Stories about Chinese from September, 2012
The Slap that Changed China's History
On September 24, the former police chief of Chongqing, Wang Lijun, was sentenced to 15 years in prison on four charges: bending the law for personal interest, defection, abuse of power and corruption. He is at the center of China's biggest political scandal in recent memory, the murder of a British businessman by the wife of Chongqing Communist Party high flier Bo Xilai.
Will China Fall Prey to the ‘Skyscraper Curse'?
By 2022, the number of skyscrapers in China will reach 1,318 compared to 563 in the United States. But according to one theory, the world's tallest buildings often rise on the eve of economic downturns...
China: Are Overloaded Vehicles to Blame for Harbin Bridge Collapse?
On August 24, a highway bridge in China's Harbin city suddenly collapsed, leaving three dead and five injured. Yesterday the investigation report came out which stated that the collapse was caused by overloaded vehicles, but netizens are not so sure this is correct.
China: Return of Maoists in Anti-Japan Protests Brings Anxiety
Maoist protesters in China's recent anti-Japan rallies - and a street fight between a Maoist professor and an 80-year-old man - has brought back people's memories of Chinese political history.
China: Censor Machine Suspended for Anti-Japan Mobilization?
As the tension between China and Japan over the disputed Diaoyu Islands (also known as the Senkaku Islands) has elevated, large scale anti-Japan protests have taken place all over China in more than 50 cities over the weekend. But what lies behind the scenes of the weekend's demonstrations?
China: RMB 4 Trillion Stimulus Package Questioned
In the past few months, some online public opinion leaders have openly criticized the Chinese government's RMB 4 trillion stimulus package introduced in 2008 during the global financial crisis. But Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao has stressed that the government "will not hesitate to use" the surplus in the upcoming budget year.
In Sea of Censorship, China Allows Anti-Japan War Vitriol
A fleet of six Chinese surveillance ships has been deployed in response to the Japanese government's move to purchase three disputed islets from their private Japanese owners. Some Chinese netizens have reacted to the news with anti-Japan warmongering on social media channels.
China: Hulunbuir Grassland Destroyed by Coal Mining Activities
Hulunbuir Grassland, one of the most beautiful landscapes in inner Mongolia, is eroding as a result of coal mining near the surface of the ground. A Chinese blogger has pointed out that the mining activities are not only a destruction of the natural environment, but also a cultural invasion.
Taiwan: Smear Campaign Sparks Historic Media Monopoly Protest
A smear campaign against Taiwanese scholar Huang Kuo-chang by Want Want China Time's media outlets, in reaction to his opposition of the group's acquisition of a television cable network back in July 2012, has triggered intense public outrage - and the largest anti-media monopoly protest in the country's history.
Hong Kong: National Education Program Prompts Hunger Strike, Sit-In
Activists have been campaigning against the controversial National Educational program due to be phased into Hong Kong schools, holding hunger strikes and an overnight sit-in.
Malaysia: Financial Stress Closes Independent Chinese Media Site
Merdeka Review, a Chinese online independent media founded in 2005 in Malaysia, was officially closed down in August 31. Due to the withdrawal of the support of a major funder, the news organization had been under financial stress since 2011.