ZGBriefs | August 20, 2015

ZGBriefs is a compilation of news items gathered from published online sources. ChinaSource is not responsible for the content, and inclusion in ZGBriefs does not equal endorsement.

Featured Article

He Xiaoxin: How Far Can I Go? How Much Can I Do? (August 15, 2015, China Digital Times)
Journalist He Xiaoxin (和小欣) of The Beijing Daily (北京日报) traveled to report from the scene of the massive explosion in a chemical warehouse at the Tianjin port, in which 112 people have been reported killed so far. Dramatic photos and videos of the explosion traveled quickly around the world via the Internet. But in this photo essay, He provides an up-close, personal look at the devastation. Propaganda officials have since banned media from reporting on the explosion or posting stories that did not originate from Xinhua:

Special Section: Tianjin Port Explosion

Photos: In the ruins of Tianjin (Reuters)

China explosions: a visual guide to what happened in Tianjin (August 13, 2015, The Guardian)

Photos of the Aftermath of the Massive Explosions in Tianjin, China (August 13, 2015, The Atlantic)

Aerial tour of China explosions site (August 13, 2015, BBC)
BBC News takes a closer look at the area around the site of the fatal explosions in the northern city of Tianjin in China.

OK Supercomputer: China’s Tianhe-1A Shut Down After Tianjin Blast (August 14, 2015, China Real Time)
The National Supercomputing Center in Tianjin has shut down the Tianhe-1A, once the world’s fastest supercomputer, as a precaution after the building housing it was damaged by the blast, China’s official Xinhua news agency said Thursday.

Trapped Firefighter Rescued 32 Hours After Tianjin Blasts (August 14, 2015, TIME)
Rescuers pulled out a firefighter who was trapped for 32 hours after responding to a fire and huge explosions in the Chinese port city of Tianjin as authorities dealt Friday with a fire still smoldering amid potentially dangerous chemicals.

Video captures fear of China blast eyewitnesses (August 14, 2015, BBC)
Footage of two massive explosions in the Chinese city of Tianjin, taken by a stunned eyewitness, captured the fear and terror of those who saw what happened.

China’s Censors Scramble to Contain Online Fallout After Tianjin Blast (August 14, 2015, China Real Time)
The Tianjin warehouse explosion has horrified and gripped China’s netizens, with the topic racking up more views on social network Weibo than the country’s total population of nearly 1.4 billion.

An Outbreak of Mistrust in China (August 15, 2015, The New Yorker)
How China conducts its investigation into the explosions—the amount of transparency it permits into the process, the expediency with which findings are conveyed, and its willingness to expose powerful people, if necessary—will serve as a barometer of the leadership’s control.

You’ve Got Candles, I’ve Got a Whip (August 16, 2015, China Change)
For the last two nights, seeing candles across my computer screen, I’ve wanted to burst out with curses: So you’ve got candles, but is that all you’ve got?

Tianjin explosions: sodium cyanide on site may have been 70 times allowed amount (August 16, 2015, The Guardian)
Chinese officials found what they believe to be 700 tonnes of sodium cyanide at two locations within the site of Wednesday’s deadly blasts, state media reported on Sunday. 

China explosion: Did warehouse operators violate safety rules? (August 16, 2015, Christian Science Monitor)
Chinese officials have confirmed the presence of 'several hundred' tons sodium cyanide, in apparent violation of safety regulations.

Video: Tianjin explosion site: video footage shows scale of devastation (August 17, 2015, The Guardian)
Footage shot on Monday shows the wreckage of burnt-out cars and crumpled shipping containers at the site of a blast in Tianjin, northern China, which killed at least 114 people on Wednesday.

The anguish of Tianjin — homes lost, loved ones missing (August 17, 2015, The Los Angeles Times)
At about 11 p.m. Wednesday, Zhang Deyong stood by his apartment's 22nd-story window and watched two massive fireballs ripple into the sky and then fade into an ominous mushroom cloud of smoke and debris. 

China explosions: Tianjin residents hold protests (August 17, 2015, BBC)
Residents say the chemical storage warehouses which blew up had been built illegally close to their homes.

Tianjin blasts: fears of cyanide pollution as Chinese officials lambasted (August 17, 2015, The Guardian)
Alarming levels of sodium cyanide have been found at wastewater monitoring stations in the disaster-stricken city of Tianjin almost five days after a series of deadly explosions claimed at least 114 lives and sparked intense criticism of the Chinese government.

