Don’t Rile the Chinese! ....... Or is it Too Late?
It does look too late. The pride is so strong here that the recent events have caused a groundswell of patriotism unprecedented in my time in China. The demonstrations during the Torch Relay events have sparked the local Chinese to show their support of the Beijing Olympics and their solidarity over Tibet, and in condemnation of the worldwide media showing anti-Chinese leanings. This past weekend demonstrations even made it to Dongguan. Many locals marched in the streets. Calls have gone out for boycotts of Carrefour a major French superstore chain with many locations in the country here. The boycotts may also extend to McDonald’s and KFC for unknown reasons.
I can’t speak to the fundamental causes of either side, but I am amazed at the local media. You get used to censors cutting newscasts when you live here. But for now, we rarely even get to see newscast at all. As I mentioned in my last posting, I have only “heard” ABC news on one day recently.
Instead, we certainly get the Chinese side in the story here. All the CCTV broadcast feature specials about the retributions in Tibet since the March riots. And features tout accomplishments and improvements to Tibet under China.
In one review today of the media reporting on the recent events, one guest made a slight defense of CNN and got promptly cutoff before completing his comments. He was attempting to note that the commentator’s comments that have gotten so much publicity were only rhetoric that gets leveled as easily against US interests in the same broadcast.
I don’t agree with public rhetoric used by the CNN commentator either, but I do accept that there are opposing views and like to hear all sides. The media should not be biased and should be more open to all views. It may be offensive from time to time, but at least it is heard. That is more than I can say in trying of much of the news here.
Labels: ABC News, Carrefour, Dongguan, Life in China, Newscast
Hearing the ABC Evening News
Well, I finally got to hear the ABC Evening News the other day! It was the first time since I returned. Only as you will see on the right, I only got to "hear" the News. Either someone forgot to turn off the picture and open the full feed from the US, or China didn't want us to see all the broadcast. Few broadcast from the outside are getting through the filters right now. If they do, they are frequently interrupted.
Labels: ABC News, Dongguan, Life in China, Newscast
Chinese New Year in Thailand
Thailand….. HOT! And I love it! Yes! I’m finally warm!
Okay I was surprised to find rain on arrival in Bangkok, but that didn’t last too long. In fact, it has cleared off and gotten extremely hot. And that is the usual conditions here this time of year. This is typically too early for the rainy season, and that is okay by me.
Meanwhile, China continues to suffer from the worst blizzard in 50 years. Just, when the country was all primed for this being the year of China with the Olympics in Beijing, instead the coverage it is getting is all about the travails of the migrant workers caught trying to get to their homes.
I even had the chance to catch both sides of the news on the subject too. In Hong Kong, the newspapers were freely reporting the unrest and dissatisfaction of so many workers in their difficulties in going home. While the newspapers in China and releases from the government sanctioned news agency, Xinhua, was reporting how things were coming together and that migrant workers were happily not going home. That is the way news often gets reported. It is probably a little of both sides of the issue, and neither is wholly accurate.
And believe me I’m sure a lot of workers definitely want to get home. They often do not have a factory home any longer to go back to, particularly in Dongguan. Recent actions by the government have increased costs substantially, and reportedly as many as 1000 shoe factories alone in Dongguan have closed and moved to other regions or countries.
Couple that with the fact that many workers use the Chinese holiday break to change jobs, and you have a lot of workers that have quit their jobs and no longer have anything to stay for in their home away from home. A newscast reported that as many as 38% of white collar workers alone use the break to change jobs! I knew that every year I have gone back to the factory only to find several of the office staff had not come back. I didn’t know the numbers were quite as high as reported, but that’s what they said on a CCTV newscast.
Labels: Bangkok, China, China Weather, Chinese New Year, Guangdong News, Newscast, Thailand
Typhoon Brings Some Relief........ But No News
Finally a break in the heat! A typhoon! I never thought I would be so happy to be near a typhoon! But this one is bringing cooler temperatures, even though the humidity has gone up dramatically, it is a lot better than its been, particularly with the added wind. And besides, it doesn’t look like it will materialize into too severe of a storm, just be good for some wetter weather, and milder temperatures.
Which is great relief, considering I have not been in the best of spirits in the mornings lately. Seems the News networks must not be in favor with the Chinese lately. The ABC and CBS Evening newscasts (which show here in the mornings) have been pre-emptied most days lately.
I am getting pretty tired of Samantha Brown climbing the inclined walk to the top of the Cathedral in Seville. Or the Rocco versus Jeffery saga on The Restaurant. You would think that they are the only two shows the local networks own here. They don’t show any other broadcast when they cancel the newscast. And I mean they show the very same two shows, not another show from either series. Just the same show every time they pre-empt the news. So in the last two months, I bet I’ve seen Samantha climb to the top of that Seville Cathedral over a hundred times! I’M SICK OF IT! Can’t she go to another city?
At least it’s cooler! Only 90° F!
Labels: China Weather, Dongguan, Life in China, Newscast
