu criticized Hao’s fiction for damaging the city’s image.

Persons: Hao, ”, Fish, Murong Xuecun, Wei Da, Wei, Megan Walsh, Li Boqing, Li, Ran Yunfei, ” Ran Organizations: Authorities, Writers ’ Association, International New York Times Locations: Beijing, H.R, Shenzhen, Chengdu, China, North Africa, Weibo

CNN —A Somali sports official was suspended for nepotism on Wednesday after a viral video showed an apparent novice runner skipping across the finish line in last place at an international competition. The video, which circulated widely on Wednesday, showed Nasro Abukar Ali competing in the third heat of the first round of the women’s 100-meter race at the International University Sports Federation’s (FISU) Summer World University Games in China. She finished in 21.81 seconds – more than 8 seconds slower than the second-last runner, and more than 10 seconds behind the winner of the heat. “What happened today was not representative of the Somali people,” he said in Somali, Forbes reported. The Summer World University Games are ongoing in Chengdu, southwestern China.

Persons: Nasro Abukar Ali, Ali, sluggishly, “, disheartening, “ It’s, Khadijo Aden Dahir, Dahir, Sports Mohamed Barre Mohamud, Forbes, Mohamud, ” Organizations: CNN, International University Sports Federation’s, Games, Twitter, Ministry of Youth, Sports, Somali Athletics Federation, Somali National Olympic, Youth, Association of Somalia Universities, Somali University Sports Association, Athletics Federation of, ” CNN, East African country’s Sports Ministry, Somali National Olympic Committee, World Athletics, World Locations: China, Somalia, Somali, Athletics Federation of Somalia, Chengdu

☆ Fiji’s Leader Declines Invitation to China, Saying He Tripped and Fell
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-26 | by ( Natasha Frost | More About Natasha Frost | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Fiji’s uneasy relationship with China has hit an unusual roadblock, in the form of an office door. In a video posted to social media on Tuesday, the Pacific island nation’s prime minister, Sitiveni Rabuka, said he was declining an invitation to visit China this week because he had tripped while looking at his phone, striking his head on a door at the entrance to a government building. “I do not know whether my head is hurt more than the door, or the door hurt more than my head,” Mr. Rabuka said. He was wearing a shirt flecked with bloodstains, which he pointed out to viewers, and had a bandage on his head. Because his doctor would have to change the bandage on Friday, he said, “I have had to inform China that I will not be able to undertake the trip coming up tomorrow night.” China had invited Mr. Rabuka to the city of Chengdu, where he was to have met with Xi Jinping, the country’s leader, at the World University Games.

Persons: Sitiveni Rabuka, ” Mr, Rabuka, “, China, Xi Jinping Organizations: World University Games Locations: China, Chengdu

☆ Indonesia plans incentives for EV makers, sets up meeting with BYD, Tesla
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Indonesia, the largest economy in Southeast Asia, has been trying to attract EV makers to invest in the country, enticing them with its rich nickel reserves - the world's biggest - which can be processed into EV batteries. However, some automakers like China's BYD have instead chosen to invest in Thailand, the region's automotive hub. "Tomorrow we are going to finalise incentives that we are going to give to any EV investment in Indonesia," Luhut said, adding they were awaiting President Joko Widodo's approval. Indonesia has been wooing Tesla for years, hoping to host an Asian production hub for the American EV maker. Tesla has been in talks with Indian officials for an investment in an EV factory there.

Persons: Pandjaitan, Luhut, Joko Widodo's, Elon Musk, Tesla, Ananda Teresia, Gayatri Suroyo, Kanupriya Kapoor Organizations: CNBC Indonesia, Maritime Affairs, Natural, EV, Thomson Locations: JAKARTA, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Southeast Asia, China's, Chengdu, California, United States, American

☆ Check out a ghost town of deserted Chinese mega-villas built for multimillionaires that's now overrun by farmers and left to rot
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-24 | by ( Kwan Wei Kevin Tan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Chinese farmers have moved into a cluster of abandoned villas in China to grow crops and rear cattle. Jade Gao/AFP via Getty ImagesThe half-built villas are now overrun by local farmers, who plow the land and plant crops on the overgrown lawns of abandoned villas. Local farmers now plow the land of the abandoned development. Jade Gao/AFP via Getty ImagesThe insides of the buildings look post-apocalyptic too, like shots straight out of "The Last of Us." Shenyang's ghost villas are just one of many "rotten" real estate projects across China's urban landscapeThe interior of a deserted housing sales building.

