· April, 2013

Stories about Chinese from April, 2013

China Earthquake Donation Protected by Spell

  29 April 2013

Hong Kong based inmediahk.net's Facebook page shared an image circulated widely on Chinese social media which shows spells written on money, that says, “This is a donation for a Ya'an earthquake victim, those who dare to misuse this money will go to hell.”

Chinese and Western Media Bias Claims in Xinjiang “Terrorist Attack”

  25 April 2013

A terror incident took place in Bachu County of Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region on April 23 2013, in which 15 police officers and community workers were killed and 6 suspects were shot dead. Chinese media outlets depicted the incident as a terrorist attack and criticized western media for not using the term "terrorists" to describe the suspects.

Social Media’s Role in the Sichuan Earthquake

  24 April 2013

ChinaFile and TeaLeafNation analyzed the important role social media has played in the aftermath of the Sichuan earthquake that has killed 208 people. Social media's instant reactions to the quake has made a difference when compared to the coverage of the 2008 earthquake dominated by China's state media.

Cheap Gold Puts China in a Frenzy

  24 April 2013

Mainland Chinese tourists tempted by the plunging price of gold emptied Hong Kong's local banks and jewelry shops over the weekend of the precious metal.

“Tell Everyone I'm not Free”

  23 April 2013

The wife of jailed Chinese Nobel laureate Liu Xiaobo has been seen in public for the first time on April 23 after years under house arrest.On her way to the trial of her brother who has been accused of real estate fraud, she shouted to the public: “Tell everyone I'm...

Netizens Tell Red Cross China to Get Lost

  20 April 2013

A 7.0 magnitude earthquake hit Lushan county of Ya'an city in southwest China's Sichuan Province at 8:02 AM local time today. The Red Cross Society in China posted in its official micro-blog [zh] expressing its concern over the disaster. However, many Chinese netizens who still remember the organization's corruption scandal...

East Asia's Appetite for Eels Pushing Species to the Brink

  19 April 2013

During Japan's sweltering midsummer it's traditional to eat a plate of golden-brown broiled unagi kabayaki, or broiled eel. But the tradition is now at risk. Skyrocketing demand for glass eels, once considered a high-brow delicacy, is pushing Japanese fishermen to exhaust the population and causing prices to soar.

China Bans Media from Quoting Foreign News

  18 April 2013

China's media authority announced new regulations banning news outlets and other organizations from reporting on foreign news coverage without permission less than a day after The New York Times won a Pulitzer Prize for its report on the hidden wealth of Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao's family.

China Comes Down on Apple After Calling Company ‘Arrogant’

  18 April 2013

China's industry and commerce authority has said that it will tighten its oversight of Apple as well as punish the technology giant for failing to comply with Chinese laws following a month-long media blitz accusing the company of "arrogance". The announcement came after Apple's public apology and some Chinese netizens described the incident as a drama of Rashomon.

Chinese React to Boston Marathon Explosions

  16 April 2013

US's quick reaction to the Boston Marathon explosions have Chinese netizens imagining how the Chinese government would react to such a situation in China. Offbeat China has translated some comments from Sina Weibo.

China's Anti-Japanese TV War Dramas Knocked for Vulgarity

  14 April 2013

The Chinese entertainment industry's incessant production of anti-Japanese TV dramas, under the scrutiny of netizens for a while now, has hit a nerve with China's state-controlled media after two photographs from a war drama showing a nude girl saluting a group of Chinese soldiers leaked online.

China Pulls ‘Django Unchained’

  11 April 2013

Chinese cinemas cancelled all screenings of Quentin Tarantino's “Django Unchained” last minute on April 11 due to “technical reasons”. Netizens think the theme on freedom is the main reason for the cancellation. Journalist Wu Yonggang wrote[zh] on Sina Weibo, which translated as: The technical issue is a small problem, the bigger...

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Oiwan Lam
Oi wan Lam is the North East Asia editor. Email her story ideas or volunteer to write.