In Tianjin Blasts, a Heavy Toll for Unsuspecting Firefighters (August 17, 2015, The New York Times)
The young firefighters, their thin frames puffed up by insulated coveralls, some of them barely old enough to shave, rushed to the scene of a modest warehouse blaze in the port city of Tianjin on Wednesday night with little idea of the danger that awaited them.

Firefighters' Families Demand Answers About Tianjin Chemical Explosion (August 18, 2015, NPR)
What we think happened is that they were sent in not understanding exactly what was stored there or perhaps not understanding the chemistry of how to tackle that kind of fire.

China explosions: Doubts raised over chemical licences (August 18, 2015, BBC)
The Chinese firm whose warehouse in Tianjin exploded last week killing at least 114 people did not have a licence to handle hazardous chemicals until two months ago, Xinhua news agency says.

A blast in Tianjin sets off an explosion online (August 18, 2015, The Economist)
The most remarkable feature of the aftermath of the explosions in Tianjin, in northern China, has been the extraordinary contrast between the official reaction to the crisis, which has been profoundly flawed, and the online reaction, which has entirely dominated the agenda.

Government / Politics / Foreign Affairs

Xi’s history lessons (August 16, 2015, The Economist)
Under Mr Xi, the logic of history goes something like this. China played such an important role in vanquishing Japanese imperialism that not only does it deserve belated recognition for past valour and suffering, but also a greater say in how Asia is run today.

China 'seeking brother of Ling Jihua in US' (August 17, 2015, BBC)
Chinese officials in the US are searching for the exiled brother of a disgraced top aide to former President Hu Jintao, according to media reports. Ling Jihua was charged with corruption and removed from the party last month. The pursuit of his brother Ling Wancheng could overshadow a visit by President Xi Jinping to the US.

White House tells Beijing to stop covert agents hunting expatriates (August 17, 2015, The New York Times, via CNBC)
The Obama administration has delivered a warning to Beijing about the presence of Chinese government agents operating secretly in the United States to pressure prominent expatriates — some wanted in China on charges of corruption — to return home immediately, according to American officials.

Religion

Authorities release Wenzhou Pastor Huang Yizi, church faces cross demolition (August 11, 2015, China Aid)
After one year in jail for leading a prayer vigil against cross demolitions in China’s coastal Zhejiang, authorities released Pastor Huang Yizi and allowed him to return to his home in Wenzhou in the early morning of Aug. 1.

No plan to halt church cross removals in Wenzhou: official (August 12, 2015, Global Times)
Officials of Wenzhou, East China's Zhejiang Province said Tuesday they will continue to remove "unsafe" rooftop crosses from churches, despite claims by local pastors that the campaign has been suspended, the Global Times learned. "We haven't received any notice to halt the campaign," said an official surnamed Wang from the office of "three revise and one demolition" in Leqing, Zhejiang Province. "The demolition is still going on and one cross was removed a few days ago."

“Theological Reflections on Urban Churches in China:” A Reformed Theologian Responds (August 14, 2015, From the West Courtyard)
As China’s Reformed church leaders and scholars discover “in-depth” theological resources for answering their most pressing questions, they make the Reformed tradition their own and begin to shape its future—a future that belongs as much to them as anyone else in the world.

Loving the Unlovable (August 18, 2015, Chinese Church Voices)
Out of his experiences with a relapsed addict and a formerly wealthy street dweller, Cao shares about a significant shift that took place in his own theology, which led to a new way of approaching ministry.

Society / Life

Woman Stabbed Dead by Man with Sword Outside Beijing Uniqlo (August 13, 2015, China Real Time)
Even on a day dominated by news of a deadly explosion in Tianjin, a tragic mudslide in Shaanxi province and continuing financial turmoil over the currency, China’s online community was riveted on Thursday by a single murder in a wealthy neighborhood in Beijing.One reason: The victim’s suffering was caught on video.

Chinese police arrest 15,000 for cybercrimes (August 18, 2015, The Guardian)
Police have investigated 7,400 cases of cybercrime, the ministry of public security said. It did not make clear over what period the arrests were made, but referred to a case dating to last December.

5 Chinese confirmed dead in Bangkok blast (August 18, 2015, China Daily)
As of 3 p.m. local time on Tuesday, five Chinese nationals, including three from the mainland and two from the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, had been confirmed dead in a Bangkok explosion Monday night, the Chinese Embassy in Thailand said Tuesday.

Health / Environment

Study Finds Pollution in China Causes 1.6 Million Deaths a Year (August 13, 2015, TIME)
Air pollution in China is responsible for the deaths of about 1.6 million people every year, or about 4,400 per day, according to a new study.

