Happy Thursday…we have a date for the 19th Party Congress. The Politburo met and set the 18th Party Congress 7th Plenum for October 11th, with a “suggested” date of October 18th for the 19th Party Congress. The timing is within the expected period and makes sense given Xi’s November commitments to APEC in Vietnam and the likely Trump visit to Beijing.
We are now in speculation silly season about who is in, who is out and what it all means. One thing to watch may be the state of VPNs in Beijing starting around October 11th. In 2012 around the Congress they were rendered basically unusable in Beijing. If they remain at their current mostly working state this October then perhaps it is a sign things were set to Xi’s favor in advance?
The Essential Eight
1. Date Set For 19th Party Congress
中共中央政治局会议建议 中国共产党第十九次全国代表大会10月18日在北京召开 中共中央总书记习近平主持会议-新华网
Xinhua announcement of the Politburo meeting and the dates for the 7th Plenum of the 18th Party Congress and the 19th Party Congress. In the listing of theoretical contributions from previous leaders:
大会将高举中国特色社会主义伟大旗帜，以马克思列宁主义、毛泽东思想、邓小平理论、“三个代表”重要思想、科学发展观为指导，贯彻习近平总书记系列重要讲话精神和党中央治国理政新理念新思想新战略，认真总结过去5年工作，回顾总结党的十八大以来以习近平同志为核心的党中央团结带领全党全国 –
Expect them to come up with something more catchy than 近平总书记系列重要讲话精神和党中央治国理政新理念新思想新战略 for Xi.
China’s 19th National Party Congress to Begin Oct. 18 – Caixin Global:
The number of National Congress delegates will be 30 more than the previous term. The party’s organizational department said late last year that the additional quota will be used to better represent party members from the “front line,” or the grass-roots occupations like workers, farmers, and specialists of various trades.
Hu Chunhua in the 8.30 People’s Daily on Guangdong pursuit of innovation, praise of course for Xi. So will Hu make it on to the PBSC? Lots of speculation, one of the many rumored 19th PBSC arrangements I have heard does include Hu; most do not. We shall know soon enough-胡春华：坚定不移实施创新驱动发展战略–新闻报道-人民网
2. Beijing Trying To Build A Case To Convince US To Expel Guo Wengui
Background: Chinese authorities have been trying to convince the US government for some time, the latest effort comes via this targeted and somewhat unprecedented leak to the AP about allegations of rape against Guo. Guo is worried enough about his status (is it true his US visa expires October 9?) that he considered hiring former Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh to lobby on his behalf, and flaunted his Mar-a-Lago membership.
Guo did not get to develop the best hotel in Zhengzhou and Pangu Plaza in Beijing by being a good, clean guy. Unless he still has real intelligence value to the US, which after all this time out of China is not very likely, the US should let his visa expire and have him leave for one of the other countries in which he claims he has citizenship.
We should know by the end of the 19th Party Congress if Guo’s endless stream of allegations against Wang Qishan had any effect. Guo’s personal enmity against Wang likely stems from the problems he had with the Pangu Plaza development while Wang was Beijing mayor.
AP: China accuses outspoken tycoon in US of rape:
The Chinese officials’ disclosures to the AP — an unusual move given the political sensitivity of Guo’s case in China — underscores Beijing’s urgent effort to not only bring a fugitive to heel on criminal charges but also silence a potent irritant in the run-up to a key Communist Party congress…
The prospect of becoming a bargaining chip has worried Guo, according to a leaked audio recording of a meeting he held earlier this year with former U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson…
In the recording, Johnson suggests Guo meet with FBI agents and consider donating to human rights organizations to strengthen his case to remain in the U.S. After Guo expresses concern that Trump had already “made a deal” with the Chinese, Johnson and an unidentified woman who appears to be a Guo adviser quickly assure him that Trump would not give him up.
