The Vatican And The Other China
on March 19, 2013
Ma Ying-Jeou was present at the Vatican during Pope Francis’ inauguration, affording the Taiwanese president a rare opportunity to mix with other world leaders.
I Gave My DNA To A Company In China So They Can Manufacture Genius Babies
on March 19, 2013
An interview with evolutionary psychologist Geoffery Miller about BGI Shenzhen, where scientists are sequencing their entire genomes in an attempt to identify and reproduce the alleles that determine human intelligence.
China’s New Leaders Say They Want to Fight Corruption. Can They? Will They?
A ChinaFile Conversation
on March 19, 2013
In his first press conference after taking office as China's new premier, Li Keqiang declared that one of his top priorities would be to fight corruption, because “Corruption and the reputation of our government are as incompatible as fire and water.” This put Li on message with his boss, Xi Jinping, who said approximately the same thing a few months ago upon taking office as General Secretary of the Party
Baby Milk Restrictions Cause Outrage in Mainland China
on March 18, 2013
The Hong Kong government’s recent listing of baby formula as a “reserved commodity” and a 1.8kg per person per day export limit has sparked widespread criticism—as well as becoming a hot topic at China’s annual session of parliament [the Lianghui, or “Two Meetings”] over the past week.
Ladders, Losers, and Direct-Marketing Schemes
on March 17, 2013
A skin cream customer pays an extra fee and, voilà, instantly becomes a company representative with the right to sell cream and other products, as well as recruit more dealers.
Eventually, she persuades other women to buy the cream and join the marketing team by paying the fee. Each newcomer is encouraged to find more followers, growing the cream distribution network one recruit at a time.
Spin of a Crooked Record
on March 16, 2013
Hundreds of villagers in Hebei province discovered they were victims of identity theft—and in demanding officials find the culprit, they became the recipients of harassment and legal bills. Instead of seeing a shakeout, the villagers watched environmental authorities and local courts give shelter to the assessors responsible for blatant fraud.
What China’s New President Means For The Entertainment Industry
on March 15, 2013
Although China's annual foreign movie quota was recently increased, there’s much uncertainty surrounding how Xi’s rise to power will impact the entertainment industry.
Their First Trips To China
on March 15, 2013
David Whitford reviews My First Trip to China, a collection of essays in which distinguished China watchers evoke the world's most dynamic economy as it used to be.
China’s New Prime Minister Faces Test In Bolstering Economy
on March 15, 2013
China’s new prime minister, Li Keqiang, entered the job on Friday inheriting a wobbling economy that could distract his government from its bold vows to clean up pollution and harness expanding towns and cities as an engine for growth.
Xi Pivots To Moscow
on March 15, 2013
Will Xi’s late March 2013 trip to Vladimir Putin’s Russia -- a bastion of authoritarian state capitalism -- symbolically define China’s path ahead, like Deng’s 1979 U.S. tour?