Oiwan Lam · December, 2012

Latest posts by Oiwan Lam from December, 2012

International Fast Food Chains Involved in China's Chicken Scandal

  28 December 2012

A number of international fast-food chains are involved in the latest food safety scandal to hit China. Nationalistic voices are reacting by calling for foreign brands to be kicked out of China, while some believe that the government is to blame for the lack of food safety control.

Veteran Director Raises Curtain on China's Arbitrary Film Censorship Policy

  21 December 2012

The screening of controversial film V for Vendetta on the state broadcaster China Central Television has stirred up hope for censorship reform in China. On December 15, 2012, 70-year-old film director Xie Fei, a heavyweight in China's film industry and professor at the Beijing Film Academy, published an open letter on his micro-blog, advocating for the replacement of movie censorship with a rating system.

Chinese Responses to the North Korea Missile Launch

  20 December 2012

Adam Cathcart from Sino-NK has translated and collected a wide range of reports, comments and discussions from Chinese government, media outlets and concerned citizens about the North Korea Missile launch last week on December 12.

Xi Jinping: a hardline nationalist in control of China?

  20 December 2012

South Sea Conversations looks into the new Chinese Communist Party leader Xi Jinping's political speech, in particular his talk about “the great revival of the Chinese nation”'s implication to foreign policy. To me it seems equally possible that Xi Jinping’s “nationalist” rhetoric, backed up by already-conspicuous action against corruption, will...

Hong Kong: Grandma's Wallet

  18 December 2012

In Hong Kong, many old people are living in poverty despite the fact that the society is very prosperous as a whole. The video taken by Wu Hoi Ching shows how her grandma manages her living by squeezing her daily expenses.

Japan: Signature Campaign Calling for the Release of Anti-Nuclear Scholar

  18 December 2012

An online signature campaign has been launched to call for the release of Masaki Shimoji, Associate Professor of Economy at Hannan University, who has been arrested by Osaka police on December 9 for his campaign to oppose city plans to incinerate imported earthquake debris contaminated by nuclear leak in Fukishima.

Censorship Lift for “V for Vendetta” Shocks China

  18 December 2012

V for Vendetta, a film produced in 2005 about a near-future dystopian society, previously censored in China, was aired on China Central Television Station (CCTV) Channel Six on December 14, 2012. The screening has caught many people by surprise.

Xinhua Is On Twitter

  12 December 2012

Anthony Tao from Beijing Cream blogs about Chinese netizens’ reaction of the Chinese government official news outlets, Xinhua, being active on Twitter, an social media platform which is blocked in China. As the blogger pointed out: it does seem slightly ironic for a government agency to be using Twitter when...

Tibet Scholars Appeal to China's President Xi Jinping

  11 December 2012

A group of international Tibetan studies scholars launched a petition addressed to China's Xi Jinping, asking the new leader to adjust its language, culture and religion policy in the Tibetan region: As specialists in the areas of Tibetan language, culture and religion, we would like to share with you, through this...

The Struggle of 15-Year-Old Hukou Protester in China

  10 December 2012

C. Custer from China Geeks told the story of a 15-year-old girl activist, Zhan Haite, who struggles against the unjust household registration system in China. Zhan may be an interesting example of what I might term the “dissidentification” of Chinese protesters. I have noticed and mentioned before how people frustrated...

Taiwan is Sick: Student Protesters Tell the Minister of Education

  10 December 2012

As the Hong Kong based media group, Next Media Ltd., announced its decision to leave the Taiwan market, the stranglehold of media monopoly in Taiwan threatens to become more severe. Student activists believe that Taiwan is sick as its foundation of freedom has been eroded and they are calling for immediate legislation of the anti media monopoly law.

Xinjiang Nut Cakes and Ethnic Conflict in China

  8 December 2012

Off Beat China highlights an ethnic conflict between Uyghur nut cake sellers and Chinese customers which had developed into a mass fight. The compensation of RMB 200,000 to the Uyghur sellers have generated a lot of resentment among Chinese on the ethnic policy.

Chinese Supreme Court Says Self-Immolation Is Murder

  8 December 2012

Anthony Tao from Beijing Cream highlighted the Chinese Supreme Court's latest statement that self-immolation is “intentional murder.” The blogger obviously disagreed: Self-immolation is not murder. It’s a tragic, incomprehensible, radical act made against harsh political, social, and economic realities.