Caixin immediately runs with the AP story, no surprise given the Hu Shuli-Guo Wengui hatefest-美联社独家调查：中国指控郭文贵涉嫌强奸罪政经频道财新网
China’s HNA Group Sues Exiled Chinese Businessman – WSJ:
HNA Group Co., the airlines-to-hotels conglomerate that has been facing mounting scrutiny, alleges that real-estate tycoon Guo Wengui made “repeatedly false and defamatory statements” linking a high-ranking Chinese official in the Communist Party and his nephew to the company, according to a complaint filed Wednesday in New York state court.
3. Xi and The Party Are Very Serious About The War On Poverty
Full text of Xi’s remarks on eradicating extreme poverty made public – Xinhua:
The full text of remarks made by Chinese President Xi Jinping when presiding over a symposium on poverty relief on June 23 in northern China’s Shanxi Province was made public by Xinhua News Agency Thursday.
Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, called for joint efforts and precise measures to eradicate extreme poverty.
The Speech-在深度贫困地区脱贫攻坚座谈会上的讲话–习近平
4. Rare Earths On Trump’s Radar?
Exclusive: Donald Trump Urged to Nationalize America’s Only Rare Earth Mine – Breitbart:
An investor group that allegedly has ties to the Chinese government in June purchased the rare earth mine in Mountain Pass, California that was one of the final remaining assets of the now bankrupt Molycorp Inc. The mine is one of the very few not already controlled by China, which accounts for 97 percent of the global rare-earth mineral production.
“By buying up Mountain Pass, the Chinese have locked up the only operating rare earth mining operation outside of China,” said Michael Silver, chief executive of American Elements Corp., in an interview with Breitbart News about his White House meetings.
Time to cure US paranoia about Chinese FDI – China Daily – Chen Weihua:
In 2010, MasterCard, VISA, PayPal, the Bank of America and Western Union, under US government order, blocked banking service for WikiLeaks after it published US government documents. Julian Assange, the WikiLeaks founder, called these institutions “instruments of US foreign policy.” If this is the case, should the Chinese government conduct extra scrutiny as they seek growing presence in China to make sure that they won’t disrupt the Chinese market under any circumstances? And this is a serious national security issue.
5. ICO ICO No Way, The Party is Watching
Major Chinese Cryptocurrency Fundraising Platform Halts Operations – Caixin Global:
ICOINFO, China’s second-largest ICO exchange by value of funds raised, said in a statement Wednesday that it has suspended all ICO-related activities. The company said it would resume hosting ICOs in accordance with regulators’ specification and policies once they “have clarity from the relevant departments.”
Five Things to Know About Cryptocurrency New Offerings – Caixin Global:
the central bank and the securities regulator put their heads together to come up with a regulatory framework, and an outright ban is an option on the table, sources told Caixin earlier.
6. Another Reason Beijing Hates US Control Over The Global Financial System?
Chinese Oil Giant Sinopec Probed by the U.S. Over Nigeria Bribery Allegations – Bloomberg:
Investigators from the Securities and Exchange Commission and Justice Department are looking into allegations that outside lawyers acting as middlemen for the company, known as Sinopec, funneled illicit payments from its Swiss unit to the Nigerians through banks in New York and California, said the two people, who didn’t want to be named discussing an active investigation.
The alleged payments were intended to resolve a $4 billion dispute between the Chinese oil company’s Addax Petroleum unit in Geneva and the Nigerian government over drilling and other capital costs, tax breaks and a division of royalties between Addax and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, the people said.
US jails ex-Guinea minister over China bribes | News24
New York – A former Guinean cabinet minister was sentenced to seven years in a US prison on Friday and ordered to pay back $8.5m for laundering bribes from a Chinese conglomerate in exchange for mining rights.
