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Sep 15

The Next U.S. Administration and the Future of US-China Relationship

Written by: Allen | Filed under:Analysis, Letters, News, politics | Tags:, , , ,
63 Comments » newest

Several bloggers here have asked that we start a discussion regarding which of the U.S. presidential candidates might be better for China – or at least, better for a solid U.S.-China relationship.  Continue reading »

Sep 15

minipost-(Letter) The Chinese essay BBC was dared to publish (contrasting argumentation styles)

Written by: Joel | Filed under:-mini-posts, culture, media | Tags:, , , , , ,
95 Comments » newest

A Mr. Li sent this essay to the BBC and dared them to publish it. They did. Much thanks to EastSouthWestNorth for providing this English translation (See their post for additional translated reader comments.) Continue reading »

Sep 15

minipost-(Letter) Chinese Netters react to Voice of Germany Suspending Chinese Editor Zhang Danhong

Written by: guest | Filed under:-mini-posts, media, News | Tags:, ,
53 Comments » newest

Chinese netters have reacted to the suspension of Voice of Germany’s veteran editor Zhang Danhong for comments that were “too pro-China”. Here’s the backgrounder. Continue reading »

Sep 14

minipost-Can democracy be the solution to Malaysia’s ethnic problems?

Written by: Allen | Filed under:-mini-posts, Analysis, News, politics | Tags:, , , ,
35 Comments » newest

In a previous discussion on Malaysia’s ethnic politics, I was surprised (and dismayed) to sense the depth of dejection some ethnic Chinese in Malaysia may feel toward the political situation in Malaysia. There however may be hope. Continue reading »

Sep 14

minipost-(Letter) What has been the result of Dalai Lama’s 30-years of dialogue?

Written by: guest | Filed under:-mini-posts, politics | Tags:, ,
196 Comments » newest

An assessment of thirty years of dialogue by Skylight.

For thirty years, Dalai Lama and the Tibetan government in Exile has approached the Chinese leadership to resolve the Tibet issue. Since the resumption of dialogue in 2002, there has been seven rounds of meeting and confidence building exercises between Dalai Lama’s envoys and the United Front Work Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China. Continue reading »

Sep 13

minipost-(Letter) Imagining the current US election happens in China…

Written by: sophie | Filed under:-mini-posts, media, politics | Tags:, , ,
57 Comments » newest

I have been following this year’s US election. As an onlooker, there is some kind of entertaining element in my interest. But, at the same time, I am asking myself how it would be like if this election process was run in China, a country of 1.3 billion population. Since i don’t know the US election process very well, I am asking simple questions here: how feasible is democracy or how to put it in practice in a large country without it being downgraded to image competition? Continue reading »

Sep 13

minipost-(Letter) Boohoo, “Laserdusche” Got Busted In Bejing For Protest (嗚嗚, “雷射B” 奧運抗議被抓)

Written by: guest | Filed under:-guest-posts, -mini-posts | Tags:, ,
1 Comment » newest

[Sorry my Chinese is not good, but just had to share this with the Chinese readers.] Continue reading »

Sep 12

Tainted baby formula scandal blows up in China

Written by: Nimrod | Filed under:General, News | Tags:, , ,
72 Comments » newest

The brand is Sanlu (三鹿), one of the best known domestic manufacturers of milk products in China. sanluThe scandal involves babies falling ill across the country with kidney stones after consuming Sanlu brand baby formula that have since been found to contain melamine, which can boost the apparent protein content of the product in quality control tests. How did this happen? Sanlu says it got a tainted source of milk; nevertheless many people still speculate — based on similar “black-heart food” incidents in the past — that for reasons of profit the manufacturer knowingly kept a closed eye on doping in its food processing chain.

The basic story is here (in Chinese) and has seeped into English-speaking media also, for example here. But it is still a rapidly developing story with new information/rumors coming out every minute. At this moment it is the top discussion item pretty much everywhere in Chinese news and online forums.
Continue reading »

Sep 11

minipost-Malaysia’s Ethnic Politics

Written by: Allen | Filed under:-mini-posts, Analysis, aside, media, News, politics | Tags:, , ,
172 Comments » newest

Malaysia over the years has been known for its share of ethnic violence against Chinese and other minorities. Most recently, Ahmad Ismail, a district chief in the United Malays National Organization ruling party, has been quoted to pronounce: Continue reading »

Sep 10

Netizens vote for sparrow as China’s national bird

Written by: Nimrod | Filed under:Analysis, culture, Environment, News | Tags:, , ,
36 Comments » newest

America has the Bald Eagle, a powerful symbol of might, individuality, and freedom — even if Benjamin Franklin thought it was a bird of “bad moral character” inferior to the Wild Turkey.

sparrowWhat does China have as a national bird? Well, it doesn’t yet.