HIV/AIDS Prevention Classes, Now Coming to a Chinese School Near You (August 14, 2015, China Real Time)
In an effort to combat the rise, middle and high school students will now be required to attend six and four hours of HIV/AIDS prevention classes respectively, according to the circular, an English-language version of which was viewed by China Real Time.

Beijing among most polluted cities for first time this year (August 18, 2015, China Daily)
Beijing was among the worst 10 cities in China for air quality in July, the first time this year the capital has dropped so low. Only 35.5 percent of days in the month met the national standard, putting the capital at 65th among the country's 74 major cities.

Economics / Trade / Business

Video Feature: What Goes Up When China’s Currency Goes Down (August 14, 2015, The New York Times)
It is too early to assess the impact on consumers both at home and abroad. But for now, for Chinese citizens at home, it also means their money doesn’t go as far.

Five reasons to be worried about the Chinese economy (August 14, 2015, The Guardian)
Here are five warning signs that have set seasoned China watchers worrying that what started out as an exercise in rebalancing and controlled liberalisation might result in a hard landing.

China Devaluates Currency; Multiple Effects On Global Economy (August 17, 2015, NPR)
China's central bank surprised investors when it devalued its currency. David Greene talks to David Wessel, director of the Brookings Institution's Hutchins Center on Fiscal & Monetary Policy.

History / Culture

Scars of WWII occupation in Hong Kong (August 14, 2015, BBC)
The legacy of the Japanese occupation during WWII is still being felt by people in Hong Kong. For decades, they have been stuck with leftover currency in the form of military yen, which they were forced to use during Japanese colonial rule. Today the bills are worthless, as Juliana Liu reports.

Clues to the past: The lost Sino-Japanese war photos (August 15, 2015, BBC)
As China gears up for a grand commemoration of the 70th anniversary of Japan's surrender in World War Two, hundreds of never-before-seen historic photos have surfaced, shedding new light on a part of history that once scarred the country.

"Mian Zi" (face): The Treasure that Never Wears Out (August 17, 2015, From the West Courtyard)
If you’ve ever seen two drivers in China standing in the middle of the street yelling at each other, chances are it’s about “face,” not a fender-bender.

Arts / Entertainment / Media

Family of Olympic hero Eric Liddell fear his devout Christianity will be downplayed in new Chinese-funded film of his life (August 16, 2015, Daily Record)
The family of Olympic hero Eric Liddell fear Chinese film-makers will ignore his religious faith in a new movie of his life. Liddell raced into sporting immortality as the devout Christian who refused to run on a Sunday, with his performance inspiring the Oscar-winning film Chariots of Fire.

The songs China doesn't want you to hear (August 17, 2015, BBC)
In China, the government has banned a list of 120 songs from the internet, including a string of karaoke favourites. It says the songs "trumpet obscenity, violence, crime or harm social morality", and has ordered them to be removed from websites.

Bloggers ridicule Chinese film placing Mao Zedong at key wartime conference (August 17, 2015, The Guardian)
The Cairo Declaration dramatises China’s fight against Japan but is condemned for showing Mao at the 1943 meeting with Churchill and Roosevelt,

Travel / Food

Gansu Provincial Government Restaurant: Where Noodles Meet Their Match (August 18, 2015, The Beijinger)
This month’s provincial government restaurant features one of China’s best comfort foods and soul warmers: lamian, or northwestern China’s hand-pulled, thin noodles that are native to Lanzhou, Gansu province.

Shanghai's Best-Kept Culinary Secrets: The Glutton Guide Shanghai (August 18, 2015, Life on Nanchang Lu)
Meet Jamie Barys, who, along with friend and business partner Kyle Long established Untour Shanghai, a hugely popular off-beat tour company. Their tours remain the best way to get to know Shanghai's street foods, even for locals.

Language / Language Learning

The Chinese in Canada: Long live Cantopop (August 15, 2015, The Economist)
Cantonese is not about to die out. About 62m people speak it, as many as speak Italian.

Books

Q. and A.: Nick Holdstock on Xinjiang and ‘China’s Forgotten People’ (August 13, 2015, Sinosphere)
In his latest book, “China’s Forgotten People: Xinjiang, Terror and the Chinese State,” Mr. Holdstock analyzes terror attacks in Xinjiang, arguing that most of the problem is a response to draconian Chinese government policies that began in the early 2000s.

Articles for Researchers

China's Crisis: The Price of Change (August 18, 2015, Stratfor)
The reality is that China is in the midst of what may be its most serious crisis since the days of Deng Xiaoping. And the model of government and economy Deng put in place is no longer effective at managing China, much less shifting it in a new direction.

Image credit: Weibo.com, via CNBC