Persons: Jade Gao, —, riche, Guo, who's, Li Gan, Gan Organizations: Twitter, Service, AFP, Greenland Group, Getty, Getty Images, Texas, M University, Survey, Research Center, China Household Finance, Chengdu's Southwestern University of Finance, Economics Locations: China, AFP, Weibo, Wall, Silicon, Shenyang, China's, Liaoning province, Greenland, Evergrande, Li

☆ Alipay and WeChat Pay now accept Visa and Mastercard for all payments in China
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-21 | by ( Laura He | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

The move marks a revival of efforts by Alipay and WeChat Pay to accept foreign credit cards after they provided some limited access in late 2019. WeChat Pay is officially known as Weixin Pay in China. Alipay and WeChat Pay are dominant in digital payment services, accounting for a combined 91% market share. In 2019, Alipay and WeChat started allowing the use of foreign credit cards on their apps as Chinese regulators eased restrictions. A week later, an executive from Tencent said at a forum that the company would open wider its WeChat Pay system to international card organizations, such as Visa, starting in July.

Persons: Alipay, WeChat, ” Dennis Chang, Tencent, ”, Chen Qiru Organizations: Hong Kong CNN —, Mastercard, Ant Group, Visa, Club, Discover, World, Hangzhou, Alibaba, JCB, Greater China, “, Tencent Financial Technology, ”, People’s Bank of Locations: Hong Kong, China, Beijing, Chengdu, Hangzhou, Tianjin, People’s Bank of China

HONG KONG, July 18 (Reuters) - China plans to appoint the CEO of state-owned telecoms giant China Unicom (0762.HK), (600050.SS), Liu Liehong, as the head of its new national data bureau, four sources said, putting him in charge of efforts to make the country a digital superpower. China announced plans for the data bureau in March as part of a sweeping government reshuffle. Its formation is part of efforts to achieve President Xi Jinping's vision of a "digital China", where data is managed alongside labour and capital as a key economic driver. China's internet regulator, the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC), will also transfer some staff to the data bureau, said one source. "Whether Mr. Liu Liehong will take up any role in the National Data Bureau shall be subject to the decision of the PRC government," it added.

Persons: Liu Liehong, Liu, Xi, China Unicom, Julie Zhu, Kevin Huang, Jane Xu, Brenda Goh, Sam Holmes Organizations: HK, National Data Bureau, Reuters, China, Tech Development Department, Cyberspace Administration of China, CAC, Information Office, National, Bureau, China Electronics Technology Group Corporation, Ministry of Industry, Information Technology, Communist Party, Committee, Thomson Locations: HONG KONG, China, Hong Kong, Chengdu, Sichuan province

☆ What China's resilient big spenders are buying and the stocks that benefit
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-16 | by ( Evelyn Cheng | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

That's approximately how large China's "premium" consumer population is – and it's a "huge" opportunity for higher-end sportswear by foreign companies, according to Bernstein. By U.S. standards, it doesn't take much to be considered premium in China. Adidas and Nike are like Benz, BMW, the highest end, he said, while the other brands are like Audi or Toyota. For Nike and Adidas, even their lowest price is two times that of local competitors, the Bernstein analysts said. However, focusing only on the premium growth segment can overlook the fact that many of China's consumers still live in smaller cities.

Persons: Bernstein, Aneesha Sherman, Li Ning, Irving, Miao Kun, –, Hoka, — CNBC's Michael Bloom Organizations: . Census, Anta Sports, Wednesday, basketball, Adidas, Nike, Benz, BMW, Audi, Toyota, Management, P Locations: China, That's, U.S, Hong Kong, Beijing, Thursday's, Germany, eyeing, Shanghai, Chengdu

☆ Cathay Pacific’s recovery finds its wings
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

HONG KONG, July 14 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Cathay Pacific (0293.HK) is regaining its mojo. The return to profitability for the $7 billion airline, which expects earnings of as much as HK$4.5 billion, is well-timed. Dividends owed on the preference shares are due to rise from 3% to 5% in August and would continue to rise to as much as 9%. Buying back the shares, as the company plans to do within the next 12 months, will avoid the higher coupons. But as Cathay aims to return to 100% of pre-pandemic capacity by the end of 2024, confidence is returning to Hong Kong’s skies.