7. Feminists Invited To Tea, Orwell Would Be Proud
Drinking Tea with China’s ‘National Treasure’: Five Questions | Chuang:
In this unusual transcript of a recent encounter between feminist activists and police in a southern Chinese city, we witness the state’s repressive tactics in operation alongside the humour and defiance of those questioned. This interview provides more background to the events examined in our article, “We should all be feminists?” The harassment of feminists analysed there as part of the Chinese state’s strategy of repression and recuperation is here seen in finer detail, as Public Security officers try to interrogate and force activists to leave Guangzhou. In an afterword to the interview we examine a few points raised in this dialogue.
8. Beijing’s Enforcement Of Sanctions On North Korea Weak?
The fishy side of China’s ban on North Korean imports | South China Morning Post:
Tonnes of North Korean seafood are being smuggled into China every night despite the imposition of new UN sanctions a fortnight ago and a resulting Chinese crackdown on the trade, sources on the border have told the South China Morning Post.
Business, Economy And Trade
China Factory Gauge Shows Robust Economy as Price Outlook Surges – Bloomberg “China’s surprisingly robust growth performance so far this year has triggered talk about the beginning of a ’new cycle’ of sustained moderate growth, underpinned by efforts to close down redundant capacity in heavy industry,” Bloomberg Chief Asia Economist Tom Orlik wrote in a note. “With growth underpinned by continued easy credit and government stimulus though, BI Economics is skeptical that a structural shift has occurred. ”
Anbang, Units Cut Stakes in Major Chinese Banks in Second Quarter – Caixin Global Anbang Insurance Group Co. and its units had reportedly trimmed their stakes in some leading Chinese banks during the second quarter, as premium income plunged and most funding taps were turned off amid the Chinese government clampdown on opaque and acquisitive insurers. // Comment: Interesting that Caixin avoids mentioning the disappearance and assumed detention of Wu Xiaohui, in the English or Chinese versions of this story, still no official announcement
Banking Regulator Tightens Trust Industry Oversight – Caixin Global On Wednesday, the CBRC said trust companies must report to the China Trust Registration Co., a government-backed agency set up in November. Such reports must include product name, category, underlying assets, beneficiaries and profits distribution. The Wednesday rules also limit the number of trust beneficial accounts for each trust product, and clarify the liabilities and rights of all participating parties to better protect investors’ rights.
China Looking to Clean Up Private-Fund Industry – Caixin Global The new rules say private funds can be sold only to select and eligible investors, and the number of investors for any single fund should not exceed a specific limit to be capped by the regulators. Private funds cannot break up a fund in order to get around the limit and sell to investors more than what is allowed. Fund managers and salespeople must assume the responsibility for fully disclosing the investment risks to investors, and private funds should be sold to investors in line with the investors’ risk tolerance, according to the new rules
Steel Makers’ Profits Surge as Capacity Cuts Take Hold – Caixin Global The latest profit surge is fundamentally due to the progress of the national campaign, said Xu Xiangchun, chief information officer at steel news portal Mysteel.com. The drive has strained the domestic steel supply, increased steel prices and made the industry profitable again. // Comment: Have there really been net capacity cuts?
Chinese localities selling off land faster- Nikkei Asian Review In China, local governments supply land to the market. Land sales across 300 major cities in the January-July period grew 43% on the year to 1.84 trillion yuan ($278 billion), beating the 32% growth recorded last year, according to property researcher China Index Academy. The area sold declined slightly, but hungry developers drove unit prices up. Beijing led the 300 cities with 130 billion yuan in land sales, followed by Nanjing with 100 billion yuan and Wuhan with just shy of 80 billion yuan. For each, the figure was about double that of a year earlier. Nationwide, there were 10 or more sales individually worth over $900 million.
HNA’s Financing Costs Soar After Shopping Spree – Bloomberg Financing costs during the first half, as a percentage of total debt, rose from a year earlier, indicating HNA is paying higher rates for its borrowings.
