Year: 2018

The Story Behind Qixi, the Chinese Version of Valentine’s Day

Qixi (七夕), also known as Double Seventh, is a traditional Chinese festival that comes from the ancient legend of a literally star-crossed love between a mortal and a divine being: Niu Lang and Zhi Nü (牛郎織女), or the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl. “Niu Lang…
Hedge Fund Manager Says US Tariffs on China ‘Level the Playing Field’

Even as worries abound about the ongoing U.S.-China trade war, Hedge fund manager Kyle Bass, founder of Hayman Capital Management, believes that the U.S. government is taking a logical course of action. In an August 6 interview with CNBC Exclusive, Bass said that China has been stealing hundreds of billions…
The Epic Conquests of General Han Xin

China’s Han Dynasty (漢朝), founded in 202 B.C., lasted four centuries and inspired the modern name of the Han people, who make up over 90 percent of China’s 1.4 billion population today. But in many ways, the Han Dynasty’s rise was decided by the heroic achievements and tragic…
Unsafe Children’s Vaccines Have Caused an Uproar in China

Reports showing that a Chinese company sold and shipped over 250,000 unsafe doses of an infant vaccine have created massive public outrage, while the communist authorities act to censor information and discussion about the scandal. The company in question, Changsheng Bio-Technology, produces DTap, a combination…
Economic Trouble Is Threatening China’s Investment Projects

In the small Balkan nation of Montenegro, Chinese loans are driving the construction of a 165-kilometer (103-mile) expressway through a challenging stretch of mountainous territory. But the Montenegrin government has more to worry about than difficult terrain. According to a recent Reuters…
The Fact and Fiction of China’s New Laser Rifle

Chinese scientists claim to have built a laser rifle, the ZKZM-500, that can fire 1,000 shots on a single charge and is effective up to half a mile (800 meters). According to reports, the weapon is generally nonlethal, but inflicts an unbearable burning sensation and can set fire…
A Chinese Dissident’s Wife May Have Become Beijing’s Diplomatic Tool

Following eight years of house arrest, Liu Xia, the widow of Nobel Prize for Peace laureate and Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo, arrived in Germany on Tuesday, July 10. Her brother, Liu Hui, remains in China. Liu Xia’s husband, Liu Xiaobo — a writer, human…
This Chinese Province Is Restricting Abortion to Increase Birth Rates

Now, instead of requiring permission to give birth, women in southern China’s Jiangxi Province require permission to have an abortion. Introduced in 1980, China’s infamous one-child-policy resulted in a massive decrease in the population and led to an imbalanced sex ratio as parents-to-be aborted or…
US Government Scraps Racial Quotas in Universities

On July 3, U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions revoked guidance documents involving affirmative action, the policies widely applied across the country to promote racial diversity. Under the new policies, universities should not consider race or ethnicity as a factor when deciding whether to accept or reject applicants.
What’s Happening to ‘Made in China 2025’?

Since 2015, the Chinese government has been promoting the slogan “Made in China 2025,” which refers to Beijing’s goal of transforming China from a producer of cheap goods to a competitive powerhouse of cutting-edge high-tech industry. But in the last few months, there’s been a…
Chopsticks: More Than an Eating Utensil

Legend has it that chopsticks were invented by Emperor Yu the Great, who was once stranded on an island and started cooking some meat. His hunger uncontrollable, he used two twigs to remove the delicious meal from the fireplace, creating the tableware we know today.
Behind the Suicide of a Young Chinese Woman

On June 20, a 19-year-old woman in western China jumped off a building, killing herself two years after she was sexually assaulted by her teacher. Identified by her surname Li, the woman had been diagnosed with depression and had attempted suicide several times, her family…