Persons: Ronald Lam, Thomas Shum, Una Galani, Pranav Kiran Organizations: Reuters, Cathay, HK, Hong, Pilots, Twitter, Thomson Locations: HONG KONG, HK, Hong Kong, Chengdu, Hong

ERLANGEN, Germany, July 13 (Reuters) - Siemens (SIEGn.DE) will spend 1 billion euros ($1.12 billion)on new factories and facilities in Germany, the engineering company said on Thursday, as Berlin published a strategy paper highlighting the economic and security risks of investing in China. News of the Erlangen investment came as Berlin published a paper responding to a more assertive China, which included warnings about security risks of investing in the country. Siemens, which last month unveiled a 2 billion euro global investment plan, said it was investing in Germany to accelerate growth and also "increase its resilience." "Siemens is banking on innovation in Germany and launching the next stage of digitalization," Siemens Chief Executive Roland Busch said on Thursday. Under its global investment plan Siemens is also expanding its digital factory in Chengdu and building a new R&D centre in Shenzhen.

Persons: Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Roland Busch, Busch, Siemens, Alexander Huebner, John Revill, Tomasz Janowski Organizations: Siemens, Siemens Healthineers, Thomson Locations: ERLANGEN, Germany, Berlin, China, Erlangen, Beijing, Europe, United States, Chengdu, Shenzhen, Siemens's, Forchheim, Nuremburg, Zurich

☆ WAF Awards 2023: World’s best new buildings unveiled
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-11 | by ( Oscar Holland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

2023 World Architecture FestivalUAE-based firm Dabbagh Architects was shortlisted in the religious buildings category for its Mosque of Light in Dubai. 2023 World Architecture FestivalBangkok-based architecture practice All(zone) was shortlisted for its temporary MPavilion. 2023 World Architecture FestivalOsamu Morishita Architect and Associates was nominated for this hydrogen station in Tokushima prefecture, Japan. 2023 World Architecture FestivalThe timber Turrell Pavilion, in the Maldives, was one of two shortlisted projects by Brazilian firm Studio MK27. 2023 World Architecture FestivalThe curvaceous E-sports center by Central-South Architectural Design Institute in Hangzhou, China.

Persons: 3XN, Paul Finch, Cox, Dabbagh Organizations: CNN, Newark Liberty International, Cox Architecture, Ages, Chat, Shanghai United Design Group, Chengdu Research Base, Dabbagh Architects, Associates, Design Locations: Dubai, Singapore, Chengdu, China, Melbourne, Cambodia, Senegal, Netherlands, Danish, Oman, Nizwa, UAE, Light, Bangkok, Australia, Tokushima prefecture, Japan, Maldives, Central, Hangzhou

☆ 'Curse of 35': China's state media takes aim at ageist hiring policies
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BEIJING, July 6 (Reuters) - Chinese state media on Thursday took aim at employers' discriminatory hiring practices, including a trend among companies seeking younger and cheaper workers that has become widely known as the "Curse of 35". Back in March, the newspaper cited two studies that laid bare how workers aged 35 years or over were losing out. With the economy losing momentum, China's survey-based jobless rate stayed at 5.2% in May, but youth employment jumped to a record 20.8%. And with the population aging, many people talk about the 'curse", believing their chances of getting a job or losing one worsen once they cross 35. "If people become unemployed at the age of 35, older people can only go back to college then," said another.

Persons: Ella Cao, Ryan Woo, Simon Cameron, Moore Organizations: The Workers Daily, Sichuan University, University, Twitter, Thomson Locations: BEIJING, Shanghai, Chengdu, Zhejiang

☆ Video of man driving over woman repeatedly reignites China's domestic violence debate
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-30 | by ( Nectar Gan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

The wife had reportedly suffered years of domestic violence and was planning on a divorce, her family told state media outlet The Paper. “Given its prevalence, domestic violence is an issue everyone knows about, even if they have not encountered it themselves.”Volunteers in Ma Anshan city, Anhui province sign their names on a banner against domestic violence on December 14, 2011. TopPhoto/AP‘Family affair’In China, domestic violence has traditionally been regarded as a private family matter. The law defines domestic violence for the first time, covering both physical and psychological violence – though it fails to address sexual abuse such as marital rape. “Domestic violence allegations, even when they’re supported by evidence, make no difference – like judges just don’t care at all,” he said.

Persons: –, ”, Feng Yuan, Feng, …, Ethan Michelson, Michelson, they’re, it’s, “, Xi Jinping Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Twitter, “, ” Volunteers, Ministry of Civil Affairs, Indiana University , Bloomington Locations: Hong Kong, China, Shandong, Dongying, Guangdong, Chengdu, –, Weibo, Beijing, Ma Anshan, Anhui, Michelson

☆ Nvidia says US curbs on AI chip sales to China would cause ‘permanent loss of opportunities’
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-29 | by ( Laura He | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Hong Kong CNN —Nvidia warned Wednesday that if the United States imposes new restrictions on the export of AI chips to China, it would result in a “permanent loss of opportunities” for US industry. The rules, as reported, could make it harder for companies like Nvidia (NVDA) to sell advanced chips to China. Fueled by a boom in demand for its AI chips, the company briefly hit a market capitalization of $1 trillion in late May. We do not anticipate any immediate material impact on our financial results,” Kress added. Chinese AI stocks suffered much heavier losses.