How a Chinese city has gone all out in the big battle for talent | South China Morning Post Chengdu government offers free entry to famous sanctuary and incentives for homebuyers as it competes for professionals to drive innovation
1,228 arrested in midnight raids as Chinese armed police seek to smash US$54 million pyramid scheme | South China Morning Post Wang Naixue, the city’s party secretary, was quoted as saying that he would not rest until all pyramid schemes, which disrupt the social order and ruin families, had been eradicated from Beihai. The raids took place in the early hours of Wednesday morning, China National Radio reported, adding that several lead figures within the scheme were among those detained.
China’s Bad Loan Ratio Hasn’t Bottomed Out Yet, ‘Bad Bank’ Reports – Caixin Global “Banks’ bad loan ratio for the first half was flat over last year, but the total balance is still slowly climbing,” said Chen Yanqing, assistant to the president of Cinda, in a Hong Kong briefing on first-half results. He said the overall nonperforming loan ratio would remain flat in the second half, but the possibility of further increase remains.
Kushners’ China Deal Flop Was Part of Much Bigger Hunt for Cash – Bloomberg Comment: No wonder they are so desperately shilling for EB-5 cash from China
Bankrupt Caribbean paradise woos Chinese tourists – and their cash | South China Morning Post Puerto Rico is trying to revive itself with a new plan: a US$200 million China-themed centre to be built by private investors on a former sugar cane field
Fosun not under investigation by Beijing, chief says – FT $$ The company has complied with all regulations in China and overseas and has never been under investigation by authorities in China, chief executive Wang Qunbin told media. However, Mr Wang said regulators were monitoring some corporations with close ties to the financial sector.
Breaking Down the U.S. Trade Deficit with China | ChinaFile In this podcast, Paul Haenle sat down with Carnegie Senior Fellow Yukon Huang to discuss major issues in U.S.-China economic relations.
Chinese Property Tycoon Is Now Asia’s Second-Richest Person – Bloomberg Hui, chairman of China Evergrande Group, has added more wealth than any person on the Bloomberg Billionaires Index this year, a 360.6 percent rise that’s added $26.7 billion to his fortune. The 59-year-old Hui, who has a net worth of $34.1 billion, surpassed India’s Mukesh Ambani to become Asia’s second-richest person as Evergrande shares jumped amid soaring property sales and the company’s shift to a low-debt strategy.
Chinese company Tranlin to pay back $5 million to Virginia, reset plans for factory in Chesterfield | General-assembly | richmond.com Tranlin Inc. will repay $5 million to Virginia, as the Chinese company resets its plans to build a paper products factory in Chesterfield County that was expected to bring $2 billion in investment and create 2,000 jobs.
Politics And Law
Professional Supervisory Unit Releases Filing and Application Procedures for Potential Foreign NGO Partners | ChinaFile The State Council Leading Group Office of Poverty Alleviation and Development issued two documents on August 22 outlining the procedures for foreign NGOs seeking to register a representative office or file a temporary activity in conjunction with the Office. These documents represent a significant step forward in transparency for those foreign NGOs hoping to work with the Office. The China NGO Project is not aware of any other Professional Supervisory Units (PSUs) or Chinese Partner Units (CPUs) that have issued similar formal documentation of their adjudication procedures.
To ease load, more IP courts planned – China Daily Three IP courts were created – in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangdong province – in 2014 under judicial reforms encouraged by the central leadership, but more such courts are needed, according to a report by the Supreme People’s Court disclosed on Tuesday. The report has been submitted to the bimonthly session of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, China’s top legislature, for review.
Widow of Late Chinese Dissident ‘In Yunnan’ as Traditional Mourning Period Ends – RFA Beijing-based rights activist Hu Jia, who is a close friend of Liu Xia’s, said she is being held under illegal detention by the ruling Chinese Communist Party in the southwestern province of Yunnan, however. “We are actually extremely worried about Liu Xia, and we think she is at even more risk than Liu Xiaobo was [during his lifetime],” Hu said. “The authorities aren’t even going to discuss [letting her return home] ahead of the 19th Party Congress.”
