ZGBriefs | September 12, 2024

Featured Article

EXPLAINED: What Is the China-Africa Summit and Why Does It Matter (September 3, 2024, Radio Free Asia)
Leaders of African countries are arriving in Beijing this week for a China-Africa summit, at which President Xi Jinping is expected to lay out his idea of a “shared future” with African nations, underpinned by Chinese demand for minerals and political support from Global South nations.

Event— “Understanding and Caring for Homosexuals”

The Taiwan Rainbow 7 Association will present a seminar on “Understanding and Caring for Homosexuals” in El Monte, CA at LOGOS Evangelical Seminary, from September 28 to 29. The event will be held in Mandarin and is ideal for church leaders, pastors, youth ministers, parents, and believers who are involved in ministry.

Government / Politics / Foreign Affairs

China Warns Students ‘Beautiful Women, Handsome Guys’ Could Lure Them into Spying (September 4, 2024, Reuters)
China’s ministry of state security on Wednesday released on its public WeChat social media account detailed cautions to students whom it said could be manipulated in a number of ways to give up information. It said state security departments have found that personnel of foreign espionage and intelligence organs have carried out targeted wooing and infiltration of young students.

Beyond China’s Shadow, Taiwan Forges Its Own Identity and Destiny (September 3, 2024, The Christian Science Monitor)
Over the past 40 years, Taiwan has emerged as a vibrant, diverse democracy with a strong identity, less willing to unify with the mainland and eager to chart its own course. China, meanwhile, has grown into an economic and military powerhouse, with a hard-line nationalist leadership more determined than ever to unite Taiwan with the “motherland.”

One Partnership at a Time: Beijing Steadily Creates a New Type of International Relations (September 6, 2024, China Brief Archives)
What Beijing refers to as a “new type of international relations (新型国际关系)” is the practice of what it calls “true multilateralism (真正的多边主义),” where countries build a “community of common destiny for humankind (人类命运共同体为)” (CIIS, 2023). While the phrases appear lofty in nature, in reality they refer to constructing a new international order, molding the United Nations in Beijing’s image, and reducing the power of other states to censure or restrict its activities.

Religion

Guided by the Divine in the Shadowed Valley (September 10, 2024, ChinaSource)
Many believers find their way to Christ through trials, through zealous missionaries, or by the gentle invitation of other believers. But for me, it was the shattering tragedy of 1989 that plunged the nation into despair, which quietly led me into the embrace of God.

When God Calls Us to Stay (September 9, 2024, ChinaSource)
Even before the civil unrest and the pandemic, Hong Kong was already known for its sky-high housing prices and tough conditions for raising kids. Still, God guided us on a journey of grace and reconciliation, calling us to stay and serve his church.

Reaching the New Unreached (September 6, 2024, ChinaSource)
Increasingly, pastors, youth ministers, and parents are encountering young people re-evaluating their gender or sexual orientation. When discussing issues related to homosexuality, how can we respond in a way that opens the door to further conversation, rather than shutting down the possibility of hope? How can we answer in a way that touches the essence of the gospel and invites Jesus into their lives?

Lanzhou: Muslims—A Blind Spot in Our Love (September 9, 2024, China Partnership)
Lanzhou, the capital of Gansu Province, is well-known for its large Muslim population. Gansu Province is usually regarded as the birthplace of Islam in China, and with a history of more than 1,300 years.  Most Muslims in Lanzhou belong to the Hui ethnic group. Today, several Lanzhou house pastors shared how they believe their Han Chinese churches have failed to love and reach out to their Muslim neighbors, and how this has hindered the Spirit’s work in their city.

Lanzhou: A City People Leave (September 5, 2024, China Partnership)
This month, we are praying for the city of Lanzhou in northwestern China. Lanzhou is the capital city of Gansu Province, and was an important station on the ancient Silk Road. The city sits on the banks of the Yellow River, and is known for its famous beef noodles. In today’s article, several local pastors introduce us to Lanzhou.

Society / Life

China Says It Is Ending Foreign Adoptions, Prompting Concern from US (September 5, 2024, The Guardian)
At a daily briefing on Thursday, Mao Ning, a spokesperson for the Chinese foreign ministry, said Beijing was no longer allowing intercountry adoptions of children from China, with the only exception for blood relatives to adopt a child or a stepchild.

China’s Gen Z Finds an Unlikely New Hero: A Sad, Tired Brit (September 5, 2024, Sixth Tone)
After weeks of grinding through 12-hour shifts and weekend overtime, Jack Forsdike was running on fumes. In January, he’d landed what seemed like the dream job as a video game designer at one of China’s leading tech companies. But this wasn’t fun anymore.

China to Build Migrant Children Database to Improve Welfare and Services (September 4, 2024, South China Morning Post)
China is setting up a nationwide database of the children of migrant workers as the country grapples with a rise in juvenile crime. The database will cover children who have been “left behind” in their hometowns while their parents work elsewhere, as well as children who have moved with their parents to other parts of the country for job opportunities.