Persons: Colette Kress, “, ” Kress, ”, Biden, ” Jefferies Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Nvidia, Wall Street, Financial Times, US Department of Commerce, CNN, Bloomberg, Chengdu Information Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Baidu, Biden, Micron Technology Locations: Hong Kong, United, China, Washington, Shenzhen, Chengdu, ChatGPT, Beijing

☆ Chinese A.I. stocks fall as U.S. reportedly weighs curbs on chip exports
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-28 | by ( Sheila Chiang | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

A Nvidia Corp. HGX H100 artificial intelligence supercomputing graphics processing unit (GPU) at the showroom of the company's offices in Taipei, Taiwan, on Friday, June 2, 2023. China's artificial intelligence stocks fell Wednesday after the Wall Street Journal reported that the U.S. is planning to impose new curbs on shipments of AI chips to China. According to the Journal, U.S. chip makers such as Nvidia will be affected by the move which could happen as early as July. China's CSI artificial intelligence index fell 3% on that news on Wednesday in Asia. The Shenzhen-traded shares of Inspur Electronic Information Industry slumped 10% and Chengdu Information Technology of Chinese Academy of Sciences dropped nearly 8%.

Persons: OpenAI's ChatGPT, Bard chatbots, — Organizations: Nvidia Corp, Wall Street Journal, Journal, Nvidia, CSI, Industry, Chengdu Information Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences Locations: Taipei, Taiwan, China, Asia, Shenzhen, Chengdu, Hong Kong, U.S

☆ Cathay Pacific to hire cabin attendants from mainland China from July
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

HONG KONG, June 19 (Reuters) - Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd (0293.HK) said on Monday it would in July launch initiatives to improve Mandarin language and cultural understanding, including hiring cabin staff from mainland China, after three crew were fired over discrimination. The move came weeks after Cathay Pacific fired three flight attendants following passenger accusations of bias against non-English speakers, prompting criticism on Chinese state media. The discrimination incident in May went viral on mainland Chinese social media platforms and prompted a torrent of criticism by Chinese state media and Hong Kong government officials, including leader John Lee. At the time, a passenger on a flight from the southwestern Chinese city of Chengdu to Hong Kong wrote in an online post that flight attendants complained among themselves about passengers in English and Cantonese. They said the flight attendants made fun of others for asking for a carpet instead of a blanket in English.

Persons: Ronald Lam, John Lee, Twinnie Siu, Farah, Gerry Doyle Organizations: Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd, HK, Reuters, Cathay, Cathay Pacific, Thomson Locations: HONG KONG, China, Hong Kong, Chengdu

☆ Siemens to invest $2.2 bln to ramp up global production
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-15 | by ( John Revill | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/4] Siemens CEO Roland Busch announces their plans for a new Singapore plant, at their office in Singapore June 15, 2023. Siemens will also increase its research and development spending by 500 million euros this year, the company said on Thursday. The company, which employs 311,000, is seen as a bellwether for the health of the global industrial economy. Siemens also wants to grow faster than rivals and increase market share, Busch told analysts last month. Still, on Thursday Siemens said it was also investing 140 million euros to expand its digital factory in the Chinese city of Chengdu and building a new R&D centre in Shenzhen.

Persons: Roland Busch, Edgar Su, Busch, Wirtschaftswoche, John Revill, Tomasz Janowski Organizations: Siemens, REUTERS, Company, Deal, Thomson Locations: Singapore, ZURICH, United States, Europe, Beijing, Washington, China, Chengdu, Shenzhen

☆ China's first homegrown large passenger jet took its maiden flight after 16 years in the making — check it out
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-29 | by ( Grace Dean | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

China's first domestically-made large passenger jet completed its maiden commercial flight Sunday. China's first domestically-made large passenger jet has completed its maiden commercial flight. VCG/VCG via Getty ImagesNearly 130 passengers were on board for the maiden flight, which took around two hours, Comac said. Crowds gather to watch the C919 land at Beijing Capital International Airport during its maiden commercial flight. Passengers sit on board the C919's maiden commercial flight.