Priests, laypeople injured defending church property in China – ucanews.com Several priests and laypeople defending church property were injured during an assault by security officers and workers in China’s northern Shanxi province. The incident occurred in Wangcun village of Laodingshan township, part of Changzhi Diocese on Aug. 29. Fathers Chen Jun, Gao Binglong, Ma Ning and Shen Xuezhong and several laypeople were assaulted by security officers and workers who came to demolish a property and its fencing walls that has returned to the church four years ago. Cui Hewen, a layman, was beaten by workers and suffered injuries to the head.
Foreign And Defense Affairs
这位新任海军副司令 祖父为爱国将领冯玉祥-长安街知事 Feng Yuxiang’s grandson Feng Danyu is now PLAN vice commander
Japan’s Defense Ministry seeks record $47.6 billion for FY 2018 – Stripes The proposal reflects the need for Japan to respond to security challenges such as North Korean missiles and Chinese naval activities in disputed waters, Defense Ministry officials said.
“China and U.S. should respect international law – and each other’s interests” -Merics Blog As China positions itself as a major country, it is confronted with a host of global security issues. Young China Watchers discussed China’s positions on these issues, from the South China Sea to North Korea as well as its relations with the United States, India and Africa, with Dr. Shen Dingli, Professor and Associate Dean at Fudan University’s Institute of International Studies.
Chinese cyber spies broaden attacks in Vietnam, security firm says – Reuters FireEye told Reuters the attacks happened in recent weeks and it had traced them back to suspected Chinese cyber spies based partly on the fact that a Chinese group it had identified previously had used the same infrastructure before. “Where China has often focused on the government before, this shows they are really hitting the full commercial sector potentially in Vietnam and trying to gather a broad base of information there,” said Ben Read, who heads FireEye’s cyber espionage team.
How tight is Xi Jinping’s foreign schedule? Planned to the minute, a documentary reveals – People’s Daily Online The President’s tight schedule is often planned to the minute. “President Xi can be so busy he has no time to eat,” said Zhou Yu, a female translator for Xi. “Once he had no time to have dinner. During a short transit between two bilateral meetings, his guard gave me a box of biscuits and told me to remind him to eat some so that he wouldn’t be too hungry,” Zhou recalled in the “Major-Country Diplomacy,” a six-episode political documentary series which hit Chinese screens starting Aug. 28.
China consulate involved in Newcastle Uni Taiwan row – The Australian The Newcastle University Chinese Students and Scholars Association is “an association supervised by the Chinese general consulate Sydney”, according to the university’s website.
South Korean Interest in Nuclear Weapons Grows with North Korean Belligerence – Breitbart A majority of South Koreans now support acquiring nuclear weapons, and the leader of a left-wing opposition party broke ranks to call for just such an investment on Wednesday.
Hong Kong, Macao And Taiwan
Hong Kong activists fear Chinese anthem law is latest curb on freedom | World news | The Guardian “Much of the national anthem law’s content would be difficult to implement in Hong Kong,” Dennis Kwok, an MP representing the legal profession, said on a local radio programme. “For example, it allows up to 15 days of administrative detention, but we have no such thing.” // Comment: Yet?
Tech And Media
Internet companies inclined to put Party members in key positions: report – Global Times Zhuang Deshui, a deputy director of the Research Center for Government Integrity-Building at Peking University, told the Global Times on Wednesday that Internet companies play a significant role in China’s public voice and information dissemination. “The Party branches and committees within companies will further supervise these Internet companies to guarantee a healthier Internet environment,” said Zhuang. Baidu, China’s largest online search engine, has 3,600 registered CPC members, and JD.com, one of China’s largest online retailers, has 2,086 members from 82 Party branches, China National Radio reported in October 20
Watchdog bans outsourcing, renting new media content – Global Times New media platforms affiliated with publishers must abide by the same standards as traditional media, implement the correct orientation of public opinion in every post and procedure, especially on their websites, Sina Weibo and WeChat,” the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television (SAPPRFT) announced on its website. New media affiliated with news publishers cannot outsource, rent or transfer their websites’ editorial business, the SAPPRFT said.