The house sparrow, so common in China, and named one of the four vermin during the 1950’s (and killed en masse), has received a plurality of votes among ten birds in an unofficial online poll for China’s national bird. This has stirred up a conversation online about what constitutes a national bird, and more interestingly, about the national character and outlook of the common Chinese people.
Continue reading »

Sep 09

minipost-(Letter) Beijing Paralympics Opening Ceremony

Written by: guest | Filed under:-guest-posts, -mini-posts | Tags:,
9 Comments » newest

China kicked off 2008 Paralympics on September 6 (h/t to CBC for covering it): Continue reading »

Sep 09

Thailand’s political turmoil

Written by: Allen | Filed under:Analysis, culture, education, News, politics | Tags:, , , , , , ,
27 Comments » newest

The recent political turmoils have received relatively scant coverage in the Western Press.  Nevertheless, many of us here at Foolsmountain think the events in Thailand are important and interesting because they touch upon so many interesting issues – including the rule of law, democracy, class warfare, public education, and the role of military – all of which are also pertinent to China. Continue reading »

Sep 09

minipost-(Translation) Jiang Yuyuan: Mommy You Don’t Have To Beg For Food

Written by: guest | Filed under:-mini-posts, culture | Tags:,
5 Comments » newest

Below is a report about Olympic gymnast Jian Yuyung’s humble beginning. I found it while trying to substantiate which year Jiang, one of the gymnasts accused of being underage, entered local gymnastics program in Liozhou (appearantly 1994 when she was ONE YEAR OLD – if the allegation she was born in 1993 is true): Continue reading »

Sep 09

minipost-(Letter) East is East and West is West… will they ever meet? (a famous poem)

Written by: Joel | Filed under:-mini-posts, culture | Tags:, , , , , , , ,
33 Comments » newest

Here’s a bit from a famous poem by a famous colonial-era British author. I’ll put the original and then an updated version, since his English is old and a little hard to understand. It’s from “The Ballad of East and West,” by Rudyard Kipling (1865–1936). Continue reading »

Sep 09

minipost-(Letter) One Person One ID Number

Written by: guest | Filed under:-guest-posts, -mini-posts, News | Tags:
 1 Comment » newest

China has just decided to fix the ID number for the Taiwanese who use Mainland issued travel document Tai Bao Zheng, to travel from Taiwan to Mainland. This travel document is the only valid legal ID document. Continue reading »

Sep 06

minipost-(Letter) Follow up on Yang Jia

Written by: MutantJedi | Filed under:-guest-posts, -mini-posts, News, politics | Tags:, , , , ,
6 Comments » newest

July 9th, Buxi posted a story about Yang Jia. I think many of us were hoping that his trail would have been public, would have been transparent. But it wasn’t. Rather it was done in closed session. Continue reading »

Sep 06

(Letter) Chinese people like it when you “lie” to them

Written by: Joel | Filed under:culture, language | Tags:, , , , , , ,
100 Comments » newest

“C’mon baby, go ahead ‘n’ liiiie to me!”
 Continue reading »

Sep 06

minipost-Does a free marketplace of ideas really work?

Written by: Allen | Filed under:-mini-posts, Analysis, language, politics | Tags:, , ,
43 Comments » newest

In a recent comment, one of our bloggers wrote, Continue reading »

Sep 05

Video Resource – BBC: A Year in Tibet (Spring 2008)

Written by: Allen | Filed under:-guest-posts, video | Tags:
 No Comments » newest

Commissioned by BBC FOUR and distributed internationally by BBC Worldwide, A Year in Tibet follows a calendar year inside the secret confines of a Tibetan monastery and charts the lives of those living in Gyanste the small town which surrounds it and surrounding villages. The 5 x 1hr series examines the reality of life today for Tibetans living in Modern China.

Continue reading »

Sep 05

minipost-Open Thread

Written by: admin | Filed under:-chinese-posts, -guest-posts, -mini-posts, General | 1,680 Comments » newest

Open thread. Comment away.

Sep 05

minipost-Pocketbook References for Tibet

Written by: Allen | Filed under:-mini-posts, Analysis, culture, Letters, politics, religion | Tags:, ,
187 Comments » newest

Two of the most commented threads over the last week relate to Tibet.  Even a neutral posting on the administration of the website has also somehow “devolved” into a debate over Tibet.

Continue reading »

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