Hong Kong CNN —Cathay Pacific Airways said Tuesday it had fired three cabin crew members after a passenger complained of discrimination on a flight from mainland China, an incident that angered Hong Kong officials and underscored the pressure on the city’s flag carrier to please Beijing. In a statement late Tuesday announcing the dismissals, Cathay Pacific (CPCAY) CEO Ronald Lam said he would personally lead a task force to improve service and avoid similar incidents in the future. A passenger walking to a Cathay Pacific counter at Hong Kong's international airport in 2018. The airline made headlines this week over an incident of alleged discrimination with a passenger from mainland China. In an editorial, it said there was “a question mark on how far Cathay Pacific can fly if their old problems remain unchanged.”— CNN’s Nectar Gan and Chris Lau contributed to this report.

☆ 1 in 5 Young Chinese Is Jobless, and Millions More Are About to Graduate
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-19 | by ( Claire Fu | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Shu Xiang, 21, started looking for a job in February and still has had no luck. A financial management major at a college in Chengdu, China, Ms. Shu said she has received five responses to about 100 applications. Ms. Shu is one of nearly 12 million Chinese expected to enter the job pool next month at a difficult time. That is the highest level since China started announcing the statistic in 2018. But the youth jobless rate has remained high, even as the overall rate has ticked down two months in a row.

☆ Sexual harassment debate breathes new life into China’s #MeToo movement
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-15 | by ( Nectar Gan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Shi has strongly denied the accusations of sexual harassment in two separate statements and claimed the encounters were consensual. The falloutThe allegations have since sparked furious debate on Chinese social media, with related hashtags trending for days and racking up hundreds of millions of views on Weibo. China did not specify sexual harassment as a legal offense until 2021, when it enacted a civil code defining sexual harassment for the first time in the country’s law. But still, the failure of sexual harassment lawsuits – like Zhou’s – in recent years has made it “increasingly clear that seeking legal remedies for sexual harassment is not realistic,” said the Chinese feminist in New Jersey. “Even if I reported it, and he was summoned to the police station, how many days can he be detained for sexual harassment?” she wrote.

☆ Weird and wonderful trains that break the rules
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-08 | by ( Ben Jones | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +14 min

Here’s a selection of unusual railways that break the rules in order to reach the places other trains can’t roll. The single rails carrying the trains are supported by a series of 486 steel portals weighing almost 20,000 tonnes in total. It is the oldest continuously operating pier railway in the world. Six miles of the route are along a rural railway line, with the rest in bus mode. Katoomba Scenic Railway, AustraliaNot far from the wonderful city of Sydney is a railway experience unlike anything else in the world.

☆ China weighs giving single women IVF access to stem population decline
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-29 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

Crucially, Chen could access in-vitro fertility (IVF) treatment legally in a private clinic. We have liberalized the policies here and I know a lot of single women are doing IVF." watch nowLiberalizing IVF nationwide could unleash more demand for fertility treatment in what is already the world's biggest market, straining limited fertility services. The NHC's Sichuan branch did not address questions from Reuters about whether it would offer IVF treatment to all women in public hospitals. Shanghai and the southern Guangdong province have also permitted unmarried women to register their children but IVF services for single women remain banned.

BARCELONA, April 25 (Reuters) - Europe's cost of living crisis has benefited discount retailers but mid-market names are being squeezed as shoppers watch their spending, executives and analysts at an industry conference said on Tuesday. Although price rises are slowing, retailers globally are still worried inflation will dampen consumer spending and are looking for new ways to attract customers. In Europe especially, some have seen sales slow as high energy bills lead customers to buy less or cheaper food and clothes. And passing higher costs on to shoppers is likely to become harder: 72% of respondents said they expected consumers to be more price-sensitive this year. "It's a very positive moment," said Ying Xu, president of Chinese supermarket chain Wumart, referring to the reopening.

☆ China's Zeekr launches electric SUV, targets Europe
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

REUTERS/Zoey ZhangCHENGDU, China, April 12 (Reuters) - Chinese electric vehicle maker Zeekr on Wednesday launched a compact, all-electric sport utility vehicle, as it targeted a premium market in China that has been dominated by German automakers. The Geely-owned [RIC:RIC:GEELY.UL] brand said it also planned to offer the SUV-styled Zeekr X and its Zeekr 001 EV sedan in Western Europe without saying when that would be. The company will start delivering the Zeekr X in China from June with a target of delivering 40,000 this year, An said. After Europe, Zeekr will target Asian markets outside China, An said without providing details. It sold 15,234 of its two existing models - the 001 sedan and the 009 multi-purpose vehicle - in the first quarter, accounting for just 2% of China's battery electric vehicle sales.

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