Frustrated Cities Clamp Down on Bike-Share Clutter – Caixin Global Shenzhen, Shanghai, Zhengzhou, Hangzhou and Nanjing are among the cities hitting the bike-sharing “pause” button in recent weeks. The Guangzhou city government on Tuesday reiterated its temporary ban on new bike-share two-wheelers, reminding sharing companies that they must stop adding the vehicles to street-side parking sites. The ban is to continue until companies devise better strategies for managing the bikes already available and clearing out abandoned wrecks that are encroaching on public space.
There’s a Black Market for ‘Cheats’ in Hit Game Honour of Kings – Bloomberg It’s unclear how large the underground market has grown, but log onto e-commerce sites like Alibaba’s Taobao and there are scores of shops offering similar services and commodities. With Tencent restricting playing time for children in response to official censure, enterprising merchants sell fake WeChat IDs for 40 yuan apiece. Even the game’s own official message board is rife with notices touting private lessons.
Chinese tycoon’s Hollywood deal delayed by investment curbs – FT $$ The Chinese owner of Aston Villa Football Club has announced he is planning to use a private company to buy Hollywood film studio Millennium Films to avoid new regulations limiting outbound investment. Recon Group, football mogul Tony Xia’s listed company, on Thursday told the Shenzhen stock exchange that it had terminated its purchase of a controlling stake in Millennium Films. Recon had announced its $100m acquisition in February.
Troubled Jumei doubles down on Ankerbox amid shareholder turmoil – TechNode Jumei’s investor Heng Ren Partners made public an open letter this Tuesday, firing shots directly at the company for full responsibility for the debacle over the past 18 months. To the benefit of investors, the firm asked Jumei to distribute a special dividend of $1.50 per share, which would total $225 million.
Changan Auto Joins Drive Into Tech Tie-Ups With Europe’s NXP – Caixin Global The two companies, which have worked together since 2016, characterized their new strategic framework agreement as a long-term partnership, and said the first phase will focus on car-based infotainment products and services, according to an announcement by the pair on Wednesday. A second phase will focus on the transmission of information between vehicles and other sources.
Marvel star slates ‘racist’ Hollywood over name change – BBC News Chloe Bennet, who stars in TV series Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD, has said she had to change her name from Chloe Wang in order to make it in Hollywood.
Society, Art, Sports, Culture And History
Female Gamers Team Up to Knock Out the Competition – SixthTone Young Chinese women are forming their own esports clubs to build their presence in the male-dominated industry.
Remote world heritage site Hoh Xil gets Internet – People’s Daily Online The first satellite communication station was launched on Tuesday at a protection station in the region, which will provide internet access to regions as far as one kilometer away. The internet service will help people visit websites, watch satellite television, and conduct long-distance video communications, China News Service reported.
Changpian Comment: I am big fan of this newsletter// a selection of feature and opinion writing in Chinese. With other resources devoted to the many interesting sound bites from Chinese social media, this newsletter focuses instead on some of the wealth of longer writing that is produced in Chinese, both in traditional news media and on platforms like WeChat.”
Energy, Environment, Science And Health
Science suffers as China’s internet censors plug holes in Great Firewall | Science | AAAS In the meantime, researchers are looking for alternatives to foreign sites. Baidu Research and Bing Research—homegrown Google Scholar rivals—have improved, says a university-based information scientist. The gap with Google Scholar, he says, “is getting small.” And an unofficial Google Scholar mirror site is accessible within China. The geneticist says he intends to use government-approved VPNs, which may be the only ones working in February. “I have absolutely no qualms,” he says, even if that allows the government to monitor his computer activity. “So what? They already do,” he says. What grates on the Beijing-based astronomer is the hazy policy. “The most damaging part,” he says, “is the nontransparent and uncertain nature of the filtering.”