Row Over Aircons in Classrooms as China Swelters (September 10, 2024, BBC News)
Parents in some of China’s hottest cities have called on schools to install air conditioners as temperatures surpass 35C. The conversation heated up in the southern city of Changsha where the education department responded saying it will not install air cons so students can “cultivate the spirit of hard work and endurance”.

China’s New Migrants (September 6, 2024, AP News)
China’s latest generation of emigrants is more diverse and showing up in noticeable numbers in more places. While many still head for the United States and other Western countries, growing pockets of Chinese are changing neighborhoods from Mexico City to Tokyo. An Associated Press series offers a glimpse into this wave from select cities around the world.

Economics / Trade / Business

Oversupply Begins to Bite in China (September 3, 2024, Foreign Policy)
A combination of heavy government investment, foreign tariffs (and the fear of more to come), and price wars has forced cleantech prices—and especially EV prices—to levels that are unsustainable for many Chinese companies. In the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, many firms were forced into closure; now another wave of bankruptcies may result.

China’s Livestream Industry Has a Fraud Problem (September 6, 2024, Sixth Tone)
Livestream e-commerce—in which influencers sell goods directly to customers via live online shows—has become a massive industry in China, with most consumer brands now viewing it as an essential marketing channel. But complaints about dodgy practices in the industry are on the rise, according to the state-owned media outlet Legal Daily.

Education

Georgia Tech to End China Partnerships Following Concerns Over Military Ties (September 9, 2024, Reuters)
Georgia Tech is ending its research and educational partnerships in the Chinese cities of Tianjin and Shenzhen, the U.S. university said on Friday, following scrutiny from Congress over its collaboration with entities allegedly linked to China’s military.

Science and Technology

T.D. Lee Changed Science in China and My Life. This Is What I Owe to Him (September 5, 2024, NPR News)
In 1974, Tsung-Dao (T.D.) Lee visited a dance academy in Shanghai and came up with an idea: shao nian ban, the Special Class for the Gifted Young. Thirty years later, I studied physics in China at the program Lee had conceived. For generations of Chinese scientists including myself, we owe much of our careers to Lee, not just for his contributions to particle physics, but also for his unparalleled efforts in advancing higher education in China and facilitating U.S.-China scientific exchange.

Huawei Racks Up 3mln Pre-Orders for Tri-Fold Phone Before Apple’s iPhone 16 Reveal (September 9, 2024, Reuters)
This robust pre-order figure underscores Huawei’s ability to navigate U.S. sanctions and solidifies its position as a key competitor to Apple, which has cut prices earlier this year to sustain its market share.

History / Culture

Fabric of Time: The Group Reproducing China’s Ancient Style (September 4, 2024, Sixth Tone)
During her academic studies, Chi Wenhui developed a systematic and rigorous approach to exploring historical outfits. “The richness of these clothes is far beyond our imagination,” she says. “Many costumes have never been excavated intact, but we have a lot of fragments, images, statues, and documents that can help us understand them. Doing restoration work is like being a detective, and our investigations often yield surprises.”

Language / Language Learning

YouGlish: A Free Service to Hear and See Chinese Words in Context (September 9, 2024, The Beijinger Blog)
Context matters. Chinese words are not used the way you’d think based on an English translation and words are not pronounced the same everywhere and by everyone. Traditional learning materials such as textbooks are notoriously bad at providing enough context and diversity to equip you for real-world interactions in Chinese. However, other tools excel at this, and YouGlish is one of them.

Travel / Food

Take the Subway and See: Yuanmingyuan, the Old Summer Palace (September 8, 2024, The Beijinger Blog)
Constructed in 1707 during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), the Old Summer Palace consists of three separate gardens coming together to create a massive complex spanning 2.9 square kilometers. Although it’s mostly remembered today for its looting and burning in 1860 during the Second Opium War, the Old Summer Palace was once a beautiful imperial park that featured striking examples of both Chinese and European-style architecture.

Is Birch Water a “Liquid Gold” for Chinese Male Consumers? (September 6, 2024, ChinaSkinny)
The concept of tree water has been around in Western markets for some time, with birch and maple sap products already well-established. In China, however, the idea of tree water is still very new. Rich in vitamins, minerals, and active compounds, it offers benefits like antioxidant properties, blood pressure reduction, and cholesterol-lowering effects, earning it the nickname “nature’s gift.”

Arts / Entertainment / Media

Murky Media Network Aligns with Beijing on Sensitive Issues (September 6, 2024, China Brief Archives)
The Beijing Times appears to be well-resourced and funded and is part of a much larger network of information websites targeting local audiences around the world. It publishes long-form articles that often appear studiously balanced. The outlet makes efforts to present all sides, claiming that its “neutrality” is its strength.

Pray for China

September 6 (Pray for China: A Walk Through History)
Families gather to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival (中秋节) when the moon is full on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month, which occurs in September or October. The origin is traced to the worship of Chang’e (嫦娥); she became the moon goddess after sacrificing herself by drinking an elixir that an evil king intended to use to make himself immortal. Pray for Christian families to celebrate this festival by honoring the Lord who sacrificed his only son to give eternal life to unworthy sinners.

For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 1 Corinthians 15:9