A weekly roundup of news and analysis to help you follow key developments in China and the Chinese church.
Featured Article Everything You Need to Know About Traveling Into and Out of China Right Now (February 19, 2020, The Beijinger) Amid growing uncertainty as to what faces both foreigners returning to China and those trying to leave, China's National Immigration Administration recently released details on what Chinese and foreigners can expect when dealing with immigration.
A Brief History of Face Masks in China (February 12, 2020, Sixth Tone)
Over the past century, Chinese have relied on face masks to shield them from disease, chemical warfare, and pollution.
These airlines have suspended flights to and from China (February 5, 2020, CNN)
Here's a roundup of some major airlines that have suspended or reduced their flights to mainland China.
The Truth About “Dramatic Action” (January 27, 2020, China Media Project)
From inside the curtain that now encloses my city, I wish to offer my thoughts on this “dramatic action,” and to judge what we have actually seen and experienced in terms of commitment to public health.
Harbin Ice and Snow Festival 2020 (January 6, 2020, BBC)
Here are some of the best bits from this year's festival, in China's Heilongjiang north-east province. The annual event features ice slides, ice sculptures and even a snow-themed mass wedding.
China can't rule out new virus spreading between humans (January 15, 2020, CBS News)
The possibility that a new virus in central China could spread between humans cannot be ruled out, though the risk of transmission at the moment appears to be low, Chinese officials said Wednesday.
The Future of America’s Contest with China (January 6, 2020, The New Yorker)
Washington is in an intensifying standoff with Beijing. Which one will fundamentally shape the twenty-first century?
Outspoken Chinese Pastor Wang Yi Sentenced to 9 Years in Prison (December 30, 2019, Christianity Today)
China on Monday sentenced a prominent pastor who operated outside the Communist Party–recognized Protestant organization to nine years in prison.
Each week I “scan the Internet so you don’t have to,” looking for interesting stories from China to include in ZGBriefs. Below are the ones that you, dear readers, clicked on the most in 2019.
Undiscovered China: Zhangjiajie, the land of 'Avatar' (December 17, 2019, USA Today)
The "'Avatar' Mountains," are the inspiration for the Pandora scenery and bewitching landscape of director James Cameron's mythical blockbuster film "Avatar."
Anniversary of a crackdown (December 9, 2019, World Magazine)
One year after a police raid, members of a prominent Chinese church wrestle with past traumas and endure ongoing threats.
Expat Wrestling Season: The internal clash between staying and going (December 3, 2019, The Culture Blend)
It’s here again. Wrestling season. For the expats. Here’s the backstory . . . for the rest of you. Expats don’t stay forever. We come and go.