Shortage of Critical Leukemia Drug Threatens Ill Children – Sixth Tone The drug, mercaptopurine — often referred to as 6-MP — is used in the treatment of various autoimmune diseases and certain types of cancer, including ALL. But three prominent leukemia treatment centers in the Shanghai area — SCMC, the Children’s Hospital of Shanghai, and the Children’s Hospital of Fudan University — confirmed to Sixth Tone that the drug has been out of stock for more than six months.
China: No Evidence Proving Chinese Vessel Fishing in Ecuador’s Waters | The Diplomat Meanwhile, the director of the Galapagos National Park also acknowledged that the origin of the fishing the Chinese vessel transported is unknown, despite the fact that the vessel did carry thousands of sharks, according to Ecuador’s Ministry of Environment’s statement. Hua also added that the Chinese government will carry out due investigation and verification: “Any illegal actions, if found, will be severely punished by international law and China’s domestic laws.”
China says local governments pulling punches in winter smog fight – Reuters Some local governments are not fighting hard enough to combat pollution, China’s environment ministry said on Thursday, as Beijing prepares to launch a tough new winter campaign to curb smog and meet politically crucial air quality targets.
China plans safety inspections at coal mines, chemical plants – Reuters “It is a top priority for us to give coal mines thorough checks. Hazardous chemical producers, city gas operators as well as fireworks manufactures will also be our list for the inspections,” cabinet said in a statement on Wednesday on the website of China’s work safety administration.
Education
China highlights importance of vocation schools – Xinhua The Ministry of Education (MOE) Wednesday announced China now has a total of 12,300 vocational schools with over 26.8 million enrolled students, highlighting the importance of the education system.
河南省、中科院和加州大学洛杉矶分校将共建大学 – 国内 – 新京报网 Henan Province, Chinese Academy of Sciences and UCLA to jointly build a University in Zhengzhou
Books And Literature
Princeton University Press opens office in China Princeton University Press is very proud to announce the opening of its China office in Beijing on August 15, 2017, the first such presence for a U.S. university press. Following the successful establishment of its first international office, in Europe in 1999, PUP has chosen to expand in China because of the country’s growing investment in higher education and scholarly research and its increasing centrality in the world of ideas and the world itself. The Press regards its opening in China as a step toward greater engagement with outstanding scholars in China and throughout Asia, both as readers and as prospective authors. // Comment: Nice timing. Is it censoring content?
Dear Censor: A China Quarterly Contributor Speaks Out* – BLARB – Michel Bonnin Yesterday, I received via WeChat a preliminary analysis of the articles that have been removed. To my mind, your subordinates have not done their job properly. There are quite a number of unjustly punished articles and a number of others, such as mine, which surprisingly escaped attention. I suppose that your subordinates have very heavy workloads. Still, I would like them to repair their mistake concerning my own paper. Its omission from the list makes me feel embarrassed in front of colleagues, who could justly believe that I have received undeserved special treatment. They may think that I engaged in some form of self-censorship when writing my paper. Or they could even suspect that the favored treatment I received is the result of a special relationship that I have with the Chinese authorities. These and other interpretations could cast a shadow on my academic integrity.
Beijing
Beijing’s Brand-New Ferris Wheel Shut Down Indefinitely After Breaking Down, Stranding Dozens of Riders in Mid-Air | the Beijinger After less than half a year of operation, Beijing’s new Ferris wheel at Shijingshan Amusement Park has been shut down until further notice after it broke down Monday morning, stranding dozens of park visitors in mid-air. // Comment: we never allowed our kids on any amusement park rides in China, much to their chagrin. Still won’t, other than Disney
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