Beijing is trying to use national hero Sun Yat-sen – who is also revered in Taiwan – to frame “reunification” with the democratic island as the fulfillment of a common national destiny, analysts told Radio Free Asia. Ahead of the 160th anniversary of Sun’s birth on Nov. 12, the mainland has planned official commemorations, and Taiwan’s government warned that Beijing was using the revolutionary leader’s legacy to further an “anti-independence, pro-reunification” strategy. Taiwan considers Sun to be the “father of the country.” He helped lead the revolution that ended China’s…
Tag: China
Kylian Mbappé’s China crisis shows how sensitive Mao’s legacy remains
It’s been a bad start to the week for the France forward Kylian Mbappé. He missed out on joining the elite roster of Ballon d’Or winners, and instead became the latest high-profile addition to a far less illustrious list – that of foreign brands and individuals charged with “hurting the feelings of the Chinese people”. The saga began when a video of the Real Madrid player making light of a meme involving him and China’s former leader Mao Zedong began spreading. Within hours Mbappé found himself condemned online, before being…
Sea of crimson: vivid ‘red beach’ transforms China’s wetlands and marshes – in pictures
A striking transformation takes place along the coast of Qinqdao in autumn, when a native seepweed turns a brilliant shade of red. The ‘red beach’ phenemon can be seen in the salt marshes and wetlands on the coast of China’s Shandong province, where the Suaeda glauca plant matures and absorbs water, changing it from green to crimson between September and November The Guardian
Kylian Mbappé apologises after being dropped by Chinese brands for Mao Zedong comment
Kylian Mbappé has apologised after the Real Madrid forward was dropped by major Chinese brands for apparently joking about Mao Zedong in a video that has gone viral. There were also signs of broader repercussions, with the state-run Chinese digital newspaper The Paper reporting that public television was suspending broadcasts of matches from La Liga. The offending video shows Mbappé saying that the funniest internet meme he had seen involving him was of his face photoshopped on to that of “some guy – I think he’s a Chinese dictator”. This…
Chinese markets lose trillions as race for AI supremacy with US takes its toll
Trillions of dollars have been wiped from China’s stock markets in recent months amid increasing anxiety about the future of artificial intelligence, as Beijing races against the United States for dominance in the sector. The STAR 50 Index, which tracks technology and innovation companies on the Shanghai stock exchange, has plunged 40% since June. Other indexes of major companies dropped by about 20% over the same time period. The precipitous drop has wiped out $2.4tn from the Chinese stock market since May, according to Bloomberg. AI stocks account for over…
Online post purportedly by Chinese students calls for restoring term limits for Xi
Read a version of this story in Chinese An “open letter” purportedly signed by students from multiple Chinese universities appeared on a Chinese language website on Monday, calling for the restoration of term limits for the Chinese president, but an investigation by Radio Free Asia was not able to determine if it originated from within China. The letter, which also called for the promotion of democratic constitutional amendments and the guarantee of space for citizens to discuss national affairs, appeared the same day as the opening of the fifth plenary…
‘Zero-energy companionship’: bizarre hobby takes seed among China’s stressed young adults
Young adults in China looking for a cheaper, low-maintenance alternative to having children or pets have found an answer: raising bricks. Bricks may not be as cuddly as cats or as life-affirming as human offspring, but they also cost next to nothing. “No cats, no dating, I started raising a brick,” wrote one brick parent on social media. Raising “brick babies” is easier than caring for house plants, involving spraying them with water a few times a day then waiting for moss spores already present in the atmosphere to attach…
Xi Jinping’s corruption crackdown in the spotlight as China prepares for meeting of top leaders
When Xi Jinping came to power in 2012, he pledged to stamp out corruption all through the ranks of the Communist party. More than a decade later, the pace of investigations has not slowed. Last year, China’s disciplinary authorities opened investigations into more than 1 million people, including more than 100 officials at or above ministerial or provincial level. As Chinese Communist party (CCP) officials prepare for an important meeting this week discipline – and party loyalty – is high on the agenda. For those who try to read the…
Kim Jong-un crosses over newly opened bridge into China
Kim Jong-un has travelled to China over a newly opened bridge marking the North Korean leader’s first known trip abroad in more than a year, South Korean officials have said. A government source told the Yonhap news agency on Saturday that Kim had arrived in the Chinese border city of Dandong, in Liaoning province, after taking a train from Pyongyang to Sinuiju and crossing the New Yalu River Bridge. Yonhap also reported that the Chinese premier, Li Qiang, had travelled to the city. Kim’s trip was not announced in advance…
As Trump’s time runs out, this could be his most dangerous legacy: a world divided into three | Steve Bloomfield
In the final two years of a US presidency, when Congress has been lost, approval ratings have sunk like a stone and their party has started to think about who’s coming next, the person occupying the Oval Office can feel their power draining away. Domestic legislation, particularly in an era where bipartisan cooperation is almost nonexistent, grinds to a halt. But as the days tick by until the end, and as presidents begin to think about their legacy, there is one part of the job where they still have power:…